He's In the Army Now

Today, June 6, 2017, our 17 year old son Zachary, a junior in high school, will be inducted into the United States Army. Early enlistment was not an easy decision. It was the result of many, many hours of prayerful discernment and planning. We have been slowly sharing our news with friends and family, many of whom have expressed their concern by saying something like “and how do you feel about that?” How I feel is, well, complicated. Life’s decisions often are. But then I remember…

Our family is service-oriented. Boy Scout Troop 63, Senior PF, the Monroe Congregational Church – all have inspired Zachary to serve others. He has been personally impacted by what he has experienced on three youth group mission trips, on the CRST Reservation with Simply Smiles and by serving as a counselor at Silver Lake. He was recently recognized by the Rotary Club for the “Service Above Self” Award for the many hours of community service he has completed.

Kentucky IV

Many members of our family have served. His uncle Mike put himself through law school by serving in the Army’s ROTC, and upon earning his law degree was deployed as a JAG officer. He was stationed in Kuwait during the first Gulf War and represented service men and women. When he came home, he took a post in the defense department monitoring government military contracts before joining a private law firm.

His father Clark served in the Army’s National Reserve. Although his commitment was limited to a few weeks a summer and one weekend a month, he was able to put himself through 4 years of an undergraduate program at UCONN’s Storrs campus. Clark’s only regret was that he didn’t take advantage of the job training opportunities that were offered at the time. We even bought our first home using the GI Bill.

Earning his Life Scout

And the Army will train him in a field that is both interesting to him and employable. Our son has always been spatially oriented. Millions of hours spent playing Legos, creative designs he has made for future homes, the care he has taken in planning his Eagle project, the interest he has shown in CAD… these clues indicate that he will do well in mechanical or civil engineering. When he took the required entrance test (ASFAV) Zachary scored quite high in this area.

When I returned from Jerusalem and we had time to sit down with a recruiter (something he has done half a dozen times this year), he was told he qualified to be a Geospatial Intelligence Imagery Analyst. Zachary’s job will be to read advanced top-secret forms of mapping imagery. He will give direction to soldiers in the field as they maneuver over terrain. This will require a very high security clearance, which is transferable to the business world. He will also earn a number of college credits (about as many as an Associates Degree) during his training.

His role will be to support soldiers and civilians in the field, helping keep them safe. When his service ends in four years, the 9/11 soldiers bill will cover his tuition, room and board in any state university around the country, without incurring any student debt.  This summer, we will visit some of these schools so that he will be ready to apply following his term of service. Zachary will also earn a generous signing bonus, because the Army has a difficult time finding candidates that qualify for this training and because he is committing before his senior year begins.

At MEPS, Before Swearing In

And there’s a real financial need. It’s embarrassing to admit, but due to his parents’ career and financial decisions, Zachary does not have much college savings. Thanks to the generosity of his grandfather’s annual gift at Christmas, he can just about cover one semester of books. If he were to go to college straight out of high school, the only way he could afford it is to take on a massive amount of college debt. His sister struggled with the same dilemma, which she solved with a mix of honors college scholarship, a very small student loan, a part-time job and serving as a resident assistant in the dorms of SCSU. This particular path worked for Cady, but it is not an option for Zachary.

But, as Zachary has shared his news, he has received various negative responses: “Why would you do that, you aren’t that poor!” “How could you serve, you aren’t a minority?” and (a mom's least favorite) “You’re going to get shot!” It makes me wonder… are the poorest of the poor and people of color carrying an undue burden for our nation’s security? How, my friends, is that fair?

As a pastor, I am constantly praying and working for peace and an end to violence. And some day maybe we'll all pound all of our swords into plowshares. But until that day, we need people who are willing to protect us. Life is not an action film, and most days in the military are routine. Sometimes the men and women in our armed forces carry the heavy burden of responding to acts of violence and war. In those moments, their job is to follow orders and keep people safe. It is also important to remember that the US military participates in many different humanitarian and disaster relief actions both here and around the world.

Most soldiers do not enter their work frivolously. In fact, all the veterans I know have served with a deep awareness of their responsibility. I expect no less from my son. We are proud of Zachary and the choice he has made. If praying for peace while supporting my son makes me a hypocrite, I guess that's what I am. 

Our humble request is simply that those of you who know our son support him with your good wishes and prayers. Thank you!