Why Haven't You Enlisted?

In the meantime I've got an awesome update. I got my deployment date and I ship out to basic in Lackland AFB on August 19th, but I'm heading out to the MEPS on the 18th and staying the night the hotel they put all the people in there. I practically jumped for joy when I got my day, I really can't wait to go in. Although on the downside this means celebrating my 18th birthday in boot camp which I'm not looking forward to. But otherwise I've never been more excited about anything in my life.

In the meantime the delayed enlistment program is going well. I just call my recruiter once a week to check in and confirm that I haven't gotten in trouble, and then go in for a meeting once a month with the other DEPS guys. Next DEPS call is this Saturday where we're going to learn marching and go through the physical training stuff. The DEPS is kind of cool since it's a very open atmosphere, and all the other guys are really cool and we can all relate. And it doesn't hurt that we've got a good recruiter. He's been extremely good about telling us things that we need to know. When I went to MEPS he warned me upfront about all the worst bits and he's told us just as many of the risks and downsides of enlisting as any other airman that I've talked to. Having an honest recruiter is a great thing to have, although it didn't hurt that I brought my grandfather (an airman back in the 60's just before Vietnam started) to my first meeting with the guy.

In 1967, I spent my eighteenth birthday in Casual Company in Boot Camp at San Diego with a broken leg.

I'm not sure how the Air Force handles birthdays now, but in Marine Corps Boot Camp in the sixties they were entirely private, internal events, if you had the presence of mind to remember.

You'll do fine.


[edit on 2008/4/10 by GradyPhilpott]

On this Memorial Day, 2008, I would again ask the question, Why haven't you enlisted?

Of course, I'm speaking to those who are of appropriate age and who have no disability or medical condition precluding military service.

The troops we have now have served multiple tours. Many have been wounded and have returned to their theaters of operation and some of those have lost limbs and have volunteered to return to their units.

Many of our veterans have suffered from the mental and emotional stresses of warfare and yet they continue on, serving regardless of their hardship.

Because we have depended so heavily on our Reserve and our National Guard units, many of these service members have had careers interrupted and have experienced long separations from their families and yet they continue to serve.

So, again I would ask those who are of age and are fit to do so, Why haven't you enlisted?

Why are there so many who have sacrificed nothing and who every day exercise their liberty, when there are so many who have made so many sacrifices every day and so many who have paid the ultimate price to protect that liberty?

And I'll respond on this Memorial Day...

I believe I have more to offer this world than military service. And I'd prefer to stay alive long enough to give this world what I believe it needs. And I certainly have no intention of being one of the 4,000 dead soldiers, or 30,000 severely wounded soldiers.