Growing up I always remember Dad talking about his military service. My father was a Marine before I was born. I heard stories about all the crazy things that Marines do and have to go through when becoming a Marine. When I was younger I just thought they were good stories, but as I got older I really learned to listen to them closely and when I was about to leave to the Army my Dad taught me all the movements and how to properly salute and even though he was a Marine he taught me the ranks and how to be a soldier. If I learned anything from my Dads teaching I learned to respect everyone in the military, no matter what there rank was, because whether they were an officer or enlisted, they were all their to serve their country. That really helped me through Basic and AIT Training. I took everything in and didn’t miss anything from what I was being taught. Most of my post are about my military career and the VA. I know that so many are trying to fix the VA instead of recreating the VA. Fixing the VA has been a key point for so many years and fixing minor things just leads to major issues. We need to revamp the VA from the ground up and that really starts with the DOD. The DOD and the VA don’t talk, they don’t communicate and if they did before a soldier left service many of the issues we have seen might be reduced. Something I have said for many years is this, ” All Americans should serve.” Before I dealt with the VA issues I thought this would be a great idea for America, but now I think it is more important for America than being a good idea. Let me explain:
1. Every child at the age of 18 should serve in the Armed Forces for a minimum of 3 years.
2. If you have received a 4 year college scholarship or your parents have funded a minimum of 4 years in college you are exempt from military service.
3. You are exempt from Military Service if you don’t meet medical requirements or height and weight requirements
4. If you leave College earlier than 4 years you must have completed a degree or you must enter into military service for a minimum of 2 years.
5. If you are medically cleared from military service and can’t afford college then you may qualify for college grants or a minimum of two years of free community college. I have had many years to think of this and many countries currently have this in their system. For instance, in Germany you are required to serve for two years and college is paid for because they are included in your everyday taxes. You may say that Military Requirement is wrong, but I say if your a parent your wrong for not instilling the desire to serve this country. This idea works in so many ways.
1. If you serve you receive free college and everyone that serves gains a profession. This would cut down on unemployment and would increase more educated citizens.
2. This would force students to perform better in school to achieve higher grades to receive scholarships to attend college producing a more effective society of citizens.
3. By serving in the Armed Forces you would receive free health care during and after service which would decrease the need of Obama Care and would use the VA as the entry point of Health Care for all Veterans. (we have to fix VA first) This would create two different Health Care Profiles
4. This would increase a steady flow of solider’s through the military and would decrease the need for Recruiter Programs
5. This would give illegal citizens the ability to serve this country if to gain citizenship. If they refuse to serve then they are deported from the country. All Americans Serve!
There are so many more talking points to this but those are just a few. We must turn back to a serving country instead of one that takes. This would also prepare many Americans for combat and how to handle themselves. Many say this would separate our country into 3 different societies, but aren’t we already separated? We are plagued by unemployment, welfare, homelessness, unpatriotic citizens, citizens without healthcare, citizens without faith, illegal citizens, obesity, bullying and so many more issues. We need to come together as a country and as Americans and rid our country of these issues as they are literally eating away of what it means to be an American. We need to raise our children to love this country and protect this way of life or it will disappear and what so many Americans have fought and died for will be for nothing. That’s how many Veterans feel today. All that we have fought for is slowly slipping away. And before you start second guessing what I will do. I have told my kids that they will either join the military at the age of 18 or they will go to college. Many think that is harsh, but no child of mine will continue to live under my roof unless they are in college. At 18 they are adults and as a parent my job is done once they turn 18. Being a parent doesn’t end at 18, but raising kids ends at 18. I will pay for college as long as grades are good and they are applying themselves, but one slip up and its off to the military. As I tell them now, you have choices when you turn 18, but its what you do now until your 18 that will determine your future. We also have to stop letting this new generation of adults impact us as parents. We need to start now to prepare the next generation for the future of this country. A am a Veteran, I will continue to serve my country and will prepare my kids to do what all kids should do and that is learn to love this country, learn to fight for their rights and learn to serve.
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