Our son could use a little prayer

Discussion in 'Help From Above' started by JESUPERCAT, Jul 13, 2016.

  1. JESUPERCAT

    JESUPERCAT No Slow Boat

    Some of you know my son Steven (the dark haired twin) the last few years he has had the urge to be in the Army and even did 3 years of Army ROTC. Well last year before he became a senior he talk to us and made a definite commitment.Due to his age at the time we had to sign with him. At that time his goals in life had changed along with his overall career path. For the past year he has worked out with the Army ROTC, weight training in school, and with the Marine recruits. This was a 2-3 times a day 6 days a week commitment for him. He and his brother both graduated in May from High School. Stevens path in life has now brought him to Paris Island as a soon to be Marine. Jenn and I saw him off on Sunday and then drove to Tampa Florida Monday morning to see him sworn in to our countries military. We have never been as proud as we were of him Monday. He got to the Island on Monday night. Tuesday morning I flew back to Maine to start my new job. Jenn is still in Florida for a bit until the house sells. My son Sean is working in Massachusetts For my Dads company for now. This was the first time that we have all been in different states.

    Besides wanting to post publicly how proud we are of him I'm also asking for my fellow Buick friends to keep Steven lifted up In prayer.
    I'll post updates when I know more.
     
  2. Thumper (aka greatscat)

    Thumper (aka greatscat) Well-Known Member


    john,
    you should be proud,he made a major commitment to serve our nation to protect the liberties we enjoy.
    Extend my gratitude to him for his service, we will keep him in our prayers.
    gary and sandy
     
  3. Dadrider

    Dadrider Silver Level contributor

    Will do sir. My brother served in the Corp.

    My 2 son's live 4 states / 800 miles away. I understand the separation part all too well.

    Will remember Stephen.
     
  4. Mike B in SC

    Mike B in SC Well-Known Member

    I will pray for him. I spent three months at Parris Island myself back in '83. I have a pretty good idea what he is going through right now! :grin:
     
  5. Smokey15

    Smokey15 So old that I use AARP bolts.

    A big Thank You to your Son. Included in my nightly prayers I pray for the safety of those sworn to protect us. I pray that Steven achieves or exceeds his goals and remains from harms way.
     
  6. Marv Marksberry

    Marv Marksberry Well-Known Member

    Speaking as one who endured 14 weeks of Boot Camp on the island in 1969, your son is going through the toughest military training there is. The discipline and training is much more intense than any other branch of the military.
    You have every right to be very proud of him. He will also be in my prayers, and I am proud of him too.

    Marvin Marksberry
    USMC 1969 - 1971
     
  7. Taulbee2277

    Taulbee2277 Silver Level contributor

    Very happy and proud for you and your son for his new chapter in life. I commend him for his persistence in wanting to serve. My little time on the island was in 2004, and I'm here to tell ya it was scary, exciting, terrifying, exhausting, and a downright abyss of the great unknown. I imagine his case may be the same, but the feeling on the final day is way beyond the words I can gather.

    And let's not forget the funny moments, as time goes on you embrace "the suck" and find humor in it. I remember a drill instructor ripping into a recruit for some reason (or he was bored) and right in the middle of it he said "how dumb can you be?? Tell me recruit has your species even developed tools yet?!?"

    Or once I saw a drill instructor sipping from a canteen behind a tree and I thought to myself "that's impossible, he's not even human why does he need water?"

    Not trying to deviate from your experience with my personal accounts, I gather he will have some great stories for you on graduation day!

    Semper Fi
     
  8. 70 gsconvt

    70 gsconvt Silver Level contributor

    I remember when I joined the Army. My parents, mostly my mother, were not very happy. But those feelings turned to pride as time went on. It was a great experience in my life and a great influence in making me the person that I am today.

    Tell your son "Thank you for your service" from me. A prayer said for his safety and the choice he's made. God bless.

    Phil
     
  9. Smokey15

    Smokey15 So old that I use AARP bolts.

    Let me just say "Thank YOU" to all of our V8Buick Brothers & Sisters who have/are serving. I pray that Steven can, in the future, tell his own stories and anecdotes about his military life experiences.
     
  10. Briz

    Briz Founders Club Member

    Congrats to you, Jen and Stephen. Now whats this stuff about you moving north? Havent heard from you guys in close to a yr.
     
  11. Gulfgears

    Gulfgears Gulfgears

    I respect your son for his decision and will keep him in my thoughts.

    The learning experiences he will get will serve him well in his future life. The money set asides for education are really great also.

