Posted: 1/23/2009 7:28:40 PM EDT
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Okay Guys, here's the sitrep.....
My dumbass youngest cousin is a Wisconsin Varsity Wrestler. Apparently last summer he went to this off the chain, badass, highly motivated wrestling camp where he got pushed to the limits of his endurance and at the end,....(drum roll please) he wrestled a NAVY SEAL!!! And beat him!!! Now, he just made Eagle Scout and he is convinced that if he joins the Navy under a Special Warfare Operator Contract that the Navy will pay for him to go to College. DOubly worse is that his parents (my uncle and aunt) actually believe the recruiter!!! Just for background, this kid does not eat any red meat at all, he lives on fast food and macaroni & cheese, has about 10% body fat, and never earned a singal merit badge for marksmanship, archery, or anything related to weapons. He's actually afraid of guns and abhors the idea of hunting animals!!! Moreover, his mother cries like she's at a funeral whenever visiting family members leave to go home. How is she going to handle sending her youngest son off to war? I dunno guys, I'm mainly venting, but, HOW do I handle these idiots who don't know shit about the Military? What should I tell my cousin? What do I tell his folks? Help me out!!! |
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Quoted:
Okay Guys, here's the sitrep..... My dumbass youngest cousin is a Wisconsin Varsity Wrestler. Apparently last summer he went to this off the chain, badass, highly motivated wrestling camp where he got pushed to the limits of his endurance and at the end,....(drum roll please) he wrestled a NAVY SEAL!!! And beat him!!! Now, he just made Eagle Scout and he is convinced that if he joins the Navy under a Special Warfare Operator Contract that the Navy will pay for him to go to College. DOubly worse is that his parents (my uncle and aunt) actually believe the recruiter!!! Just for background, this kid does not eat any red meat at all, he lives on fast food and macaroni & cheese, has about 10% body fat, and never earned a singal merit badge for marksmanship, archery, or anything related to weapons. He's actually afraid of guns and abhors the idea of hunting animals!!! Moreover, his mother cries like she's at a funeral whenever visiting family members leave to go home. How is she going to handle sending her youngest son off to war? I dunno guys, I'm mainly venting, but, HOW do I handle these idiots who don't know shit about the Military? What should I tell my cousin? What do I tell his folks? Help me out!!! The best way I can think of is to show him the daily life of a few of your Marines. Or if that is not possible just lay out the daily life of an enlisted Marine and have a couple guys tell him whats up. Tell them to never listen to the recruiter ever again. |
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I'd say just educate them. Explain what the life and duties of your every day soldier/marine/sailor/airmen (nevermind the SOF community) entail and that the overall goal is fighting for and defending our great nation and its interests, not going to college for free. Also explain that it's a commitment, not something you try out because you think you're something for wrestling a supposed SEAL or whatever. Tell him if he's serious about signing up that it's his responsibility to do some research and be educated about what he's getting into because once his name is on the dotted line, there is no second guessing.
Either that or explain what BUD/S is all about and tell him if he fails he'll be swabbing decks and picking barnacles for the next 4 years (doesn't really work that way anymore but....meh). 
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I understand your concern but the decision has to be his. He may turn out to be a highly effective trigger puller. He may not. He has to find out for himself and you should let him.
The Navy has a great college program, I went through it and finished my 20 some time ago. It's a journey of self realization. If he's not cut out for the lifestyle he'll learn very quickly and the Navy will have something else for for him to do to finish out his time. |
I agree with gso. I'm also a wrestling coach and have coached at several summer camps and send my wrestlers to Ken Chertow, Rulon Gardner, and the Sunkist kids camps. I have 14 wrestlers in various services in either Iraq or A Stan now. A wrestler , of all athletes, does have the discipline to cut the mustard. He will be taught to shoot.
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