Your tax dollars at work

[airdvr 210]

Newest Virginia class sub commissioned to day in Port Canaveral. Stirring ceremony in 95 degree heat.

Please don't dent the planet.

Destinations by Roxanne

[AtrusBatleth 0]

So... what? I don't get what the temperature has to do with anything. I feel like I'm missing something you intended to convey.

Max Peck
What's the point of having top secret code names, fellas, if we ain't gonna use 'em?

[airdvr 210]

These kids put up with a lot to do their jobs for you and I

Please don't dent the planet.

Destinations by Roxanne

[jcd11235 0]

Wait- so you're impressed that they were capable of donning their dress uniforms for an outdoor ceremony in the summer? Wow.

Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

[AtrusBatleth 0]

airdvr

These kids put up with a lot to do their jobs for you and I

The subject led me to believe you thought the new sub was a WASTE of taxpayer's dollars, so I was confused. I agree our soldiers do a lot for us and I am thankful.

Serving on a sub is a unique service; some co-workers and I long ago had noticed a correlation between former sub drivers and a certain kind of crazy, like a just-slightly-mad quirkiness. We wondered if it was the result of being in a sub for months at a time, or if it took a certain kind of crazy to WANT to serve on a sub. I think the latter, although I liked the thought of being on a sub and may have joined in college if not for getting married, so I'm not sure what that says about me.

Max Peck
What's the point of having top secret code names, fellas, if we ain't gonna use 'em?

[airdvr 210]

jcd11235

Wait- so you're impressed that they were capable of donning their dress uniforms for an outdoor ceremony in the summer? Wow.

I hope someday you have the pleasure of being proud of your children’s accomplishments.

Please don't dent the planet.

Destinations by Roxanne

[Erroll 80]

jcd11235

Wait- so you're impressed that they were capable of donning their dress uniforms for an outdoor ceremony in the summer? Wow.

There is always at least one, isn't there?

[jcd11235 0]

airdvr

***Wait- so you're impressed that they were capable of donning their dress uniforms for an outdoor ceremony in the summer? Wow.

I hope someday you have the pleasure of being proud of your children’s accomplishments.

I hope that someday Americans will recognize that military service isn't the only way, nor typically the best way, to serve one's country. I have a nephew serving overseas in the Navy. Personally, speaking as a veteran myself, I consider his decision to be a bad one, offering limited opportunities to reach his potential, relative to other options (Eagle Scout, 4.0 GPA, multilingual).

A bad decision does not preclude a good experience. I wish him the best. I'm just not particularly impressed that he signed up.

Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

[BillyVance 34]

jcd11235

******Wait- so you're impressed that they were capable of donning their dress uniforms for an outdoor ceremony in the summer? Wow.

I hope someday you have the pleasure of being proud of your children’s accomplishments.

I hope that someday Americans will recognize that military service isn't the only way, nor typically the best way, to serve one's country. I have a nephew serving overseas in the Navy. Personally, speaking as a veteran myself, I consider his decision to be a bad one, offering limited opportunities to reach his potential, relative to other options (Eagle Scout, 4.0 GPA, multilingual).

A bad decision does not preclude a good experience. I wish him the best. I'm just not particularly impressed that he signed up.

Well, the military can pay for his education, so there's that.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[jcd11235 0]

BillyVance

Well, the military can pay for his education, so there's that.

As scholarships would have. Of course, most of those for which he was qualified immediately out of high school will no longer be available to him when he is discharged.

Don't get me wrong, it's better than graduating and getting a dead-end job. Or graduating and not making any effort to move forward. It's just not the best path for an outlier-smart kid to maximize his potential and increase the value of his contributions.

Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

[riggerrob 643]

jcd11235

Wait- so you're impressed that they were capable of donning their dress uniforms for an outdoor ceremony in the summer? Wow.

————————————————————————————-

I donned my dress uniform for hundreds of ceremonies in summer, winter, rain, etc. but no one ever explained what was accomplished by standing around for a few hours.

I am still waiting for an explanation.
??????????????????????????????????

[riggerrob 643]

This reminds me of a conversation with a (retired) Canadian tanker. We both served during the Cold War.
I developed a massive drinking problem that lasted longer than my 13 years service. I eventually sobered up. He still drinks heavily (evenings only).
When I asked him whether the Canadian Army deliberately hires drunks, he replied “No. They drive you to drink.”

[Squeak 17]

riggerrob

***Wait- so you're impressed that they were capable of donning their dress uniforms for an outdoor ceremony in the summer? Wow.

————————————————————————————-

I donned my dress uniform for hundreds of ceremonies in summer, winter, rain, etc. but no one ever explained what was accomplished by standing around for a few hours.

I am still waiting for an explanation.
?????????????????????????????????? a Visible presence a show of ceremony, tradition, and unity. What you accomplished was you physically and visibly REPRESENTED your country's defence force.
I have stood in full dress uniform in 100+ degrees for 2 hours in an honour guard.
I don't feel a need to question why.

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[Squeak 17]

jcd11235

***Well, the military can pay for his education, so there's that.

As scholarships would have. Of course, most of those for which he was qualified immediately out of high school will no longer be available to him when he is discharged.

