| join the army and go to Afghanistan
Posted: 3/6/2008 10:57:32 AM | Just watching the news about Afghanistan and one of the soldiers based there said it looks like British troops will be out there for at least another 10 to 15 years.
So, if your son/daughter was thinking of joining up, and there is a good chance that they would be sent there, would you try and deter them from joining.? | |
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| join the army and go to Afghanistan
Posted: 3/6/2008 11:01:50 AM | So, if your son/daughter was thinking of joining up, and there is a good chance that they would be sent there, would you try and deter them from joining.?
I'd let them choose to do what they want to do, if they want to join the forces and serve their country then up to them and i'd support whatever decision they made.
My only argument about the forces is the amount they are paid per year after completing basic training, they get far less than a police officer but the job in the forces is far more dangerous. | |
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| join the army and go to Afghanistan
Posted: 3/6/2008 11:02:36 AM | Thats a tough one, but so longs as they know it may be dangerous and not much fun when over there then its upto them. What can you do really?
The army is actually a fantastic career choice its just a bit crappy being sent to those places, but you have to balance out the good with the bad. | |
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| join the army and go to Afghanistan
Posted: 3/6/2008 11:19:54 AM | i suppose, even if the conflict with Afghanistan finished tomorrow, there's still every chance that something different will flare up with some other country...
it's been Afghanistan, Iraq, Falklands, Northern Ireland.....
for the last 3o years, everyone that's joined has faced going into real conflict.
my son is 11 and has mentioned a few times that he would like to join the army, but that's only if he doesn't become a famous footballer or rock star LOL
would i try and put him off...i don't know :(
i wouldn't WANT him to go, but i don't think i would try and talk him out of it either..it would be his choice completely....
god, just the thought of packing him off to somewhere like that fills me with fear! | |
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| join the army and go to Afghanistan
Posted: 3/6/2008 11:22:45 AM | in a word YES
and if i couldn't i'd try and encourage them to choose opetions away form front line infantry... ( sp?)
I am not spending years of sleepless nights with them as babes for it to be worse when they are adults...
Its not that i dont agree with just my child, its anyone, why cant we send the perverts and murderers to the front lines, lower the tax bill at least...
alas if only things were so black and white....
right now 2 members of my family are on front line duty, it sucks. | |
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| join the army and go to Afghanistan
Posted: 3/6/2008 11:33:13 AM | my son knows how i feel about war, violence and the soldiers that go and fight,
but it would be his choice i wouldnt give him my blessing but i wouldnt try and stop him | |
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97ron
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Joined: 12/12/2007
Msg: 7 | |
| join the army and go to Afghanistan
Posted: 3/6/2008 12:43:01 PM | | the war on terror has no end in site and that's the way the powers that be intend to keep it,how many administrators of the war on terror would allow there own children to put there lives on the line for oil i mean democracy.At present and in the future any country who does not agree with bullying America and its thirst for out write supremacy will be considered a potential threat to America and its security and therefore a potential terror threat,cue iran and we all know where that will lead to, personally i think there has been more than enough blood shed but i fear there will be more to come. | |
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| join the army and go to Afghanistan
Posted: 3/6/2008 12:47:14 PM | My daughter knows how I feel about our freedoms and the blood it costed to have them.
If she chose to join the army for the right ideals, I would only be too proud.
If she was sent to a theatre of war, I would be a dead worried father yet nontheless, I would also thank God she is woman enough to be prepared to fight for her country.
She is in the Air Cadets and I hope she'll join the RAF. | |
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| join the army and go to Afghanistan
Posted: 3/6/2008 1:28:09 PM | The army is a body who are trained to fight and shoot and kill.. that is what they do!... Put them in a place where they can't do what they have been trained (brainwashed) to do an you will have a bunch of highly trained killers who cannot do what they have been trained to do.. which isn't a good position to be in...
Throughout recent history, governments have deployed troops into areas where there wasn't really a problem just to give the troops experience.. The UK used to be lucky with a skirmish on our doorstep (Northern Ireland). The army need to experience being fired at or they would run away at the first gunshot (like most untrained people). NI is now over and so, we find an unfriendly person and start dictating our terms and if they are not accepted, then get the guns out and send the troops in.
The question I ask, would you prefer to be defended by an army that had never experienced gunfire and death or one that knew what they could be up against and wouldn't bat an eyelid if shot at..??
