a Divine Calling

Colleges & Universities A-Z Naval Academy - Annapolis
1

<p>OK.. I am curious now after starting a discussion with Whistle Pig about the calling to USNA. As I have always felt that Lola had a Higher Power calling her to the USNA at age 11, I want to hear from other parents/students that have felt the same way for some time. As if it were meant for you to go there from an earlier age and you were led there all the way by something bigger. As if you had been chosen to serve God and Country and lead others to do the same for a bigger purpose. </p>

<p>So I am thinking there must be other parents and students that have a story and I personally would love to hear it and think it would also be great encouragement for those that are now starting to look into the Class of 2012.</p>

2

<p>Peskemom has a good story about her daughter, Class of 2010.</p>

3

<p>We asked son Mike, at age 8, where he wanted to go to summer camp that year. I.e. did he want to go to tennis, swimming, or scout camp? His choice - Valley Forge Military Academies' 4 week "camp". We were blown away - most parents in our area (NJ / PA) threaten to send thier "bad" kids there for straightening out :)</p>

<p>He lended up loving the 4 week program (we highly recomend it for those of you with youngsters still) though it was tough on us as during the 4 weeks "little Mike" was only allowed 2 phone calls home and absolutely no parental visits. After the first homesick days, though, he and his buddies really jelled into a unit (i.e. the reason for the visitation restrictions) and they ended up having a blast, learning alot about squad life, etc. He's been gung ho for the military life ever since. Too bad VMI was so expensive for high school, etc.....he would have loved to have gone there for the rest of his days.</p>

<p>So that's our story....</p>

<p>Dknightfam
NJ</p>

4

<p>Yes... We have the same sense that this is our son's purpose, and have, in fact, talked openly about it as a family. When he brought up "USNA" initially (about 2 1/2 years ago now), I balked, we talked. And then I had the "this could cost you life/limb, and is it really worth that to you?" conversation, and asked him to pray about it. He did. We talked again, and he truly feels it's his purpose to be a Naval Officer. In his own words (this was in his essay guys, so don't plagerize it, or you <em>definitely</em> won't be considered):
(before what is written below, he was discussing commonly accepted standards of young people in our area, and how his are fairly divergent from them...)
"Such high personal standards have allowed me to set ambitious goals in life. The most important of these goals is simply to prosper as much as possible in fulfilling my purpose for life. I believe that this purpose is serving my country in the most honorable, worthy, and committed way possible. I have decided that attending the United States Naval Academy would be the best possible way to do so, and I could hope for nothing more than to be a midshipman of this honored institution."</p>

<p>jmwrites
Maine</p>

5

<p>
[quote]
As I have always felt that Lola had a Higher Power calling her to the USNA at age 11,

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<p>wait.....</p>

<p>you mean "Lola had a Higher Power calling her to the United States Naval Service....to the defense of the United States of America.... to be an officer in the greatest Navy in the world...." don't you????</p>

<p>Now don't get me wrong... I bleed Blue and Gold.... and my faith in God is as stong as ever...but if the calling was to the "academy," then honestly, I question how "divine" it really was... no offense intended! </p>

<p>Honestly-
our son wanted to be a policeman at age 5-
by 6 it was a fireman-
by 7 it was a soccer star
after visiting a friend at West Point at age 8 he thought that would be "cool"
by 10-or-so it was a professional wrestler (forget that one we told him)
inbetween that it was a lacrosse player, teacher, astronaut, ship builder, and who-knows-what-else..... </p>

<p>which is not to say that kids don't get interests early on that stick......</p>

<p>
[quote]
"Such high personal standards have allowed me to set ambitious goals in life. The most important of these goals is simply to prosper as much as possible in fulfilling my purpose for life. I believe that this purpose is serving my country in the most honorable, worthy, and committed way possible. I have decided that attending the United States Naval Academy would be the best possible way to do so, and I could hope for nothing more than to be a midshipman of this honored institution."

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<p>wonderful! </p>

<p>
[quote]
In his own words (this was in his essay guys, so don't plagerize it, or you <em>definitely</em> won't be considered)

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<p>I have absolutely no doubt that the majority of essays that have been sent to the academy for decades now have echoed similiar sentiments...and thank goodness, because these kids are few and far between!!!</p>

<p>honestly, folks, just the fact that these kids even consider military service is worth busting with pride.....so my contrats to all of you!!!</p>

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<p>So you don't believe one can be called to this ... USNA? USN?</p>

<p>I'm not getting your point, 2010. Can you expand a bit?</p>

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<p>You don't go to USNA just to be from USNA. You go to USNA as an extension of a larger desire to serve.</p>

<p>For me, that desire began when I was around 4, and never really stopped. In the 7th grade, I heard about USNA, "the West Point of the Navy", and "the best place to become a Naval Officer". It was all over right then.</p>

