wounded warriors

[wabisabi]

Well, Spazz, I wish I could believe it was that simple; personally, I think congress is getting ready for a draft, and that they are running the women in combat thing up the flagpole because they might include women inthe draft this time.

[KkAllez]

You guys have no idea how fearful I am that my son will be going over there. If we can get him graduated from high school, which is just a struggle, (he will be a junior next year, and he wants to get his GED and join the Army) I feel we will have accomplished something. We have him at New Mexico Military Institute in hopes that he will either get into WestPoint, Texas A&M, or two years at NMMI's junior college. Our goal is that if he is going to join the Army then go as an officer....but being a kid, and being awestruck by a couple of retired special forces guys who work at NMMI he is ready now. At least at NMMI he's learning to be a leader.

I swear that kid came out of my womb and popped a salute! Seriously though, I go through just absolute moments of depression, sinking fear, I feel like puking, and I guess it is to help keep my sanity, but I simply cannot watch TV right now, or at least the news, nor can I read about Iraq in the paper. It makes me sick at my stomach that I could lose my son, who, I think absolutely hung the moon. Yet, I cannot tell him he can't do something. I CAN do my best to keep him in school and hopefully college. Right now my biggest prayer is that all of this will be over before he graduates.....

....and you know writing this, I see how selfish I am. I am only thinking of myself and my son and our little family...but that is how it is for me at the moment.

I have somewhat of an idea what mothers must have felt when there was draft who had teenage boys. I don't even have to consider the draft, he's hell bent on going regardless.

[spazzdog]

I understand KKAllez... as much as a non-parent can at least.

My roomies best friend is abt to graduate from Mass Maritime... and is automatically a reservist. He also got his degree in nuclear engineering and scored a job in the private sector. I expect he'll be called up pretty quick.

His mom won't even talk about it.

The logical discussion of the kid going to military school, thus into the military (as is his choice) carries no import. Perhaps it's the "he'll always be my baby" maternal pull... understandable. But, when a young person attends military school they are well aware of what's to come, unlike a public/private school kid.

I wish your son the best in whatever path he takes... and I hope you will never regret his honorable service or yours for that matter.

spazz

[Trek420]

Two wounded warrior riders are setting out. One cross country east to west, other is west to east (I wonder if they will meet up?).

Let's support them

http://www.bikingbis.com/blog/_archi...9/2867899.html

[KnottedYet]

I love the idea of this ride, and the cause that they are raising money for.

But my first thought is: why isn't the money coming from the government? Think of all the money that got "misplaced" in Iraq, and no-one can account for it. Just a little bit of that would buy these folks t-shirts and shorts to wear in the hospital, for goodness sakes.

We pay taxes (happy tax day, everyone!). Why isn't more of our tax money going to help these folks who got wounded FOR US? Bringing them back should be just as important on the ledger sheets as sending them over.

We should be just as responsible for their recovery as we are for sending them there in the first place.

I have family in the military and I work in healthcare; so I am biased. But I am utterly shocked at how our Wounded Warriors are just spat out by the system.

(I won't argue the politics, but I will argue the right to medical care, counseling, disability payments, etc. for the returning wounded.)

[Crankin]

I have been anti war all of my life. I was out on the Boston Common in 1968 when I was 15, protesting. I got thrown out of school in Florida when i wore an anti war pin to high school. I dislike the prez intensely.
That said, I have a son in the Marines. He had every advantage in the world. He did not have to enlist. He went to a prestigious "public prep" school in suburban Boston and was accepted at 6 colleges. He was a Cat 3 racer at age 16 and the #5 junior racer in the US for 2 years. He started college as a sophomore because he had so many AP credits. Guess what, after a year at U of AZ, he came home and enlisted. Drove that new car right down to Waltham and did it without telling us! He had been in ROTC at college and we had finally accepted that, but it wasn't enough.
It's been 3 years and he is still the same wonderful person he has always been. He didn't join for political reasons (he swears he's the only Jewish Democrat in the Marines). He wanted to do something "hard" and he loves the risk. He has done some interesting stuff in a special unit, but now he is back to the regular stuff and will be going to Iraq in September. He's probably going to re enlist and has been interviewing to get into the intelligence unit. There was absolutely nothing we could have done to stop him. He was born to this.... no matter what alternatives we presented, it was not enough.

[Trek420]

...and I agree with Knott.

However you feel about this or any war we owe a debt as a country to those who serve in our military. We still benefit today from that "best generation" and the GI Bill, a whole generation of college educated vets whoo hoo!!

America then it seems made a pledge that if you served we owe ya'.

We understood then that an investment in our veterans care and education would yield down the road.

When did this become a burden to us?

How could this be a burden?

We sent them there, we need to make our returning veterans whole and the families of those who do not return.

It's part of the healing process and it's essential as a society that we hold our end of the bargain to our men and women who serve.

"you protected us, we'll protect you".

[Jenn]

Amen, and as a Proud military spouse, thank you for posting such a GREAT inspirational message!
God Bless
Jenn