I know which ones I would prefer to have on my side and they are currently in Afghanistan and Iraq and I fully support them... heroes on and all from the mess cooks to the guys dodging bullets and If I had the chance of my life again, I would have ignored my father (who hated national service) and joined up.
Ruffy. | |
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| join the army and go to Afghanistan
Posted: 3/6/2008 2:15:00 PM | iF YOU THINK YOUR GOING TO JOIN UP AN HAVE TEA PARTYS, AN BALL ROOM DANCING then your obviously round the bend,
you join up to kill the feral an the feckless, an the terrorists,its part of their duties so no i wouldnt deter them, | |
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| join the army and go to Afghanistan
Posted: 3/6/2008 3:16:57 PM | War to me is pointless, it's going to go on regardless because of those that are in power feel it to be the right thing to do.
I have no quarrel with the forces doing what they are told to do, but i'd rather push pencils around rather than see my fellow soldiers die because someone told him to. | |
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| join the army and go to Afghanistan
Posted: 3/6/2008 3:19:39 PM | I have both my sons in the Army..I am against war, for this reason I never joined..However my sons are individuals with thoughts and feelings of their own..I have no right to dictate, what I feel is the right or wrong career path for them.. When my son sat me down and told me that he would dearly love to join the army.. my first thought was.. How happy I was for him, that he knew at the age of 11 what he wanted to do in this life.. some of us are in our 40s and still have no clue 
I am extremely proud of both of my sons..and they did not go into the Army thinking they was going skiing in the alps every week.. Their choice! my support as a mother! | |
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Älska
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Joined: 12/3/2007
Msg: 13 | |
| join the army and go to Afghanistan
Posted: 3/6/2008 4:53:39 PM | If either of my sons wanted to join up I'd support their decision all the way. It's their choice though it wouldn't stop me worrying every day about them.
I have a friend over there right now and I dread reading the news reports. I pray all our boys and girls serving abroad stay safe | |
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| join the army and go to Afghanistan
Posted: 3/7/2008 2:46:17 AM | Only join the forces if they are going to get a trade! If not they'll be in the firing line for penny's & will leave with no 'relevent experience' in civvy street & end up doing crappy jobs for the rest of their life!
The forces make you believe that civvy employers are queuing up to take on ex squaddies, but I quickly learned this wasn't the case & deleted my military history from my CV & replaced it with a pack of lies...................... then got the job! | |
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| join the army and go to Afghanistan
Posted: 3/7/2008 6:57:29 AM | Being a Mum whose son has just been accepted in to the Marines
( He has yet to do the 3 day fitness test, but a mere formality, as I personally dont know anyone fitter.)
I have to support his decision, he is almost 22 so hardly a child any longer. I have always supported his decisions even when I may have thought them wrong.
I am very proud of him, and obviously I will worry immensely when the time comes,
I will wave him off with a smile on my face, knowing that our country has one of the finest young men around, serving it and protecting others. | |
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| join the army and go to Afghanistan
Posted: 3/7/2008 12:06:29 PM | Well of the two war zones-I would imagine that Afghanistan is the lesser of two evils .
I wouldn't think its a barrel of laughs for the Afghanistanis either .If your child is in the forces....thats how it is .You go where your govt decides to poke their nose in .
However,looking at the pictures of old Harry over there....he seems to have thought its worthwhile . And I suggest they send him back and do a proper stint like everybody else.I am pretty certain they don't just do 10 weeks.................do they ?
Just been reading a book by Chris Hunter called EIGHT MEN DOWN about his time in Iraq . There's a lot of suffering over there caused by the Islamic nutters and western meddling. It can't be left until its sorted properly for those poor people .
I was extremely impressed by that young marine who rescued that Iraqi or Afghan little girl .Just 18 years old and she was 5 or 6 .Saved her life. | |
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| join the army and go to Afghanistan
Posted: 3/7/2008 2:41:03 PM | | Absolutely i would try and deter them. Who would want their kid put in any dangerous situation, much less as dangerous as that. If they were hell bent on going for the right reasons (ie. not cos it looks like fun) then so be it. If they have to do it, they have to do it but i would try and convince them not to as much as i could. This btw is coming from an Irishman with no kids who if i joined the Irish Army, i would be sent to some place like feckin Meath to make sure the Slane Music Festival goes ok or something like that but if i was in the position where it could happen, i would certainly try and talk them out of it. | |
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| join the army and go to Afghanistan
Posted: 3/7/2008 5:14:41 PM | | My son wouldnt be going id forcefully prevent this from happening. On the other hand if say the Afgans raced over and declared war on us then id be the first to send my son out to the army i think id even join up myself. That would be fighting for your territory and home id be right up for that might even do it voluntarily lol | |
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| join the army and go to Afghanistan
Posted: 3/8/2008 12:41:55 PM | ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I am at a loss here............so you do know don't you that Britain and the USA did in effect INVADE AFGHANISTAN ?
