I guess all the military services are having troubles with enlistment. Yesterday while I was talking to Jenny a Navy Recruiter interupted. I waited. He asked about her youngest son who is 24, how he was doing, what he was doing and Jenny didn't feel comfortable about answering such questions because anyone who knew her son knew he no longer lived there.
She said, "I am his mother. Who are you?"
"Oh, well ma'am. [your son] and I spoke back when he was in highschool. I'm with the Navy Recruitment Office."
She said, "I'm uncomfortable in giving out my son's information. Just so you know, we are ashamed of the war in Iraq and do no support it."
"We'll ma'am, that is the army. We are the Navy."
"Look. Don't pull that crap on me. It is wartime. Your enlistments are down or you wouldn't be calling," she said, then added, "We aren't interested."
"Ma'am? Would your son be more interested if he had that $84,000.00 signing bonus?"
"So 84 thousand is the price tag you put on my son? You have determined his life is valued at $84,000.00?"
They begged off the phone after he asked her to take down his information. I know it is going to be awhile till she sees her son. He travels around the world.
Jenn was fast thinking. Her brood was threatened today.
No WMD, no proliferation of weapons, biological or otherwise- still they want our children. Numbers. They want numbers. I wonder what the new enlistments will be offered and where the next war is going to be fought since Bush declared our Victory in Iraq long ago. Good day to you all. May your brood be safe.
8 comments:
My daughter is 24 and in love with a 23 year old cop. I love my daughter. My son is 20 and he kicks footballs to pay for college. His best childhood friend is in the Guards. That is how he pays for college. I understand the emotions of a parent. I also remember my own flirt with the Navy, my sleepless night before lottery day and the horror I watched on tv night after night.
But times are different. In Viet Nam, the United States had a zit and we treated it with surgery, chemo and radiation. But now the whole of humanity has cancer. It is a cancer called radical fundalmentalism. Put the word Christian in front of it and the cancer could be in Texas or Oklahoma or Washington D.C. Put Islamic in front of it and the cancer could be in Iraq or Iran or airplanes over American cities.
I could not be a surgeon myself and I hope that those close to me would choose not to become one either. But the fact of the matter is, until we cure humanity of this cancer, we do need surgeons. As for the statement by the recuiter that "this is the Navy"--a stupid thing for a salesman to say. Larry
This speaks to me. My son seems to be the object of desire of our armed forces. While I would certainly respect any decision he might make about joining the military, in these times BEING recruited is somewhat like walking through a used car lot, summarily accosted by salesmen.
We are in a situation of extreme paradox in that we have patriotic children who treasure this country. My eldest plans on having a career in the U.S. Army. I struggle with his Commander in Chief to be. I have lost faith in our current administration because of our devotion to "Global Reform" and the World Trade Order.
I don't want our soldiers to die for economic principles few of us are well off enough to invest in. I would rather our children join the Science Corps. Is there such a thing? I wish more than anything for our world to fuel the homes and businesses with healthy resources we don't rape or pollute the land to acquire. I don't like displacing citizens in this world in order to fuel our level of consumption. Enough will never be enough.
Chelle, the paradox you write of is a fortunate truth. My son flirts with the idea of joining the Marines. He isn't interested in making it a career, but he feels that he should serve and that it will be an experience rich with life lessons. I will be supportive whatever he decides, but I confess my trepidation for all the reasons which you have mentioned!
After some conversation with my son, Chad, I was dutifully informed that there is no such thing as a Science Corps. He told me that there was something called the NOAA Corps, which is a military service within the Commerce Department that engages in scientific exploration. I have never heard of it.
Chad went on to muse why someone would consider the Army over the Marines, unless one is considering either Ranger duty or Special Forces. Do I feel some competitive male testerone happening around here?
Well, my son says there is more to military stategy than naval infantry and air maneuvers, whatever the heck that means. We live in an area between an airforce base-Travis and an old navy base--Mare Island but he has wanted to be an army man since he was 11-yrs-old. I do worry. Still, the Marines have it tough, too. I'm not sure about this but like you, I support him. It is his conviction and there is something excellent about that. As far as the different division of service go, he has respect for them all and is well informed. He is a fair young man with a solid sense of right from wrong. God has been good to me. I'm blessed. I sit her with tears in my eyes because war is war and people don't always make it home to their families arms. I have to be OK with that. I'm not quite adjusted to the notion of losing a son. I'm not sure that is possible.
I read your son's comments to mine about naval infantry and air maneuvers, and he laughed, saying, "I know where that guy is coming from. General Patton wouldn't have been as great in the marines." Whatever THAT means!
Reading the bottom of your posting caused tears to well in my eyes, too. War brings such pain to so many.
I don't think of my son's enlistment, if he does, as a loss. As much as I love him and enjoy him being around, I suppose that he must spread his wing someday. But should he enlist, I would fear losing him in battle in some faraway place so far from me. I have severe trepidation of that fear becoming real.
You know Linda, I remember hearing that the wars we fought on our own soil were fought with older men, and more mature minds.
I'm like Jen in that I'm not certain of our reasons for being in Iraq. War kills therefore I'm against it. If we must kill, let it be after a trial or in self-defense.
This isn't a football game or any other kind of game where it can be said, "The best defense is an skilled offense." Nor is it a game of strategy like chess where everyone dies covering their king's butt. Besides, we all know that a good king fights for his people along side his people. Again, war sucks.
So it is really hard for me to observe our young folks over their giving it their all without it breaking my heart daily. I'm proud of them. Not all of them believe in the reasons for this war either but they are there to help their troops, not just our country. They want nothing more than to come home to us but they want to make sure the rest of our guys and gals make it back too. It is a group effort.
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