I have one son who is serving in the Royal Engineers. When his dad and I divorced I got sole custody (his dad's choice he could have access whenever he wanted) There was a reason for that ,I know my son well and knew what would happen when he was 16 yrs old and sure enough it did. Mum I want you to sign the papers so I can join up. To join the armed forces over here under 18 you have to have one parents signature,if the parents are divorced you need the parent who has custody signature. Well there was hell to pay when I refused I got the Mum you are ruining my life speech,you don't love me if you did you would sign speech, the you are only doing this to get back at dad speech (that hurt). I sat him down and had a long long talk with him and explained my postion which in a nutshell is if you are not old enough to vote for the government that sends you to war then you aren't old enough to fight. We came to a compromise I would let him join the Territorial Army at 17yrs 6 months which he did as long as he kept up with his education which he did. He was 20 when he actually joined the army. It was only recently that he actually admitted Mum you were right, he is 27 this year and a parent himself he says that being a father makes you really think about life choices.I think he will leave the forces soon as he very rarely gets to spend time with his family. He very rarely saw his own dad in the 18yrs his dad and I were married which was most of a 22yr army career.
As for your comments about trusting the government with your childrens lives I will be blunt I do not trust my governments with mine. However I do support my son in his choices As he always says to me when he deploys "yeah I know Mum I'll be careful I think the whole regiment now knows you spent 34 hrs in labour with me so I'm not allowed to be shot or suffer any injuries at all in Iraq and yeah I will remeber to put clean underwear on just in case I get run over by a bus"!!!! One of the guys in his tent got hold of a letter I had written him and pinned it on the notice board, at the next team briefing they told the troop commander that it was ok to go on patrol tonight as Cleator had a letter from his Mum saying he couldn't be shot at as she had spent too many hours in labour with him. Stephen was like Mum DO NOT SEND ME ANY MORE LETTERS email me instead!!!! I am very lucky my son does talk to me he has seen some bad things,things a mother wishes he had not seen but I do believe he has made a difference. Thank you for being so honest with your responses your children are very lucky to have you and Ally as parents.
Maureen