"Journey Stories"

Colleges and Universities A-Z Service Academy Parents
1

<p>I would love to hear more about what has most influenced your sons and daughters to attend a Service Academy. I know some are following in the steps of career military parents or family members, some begin the journey through athletic recruitment, etc. I am curious about this just because our ds seems to have an inner passion for service to country that can't be explained by external circumstances (and at the risk of being politically incorrect, I believe for him, this is God-directed). And it has been evident for a long time (fifth grade or before), intensifying after the events of 9/11. I'm just wondering if this is a unique passion at such an early age or if it is a commonality among those who desire to serve as commissioned officers in the United States Military. </p>

<p>Veterans, please include your own stories, too. I am putting the Kleenex box closer to the computer, 'cuz I have a feeling the lump in my throat is going to spill over into tears when I start reading your responses!</p>

<p>Thanks to all who choose/have chosen this path and thanks for sharing your journey story.</p>

2

<p>Our ds, has taken the strangest path. He has wanted to serve in the military (AF only) since he was in 4th grade. He originally wanted to be a JAG, do 20 yrs and get into politics. Only last Mar. he decided he wanted the AFA, up to then he wanted Notre Dame and ROTC. This is also when he decided he wanted to fly. </p>

<p>Bulet and I had many very long talks with him, to make sure that he wasn't doing this to follow Dad. His ALO also wanted to be guaranteed that it was his desire, and not well I am going to follow Dad.</p>

<p>9/11 freaked our kids out, we were stationed at Leavenworth and when it occurred the base went into lockdown, including surrounding the school with MP's. The MP's were also posted on the corners of the streets in base housing. We are also from NJ and our hometown lost over 25 people. </p>

<p>As a military child, I think for some they really take a very long, hard look into joining. (no one scream at me, I am not implying others don't). AD children have spent their lives moving and they know the real hardships. Bullet missed every Halloween from the time our youngest was 4 mos. old until he was 8. He missed all of our two oldest birthdays from the age of 5/7 unitl they were 9/11, and again the 12/14 birthday. Our children have also gone to 9 different schools and moved every 30 mos. since they were born. They have also had their moments of fear when Dad is deployed. And knows that planes crash (the education office is named after the crew that died 4 years ago during Gulf II, the hospital is named after another guy who died in Gulf I). Knowing all of this they understand that it has to be an internal desire that cannot be filled anyway else, and that is what overrides all of the negatives for some.</p>

<p>Our other 2 have no desire to join the service. ALthough, DD has stated she wants to marry an AF officer b/c she can't see living in one place anymore. Our youngest DS is the opposite, he can't wait until Dad retires so he doesn't have to move again.</p>

<p>So as you can see, even in our family all of our children will walk away with different desires and views about the military life</p>

<p>An interesting side note, we had a friend who grad. from the acad., and got out at 14 yrs. He made the decision because he realized he already missed many years of their childrens lives and decided he didn't want to be a stranger to his child. 8 yrs later, where is his child going to go to college...the academy. You see if it is in the kid, they are still going to go.</p>

3

<p>My son has loved everything Army since he was very young. He used to play Army a lot and had his own BDU’s, pup tent, and other surplus gear. He would be the captain or major and his little brother had to be the private. :D Military history has been a passion for him since about 5th or 6th grade. His interest in West Point started in middle school. A family friend would tell him stories about her dad who was a West Point grad and that got him thinking about applying. I have known since he was in grade school that he would most likely serve in the Army when he was grown. I knew nothing about West Point or his interest in it until the beginning of his junior year in high school. Once he told me about his desire to attend I did whatever I could to support him. He also applied for and received a 4 year AROTC scholarship that he would have accepted had he not got into USMA. He is determined to become an Army officer and make it his career.</p>

4

<p>my son didn't realize that he was destined for USNA until a college fair during his junior year of hs. we always recognized his capacity for math and science as well as his desire for structure. something awoke in him after he visited all the engineering school tables and the 2 service academy tables at the college fair.<br>
he then pursued his appointment to USNA to the exclusion of all else. fortunately for him, he received an LOA, 2 nominations, and ultimately his appointment.
we had quite a scare when on the night of his hs graduation at the senior celebration, he broke a bone in his foot. this was only 6 weeks prior to I-Day. the doctors' prognosis included 8 weeks until full recovery. that would be 8 weeks lost of physical preparation for plebe summer. our hearts sunk as we pondered the possibility that the Academy would not let him report on I-Day and would delay him until next year. what would he do for a whole year while waiting? he didn't have a plan "B". he hadn't even applied to any civilian colleges. we waited with great trembling for word from medical. he reported for I-Day and at the end of the day after processing, we were told that he could stay. he was put on chit for 2 weeks and had pool pt. he was never so glad to be able to run when medical cleared him for the remainder of plebe summer.
the foot healed just fine, he endured a hip injury a little later in plebe summer as well as a bout with bronchitis. i'm glad to report that since the academic year began, he has been injury free, off chit, and experiencing relative success in PE and academics.</p>

