<p>Hey everyone, as the forum title suggests, I would like to hear parents opinion about ROTC, and possibly interject their opinion in the situation I am in.
At the moment, on the happy note, Ive been accepted to Virginia Tech, under the Virginia Tech Cadet Corps Program, through Early Decision, and I am a recipient of the Virginia Tech Emerging Leadership Scholarship.; albeit, against my parents wishes to join VTCC, and I have not broken the news to my parents that I have signed up to be part of VTCC.
Im going to be the first in my immediate family to graduate high school, go to college; I am also a first generation Chinese American, which puts a lot of pressure from that from the rest of my family.
For me, VT has been my dream college; its always been that since Im little, since a neighborhood friend introduced me to it, and in Middle school, I researched college for a project. At the same time, my mother for the most part belittled me as I entered High School. For her, the 3.8 GPA, the NHS Secretary title, the FBLA President title, the 30 ACT score, the IB diploma, it didnt matter (she is an Asian stereotypical parent).
As the youngest in my extended family on my moms side, Im often compared to my older cousins on that side, the ones with full ride academic scholarships, going to UVA with the .4.0 GPA, IB full diploma, one cousin the 1st place, three year streak in Scholastic Arts contest. Mostly private sector work, which is mainly what my moms side, has done. For example, owning a wedding planner business, head a research dept. for detergent manufacture, accounting, bank management, that sort.
For my dads side, they lived the American dream. My Grandfather served with the US Marines, lied about his age, left his hometown of Chinatown, California, to fight for the US from late 1942 to 1949. From there, my dads side really cut their lives, made a living. My uncle served as an army Surgeon during Bosnia and Desert Storm with 1st Calvary. Others worked for the government, and still do. My cousins in this side served their country, or the govt, such as DEA, FBI, Coast Guard, or CIA.
For my personal plans, I personally want to serve my country. Some wonder why, but, its just something inside me, I guess, as a good friend described it, true patriotism. Working at the USMC Museum as a tour guide, volunteering as an EMT and part of CERT, waking up every day with my Grandfather who made me recite the USMC values, paid for Martial Arts classes, (current 2nd Degree at Wing Chun), made me learn to hunt, pushed me to train to be in the same physical shape he was; when he served and just, the feeling to serve my country. College plan wise, Ive also always wanted to be part of the Medical Community, and Ive been adamant against all other family pressures, who always told me that medicine would ruin me, and would be a hard life, especially since Ive always held firm I wanted to be part of the Trauma Field. As an EMT, it seemed natural for me, and Ive wanted to continue as an ER surgeon. </p>
<p>Which was why I decided to do VTCC, against my mothers wishes, I wanted to serve my country, besides financially it would help my family, college debt, its something I wanted to do, the experience I could gain being part of the military services in their medical branch, its all a culmination of that.<br>
For my mother though, the often overriding factor has been the opinion that my mom believes that I would like to enlist as an infantry officer, or simply, as just regular front line infantry. Through that, she believes that because I failed to be as accomplished as my cousins, that I would waste my life away through the Armed Services.
The big problem then, is confronting her, and possibly my dad. My mother ignores the advice of my dads side, and now, since college is coming close, the mere idea of being in the military has caused family strife. During a family get together for example, my mom brought up the idea of me serving the military, intentionally triggering an argument between both sides, and directing that the reason why the argument started was because of my idea. At the same time, its the overbearing idea of being kicked out of the house. My mother has kicked me out of the house before for poor academic performance, and for arguing with her, trying to explain why at the moment I was not doing well, and Ive had the luxury of sleeping outside for about two-three days or so on those moments,. I know the threat of being removed from the home, being legally disowned as well, is a very real threat, and I decided to have a counselor meeting with myself and my parents, though merely its a prospect, and I did tell my counselor that I would decide whether to have the meeting or not, though the counselor is willing to sit down and speak with them.
I would like to hear, what is your opinion? Should I go against my familys wishes to serve my country? And what is your overall opinion of the military and how it will affect, just, the generation in general as the US Army announces peace time transition, as well as the USMC?</p>
At first, my parents didn’t understand why I chose what I chose. I think this is pretty common. It’s a fun, rewarding choice for the right person.</p>