Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

News

Flip

1 2 3 4 5

Original poster

Would you fancy your son joining the Marines?

108 replies

MistleToo · 29/11/2005 23:24

A bit worrying isn't it?

There are all these brave men putting their lives on the line - they come back from Iraq and do that to each other? wtf?

OP posts:

Mud · 30/11/2005 12:45

I cannot understand anyone being happy with the thoguht of their child's career being designed around kiling people

Easy · 30/11/2005 12:45

These reports notwithstanding, I think I would be immensley proud if my son wanted to join the forces. I think there are much worse career choices he could make (including not having one)

Easy · 30/11/2005 12:46

Mud, that isn't all they do. Did you see last night's program about the Navy.

Mud · 30/11/2005 12:49

at the root of it they are trianed to kill and to follow orders. whate4ver other careers are offered the armed forces basic trianign teaches them to kill to order

wessexgirl · 30/11/2005 12:52

My brother went as far as going on an orientation course at Lympstone in Devon - he lasted 3 hours.

motherinferior · 30/11/2005 13:14

No, I'm a bit of a pacifist really.

weesaidie · 30/11/2005 13:54

No I wouldn't. Not because of the recent story but because of the whole war/killing/fighting thing.

Not that I actually have a son.

Passionflowerinapeartree · 30/11/2005 14:07

Luckily only have girls but if....

No I wouldn't want him to, however my parents met serving in the RAF so I would be supportive if that's what he really wanted to do.

TBH the stuff recently about the marines doesn't really surprise me and I would warn 'him' what to expect.

Passionflowerinapeartree · 30/11/2005 14:13

Just read the whole thread, agree with Jayzmummy

tex111 · 30/11/2005 14:24

I must've missed the news story (have a one month old!). Can anyone provide a link?

weesaidie · 30/11/2005 14:46

Here you go.

marines

tex111 · 30/11/2005 15:08

Thanks for that. Doesn't sound so shocking. I've certainly heard worse from university fraternities in the States.

MunnziesDH · 30/11/2005 16:14

and whats wrong with being in the Army my DW??

MunnziesDH · 30/11/2005 16:24

also there is more the the Army than "cannon fodder" there are hundreds of different trades within the Armed Forces, ones which might not be on the news every week, but are there non the less.

I am not cannon fodder, i work in communications and there are jobs such as vehicle mech, aircraft tech, IT tech etc etc.

As long as your son / daughter is fully aware what job they will do in the Armed Forces and what it entails I dont see why anyone would have a problem with it.

I cant imagine anyone ever saying "Job security for 22 years? No thanks"

Hausfrau · 30/11/2005 16:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Blandmum · 30/11/2005 16:34

Munz feel free to CAt me, no worries, dunno how much help I will be tho

Bottom line is though, if there were a massacar like that of the Hutus and Tutsis, or if the Nazis were killing Jews and Gipsies and Gay tady would you fight them, if you had to, to stop them?

If you are a total and utter pacifist, than I have no argument to have with you, if you would die rather than raise a hand then I respect your view, am in awe of them and fully asgree that the world would be a better place if we were all like you.

But the world is not like that. Sadly. And while it isn't we rely on people like my dh to make sure that if someone was to try to wipe us out, we could fight to stop them

And yes, I know that wrong things happen, and yes I know that the innocent get killed. But in the end I believe that we do need a defence force and I am proud of my husband. Because he puts his life at risk other peopoes husbands don't have to.

munz · 30/11/2005 16:46

quite MB i'm v proud of my DH and what he does, (even thou I'm scared stiff at the thought of afgan next year and iraq last year) anyhow - dh of mine it's cos basically I don't know how ur mum copes with u being in the forces and going abroad, and b) I know what it's like as a wife and wouldn't want DD to but that's an arguement for home tonight! lol

MB - will cat you thanks hon. I was only after info from a wives pov to see if it's like our 'side' as it were! lol. u know with the whole going away/accom/work etc

Queenmab · 30/11/2005 18:26

Don't tar all areas of the forces with the same brush - DH is in the army and had been for several years when I met him. I was not keen to say the least when I found out he was in the army but have been nothing but impressed with the service people I have met since we married. He works in IT/Comms and we recently spent two years in a Garrison town where several hundred 17/18 yr old trainees from his Corps are based. On an average Friday or Saturday night yes, you could spot the 18 yr old squaddie a mile away - but because the vast majority were clean, smart, surprisingly polite and had a sense of enthusiasm and ambition that was noticable in the local lads that were not in the army only by it's absence...

Blu · 30/11/2005 18:32

The armed forces wouldn't accept DS - so there's one dilemma I won't have to face!

mummydear · 30/11/2005 18:34

Wouldn't fancy it, naturally they may get killed, but would be very proud, so would their grandad who is 80 who was a marine commando in the D Day landings WW2.

The training for the marines is extremely hard and I would be very proud of either of my sons who got through that. Yes they may get killed in action, it would be their choice to join .

Blandmum · 30/11/2005 18:36

If they are sane They would never accept my dd....she would be a fab General but a lousy Private!

ds tells me that he is going to fly planes like his dad , and then he tells me that he is going to be a teacher so he can look after 'Your children, Mummy'. So who knows!?

munz · 30/11/2005 19:42

QM - ooh looks like we're one of the same then! lol. I think ours is thurs/sat nights thou! lol.

JessicaandRebeccasmummy · 30/11/2005 20:06

Another army wife here, and to be honest i agree with Munz.... i wouldnt want my DD or DS (if i ever get one) to join up, mainly because im his mummy and i dont want him to get hurt, BUT, it's their choice at the end of the day, just like any job.

DH is a chef in the army, so hardly in the firing line, BUT he is still sent to dangerous places, loses fellow soldiers in the line of duty, and is away from home - A LOT. I erspect hime for what he does, and it is a job at the end of the day. It pays the bills and keeps me and the girls fed and clothed.

If mothers had the choice of what occupation their offspring did, there would be no armed services, and what sort of shit hole would that land us in......

tegan · 30/11/2005 20:26

The lovely chap I chose to be godfather to both dd's was in the army for 3 years before dd1 was born and because we are really close he hated leaving her every 6 months or so and in the end he finally left the army and lives up the road from us. He is a huge part of my girls lives and dd1 always goes to him if she has been told off. So personally I wouldnt want my boy doing it but they are the best men in the world in my eyes.

Nightynight · 30/11/2005 20:39

munzesDH
Job security for 22 years, at the cost of occasionally being told to go and kill some Iraqis? No thanks.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5