Got a call from #1 son yesterday

[richhodg66]

My oldest boy is in the MArine Corps for a little over a year now, and is currently deployed (he's an infantryman in one of the Corp's FAST companies) over in the area to be able to respond to bad stuff happening in Africa which seems to be the next foxus of the military. Though he's not really in harm's way, and is actually in a pretty nice place, I've been real worried what with all the stuff that's been going on in Egypt and Syria.

He graduated high school and shipped out to San Diego the next day, was gone so fast and suddenly his mother and I still kinda wonder what happenned sometimes, LOL. He never was the type to call all the time anyway, so we've kind of gotten used to not really hearing from him much. Yesterday I kept getting a call from an unknown number with a weird area code that I couldn't hear anybody on the other end of the line and kept getting calls every couple of minutes. Cell phones and technology tend to frustrate me anyway, so I was kind of irritated than my wife came and said it was Tommy, he had apparently managed to get through to her number well enough to say he wanted to ask me something. By now I was in a semi panic mode and walked all over trying to get a signal that would work, and eventually managed to get a kind of conversation. Turned out he really just kinda wanted to shoot the breeze with his dad, had a bunch of questions about various weapon systems apparently studying for a promotion board or something (I'm a retired Artillery officer so have a lot of knowlege on various fire support systems). Talk about a relief, but I was really mad at myself and circumstances that I wasn't in the right mind set for it and kind of feel I missed an opportunity to connect with my kid. I'm a worrier by nature and have been working hard to not let the world situation turn me into a nervous wreck. It could very easily do that. Still, having been in harm's way before, I'm glad he's with guys who know what they're doing.

This parenting thing never really ends, does it?

[Stephen Cohen]

No sir the parenting thing never ends, but you must admit its nice to be able to shoot the breeze with a a son. I love to hear from mine, and when they have a problem its dad they call.

[41 mag fan]

You're connecting with your son as you are wishing will come when he gets out of the corp. He went in as a boy and will step out of it a man.
Just be patient, it sounds like by your posting the boy who was a loner so to speak, is growing into the man who realizes his father has info he's seeking, and is taking the step forward to connect with his father.
I wish my son would be on the path it looks like yours is taking.

[wch]

I know what you mean- my son and his family are in Schweinfurt, Germany, and we got a call telling us that they were being transferred to Ft Bragg, NC in a couple of months. (A relief for us as we really thought he would be deployed over the Syrian thing.)
It'll be nice to sit down and talk with Jim and our daughter-in-law, and play with the grandchildren. We haven't seen them in three years.
The servicemen and their families pay a price as do those of us who "only stand and wait".

[44Vaquero]

Richodge66, The next time you speak with him be sure and thank him for his service to our country for me.

[Dean D.]

Thank you for sharing Rich. Also, thank you and your Son for your service to our country. I keep all our service men and women in my daily thoughts and prayers.

[richhodg66]

He's a good kid, always was. I wanted him to go to college after high school abd he most likely would have gotten an ROTC scholarship but wanted to join up, mainly because he wanted to marry his girlfriend, so we had some minor head butting over that, still we have a good relationship. Kids of career military guys seem to become pretty self reliant pretty fast and I guess I'm seeing that now. I wasn't around as much as some parents, but I made a lot of effort to keep the family in one place and all the years I spent with him in boy scout campouts, deer stands, soccer games, etc. payed off. I'm not sure what he'll do long term, but I'm pretty sure he'll do well for himself at whatever he does.

Since I retired, I took a job teaching high school ROTC so I'm surrounded by pretty good teenagers on a daily basis and enjoy more of a parental like relationship with most than most teachers do, it's just the nature of the job. As such, the whole empty nest thing (youngest son started college this year) hasn't hit me like it did my wife, but sometimes it does decide to slap me around a bit and remind me.

[s mac]

Thank him for me also. No, we'll always be parents and worry, but you have to trust God, thats all we can do.

[snuffy]

I know just how that feels. The not knowing what's going on a half a world away in a war zone.

My son was in the Army 82nd airborne, but on the ground in Iraq, then a year in Afghanistan. Both times he was shot at and missed, once his up-armor hummer triggered an anti-tank mine. He was the 50 gunner, was up in the turret. The entire left front of the hummer was blown off.

All you can do is pray, and list the help of family, friends, your church, and from us on this forum. It also helps if your son reads the bible and is a believer.

My son read the bible as much as possible, and nearly everytime before bedtime. I attribute that for his safe return home.

Having a RPG go 2 feet in front of his soft top hummer in Iraq! Why did the BG miss? Divine protection!

[alrighty]

Words do not have to always be exchanged for a son to know how much he means to his father.Thank you both for your service and my prayers for his safe return home.

[snoopy]

When I went into the service, my dad wasn't real smart. When I got out, I was surprised at how much he learned in 4 yrs! Lost him way too early in life, he was 50. I'm 49 now and its been 20 yrs. I do remember though the first time I ever saw him cry was when I got on the bus to ship out overseas. God bless all our service men and women, and their parents.

[220]

Have most of this to look forward to or fear.
Son still has 2 1/2 years of high school to go but is keen to go into the army.
Shipped him off to a boarding school when he started secondary school at 12 and honestly think it is the best thing we have done.
We talk probably every 2nd day and value the time we get to spend together.
Leaving home at 12 has certainly made him a very independent and mature for his age, found himself part time work when he was 14 over summer holidays and was being paid adult wages. Boss said if you do a man's day of work you get a man's rate of pay.


The one condition I have stipulated when he signs up is he either does a trade or university/officer.
Knows he can sign up at 17 and has already talked to them about it and discovered they would prefer him to finish high school. He can commit to signing up at 17 and get a scholarship to complete high school and also do some trade based courses that will count towards the trade he wants to do.

Having a sister in law and a couple of brother in laws who did tours in Iraq, Afghanistan and Timor I've got a fair idea of what we will be in for. I actually spent more time on the phone to them when they were on active service than in the country. Australian defence forces seem to be encouraging them to phone home and talk to family asap after difficult days.

[shdwlkr]

thank you and your son for your service to America

When I went in which was decades ago my parents were very mad at me. The whole time I was in which was 7 years they were not happy with my choice, but after I walked away they sort of understood.

Dad was always a smart guy in my mind even when I didn't like his thinking. He and mom have been gone for a few years now and I miss being able to pickup the phone and call them.

I have talked with a lot of vets and found that my experiences can help them to understand things that happen in the military.

I have even helped a couple of our female combat veterans to understand what happened, why some of our male combat veterans don't like them and most of all that the important thing is that they made it home.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Talk about a relief, but I was really mad at myself and circumstances that I wasn't in the right mind set for it and kind of feel I missed an opportunity to connect with my kid. I'm a worrier by nature and have been working hard to not let the world situation turn me into a nervous wreck.

Send him an email, it you have the opportunity...and a link to this thread. Your OP kind of brought a tear to my eye as I finished reading it [history with my Dad].
Thank you for your service, and thanks to your Son for his service.
Jon

[Ehaver]

I agree, Email or write a letter. Those are things I wish my father would do. You and your son make me proud. Heck, any good parent makes me proud these days.

[DLCTEX]

Thank you to you and your son for your service and sacrifice. There are 4 of my nephews and grandson-in-law serving currently and a number that have in the past.

[LeftyDon]

Things sure have changed since cells phones I guess. FPO/APO mail was a lot slower! Thank your son for his service (yours too).