Mr. Sailorette's Blog – October 2011 Archive (12)

We’ve all read the bumper sticker, “If you can read this thank a teacher. If you can read it in English thank a soldier.” This idea and common belief probably deserves a closer look.

What do soldiers protect? A language? Religion? “Freedom?” Oil? The list goes on and on. This statement speaks to a popular form of “American values.” And, is probably worthy of further thought.

Preserving culture and language is an interesting discussion. Arguments could be made…

Sailorette called Things are going well. The service isnt what she expected and she maintains a couple weeks could be shaved off of boot camp. She says there is ample "study time" I think that means time with nothing to do. 

She said getting lots of letters is awesome. Some people get a fistful every day. Some get little to none. One girl has gotten 1 letter from her boyfriend in 5 weeks (I think we know where this is going). Sailorettes grandmother and myself are the only…

The night before the burial of her husband 2nd Lt. James Cathey of the United States Marine Corps, killed in Iraq, Katherine Cathey refused to leave the casket, asking to sleep next to his body for the last time. The Marines made a bed for her, tucking in the sheets below the flag. Before she fell asleep, she opened her laptop computer…

Yay! I got another letter today. what a treat, I wasnt expecting it. Sailorette is doing well. There were complications when they pulled her teeth but she says its no big deal because the pharmacy is like a Pez dispenser.

I cant wait till PIR. I am going to carry her around and cover her with hickeys!. I cant wait!

    I found no one online in my situation. I wrote the first handful of blogs and posted them on my own web site. I emailed someone I know that served a full career in the Army. His response was “keep writing.” So I did. I found this site and thought people here would have some knowledge and input into these thoughts, and feelings.  I figured it would be therapeutic and the advice would be helpful. I am reasonably good at picking out advice even if its not right on the…

I realize my point of view may not be common among this community. Do I think I am in the right place? Yes. I am no different than many others on the edge of becoming part of the military family. New members are filled with questions. I have asked many of the same questions in the context of my own point of view. I know other people have the same concerns and we need a place to go to get answers from people that have been through it.

In my situation, the answers I…

I am finding some people confuse honesty with selfishness. When I say this I am not solely speaking about the reader.  The author is culpable in the same sense. Through much thought I have learned not all are cut from military cloth. Discerning this is the core function of boot camp. True these men and women are learning to become soldiers. The challenges they face test physical and mental capability, but those are not as important as the quality they truly test. They are…

Is the military for every one?

I love my girlfriend and want to be with her. The more I learn about the military the more I believe it may not be a good fit for me.

When your girlfriend joins the military she belongs to them. You can choose to be a part of that system if you like.

Things I am having a hard time with. She is in boot camp and this is stressful to me for a verity of reasons. These are soldiers they work closely together and the…

The responses

So far the feedback I have received to my thoughts has been mixed. Here is the funny thing. The mixed responses I am reading are not between posts but within posts. Put in another way Joes comment does not conflict with Jims, rather Joes conflicts with Joes. For example, The response generally starts off with me being selfish, then concludes by saying some of these things are not easy.

I have had no one in my immediate life go through this. This…