My son Joins up today

[EternalOptimist]

I would be more worried about my son if I took him down to sign up and he broke the news to me that he was going to a Yes concert.

With the number of birds I kn0bbed around Lurgan, the chances are that you are my son as well. So don't be direspectful to your brother

[RichardCranium]

My lad is eighteen and is signing up for the army this morning.

Brave lad. Do let us know how he gets on.

[Diestl]

Any one who joins the Army is either stupid or nuts, for the current war anyway, I could understand if it was WW2.

[Pondlife]

A proud day in the Optimist household or mixed emotions?

If it's what the lad wants, best of luck to him.

Has he mentioned it before?

[EternalOptimist]

Any one who joins the Army is either stupid or nuts, for the current war anyway, I could understand if it was WW2.

He already know where he will be this time next year, all thing being equal, he will be in Kosovo, keeping the Serbs from killing..er... the other Serbs.

[RichardCranium]

Any one who joins the Army is either stupid or nuts,

You've done that one and it didn't go down too well last time either. But if it must be done again...

He was lucky to have got work as a builder's mate. There is sod all work out there for an 18 year old lad.

Joining the Army will give him a variety of skills, the chance for a damn useful pension, and a very good chance of work after leaving.

If he is going in with his eyes wide open and willing to work hard, there are opportunities for him that us civvies will never get.

And I've got a damn site more respect for him than those tulipes hanging around with nothing to do and no imagination on how to pass the time other than cause trouble for others.

[EternalOptimist]

A proud day in the Optimist household or mixed emotions?

If it's what the lad wants, best of luck to him.

Has he mentioned it before?

Well it's such a tough thing to accomplish, getting selected, basic training and passing out. There is a very high failure rate. I can't big it up too much because if he fails it would be even more of a disaster.

You can fail the training for many reasons, not all of them bad. If you are too sensible or are a strong individual, or too resistant to brain-washing, you are not much good as a soldier. He might have slight physical defects, that will bar him, he might have secret fears or phobias, he might lack determination.

If he gets through that, then I will be proud of him.

[cailin maith]

Well it's such a tough thing to accomplish, getting selected, basic training and passing out. There is a very high failure rate. I can't big it up too much because if he fails it would be even more of a disaster.

You can fail the training for many reasons, not all of them bad. If you are too sensible or are a strong individual, or too resistant to brain-washing, you are not much good as a soldier. He might have slight physical defects, that will bar him, he might have secret fears or phobias, he might lack determination.

If he gets through that, then I will be proud of him.

I'd bet my bottom dollar you are pretty proud of him already.

I hope it all works out ok for him.

[RichardCranium]

If he gets through that, then I will be proud of him.

If he tries and fails for a reason he cannot fix, be proud of him for trying.

[Churchill]

I'd bet my bottom dollar you are pretty proud of him already.

I hope it all works out ok for him.

WSS - Which Regiment?

If he tries and fails for a reason he cannot fix, be proud of him for trying.

I agree!

BTW Diestl, <nah fuggit, I can't be arsed>