Brew wrote on Apr 25^th, 2009 at 7:27pm:


  And that's why we are The United States of America.

               Potter

I didn't read a lot of the responses here but wanted to tell you that both of my sons are Marines with asthma.  They were both diagnosed as children.  My son Sean out grew it as an adult... and my son Scott has excersize induced... or that is how the doctor wrote it up... If your son is healthy he can get a waiver from a doctor.  Sean was in from 2000-2005 and Scott 1994-2002~ Scott is now in the Army.  He said once he moved away from home most of his asthma triggers dissappeared...

If his asthma is severe it may stand in the way.  If he has a usual physical training routine now he knows his limits.

Good luck
Ree

Potter wrote on Apr 25^th, 2009 at 9:02pm:


Potter, I couldn't have said it any better, and that is why you are one of my heroes.  You have been there, and have paid the price that I was fortunate enough, although willing, to not have to pay.  You will forever have my gratitude.

Colin,  You look at history and use the debacle caused by a bloated, self-delusional, class based military hierarchy and its stupidity to give you the basis for your cynical anti-military views.  I understand you are English, and do not mean this as a slam against England, but your class system that denies qualified young men the opportunity to become officers because of their family lineage has been the downfall of your forces.  You have some EXCELLENT fighting men, ( my son has served alongside some of them), but their leadership is very suspect.

I am proud to have a son who has served for almost four years in the USMC, he'll make Sargent in June, and go to Officer Candidate School next summer.  He knew from a very early age that the military is the way he wanted to go.  He did this BECAUSE of his reading of history.  He did not go with the idea of becoming a hero, but there is no man that I hold in higher respect than I do him.  My third son will in about 3 1/2 weeks be given the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor designating him a United States Marine.  I could not be prouder of his choice.

Neither of my sons entered the service because they wanted to kill, but rather to protect life, even if it meant laying down their own.  Rob (my son) in the 7 months he spent in Iraq saw first hand the horrors brought about on a country because no one was willing to stand up to a corrupt man and put an end to him.  Do you know what a mass grave holding approximately 300,000 men, women, AND children looks like?  (Part of them were buried while still alive.)   Rob does.   Do you know what a room where wives and daughters were raped in front of husbands and fathers looks like?  This was common practice against the "enemies of the State" before our forces along with yours put a stop to it.  He was in rooms where the bloodstains were still on the wall from the brutal torture that was committed against common people just on the suspicion that they might have bad thoughts against Hussein.  I will not detail what some of those methods were, but they made the Spanish Inquisition look like a Boy Scout Camp.

I did not mean to go into as rant, but I can think of very few "options" I would rather have my son look at than service in the United States Marine Corps.  (Seconded by the other branches of our Services )  Yes, they need to look at all options, but then they need to weigh what it is they want their lives to count for when it is all said and done.

One of the Few, the Proudest, a United States Marine Dad!

Jerry

It seems to me I've hit a raw nerve here.
I certainly don't mean to be cynical or disrespective to anyone and I certainly believe in the armed services more than you can imagine
its just that I'm a soft soul who does'nt want anyone to get hurt,
Forgive this unintentional twit who doesn't want to ruin a wonderful relationship with you all.
Colin

Colin,

Please don't take offense at what I said.  None was intended at all, and coming from your point of view I can understand your feelings.  History, particularly military history is my hobby.  Your men in your military services have been so abused by their lack of proper leadership and inability to cross certain levels no matter their ability, only to be thrown to the slaughter by mindless, careless people for their own personal glory without risk that I am amazed that you can even field an army. 

Here in the States our military is different.  Sure we have our share of glory-hungry A-holes who make it to the top ranks without endangering themselves, but by and large our men have the opportunity to become whatever they have the drive and the ability to achieve.  Along with that, particularly in the Marine Corps, the history and the ethos of the service is so deeply ingrained in the men (and women) that they will go to extraordinary lengths to take care of one another AND their country.  Why else would a young man give up years of his life to go to a God-forsaken desert and risk his own life and health for a bunch of people that he never knew, cannot communicate with, and may not even like him or his country.  He is willing however to lay his life down so that their can be bettered.

Take Iraq for example.  The war over there has been argued without end, and mostly without knowledge.  However, the people of Iraq now have the freedom to VOTE for the government of their choice, and did so at the risk of their lives from those who were still trying to prevent it.  More children (boys) are now going to school than in the history of the country.  The really great thing is that GIRLS are also being allowed an education!  That was very rarely possible before.  More (common) people have electricity than ever before.  The common people are now starting to get sanitary drinking water made available to them, and the sewer system is rapidly being expanded.  Health Care is now available to more than just the Baath Party and the wealthy, and more people are having the opportunity to have their own businesses.  It is not perfect by a long shot, but the improvement is phenominal, all because a few young people were wiling to lay their lives down to free an entire country and to bring them into the modern era.

You have not hit a raw nerve, my friend, but I am passionate about the men and women in our armed forces and what they do.  They don't go out for conquest, but they do give their all to liberate oppressed peoples.  We have done so for a long time, and God willing will continue to do so in the future.

I too am a soft hearted person who hates to see someone else get hurt.  When Rob told me he wanted to enlist I made sure he had thought through all of the possibilities.  He could have sacrificed the chance to marry the beautiful young lady he just married, but was willing to do so if he had to.  He thought things through carefully and finally came to the conclusion I hoped he would.  He came to me and quoted something that Jesus the Christ said just before he was crucified, "Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."  John 15:13

Be at peace my friend.  You have not offended me, and I hope I did not offend in my comments either. 

Jerry

Personally, If my sons grew up to be the outstanding marines that Ree is blessed with, I would be busting at the seams with pride.  Nothing I can imagine) would please me more than seeing my sons step up and serve proudly in the most awesome and respectable branch of our armed forces.  That isn't to take anything away from the other fine branches of our military... there's just something very special about Marines,