New Soldier Etiquette
by Sherra on March 3, 2009
in Friends, Life Lessons, Milestones, Raves, Teens
When you hear someone you know who has a family member who has joined the military, here are some great tips I’ve learned through personal experience:
- If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything.
- Keep your personal fears or dislikes to yourself
- No one is pro-war.
The absolute best and most gracious thing you can say to any parent with a son or daughter in the military is this…
“You must be very proud. Please tell {insert name} thank you for me.”
Because we should all be grateful that we still have young people who are willing and able fight to protect our freedom here in the United States of America.
Here are a couple of brand new soldiers with whom you can practice using the line above…
We are incredibly proud of our darling twin daughters’ decision to join the Army National Guard.
There you have it…that’s our BIG news!
Roger Leroy had her swearing in ceremony last Thursday. Wizzy had her swearing in ceremony yesterday.
This was an intense and personal decision for our daughters. I knew I was already facing a new season of parenting as we count down to their senior graduation in May. I know many of you are about to or have already faced the emotional time of sending one or more of your children off to college.
It’s the culmination of the job we’ve been working at for 17 or 18 years and truly, my goal has always been to get them to leave our home and become adults.
Mothers of twins are in the unique position to have double the joy mixed with a little sadness as we encourage them to make their own decisions and plan for their future.
Now, as they face this new road ahead of them, it is also a very bittersweet time for me as a mom.
I promise to give more details soon but for now, please feel free to help us celebrate their BIG decision! Roger Leroy and Wizzy do read the blog so I know they’ll love to read any happy comments!
Life Lesson (LL): Surround yourself with people who support you and your family.
Share a Life Lesson (SALL): Share a difficult time you’ve had that was made better when someone made that extra effort to be kind and loving…
One year ago..
You and Phil have done an amazing job raising two very strong young women. I can only imagine how proud you must be.
Roger Leroy and Wizzy, I have never met either of you but have known your mom for a very long time. If you are at all like her, I know you both will be a true asset to the National Guard and to our country. I wish you well.
Congratulations Wizzy and Roger Leroy!!! I’m sooooo proud of you both!! Thank you for your dedication to your country.
Thanks, Sherra, for posting etiquette tips. While our loved ones serve our country to ensure that we can freely express our opinions (among many other reasons!), that doesn’t mean that people necessarily need to express those opinions to us!! While Dan was in Iraq, I didn’t need to hear the post office worker’s opinion of the USA being there as I was sending a care package to my loved one. I also didn’t need to hear stories of someone’s ‘third cousin twice removed that they’ve met once’ being in Iraq.
Perhaps I needed to have a tougher skin, but I also didn’t need to hear a co-worker wondering aloud about how long the mini flags we were sending to military personnel serving in Iraq would take to get there….”as long as the mail trucks didn’t get destroyed by an IED.”
Anyway…THANK YOU WIZZY AND ROGER LEROY!!
I’ll add my congratulations as well to you and your daughters. You have done an amazing job. I haven’t seen them except in pictures in a very long time obviously but through reading your blog have enjoyed watching hearing about their escapades. We have one military link in our family (Billy’s nephew) and I can say we very proudly support our armed forces. No bashing in the Franklin household!
Congratulations to Roger Leroy and Wizzy on their decisions! Or …… & _____ as I know them, lol!
Congratulations! You must be really proud. Even though your goal has always been for them to grow up and move on, I know it is a bittersweet moment for you.
Roger Leroy and Wizzy – Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are making your family and your country very proud.
Ok I have to fess up, I am one of the friends that did not follow proper etiquette. It of course is not because I am not both greatful and in awe of all of our soldiers but I am a wussy Mom. I only have one child but of course if this was the path she chose I would support it and be proud. You girls are very independant and strong so I have no doubt you will not only be successfull in the National Guard but will probably show them a thing or two. LOL….Sherra and I have been friends (long distance) for 30 years so I know she knows I have a habit of opening mouth before thinking…My Hannah calls those word vomits…I am a master at that! So good luck girls and keep us informed of your adventures.
@Terry Williamson: I wasn’t pointing any fingers so you didn’t have to confess via the comments.
And you weren’t the only one though very few people knew until today!
Thanks to everyone for nice comments both here and privately!!
In a time when so many of their contemporaries are looking toward the “newly adult pleasures of prolonged childhood” (and you know that I have two of those) it is refreshing to see young people who take a long range view of things. This isn’t just a passing fancy, trendy bandwagon sort of thing, but a real and personal commitment that they have made. Most others their age can’t even decide what color of lipgloss to wear today, let alone what they will be doing for the next several years of their lives. I credit it to their midwestern roots, though you and PBP have been active, consistant, deliberate parents. Congrats to the twinz on their maturity and character.
P.S. There should be a very cute cadet with you both who is Middle Child’s first boyfriend. He has terrific blue eyes, a black belt, and is the son-in-law I wanted, but Middle Child got tired of. Look for M.G. among your cadet class—he’s a keeper!
Thank you girls.
HOOAH! Thank you girls! You have made a very honorable decision to serve your country…and I appreciate and thank you both! Learn lots…share lots….enjoy your travels wherever they may send you….and above all, always remember you have a grateful nation praying for you!
And Sherra—thank you for raising two smart, beautiful, and courageous ladies! You have to be so proud!
Congratulations on behalf of the entire Jordan family. We are so proud of you! Your family has always set an awesome example and you should be extremely proud. You and Phil have done an exemplary job. Our prayers, love and support are with you always. Thank you, we are proud to know you!!!
Congratulations on this next step in your lives. Our family has a long military history and even though their Dad did not choose a military career we are proudly sharing that history with our children as they grow. We thank you and will keep you in our prayers.
Sherra, we live in a world where few of our young adults choose selfless service to their country. I am so proud to know you, your family and especially Wizzy and Roger Leroy. You and Phil have joined a special group; the parents of Soldiers (yes a capital S is correct according to the Army). In my book there is nothing more honorable than serving your country in uniform. They both will do extraordinary things that you never thought possible. Thanks
WOW! What a big decision and one you all should be very proud of. It takes a very mature and long range thinking person to make such a commitment for their country. We all appreciate what wonderful women you are becoming!
A special thank you to your daughters. They are much needed now. Our thoughts go with them and with you, the parents, as they undergo their training.
Wow! You two are going to learn so much and become so strong. It’s very impressive. I know you’re mom is proud of you, and you should be proud of yourselves! Thank you.
Mr. & Mrs. Humphreys, Congratulations on raising two great young ladies! I look forward to serving with both of them. It was an honor to be a part of the swearing in ceremony.
Soldiers, Thank you for choosing to serve “our” country–selfless service to our nation’s citizens is most admirable. I also appreciate the fact that you both chose a critical and much needed field. Continuous improvement…aka “lifelong learning” will serve you well in life and throughout your military career–embrace it.
Regards,
Lieutenant Colonel Raquel Durden
Thank you ladies. You make me proud to be an American!
Thank you the Mr. and Mrs. Humphrys, you must be so proud.
Thank you for what you doing, and what you will be doing.
Scott!