My little brother recently decided to join the airforce, and he's currently in the thick of basic training. Which sounds pretty rough. Like really rough. His letters are about the most heartbreaking things I have ever read. And even though he (and all of us) knew going in that this would be a pretty hellish 8 weeks, it's still maddening to hear how cruelly these boys are treated. It's part of the process, I get it, and obviously the "beat them down to nothing" strategy has been deemed effective for decades (although that doesn't mean that some of the things I'm hearing about aren't what I consider to be over the line), but the bottom line is I'm sad. I worry and think about him all the time, and there's really nothing I can do except write to him.
If any of you out there know E, or even if you don't but you like writing encouraging letters or have maybe gone through this before either yourself or a spouse or family member, please consider writing him a letter. Contact me offline and I'll send you his address.
.
Camping at Pine Flats July 2025
1 year ago
1 comment:
My brother joined the Marines last year and yes, it is so heartbreaking and maddening! But it was also so, so good for him. Behind all that pain and effort there is a lot of growth and introspection going on. He will never be the same; and while that's a little sad, it's also really good.
~sending prayers his way... (and of course I'll write him too if you think it'll help.)
Post a Comment