<p>Can't explain why, though. I am the first in my family to join the Service, and no friends or family were in while I was a kid. Admittedly, my father had wanted to attend the Naval Academy in Mariel, Cuba, as a kid, but his opportunities were wiped by the death of his father, so in many ways he lived vicariously through me for those five years. I was glad to have offered him that little gift. :)</p>

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<p>2010.. she has kept on the same path since that day in the WEST POINT Gift Shop when she asked the volunteer "Does the NAVY have a school like this?" When he said yes.. she said THAT IS WHERE I AM GOING. She has NEVER EVER Waivered.</p>

<p>And now talking with 4 more parents who have the Exact same feeling and .. it is a Divine Calling I truly believe! </p>

<p>My 82 yr old WWII Navy Vet father and I discussed this tonight on the phone. I will not go religious on you all but it is in the Bible that people are called by God to lead (ex. King David at 12 called to lead Israel and wasnt he a lowly shepherd?). </p>

<p>I know it it my heart and believe it through my faith. I truly believe it is a Divine calling and I suppose it only matters that I (and my family) know it for us.</p>

<p>My opinion. :)</p>

<p>Mom2Lola2011
Atlanta, GA</p>

<p>P.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-Georgia) called Lola an hour ago to let her know she was recieving the appointment (which we knew from LOA on Sat). What a proud moment though! And what a true southern gentleman that man is!</p>

<p>I swear I feel like I am floating! Nothing like Joy in the heart!</p>

9

<p>Thanks GA for the endorsement! :-)</p>

<p>Our daughter told us on Sept 11, 2001 these words in exact sequence...</p>

<p>This is the setting. She is 12 years old, beginning of her 8th grade year....and she has come home from school and we're watching the reruns of the Twin Towers falling....</p>

<p>"Mom, I'm going to serve my country. And I want to be buried where Grandma is, up at the Episcopal Church Center, Oakhurst, California."</p>

<p>What on earth does a mother say to a child on that day of days with THAT as the comments from her precious baby girl, the 'baby' of her 5 children??? The hair on the back of my head stood up and I knew that I knew that I knew she was responding to a deep inner call of her heart. (One by the way I wasn't all that pleased about sensing as a mother...but as one who had been a strong Christian for 40 years and someone who always taught my children that they were God's children, servants on this earth who were called to use their very talented minds and bodies to serve others since in Jesus words: "Where much is given much is required." ( another sidebar, did you all notice that President Bush quoted that Bible verse in his State of the Union speech this week??) back to my ramblings....I should not have been the least bit surprised that my youngest child was rising to the challenge of her generation by telling me those words.)</p>

<p>I hugged her and said: "Honey, mommies don't want to think about things like that on a day like this, but if you are serious about this, then I will totally support you." </p>

<p>That very night our middle school was holding an orientation meeting that had been in place for months. Every other year they take students on an optional trip to Wash DC as part of their history lessons. Our child #4 went and it was so significant in his life that we had already told our baby girl when she was in 8th grade she could go. They had advertised the trip as adding a second city: NYCity! Can you imagine how we parents felt that night, as shellshocked as we all were as a nation...sitting in a room talking about a Feb. trip to both D.C AND NYC?? Bottom line? 30 families ultimately signed on to the trip and my daughter was gone for 9 days. I was there in the parking lot of the school that return evening and when she got off the bus she collapsed in my arms in tears, talking about her country, and the war memorials, the Pentagon and TwinTower devastation that was still there...and she reiterated in a tone of voice filled with determination: 'Mom I have to give back to my country. I have to serve my country and do my part to defend our way of life. I am going to become a Military Officer. And I HAVE TO SERVE MY COUNTRY NOW!"</p>

<p>How on earth does a 12 year old accomplish this goal??? On her own she internet searched until she discovered Civil Air Patrol. For anyone who doesn't know what this is, please Google and enjoy.....( It's an Air Force Auxiliary Program). A Squadron trained weekly at nearby Camp Pendelton and she begged us to let her join. That was the first step in her mental/military/physical preparation for applying to the Naval Academy - and she hadn't even started high school.</p>

<p>Then I mapped out with her a 4 year plan that included all summer planning and one by one, she ticked off every item on this long list - ( the USNA website was helpful in this). She worked at the highest levels possible academically, physically, in sports and volunteer activities and in leadership opportunities.</p>

