text: Thread: Any other military moms here?
  01-20-2012, 03:06 PM #1
  My son graduated from Marine boot camp on Dec 2 and is now in NC in training. I never guessed the rollercoaster of emotions I'd go through having my only child join the military. Any other mothers?
  Not a mom, but as a former soldier, wife to a combat vet, and the sister to two soldiers, I wish you the best of luck!
  I think there are a few other military moms here
  Not a military mom but grand mother to a dgs in the army stationed at Fort Lewis Washington.
  01-20-2012, 05:43 PM #4
  01-20-2012, 06:11 PM #5
  Not a miliatry Mom but I would like to say thank you to all of you for your and your families service .
  01-21-2012, 07:08 AM #6
  My son is also a Marine - he just left Beaufort SC to join the Blue Angels, so he's now in Pensacola FL.
  My oldest is in the Air Force
  09-03-2012, 07:31 PM #8
  My son completed his training and is now stationed in Okinawa, Japan for the next 2 years. Hoping it goes quickly.
  09-03-2012, 10:38 PM #9
  My son is getting about to take his test. Must admit....I hate the idea of him going into the military. Totally due to the fact my son has NO idea what he is in for... *puts on flame retardant suit* Lol.
  09-03-2012, 10:45 PM #10
  I don't think any of them "knew what they were in for" when they joined. My son's recruiter did a great job of telling it like it is though, and answered any questions my son had, or we had . . he didn't try to sugar coat any of it.
  09-03-2012, 11:24 PM #11
  Thanks SS. The recruiter here focused on the "sugar coat".
  09-05-2012, 09:04 PM #12
  My son's recruiter sugar coated everything. And my son did NOT listen to a word we said about if they promise you anything get it in writing or don't belive it. And so he went through quite a rough time when he realized some things weren't true and he was in for a rough road. I don't think any of these kids know what they're in for. Its like child birth...or marriage. You can hear everyone else's story but until you do it you don't know a thing.
  09-05-2012, 10:09 PM #13
  My oldest daughter is in the Navy. She LOVES IT and it was the best thing she could have done at the time of her life that she made the decision. I am so proud of her and happy that it took her on a better path than she was heading. Nowadays with technology it really isn't that bad. Once she was through boot camp she was able to call, text, and now that she is out to sea she can email. I LOVE TECHNOLOGY! Granted it probably depends on what position you are, where you are, etc. and there are times that she is out of communication entirely but she makes up for it when she can. I send care packages, cards, letters, as well as emailing her several times a week if not daily. Write, write, write, don't worry about what you're babbling about they just like to hear about home. I'd say the toughest part so far has been when there is bad family news and I have to break it to her over the email or phone instead of being there to hug her. All of us back home can hug and talk it out and she is "alone" on the ship in the middle of the ocean. She has made close friends so I reassure myself she has them, but bad news is still hard when you don't have your close family to lean on. Time zones are funky too, she'll call at 3:30 a.m. frequently and I don't mind of course, am happy to hear her voice but man am I a zombie the next day, ha!
  Best wishes to you and your son, it can really be a blessing for those that jump in and have a good experience. My daughter just really loves it and has gotten to travel all over just like she wanted to.
  09-06-2012, 01:56 AM #14
  I'm a military mom to 4 out of 6 kids.......... I can say they all knew what they were into. I had 3 go army. My oldest was hurt in Iraq. He's doing better now and they are working on the ptsd. He wouldn't change a thing except for getting hurt. My #2 son got out after he was sent to Korea. He missed his boys and worried about them alot since the mom was busy hitting the clubs(he has custody of his boys now) It made him grow up. He's not sorry he joined either. The 3 one was my oldest girl. She was a medic in the army. She went to Kuwait. She did just fine. My youngest went to the Naval Academy an became an officer in the navy. He decided to be a different type of officer. At USNA he didn't like the way he was treated as a plebe so when he was in charge he had an open door policy. It didn't matter what time of day or night he stopped what he was doing and helped them. He told me they were right join the navy see the world. He was in charge of moral. Everyone I talked to told me he made life fun on the ship. When he died everyone made a point of telling me how he changes the way they thought. The military will either make you or break you. It wasn't a bad choice for 4 of my kids.