Mixed Feelings

[proud dad]

Rangers, thank you for the support you have offered me here. I am glad to read these posts and I do realize that it was his decision to make and it is important to him and that makes it important to me. I am lucky to be a father of someone who is this determined to accomplish his goals, and I do let him know how he makes us proud. He has changed the way I look at life and I am now learning from him through his actions.
I have borrowed this from the Rangers Creed for myself.

Never shall I fail my comrades I will always keep myself mentally alert, physically strong, and morally straight and I will shoulder more than my share of the task whatever it may be, one hundred percent and then some.

I live my life everyday by these words, its the least I can do to honor the sacrifice of all the service men who have carried the burden of freedom for me.

Thanks Rangers

[Looon]

Proud Dad,

I think I speak for everyone here, in saying that I'm glad to be here for you.

[Earthpig]

We must have had a hell of a milkman some 21 years ago to have such a son.

I don't think so. You've done well....thank you for raising a patriot and instilling things like honor, duty, and intestinal fortitude into him. If more parents raised kids like you have, we would be a country with no problems. Thankfully, we still have enough parents like you and HOOAHMOM5 to continue to give our country a steady flow of elite warriors. Without them, we would likely be devoid of many of the great freedoms we enjoy.
RLTW
EP

[Slowpoke]

As a father of four, I understand your feelings. You have done an incredible job of raising a great man. Trust him and the men he is with. We are proud of you, too. I wish there were more "Proud Dads" like you.

[Ray80]

I would like to vent/share my own experience in gaining support from my family, for anyone who can benefit. I would not post unless I felt it would contribute something to the community, at the risk of hijacking. I hope you all can excuse the length and emotional nature of my post. ProudDad, you are the MAN. HooahMom, you set the example for mothers to follow. Thanks guys, for giving our country lions with more heart than I can imagine having. I am envious of the pride and honor you get to feel.

While my mother’s birthday was the day I took the oath, my own birthday (Yesterday) was the day I let the family know. I halted the dinner abruptly and made an announcement at the middle of a moment of levity: “I’m being serious now. I am going into the Army in September.â€

[Looon]

Great post Ray. I'm proud of you. I hope your mom comes around. I'm really glad that your sister and dad are behind you. We here at Army Ranger.com are also behind you.

Thank you Ray.

RLTW
Mike

[Looon]

By the way Ray, I don't in any way think that you hijacked the post. It sounds to me that you are trying the give the concerned parents, a view from the other side of the fence. Once again, thankyou.

[Chiron]

I still remember my father’s feelings when I quit college to join the army in 1980. He was devastated to say the least.

After my graduation from Airborne, which my father attended, he showed support.
After my graduation from Ranger school, which my father attended, he was in tears from admiration and proud as hell.

My father still means so much to me. The support of a father is a make it or break it thing. Without his support I would have crashed and burned.

[Earthpig]

Ray-
I think your mom will come around. No mother wants her child to go to war. When I enlisted, my mom was against it, too. She knew better than to try to stand in my way, but she didn't like it. It didn't take long and she was bragging to her book club friends about her Ranger son. To this day, she uses a physician who served in Battalion. She goes in with an ailment, quickly tells the Doc what's wrong, he asks a few medical questions, and then they sit there and talk Rangers for 30 minutes. You can't blame your mom for being worried...you're her son. Thanks for sharing the post with us and thanks in advance for serving.
RLTW
EP

[Silverback]

Young trooper,
Thank you for joining in the fight. Don't ever doubt that we are in a fight. We are in a fight for everything we believe in. Our current enemy will not stop until they have destroyed us and our way of life.

I proudly serve beside the finest men America has!

[proud dad]

Ray that is a good post and I thank you for your service to our country. It is a Mothers job to keep her children safe from harm and injuries. To a Mother it does not matter how old her child is, your still her baby and she has an overwhelming instinct to protect her child. By enlisting in the military you have placed youself beyond her ability to care and protect her child from danger and I think that scares her and is the reason for her reaction at the news of your enlistment. I also think she will become your biggest supporter after you are in and she accepts it, her pride in her young man will grow beyond anything she can imagine at this point.
To answer an earlier question in this thread I do not know yet the length of my sons extension as his letter just said he has extended his time in service to attend to School.

[ranger175c]

Proud Dad. Sounds like you did one hell of a job raising a stud! Keep up the good work and suport him with his ned to get his Tab.

I would trade my "Tab" for the ability to wear my"Scroll" on my right shoulder any day of the week.

But, I do understand the drive that makes your son feel the need to go through Ranger School. Have patience and you and your son will have many great storys to tell while hunting in the future.

The "Tab" is an Award! The "Scroll" is a way of life!

[CrashKILL]

Fuck it, man. The Tab is worth a little extension. It's pretty difficult to describe, but I'll give it a shot.

In a Ranger Battalion, you can't really assume a leadership position without having earned the tab. You can be a leader, don't get me wrong, but, with rare exception, you will not take a team. The problem with this, for most motivated guys, is that there is no more burning desire than to lead men into combat. Hell, to lead them to the chow hall. Rangers are definately type-A personalities, and with the attitude comes pride and motivation to advance. I understand your son's desire completely.

Besides, it's one helluva gut check.