Posted on Jul 22, 2015
Would you encourage your child to follow in your military footsteps?
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With reductions in force, changes to military retirements, and a future that may involve drawn out deployments against enemies like ISIS, how would you feel about your own child serving? Would you want them to follow your footsteps exactly, or would you encourage them to take another path? Knowing what you know now, would you steer them toward a different service, or a different job?
As you evaluate your own decisions to join, at what point is patriotism and service "worth it" when your son or daughter is the one at risk? Consider likely changes to the following; retirement changed to 401k, medical benefits reduction or merger with "Obamacare," loss of full GI Bill benefits. Although you might "do it all over again," would you want the same for them?
I ask this simply because my son will grow up in a long line of family members who have served across different branches, officer and enlisted. This isn't necessarily the same military now as the one we all signed up for. Likely, it will be even more different by the time is old enough to join. The circumstances under which I signed, and the benefits of starting my own path, will likely not be the same when the time comes for him. What would you do?
As you evaluate your own decisions to join, at what point is patriotism and service "worth it" when your son or daughter is the one at risk? Consider likely changes to the following; retirement changed to 401k, medical benefits reduction or merger with "Obamacare," loss of full GI Bill benefits. Although you might "do it all over again," would you want the same for them?
I ask this simply because my son will grow up in a long line of family members who have served across different branches, officer and enlisted. This isn't necessarily the same military now as the one we all signed up for. Likely, it will be even more different by the time is old enough to join. The circumstances under which I signed, and the benefits of starting my own path, will likely not be the same when the time comes for him. What would you do?
Military service
Politics
Benefits
Future
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 36
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If one or both of my children decide to join the military then of course I will support them but I want them to make the choose because they have thought it out and feel it is the best thing for them, not because "daddy did it".
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TSgt (Join to see)
SGT Ben Keen, agreed! I know on my husband's side, at least up through him, it has almost been a Lt. Dan type mentality. "Someone has served in every generation all the way back to so-and-so in the Revolution, it's my duty." I imagine the conversation will come up at some point, especially with our son growing up exposed to the military. But, we will cross that bridge when we get there. He will have to make a choice between college and the military though, or something that gets him out of the house! :)
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I would encourage my daughters to do what they desire and strive to do. If that happens to serve in the military, then I would proudly wear my uniform when they graduate from basic training.
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MSG (Join to see)
TSgt (Join to see) - On the plus side of that, at least I know not to wear a CIB w/ 3rd award, or a SF tab, or Silver Star, or a Purple Heart.
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If it were their idea, sure. If they were truly interested, I'd then give them some advice, but I wouldn't steer them in any particular direction. Ultimately, it would need to be their decision, both to join, and then their career paths after joining.
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TSgt (Join to see)
LTC Kevin B., I've also considered the fact that, as a teenager, I often did the exact opposite of what my parents said just because I thought I knew better. I think I might inadvertently end up steering him, but in the exact opposite direction of everything I say!
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