5

<p>I had been interested in aviation since a very early age. The military appealed to me, but I never gave it much consideration. My grandparents on my mother's side and a close family friend had been in the AF. Military service was the thought floating somewhere just out of consciousness for a while, I guess.</p>

<p>I can't say exactly how much impact it had, but 9/11 surely had an influence in my decision. The thought of foreign organizations attacking my country angered me to no end. I still get rather angry thinking about that day and the lives lost. When violence is inflicted upon my family, friends, or countrymen, it moves me. I find myself thinking "I wish I could have been there to stop that" after a number of these events. Perhaps I fall into heroic fantasies occasionally, but the ideal remains important to me. I want to help and protect people from evil.</p>

<p>My plan was to go to UIUC and study engineering (electrical was my 1st choice). During my sophomore year of high school, one of my friends started talking about applying to USAFA. The more he talked about USAFA, the better it sounded. I went to a college fair a few weeks later. Of course, I went to the UIUC presentation and the booths of a few other state schools. I noticed "US Air Force Academy" on the list of colleges, and hiked my way to the booth at the far end of the building. I took a card for the pre-candidate questionaire and left after talking to some Major. My guidance couselor told me how to contact the local ALO, and I eventually applied for Summer Seminar. Summer seminar sealed the deal, in my mind.</p>

6

<p>It is amazing how young some kids start. Last year on the first day of my new Sunday School class, a new fourth grader kept quizzing me about the Naval Academy. Finally, I asked him why the interest. He stated that he had 'always' wanted to go to the Academy. When I asked him why, he said he wanted to be the best Marine officer and that meant going to the Academy. I told him that he had just aced his BGO interview. His dad is a multi-deployed Marine reserve whose company commander is a USNA grad. Anyway, the next Sunday, after Sunday School, I gave him an armful of old Academy literature. Imagine my embarassment when I look up at the communion rail and there he is, kneeling, leafing through an old Academy catalog. His five person elementary school 'battle of the brains' team just won the county championship. He is on his way.</p>

<p>The past month or so, a little second grader has been bringing all his model airplanes to church and then proceeding to tell me all about them. Unfortunately an occassional AF jet was in the mix. Last Sunday after church I was cleaning house and came across a Navy table top aviation book. I gathered up everything I had and took them over to his house. No fear about the AF influence. He had a full-scale model of the Nimitz in the middle of the living room and had a pretty good grasp of cyclic ops. He called me back about five times as I was leaving to show me more of his planes. On the last callback he asked if it were possible for me to help him get ready for the Naval Academy. Completely unsolicited. A second grader.</p>

7

<p>USNA69: great story!</p>

<p>Going through this journey w/ my son this year has really been great for many people. My students have traveled the road with us...several of them now see that it is a possibility for them, too. One student said, "my dad says you can't get in unless you know someone." I assured him, that while his dad is a fine man, he is wrong. I know "no one."</p>

<p>My younger son (6th grade) has talked of being an astronaut for years. He has decided that USNA will prepare him best for his future in space. It's great when kids start early, as they can get on the right paths both academically and athletically to ensure a well rounded candidacy. I don't know how older brother (USMA 2012) will react when little bro goes Navy...but that's a few years away still!!</p>

8

<p>Not everyone starts early -- my oldest one who grew up a brat would tell anyone who asked that there was no way he was going in the military -- he wanted a "normal" life. His junior year of high school he was invited by the soccer coach to come on a recruiting visit. He really debated whether or not to go -- will I be wasting their time and mine? -- but we encouraged him to go as a way of looking at all options. He truly surprised everyone (including himself) when he walked away from that two day visit saying "this is where I belong", and never looked back. He said the feeling of comradery and purpose was something that he had not found anywhere else he had been. He has never regretted his decision...</p>

9

<p>When my twins were 2 y.o. my DH was commissioned as an AF medical officer, a year later I was commissioned as well. For the next seven years they saw their parents in uniforms almost daily. During the three years we spent at Spangdahlem AB in Germany both girls loved to watch the F-15s and F-16s fly around. At Travis AFB they saw a different side of the AF and politics became a big influence with all of the Clinton controversy in the media everyday.
Both of them came away from those early experiences with a very real appreciation for the military. As they got older the differences in their personalities became more apparent. One is very, very socially outgoing and the other is very focused on academics and goals. Their grandparents have been very generous over the years and have sent them to summer camps that interested them. One went to Aviation Challenge in Huntsville, AL, the other went to youth political camps.<br>
Buckaroo, the AFA bound twin, became very interested in the Academy by the time she was in Jr H. She has remained very focused on that goal and did not even apply to any other university until we insisted. Her twin sister is planning on going into politics.<br>
Same life, same passion (our country), different tracks.</p>

10

<p>get your tissues ready!</p>

<p>here a moving music video with a real life medal of honor winner, Fredrick Edgar Ferguson, appearing in it.
Photo</a> of Medal of Honor Recipient Fred Ferguson</p>

<p>the video: Five</a> for Fighting</p>

<p>now if this isn't motivating to love your country and sign up for the military, i don't know what is!</p>

11

<p>Oh DSL - what a fantastic video. And a great reminder of why our brave men and women do what they do!</p>