Flying High, Then The Sky Falls In

[Baddad]

Hi All,
Not a happy vegemite. Life can be so good and then it twists.
My youngest son married a young lady from California. Joined the US Army and gained dual citizenship. Awarded a commission and spent 18 mths at pilot school. Black Hawk Pilot and an officer. He was the Distinguished Honour Graduate on completion.

First posting to Germany. Wow! Takes charge of 6 Choppers, USD $44million each.
After his time in the Army planning to join the US Coastguard. He had his life planned out.

My son has his family with him in Germany. nearly 4 yr old Daughter and 19mth old Son. I met my Grand Daughter when she was 5-6 mths old.
We have Skyped.

Suddenly my 27 yr old Son appeals to me to come to Germany. Just for a week. ( Ifelt something is not good)
He eventually and reluctantly told me why. His brigade has been tasked with services in Afghanistan. My Son will be flying medivac.
Its not just the front line stuff. Its where those extremists are still actively shooting at the front line.

Tenure is 10 to 18 mths.

I leave for Germany in 20 days.
My Son will most probably live through the experience but it will change him. I have seen it through my time in the Australian Army. Service in an active zone can cause huge personality changes.
He will lose that carefree attitude its a nasty thing, war. He goes in May.

Cheers

[BPO]

This is the side of wanting to be American of which most people don't imagine.

[Baddad]

Hi BPO,

I can see what you mean. My son took on the citizenship to advance his career. He fell for a Yankee Girl.

America seems to be like the Jupiter of the Nations. Protecting from the aggressors. Like the planet "absorbs" many of the nasty big comets/meteors from striking the Earth.

America comes under a lot of flak at times. There are good and bad. My experience is that Yanks have treated me like their little brother. They are good hearted people. Except some who abuse their system. They are in minority.

Cheers

[jjjnettie]

Oh Marty, it's one life experience you don't want your child to have.
I hope he finds the inner strength to deal with all that his posting will involve. :(

[TrevorW]

Sorry but in all honesty you can't join a military force and expect to stay away from the firing line

sometime it'll have too rear it's ugly head and bite you in the arse usually when you least expect it but more so I'd think if you are in the American system

All you can pray for is that he'll stay safe while on tour

[FlashDrive]

Yeah ... not a nice thing for a parent to have ' playing ' on their mind.
War is not nice at all.

Not to push my own barrow here ... had an incident happen at RAAF Butterworth Malaysia ( over there on military exercise in 70's ) ... a group of rebels decided to play havoc one evening.... fired ' rocket propelled grenades ' across the airstrip.

Our F111C Aircraft were in a ' scatted ' patten on the tarmac ... but still caused some concern .... also the barracks were in the ' firing line '

We didn't get much sleep that night.... the rebels disappeared into the hills surrounding the Air Base.

I was only 19 at the time ... it put the wind up me ...!!

Flash.

[Stardrifter_WA]

Hi Marty. That's the problem with the military, they have a habit of sending people into war zones. :mad2: I hope everything works out for him.

My son was going to join the air force and become a pilot (he was Dux at high school and 1st class honours at uni), but then changed his mind and became an engineer instead. I have to say, as a parent, I was a little relieved.

Cheers Peter :)

[Baddad]

Thanks for being my sounding board everyone.
I do accept that the military is a necessary evil and some one has to do the hard yards.

Its just that when I open up to people like you it becomes a little easier to accept. Particularly from your kind words.

Cheers