On Wed, 31 May 2006 12:15:32 -0500, OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:

> Obviously you've not seen some of the recruiting campaigns.
> It is all too true........

I spent 10 years in the Air Force and currently run a mailing list of
present and former military members, more than a few of whom have served
in either Afghanistan or Iraq. My father retired from the Army and my
brother served for 10 years and made it into Kuwait during Desert Storm.

My own daughter is in JROTC in high school and will be going to Fort
Jackson this August for Army basic training. She made this decision
after giving *serious* thought to going to a service academy, thought
which included a visit and tour to the US Military Academy at West
Point, a tour arranged by the Honorable Michael Montelongo who, at the
time, was the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Financial
Management and Comptroller. Mr. Montelongo was also a graduate of West
Point and invited us for a visit at the Pentagon. The meeting with him
lasted just over an hour and included Pat Walker Locke, one of the 2
first black women to graduate from West Point. Mrs. Walker was so
impressed with my daughter that she invited her to a brunch she was
having the next day. At that brunch was Brigadier General Vincent
Brooks, the 1st black First Captain at West Point. BG Brooks was also
the spokesman for CENTCOM during the Iraqi invasion:
<http://www.udel.edu/global/community/brooksbio.html>

My daughter has some *amazing* opportunities opened up for her and she's
*choosing* to enlist.

Yes, I've seen the recruiting campaigns.

--

-Jeff B.
zoomie at fastmail dot fm