    I could not interest my two sons in joining up and I think to this day they are the poorer for lacking that experience.

    Just an old guy's hindsight vision I guess.
     
  12. JESUPERCAT

    JESUPERCAT No Slow Boat

    I forgot to mention that Steven is going in for helicopter mechanic and will be pushing towards his pilots license for helicopters.
    One of two goals is to be a Maine game warden. He will be well on his way with flight mechanic and Marine.
    He was also offered a path to be an officer (academics first then the Marines) he said no thanks I want to earn my rank:TU: He is not the average youth of today.
    I would like to thank everyone for their prayers. It means a lot to Jenn and I.

    We get his address tomorrow to start the letters of encouragement flowing.

    Briz I'll call you this weekend.
     
  13. Smokey15

    Smokey15 So old that I use AARP bolts.

    One of my best lifelong friends was a copter pilot in the Air Guard until a heart attack at age 38 grounded him thus ending his career. He is now an instructor at an aviation school teaching our youth. So his extreme talents are not being wasted. He sure does miss flight though.
     
  14. bhambulldog

    bhambulldog 1955 76-RoadmasterRiviera

    Prayers for your Marine and all the rest of your family and you.
     
  15. ken betts

    ken betts Well-Known Member

    Hi John and Jenn, we will pray often. I believe God gives this country "mighty men" to face training and battles for the freedom of all men. Some just choose not to benefit from the sacrifice we give. I don't believe in the draft, but I do believe everyone should spend at least 2 years in the service. It would give them a great start to adult responsibility and a reality of life on this planet. The pictures of the trouble we see in this world shows the need for men like Steven. May the God of Heaven and Earth protect him and all those who serve this soon to be "Great again" country. Hope you get weekends off to go racing! Ken
     
  16. Kenny462

    Kenny462 Gold Level Contributor

    Hi: Having never been in the service I admire all who are keeping our country safe. Kenny462
     
  17. JESUPERCAT

    JESUPERCAT No Slow Boat

    Thanks for the prayers everyone. Today is the start of his second week. We should have his address today so we can send him letters(only form of allowable contact) while in Basic.
    12 weeks to go.
     
  18. jzuelly1

    jzuelly1 Jesse Zuelly IV

    Good Morning,

    My thoughts and prayers are with your son Steven. He sounds like a great guy. He is definitely an oddball out in today's society, that is a compliment though. I'm only 29 and most people my age and younger are quite frankly unaccountable and incompetent. Steven seems to be one of the few youths that has a good head on his shoulders.

    What really stuck out to me was him saying he was going to earn his rank. I served in the Army as a Combat Medic. Some of the people that were the worst to deal with were your fresh out of college Lieutenants. You can't spell lost without LT. There were a few I met that surprised me but it was rare. Most had a sense of entitlement that they were better than anyone and were never wrong in their minds. One of my fondest memories was getting to have a 3 minute level 2 combative round with a LT West Point Grad. He was a silver spoon kid and had no business leading men into war. He had made it to the semifinals round of the tournament and got slotted against me. He had disrespected me several times while we were mobilizing to go to Iraq. I had to shut my mouth and taken his disrespect because I was only an E4. In that combatives match it was a different story though. I could of had him in a arm bar or guittone within 30 seconds but I purposely drug it out to give him perspective on how special he really wasn't. He even fought dirty trying to knee me in the jewels. I elbowed him in the side of the face and then got him in a rear naked choke hold. I choked him unconscious within seconds. The guy was pretentious enough when he came to he threatened me with an article 15(loss of pay military law crap). Luckily all the other officers and NCO's all called him out on his BS. I saw him a couple more times through the our deployment. He would barely look me in the eye but never disrespected me again. Sorry for the diatribe but it just brought that memory back full circle.

    Again good luck and prayers for your son. Training for the military is tough at times but it will be some of his fondest memories as he ages. Have a great one.

    Very Respectfully,

    Jesse Zuelly IV
     
  19. GKMoz

    GKMoz Gary / Moz

    " Speaking as one who endured 14 weeks of Boot Camp on the island in 1969, your son is going through the toughest military training there is. The discipline and training is much more intense than any other branch of the military.
    You have every right to be very proud of him. He will also be in my prayers, and I am proud of him too. '

    My thoughts as well ! although I was there in Aug. 1968 till Oct.68 :)
    And my prayers are with the young man ! give him a S/F from me at his graduation ceremony !
     

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  20. real82it

    real82it Silver Level contributor

    Done. Sounds like you have a good boy there.
     

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