Armed forces

by is there help out there 9 Replies latest jw friends

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  is there help out there

  Has any one joined the Armed forces " Army, Navy, Air force etc. while in the truth or after they left.
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  AudeSapere

  Back in the early 70's someone in my original congregation joined. This was in New Jersey.

  He was DA'd by his actions.

  Are you looking for some specific info?

  -Aude.
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  BurnTheShips

  I didn't.

  I wish I had left early enough to join.

  I think I would have,

  Burn
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  SacrificialLoon

  No, but I wish I had. I took the asvab(?) test in high school, and did really well, like top 1% in some areas. I remeber asking the Air Force guys there if I could do "secret squirrel stuff", and they said with these test results you could do whatever you wanted, but the invisible man in the sky won out that time.
  
  I actually remember thinking to myself maybe if I joined and got out before armageddon started I'd be ok. Ha!
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  Invetigator74

  I joined the Army, but a few months before I entered ,I was DA'ed.
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  bigmouth

  My 15 y.o. son is a member of the RNZAF Air Training Corps and loves it.
  
  If you had asked me as recently as five years ago about letting my children join the armed forces, nothing would have been further from my mind.
  
  Ironically, I've always had a love of all things aeronautical so I guess he just picked up on that. Something told me I would be seen as hypocritical if I refused to let him join.
  
  The structure of the military seems to work for him without stifling his adolescent 'joie de vivre'.
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  carla

  I've run across a few here & there and was actually looking for some who are in because I would send them care packages, I'm sure their jw families wouldn't. Here is something I came across this morning about an Aussie perspective on our American military----

  "One Aussie's voice. Haven't been able to check this on Snopes so I take it on faith.
  Every American should read this regardless of your feelings on the war" (forum owners quote)

  (letter he received)-

  Gentlemen
  
  I am an Australian and my son is an Australian - as far as we are concerned there is not place on God's earth better than Australia, and there are no people better than Australians.
  
  That was until the past week or so.
  
  My son is in the Australian Army and he is currently on deployment in Iraq. I can not go into his duties in great depth, but shall we say that he and his fellow army buddies are on a glorified guard duty looking after the Australian Embassy. They don't go out looking for "action", though it is a different story in Afghanistan, there the Aussie troops chase the baddies over the hills and into the valleys..
  
  My son and I just ended a long 'phone conversation and here are some of his comments, believe me this is what he said. We have all seen the ******** emails written by some clown in his lounge room pretending to be at the coal face, but this is what was said.:
  
  "Before I came over here I thought we (the Australian Army) were pretty **** hot..... was I ever wrong!....The Yanks (I hope you don't mind me using that word) are so professional from the top to the bottom that it is almost embarrassing to be in their company, and to call yourself a soldier....don't get me wrong, we are good at what we do but the Yanks are so much better.....they are complete at what they do, how they do it and their attitude is awesome....they don't complain they just get on with the job and they do it right.....I carry a Minimi (SAW) so I am not real worried about a confrontation but I tell you I feel safer just knowing that the US Army is close by....If we got into trouble I know that our boys would come running and we could deal with it but they would probably be passed by a load of Hummers. No questions asked, no glory sought, the Americans would just fight with us and for us because that is their nature, to protect those in need of protection.....We use the American Mess so you could say that we are fed by the Americans.....they have every right to be pissed at that but they don't bitch about that they just make us feel as welcome as possible....what gets to me is that the Yanks don't walk around with a "we are better than you attitude" and they could because they are, they treat us as equals and as brothers in arms. If nothing else, coming here has taught me that the Americans are a truly great Nation and a truly great bunch of people.....Let's face it they don't HAVE to be here, they could stay in America and beat the **** out of anyone who threatened them, BUT THEY ARE HERE because they believe they should be here, and the Iraqis would be screwed if they weren't here.....When I come home, you and I we are going to the US, we will buy some bikes and we are going riding...."
  
  The reason why I am sharing this with you is because I realize that you (as a nation) must get pretty pissed with all the criticism you receive by the so-called "know it alls" who are sitting at home - safe. The reality is that they are safe, just as I am, because of America. If the world went arse up tomorrow there is f**k all we (Australia) could do about it, but I know that the Americans would be there putting themselves on the line for others. That to me is the sign of greatness.
  
  The most precious thing in my life is my son, I look at him and I thank God that I am fortunate enough to be able to spend time in his company. We laugh, we discuss, we argue, we dummy spit, we have the same blood. I am not happy that he is where he is but that is his duty. He joined the Army to protect and to defend, not to play games. I mightn't like it but I accept it. My reasons for not liking it are selfish and self centered. I felt assured that he would be safe because he is in a well trained army with an excellent record, BUT NOW, I feel a whole lot better knowing that he is with your sons, daughters, brothers and sisters.
  
  Whilst he was growing up. I was always there to look after him, I would not let harm befall him and I would always put myself before him to protect him. I can't do that now. When it comes to looking after him now he and his mates will do the job, but also THANK GOD FOR AMERICA.
  
  Gentlemen, I have rambled on for too long. but as I finish I say to you, as a foreigner and outsider, a nation is only a collection of its people and its attitude is the attitude of its people, collectively and as individuals. I am really glad you are here on this Earth and I respect you as a nation and as people.
  
  Stand up and feel proud because you deserve it, there is no one else who will do what America does without question. The next time someone howls you down, take some comfort in the fact that America is defending their right to act like an idiot.
  
  Finally, thank you for looking after my son.
  
  Peter Turner "

  
  
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  bigmouth

  Thanks for the read Carla.
  
  I may be a bit cynical in my old age, but I have done a lot of military reading over the years and I know that the propaganda machine loves stories like this. (Reminds me of DC experiences!)
  
  It may be genuine, but it feels just too warm and fuzzy to be true. Most soldiers would be complimentary to their allies but would never publicly bag their own brothers in arms.
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  carla

  Yes, but if you notice it was the dad who printed that portion of his sons letter. But who knows? On a military forum open to other countries I have noticed the respect given to the US but then that starts a 'oh thanks, you guys are great too, I remember when I was in (any war, any country) and you guys were so gracious, saved my life, etc...etc.... Makes for interesting reading sometimes when the vets get talking. A shame if we lost all these stories, even the minor ones that are not filled with bravery and valor. The mundane or the humorous are important too.
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  bigmouth

  Yes, that's true.
  Pete