<p>Throughout that 5 year journey God brought all kinds of people into her life as her mentors, encouraging her desires, supporting her hard work and study, sharing their military experiences, writing her letters of recommendation. One of our local Episcopal priests, retired Career Air Force Colonel....her 7th grade Science teacher, a retired Marine Vietnam helo pilot, only survivor of a horiffic crash and highly decorated....her BGO officer, USNA Grad, pilot...her high school weight training coach, another Marine Officer from Vietnam ( who, belive it or not is the person that USNA uses for the training regimen of their SEAL-Selectees he is that well-known in elite training circles and my daughter just 'happened' to be at HIS high school for 4 years, 3000 miles away from the Academy!)...her ShowChoir teacher in high school, a former Marine sniper...another fulltime on-site sub, retired Marine Silver Star Vietnam Officer...a student teacher who was a female Marine pilot, USNA Class of 1994.....Many Civil Air Patrol adults who were former Active Duty Officers in all branches of the service.....I could go on - but these and literally dozens of other people were put in her life during those 5 years to help encourage, direct, support and to this day almost all of them are in touch with her at USNA. And without fail they all told her she was 'called' to this life and affirmed her feeling that she was doing what God had prepared for her to do. We knew this was no 'accident' but part of God's Divine plan to let her know she was on exactly the right track to be preparing for what she felt called to do.</p>

<p>People would literally come up out of the blue and say to her: "You will make an outstanding Officer one day". I personally witnessed this. She might have simply said in reponse to their question: What do you want to be as an adult and she might have casually replied: to serve my country....but this was NOT always the prerequisite to that.</p>

<p>Even last summer, after her appointment, after all the paperwork is done and IDay is 1 week away, we were at a USNA family gathering to 'send off' the Class of 2010 and a father who had not spoken one word to her, but was observing her the entire time, stops us at our car as we are leaving and says: "You are going to kick butt at USNA and as a Marine officer one day." We didn't even know the man's name at that point. Come to learn he is retired Marine, had one son already graduate from USNA, had a daughter who is Class of 2007 USNA and a son heading to USAFA for the Class of 2010.So he knew of what he spoke.</p>

<p>So if you ask me - is there a Divine Call on her heart I can say without a doubt yes but more importantly SHE can say "YES."</p>

<p>My final comment.</p>

<p>I cheer and salute every family with children both at USNA and those working so hard to get into USNA. My pride and faith in America is deeply encouraged by hanging out on this forum. We don't get alot of press coverage. But our young people are on the forward blade-edge in the defense of our freedoms and our liberty. Every year roughly 10,000 young people inquire about entering USNA. Year after year, in wartime and not.....think about this when we read about another teenager who murders, or rapes, or steals cars. </p>

<p>May God bless each of you and your children as they eagerly pursue a way to serve their county and as we parents look for ways to stand behind them proudly.</p>

10

<p>We're a religious family but I don't know that we've ever thought of it that way. It has always seemed right (military service is a family tradition) but our son made it his own quiet decision and goal long before he told us that is what he wanted to do. We thank God daily for the talents and opportunities our son has been provided. Our son is well aware that if he is selected, someone else--someone who likely wanted it just as much, and who worked just as hard--will not be. That's humbling. We have taught him to view military service as a stewardship, a call to sacrifice, service, and honor of the highest order.</p>

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<p>kcraig...bravo!! well said</p>

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<p>
[quote]
So you don't believe one can be called to this ... USNA? USN?</p>

<p>I'm not getting your point, 2010. Can you expand a bit?

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<p>I guess my thought was that one can be called "to serve....." (you can add in anything).... certainly, serving the country, one's fellow man, etc....all noble efforts....</p>

<p>what stuck me as odd is a divine calling "to attend the USNA"....</p>

<p>having an interest, even a keen one, in attending a particular school I can understand- getting caught up in the aura of the place/Mids/tradition and "wanting to be part of that" I can also understand.... but that is, at least to me, far different from a "divine calling" which, I believe, goes far beyond a 4-year academic program....</p>

<p>so a "calling" to the Naval Service, divine or otherwise, I can fully appreciate- just as I can appreciate those who develop that interest at 5, 10, 15, or the day before they graduate- heck, the very fact that they have the motivation and desire to serve with so much available to them is reason to applaud enough....</p>

<p>what I am having trouble is catagorizing a desire, no matter how deep, in attending a particular school as "divine"....</p>

<p>but no offense intended, and hopefully no offense taken- </p>

<p>for the record, I applaud each and every kid who opens a file at any of the service academies- whether or not they ever make it past that point- they are all stellar in my eyes- and no doubt bring much pride and joy to their parents- </p>

<p>and each will come to serve their country from many diverse paths- who is to say which ones are more worthy than others? and by that I mean, person or route? Does it really matter if one comes by way of a calling, divine or otherwise? What counts is that they are there....no doubt there will be as many different stories of "how and why" they got there as there are candidates reporting in....</p>

<p>sure, there are kids that will have longed for the academy since age whatever.... our own kid wanted Notre Dame since he was 3, and to play for the Giants since even before that.... some kids stick to their plan (a nod to Zaphod).... heck , i wanted to be a nurse at age 5, and here I am still practicing decades later.... but herein lies the trap too.... for I am left to wonder, does the length of time that one "desires" the academy make one more or less worthy of an appointment? Does a divine calling make one more or less worthy than the other 1239 appointees? Will a divine calling prevent them from ever questioning why they made this decision over and over again? Perhaps yes- perhaps not. </p>

