Time Flies...

[Ed/KB1HYS]

Well,   Just got the form letter from my son down on Parris Island SC.  In a few months he'll be one damn good  Marine.

Seems it wasn't so long ago I was helping him with homework and teaching him to ride a bike.

Enjoy them while you've got them...

[W1QWT]

Hi Ed,
I know only too well what you mean by "how time flies".
Congratulations on your sons very honorable endeavour.
I look back on those years I spent in the Navy with pride
and I am sure he will also cherish his memories and new friends.
Tell him all us old veterans thank him for his service.
Regards
Q
W1QWT

[WQ9E]

Congratulations to you and your son Ed!  You obviously did a great job of parenting and now he gets to take care of all of us.  Hopefully the danger level in the world will be trending downward.

Time really does fly and my daughter turns 9 this Thursday.  I think about 4 or 5 years sort of got blended together   I was cleaning out some old radio books last week and found a copy of "Mouse's First Halloween" that I read to her when she was probably 1 or 2 years old.  Monday we are stopping by the library after school and she is returning a couple of Steinbeck novels and will probably pick up more since she loved Tortilla Flat and Cannery Row.  I am glad she is reading a variety of books by herself now but I do miss those early days of reading to her every night.

Maybe the cats will enjoy hearing about Mouse's First Halloween

Rodger

[N8LGU]

Ed, I'm very proud of your son.

Dave/N8LGU USAF Ret

[Opcom]

Congratulations to him, and to you.

[Steve - K4HX]

Semper Fi.

[KD5TXX]

Look... I understand he went Marines instead of Army...  but you should still be proud...

Seriously.  Good job.  I wish more people were that mature.

[PA4WM]

It seems that time flies as fast on your side of the pond as on this side....

Our daughter is in her second year on the university, and our son will finish highschool next year, and measures a few inch taller then me....

Those wonderful child years went faster then I would have liked.... Ah well, grandchildren are next..haha

Congrats with the son. I good choice I think. I spent 5 years in the Royal Navy as well....

Martin

[WD5JKO]

Ed,

    You should be proud watching your son become a Marine.

When my son was 18 he was already married. I offered him a car to go to/from work with instead of a bicycle. I said I'd pay for insurance, and the car was his. He was cocky and said, "I would not be caught dead in that car"! It was an 88 Dodge back in 1996. So in order to support is wife he joined the Army. I was a proud father also just as you.

When my dad died, my son attended the funeral in full military dress. Oh how proud his grandma was to see her grandson not only attending, but representing the US Army at the funeral. I was proud too. A full dress soldier saluting the flag is an impressive image.

Some 12 years later, and two wars later he was discharged, 70% disabled. Repeated concussions from explosions, many prolonged battles seeing his friends killed, or wounded took their toll on him. He struggles to sleep over PTSD, and cannot do an 8-5 job because he cannot rise early in the morning. He is currently relocating to southern Ca. as it is near a good VA hospital.

I don't mean to alarm you Ed, but when I read your post my first concern was for your son, and what he will likely have to do. The last time Congress declared war was well before I was born. Since then the executive branch and/or the UN can use our men and women in arms for any reason they desire..even political reasons.

Jim
WD5JKO

[WA4JK]

Semper Fi future Marine

[KM1H]

Congratulations even if he is a Marine   Its something to be real proud of but he will require house breaking when he comes home .

Carl
KM1H
Retired USN/USNR
Proud father of a USAF Major

[Ed/KB1HYS]

Thanks Everyone for all the Kind thoughts! and Especially to those fellow vetrans!

Look... I understand he went Marines instead of Army...  but you should still be proud...

Seriously.  Good job.  I wish more people were that mature.

Ha!  He said he joined the Marines to 1-up the Ole man, since I retired as a MSG/E-8 from the USARNG.  But I am damned proud.

I don't mean to alarm you Ed, but when I read your post my first concern was for your son, and what he will likely have to do. <SNIP>

I sympathize with your son, I had a tough time when I got home too, nightmares, sleepless nights, anger... not as bad as he's having, but there is hope, and greatfully, the VA is much more up on PTSD than they were years ago, finding other Vets you can talk too is best I think, no one else really understands.  My best wishes to him and you.

I spent 22 yrs in the Army & reserves I know full well what my son will face, and before he signed up, we had a talk about exactly that.  I told him the stuff I didn't tell anyone else when I got home. He still signed up.  I support his decision to serve his country, although I have to admit when I think about it too much I get scared stiff.  Also I think of my old man a bit differently, the more I experience with my son...

[W1RKW]

Ed,
Congrats to you and your son. 

I'm not a vet but serve the military in building subs. I love working with the Navy. I couldn't have asked for a better job.

To me it doesn't matter what service our citizens join, they're a special bunch of people.  I do my best to give our sailors what they need to do their job as best as possible.

[W1AEX]

Enjoy them while you've got them...

Ed,

Congratulations on your son's chosen path with the Marines. They are in a league of their own! When I served (Army) I was one of the few who could type, so they took my M-16 away from me (good idea with my 20-200 vision) and gave me a typewriter.

Your last comment is so true. To those with young kids, take lots of pictures and hold onto all the memories!

Rob W1AEX
SGT E-6 [Ret] 826th MI BN

[W3GMS]

Well,   Just got the form letter from my son down on Parris Island SC.  In a few months he'll be one damn good  Marine.

Seems it wasn't so long ago I was helping him with homework and teaching him to ride a bike.

Enjoy them while you've got them...

Ed,
Continue to be proud of him and I am sure your support means a lot to him.  Military service makes you grow up real fast if you have already not done so.  I am sure he will do well regardless of the mission. 
73,
Joe, W3GMS