Starting Over Talk - Peer Coaching Support Site

Ok so we all know how hard it can be to make a decision on something, but what do you do when it's a life changing decision and it will not only effect you but all those around you? I mean everyone, friends, family, those you go to church with, everyone you know and have any contact with whatsoever.

It's hard to do and even harder when you have to decide if you think it's God's will for you or not, so here's the deal. I'm going next week to talk and meet with a recruiter from the Navy and I've always wanted to serve my country and give back because freedom isn't free, and I've always wanted to do this since I was just a child.

Surprisingly however, my family and everyone seems to be very supportive and encourageing about this. Yes at first my mom and step-dad were like no don't do it, think seriously about it first(which I did) but now they're supportive and everything but my Grandparents who raised me are like "well we don't want you to go" and I can totally understand that especially considering I'm the baby out of my sister and I.

However, as I told them "you have to let the bird take flight and leave the nest sometime, sooner than later is best". This is such a huge decision for anyone to make, let alone someone who just turned 20 on the 17th of July.

I've considered pretty much everything there is to take into consideration and all that, and they have such great things to offer from teh fields of intrest, to the health care options, and so much more. I have thought about the arts and photography field myself, computer graphic design things like that because I love both art and photography as well. Any kind of art not just one particular type.

So please if you will share your thoughts, views, feelings, etc. with me about this and also if you will remember this when you pray.

Thanks so much.

Take care and God bless always,
Sue.

The military has little to offer in the fields you seem to be intersted in, the military is not a big supporter of the arts. It can provide you with a decent background in computers, which would help with graphic design but only on the most basic level. Something you may want to consider is the reserves. You can serve your country and still go to a school that will offer art classes. Plus the reserves will help pay for your education.

The decidion basicly comes down to two things: "Will this choice help you get where you want in life?" and "Will this choice make you happy?". If you can truly answer these both with a yes then I say join.

Before joining the military, particularly in war, time you realy do need to think about whether or not you can take another persons life. Is the cause your fighting for worth killing or dieing for? Whether you are on the field or filing papers you will be to a, certain extent, responsible for the live that are lost. That knowledge can be a heavy burden.

I'm interested in more than just arts, that was just a small example I was giving. I wouldn't be responsible for a death, I'm not going into battle or anything like that. People seem to confuse the military braches and what each one does, the Navy isn't like the Army, the Marines, and things like that. I have considered the reserves as well, in fact I'm going to be checking into the NROTC(Naval Recruit Officer Training Corps). That pays for college, and it lets you go straight from college to work with no waiting or searching for a job. It also puts you in at double the pay verses you going in as just a recruit, I have the right reasons for doing this as well.

Most people think oh great money, or politics, etc. but for me it's simply to better myself as a person in every aspect of life, to provide for our future which is the children, to do something I would enjoy and that would really make me happy, so many reasons but the right ones.

I'm not just considering it for whatever reasons like most people think, I'm considering it for all the right reasons. I don't brag on myself, but I have a great head on my shoulders as many have told me. At least I'm willing to defend our country and give back to it, most people won't even do that so therefore it's more than I can say for others.

I'll see what happens when I meet with the recruiter, I'm only going to talk with them and see what they say, what they offer, what they suggest, and everything.