<p>As Z pointed out to all of us so pointedly last year, this is a rough road- for our kids, for us. They will question why they are there, we will try to support them any way we can. Prayers do help- that I firmly believe. But be careful with the divine calling thing- called to service, yes..... called to an academic center for 4 years.....hmmmm....thought divine calling would stretch far beyond that....</p>

<p>I pray every day that our kids make it through another day-
as for the whole twin towers thing, we also lost too many neighbors and friends in that one, attended too many funerals for what seemed to be an eternity, still deal with the aftermath of kids without parents... divine calling to want to protect and defend? Absolutely..... </p>

<p>so for those taking up the call, God bless them!</p>

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<p>Navy2010: very well said.</p>

<p>To add, there will be "shipmates" that will not make it through plebe summer, through plebe year or even to graduation. It does not mean that their desire/calling was any less or that they "took" a spot away from someone who wanted it more. This is a tough road that our kids have chosen; some will have an easier time than others. They all should be applauded for pursuing such a noble cause, no matter where their paths should take them. A desire …yes, calling …possibly, divine …can’t go there.</p>

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<p>Aw, Profmom2, you stole my thought! My son has known a few shippies who thought this was their "calling" but who have been separated for various reasons. Thank you for putting this so well.</p>

<p>And to everyone, this is just the first step down a long road. Fair winds and following seas to all. Pack your dramamine for the rollercoaster ride!;)</p>

15

<p>My S is not at USNA. He is in the NROTC program. I believe he felt a call to service at a young age (middle school). By age 14 he was sure that was what he wanted. He investigated all the academies thinking that would be his path. He was the only 14 year old in town checking up on retirement benefits after 20 years service!<br>
He never applied to the Academies. As he went through high school, his plan changed but his goal never wavered. I spent many nights in prayer that he would be guided in the direction that was right for him. He got a 4 year NROTC scholarship plus two merit scholarships to give him a full-ride to his first choice school. He is a soph. now acting as squad leader, battalion chief, and commander of the Honor Society. I truly believe he was put in this place because it was where he was meant to be while he trains to be a leader in the US Navy.</p>

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<p>Yeah PackMom....good for you and for your son! </p>

<p>I hope after reading through this thead people don't think that when a young person feels they are 'called' to serve their country that USNA is the ONLY way to accomplish this goal - as your son so ably shows. In fact USNA only provides about 22% of ALL Navy/Marine Officers. Think about that - less than one-fourth!! OCS and ROTC make up a much larger pool of our Officer Corps. So there are many ways to get to the final destination here, folks: to serve one's country with one's gifts as a humble, servant leader and Military Officer.</p>

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<p>Just don't ever take away from the person who thought Military Service was their calling but discovers through the process, be it through ROTC/OCS or any of the Academies, that it is not for them.</p>

<p>Applaud every single young person who even tries.</p>

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<p>
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Navy2010: very well said.

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<p>thanks... :o</p>

<p>
[quote]
To add, there will be "shipmates" that will not make it through plebe summer, through plebe year or even to graduation. It does not mean that their desire/calling was any less or that they "took" a spot away from someone who wanted it more.

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<p>my sentiments- exactly!!!</p>

<p>
[quote]
We have taught him to view military service as a stewardship, a call to sacrifice, service, and honor of the highest order.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>that one I am cutting and pasting to our son... today! I know he knows it-- but after their AI's this week, I think the reminder will be welcomed!</p>

<p>Packmom-congrats to your son, and for reminding everyone that there are lots of paths leading to the same place...USNA is just but one of them... and if it is a different route, that is all it is...different...not better, not worse, just different.....an important point to make with our kids for those who do not make the cut when all is said and done-</p>

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<p>This is an interesting discussion. I believe we're talking about varying things. though. Patriotism, love of one's country, honor, service are all grand and worthy concepts, definitely meriting pursuit, understanding and engagement.</p>

<p>They're distinctly different from calling though, imho.</p>

20

<p>This is fascinating for me! I hope to meet your kids one day! What an incredible bunch. Thank you to all who responded and I hope to read more stories! I have to say that I have also been having this conversation with friends and family these past few days and it is amazing the stories of faith I am hearing. And a Divine calling can be for someone called to lead/serve anywhere, many ways, not just USNA of course .. it just happens to apply to the calling to USNA for my daughter. </p>

<p>And, from discussions I have had, I believe one could say that we all have a path set out ahead for us .. just depends whether we choose to follow it and make the most of it, and if we are even aware that the path has been lit ahead of us. Just Food for Thought! :) as I believe.</p>