Don't get me wrong, it's better than graduating and getting a dead-end job. Or graduating and not making any effort to move forward. It's just not the best path for an outlier-smart kid to maximise his potential and increase the value of his contributions.

You're missing a key point here. It's got NOTHING to do with you.
How he chooses to live his life and how he directs his energy is HIS alone to decide.
Maximising potential is a bullshit term.
If he's happy doing what he's doing then Job done.

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[oldwomanc6 52]

jcd11235

******Wait- so you're impressed that they were capable of donning their dress uniforms for an outdoor ceremony in the summer? Wow.

I hope someday you have the pleasure of being proud of your children’s accomplishments.

I hope that someday Americans will recognize that military service isn't the only way, nor typically the best way, to serve one's country. I have a nephew serving overseas in the Navy. Personally, speaking as a veteran myself, I consider his decision to be a bad one, offering limited opportunities to reach his potential, relative to other options (Eagle Scout, 4.0 GPA, multilingual).

A bad decision does not preclude a good experience. I wish him the best. I'm just not particularly impressed that he signed up.
Sounds more like you mean that serving in the military isn't always the best way to get ahead for an individual rather than it not being the best way to serve the country.

lisa
WSCR 594
FB 1023
CBDB 9

[jcd11235 0]

Squeak

You're missing a key point here. It's got NOTHING to do with you.

I'm not missing that point at all. It's his mistake to make; it's his lesson to learn. That doesn't make it any less disappointing to see.

Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

[jcd11235 0]

oldwomanc6

Sounds more like you mean that serving in the military isn't always the best way to get ahead for an individual rather than it not being the best way to serve the country.

Both are true in this case. And frequently true in others.

I take a rather Confucian view of military service. It's an honorable way to serve for those who can't contribute in other ways, but if they can contribute in other ways, those other ways will typically allow more valuable services to be offered.

For example, it costs more to train a new second lieutenant than a new teacher. But the teacher typically provides greater benefit. Both are honorable ways to serve.

In almost all cases, if someone is well suited for college, everyone is better off if they do that first. They get off to a better start with the invaluable benefit of an education, and the contributions they can make when serving are far more valuable, even especially if it's military service they choose.

Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

[riggerrob 643]

The most valuable part of military service is all the accidental learning that occurrs as young soldiers move outside their home towns.
During my 13 years military service, I worked in half of Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Ontario and the Northwest Territories) and several other countries, most notably West Germany. My ship visited ports in another dozen countries (Belgium, Bermuda, England, France, Holland, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Spain and the USA.). On weekends, I toured neighboring countries like Austria, Lichtenstein (sp?), Sweden, Switzerland, etc.
After 13 years on the road, I went to university to earn “a piece of paper that says I am smart,”’but I still learned far more during my military travels than I ever learned at the University of Ottawa.

Gap-years are valuable learning experiences, even if they do not include military service.

[Squeak 17]

jcd11235

***You're missing a key point here. It's got NOTHING to do with you.

I'm not missing that point at all. It's his mistake to make; it's his lesson to learn. That doesn't make it any less disappointing to see.

Again (or still) missing the point. It's their choice, it's not a mistake. Jut because you would do it differently does not even imply that anyone else has to choose your path. Your idea of success and potential, is not the same as anyone else. Try to not judge others by your blinkered standard.

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[seedy 0]

Why would you come on a public forum that your nephew can access and post your disappointment of him? This could be some of the greatest times in his life and he could grow in maturity and find out what he wants to do with the rest of it. I know the military gave me time to figure out what I wanted to do with my life.

I intend to live forever -- so far, so good.

[jcd11235 0]

Squeak

Again (or still) missing the point. It's their choice, it's not a mistake. Jut because you would do it differently does not even imply that anyone else has to choose your path. Your idea of success and potential, is not the same as anyone else. Try to not judge others by your blinkered standard.

I think you'll find, if you take the time to read posts before replying to them, that you are the one who completely missed the point. Why do you try to engage if you won't bother trying to read?

Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

[jcd11235 0]

seedy

Why would you come on a public forum that your nephew can access and post your disappointment of him?

I did no such thing. Had you read what I wrote, you'd know that I've only said positive things about my nephew. Disappointment in a choice is not equivalent to disappointment in a person.

As for whether or not he knows I think it was a poor choice, given his options? It doesn't matter. He's smart; he'll figure it out on his own sooner or later whether I tell him or not.

Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

[Erroll 80]

jcd11235

I think it was a poor choice....

As a matter of idle curiosity, who, in your opinion, should enlist/join the military?

[jcd11235 0]

Erroll

***I think it was a poor choice....

As a matter of idle curiosity, who, in your opinion, should enlist/join the military?

No one under age 21, but that's a topic for a different thread.

To be clear, it's not that he went into the military that makes it a disappointing decision. It's that he allowed himself to be talked out of going to university first. It will leave him playing catch up when he realizes most opportunities that will keep him interested long-term aren't going to be available without a degree, particularly the jobs that pay like he thinks he'll be paid when he gets out.

University isn't for everyone, but it's a pretty good, and safe, bet for highly-motivated kids with top-decile intelligence. It's certainly not a risky choice for such kids, like his parents led him to believe.

Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!