Personally I believe a lot more of our troops need to be there to make it work properly .Its no good a token force being there.They get targeted by the Taliban .A lot more effort in terms of money and materials and troops to oversee the country not to mention that more troops means our army is better protected.Less troops mean less protection for them and for us.
Afghanistan was invaded after 9/11 (USA) but way before 7/7 (UK )
In fact it maybe deduced that 7/7 was because of our role in Afghanistan .
VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV | |
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| join the army and go to Afghanistan
Posted: 3/8/2008 12:45:43 PM | Isn't that what the cherubs join up for...Combat...Yeah it's gonna be hard on those left behind, waving them goodbye but if it weren't for them imagine how many more bombs may have gone off in this country......The war has been a long one in that part of the world, what maybe 40 years. It's only cos Al Queda has started to pick on the western towns that it's in the forefront....If it wasn't them it would be somewhere else...
Mmmm gone off the question a bit but you get what i mean
Good luck to all our boys and girls overseas/at home they do us proud | |
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| join the army and go to Afghanistan
Posted: 3/8/2008 7:28:18 PM | I ahve two 'wee' cousins of 26 and 23, both girls, both who joined the Navy. Both have seen actrive service in the Gulf and, no matter how much the rest of the family fret about them, both have enjoyed and are proud to serve their country. It is a sad fact that since 1945 ther has been only one year during which no servicemen has not died in thje service of his (her) country, be it the gulf or Ireland or the Falkland Islands, to join up is to accept that one may have to fight.
I chose to make my service for my country in the civil service and gave 20 years service. When I return to work, I fully expect to be in a role of servituse rather than one of capital gain. That is my choice, it is not one that I would inflict on or expect of others.
I wouldn't knock anyone that made an informed choice to serve in the armed services.
That said, I wouldn't be overjoyed if my baby chose to make her payment to her country in that way. I would much rather that she did her bit for her country in an envvironment of safety. | |
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| join the army and go to Afghanistan
Posted: 3/8/2008 7:47:29 PM | It is a sad fact that since 1945 ther has been only one year during which no servicemen has not died in thje service of his (her) country, be it the gulf or Ireland or the Falkland Islands,
Well you have me there HM, i'd love to know what year it was that no service man or woman has died for their country since 1945, I do take it we are talking the UK services and peace keeping missions and training exercises, accidents etc.
That's a question for a quiz if your correct.
Thanks in advance. | |
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| join the army and go to Afghanistan
Posted: 3/9/2008 4:43:14 AM | i think it was 1968 , but am not certain ..
But sadly there ARE people who join up and think its an easy life ... have we forgotten all of those people who suddenly realized at the outset of war that they were going to get shot at ?! And urban myth has it that some folks have even sued the Army for sending them to the front line to get shot at ( although that might be a Jack Dee line ..)
wtf ... the clue is in the name , people .. you have joined the ARMY , its not exactly a knitting circle !! Listen to Quo's " In The Army Now" | |
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| join the army and go to Afghanistan
Posted: 3/9/2008 5:02:42 AM |
wtf ... the clue is in the name , people .. you have joined the ARMY , its not exactly a knitting circle !! Listen to Quo's " In The Army Now" IMO anyone who joins the army wants to serve their country and see active service in places like Afghanistan and Iraq, rather than participating in exercises with blanks. That is what joining the army is all about, excitement in seeing active service.
It is natural for parents to fear for their child when they join the army but it is their live and their choice. | |
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| join the army and go to Afghanistan
Posted: 3/9/2008 7:31:03 AM | i think it was 1968 , but am not certain ..
Cheers for that, it certainly got me thinking, and it seems that 68 was the year that no forces were killed in combat, shame it aint stayed that way, but i find it kind of strange (weird) that Enoch Powell makes his controversial Rivers of Blood Speech in 68 and since then there have been deaths of British Forces every year. | |
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