<p>I am having trouble figuring out if you are serious or being facetious.
Is this a “daughter” thing or would you feel the same way if it was your son?
My daughter has decided to become an officer in the US Army and spent the next 4 years preparing for that.
Some people do ask me - seriously - how can I let her do that? haha. As if.</p>
<p>What puzzles me is that we (parents, teachers, community) spend an awful lot of energy and effort telling our kids to “give back” and “serve their community”. Some high schools require students to volunteer. Students volunteer to enhance their college applications. College students take “service trips” and join “service organizations”.
After all of that - when our kids actually decide to make a career of service - we are surprised? We freak out?
Thousands of teenagers are killed in car accidents but we still encourage our 16 year olds to drive. Some how when they want to become a police officer and defend our communities or an officer in the Armed Services and defend our country - we get scared, nervous and want them to be inventment bankers instead.</p>
<p>BTW - you need to be 26 to be an FBI agent and your application is greatly enhanced by experience in the military or law enforcement. A degree in accounting helps as well.</p>
<p>If you are not thrilled with her choice think of it as a stepping stone. I once dated a man while he attended the police academy. He became a undercover narcotics officer, attended law school, asst district attorney with a very successful record, and is now a a very respected circuit court judge.</p>
<p>I understand your fear, but I also think that you should be proud of HER choice, as it is her life to live. As others have said, law enforcement can be a rewarding career and can be a stepping stone to other things if SHE so chooses. It’s a tremendous way to give back to the community.</p>
<p>My husband and I were both accepted into the FBI Special Agent program after we graduated from law school. Unfortunately, the offer came too late as we had already embarked on certain "life’ courses, although it was a very difficult offer to decline. 23 years later, we still think about the path not taken with some wistfulness.</p>
<p>I think that it’s normal to be protective of our children but they have their lives to lead, the risks to take and the rewards or failures that come from their decisions. Hopefully we’ve raised them with the character to succeed in their choices.</p>
<p>Why not ask your daughter to consider working as a sworn officer with a university police department. At large institutions she’ll get all the policing she wants, but it MAY be somewhat less dangerous.</p>
<p>Worry about the dangers of this career are understandable.</p>
<p>But I know so many wildly successful cops that I can see many positives in this career. Many have pointed out the wonderful benefits/pension/20 years on the job and then on to a new career perks. I know several cops who earned MBAs and now have “retired” from the force only to be in huge demand as financial security consultants investigating money laundering/terrorism. Several are now teachers. I wish I had their vacation homes & nest eggs. Another former cop friend is a Federal Judge. My uncle became a Federal Marshall after retiring from the police force. There are many wonderful opportunities for those who choose a career in law enforcement. Also, every single one of them had graduate or law school fully paid for as part of their cop benefits. Good luck to her.</p>
<p>Thank you, everyone, for your responses. You’ve given me a lot to think about. Daughter will be going on a ride-along with a police officer tonight for several hours. I’ll let you know how she feels after this experience.</p>
<p>Is it really about ‘giving back’? It IS giving back but every officer I know (both police in my family and also lots and lots of military people from my family and husband’s prior career) chose the path because it was fun, exciting, had good career prospects etc. No one I can think of chose it because of some kind of altruism. Sure we can spin it as ‘giving back’ and it is (thankfully) but that really isn’t the main reason people choose these career paths. My hsuband was in the US Navy- it was a way to pay for college and jumpstart his plan to be an astronaut. I could go on and on and on but lets call it what it is. A decent career that happens to serve the community like many other occupations.</p>
<p>My uncle has a BS/MS and has had a very remarkable career with the ATF. He served jointly with Secret Service as part of George HW Bush’s detail when he was VP, and has worked on some high profile cases. He is even featured in a book for finding and arresting Charles Harrelson, hired killer of a federal judge and father of Woody Harrelson. Quiet a flamboyant arrest too… with guns and screeching cars, etc. [sonssectym, try not to focus on that part… ] Focus on this part…Over the years, he has become ballistics expert and, even though retired, is still in high demand for investigations and court testimony. He has worked the ballistics/forensics on Waco/Koresh case and Oklahoma City bombing case. That’s not to say he didn’t have his exciting undercover years, but many careers in law enforcement can be exciting without being dangerous. (When I was younger, he tried to lure me from public accounting to fraud work with the FBI.) There is such a broad selection of career opportunties in federal law enforcement.</p>
<p>Sorry if I sound braggy about my uncle. I just love him and am so proud of him. After my father died, he took my children under his wing as their surrogate ‘grandpa’. He’s such a good guy.</p>
<p>(And yes I’m still here WITH power! We’ve had a couple of surges, but that’s it…knock wood. I love electricity…I’m not good a the camping/hardship thing…so I’m praying we don’t lose it.)</p>
I agree, mostly. My perspective is from firefighting/rescue/ems. All of these people, including my brother and son, do this for their own personal satisfaction. And they all have nothing but disdain for those few of their brothers and sisters who have a “look at me, I’m a hero” mentality. But I also think that deep down most of them do have deep pride of serving their community and fellow citizens, they would just be loathe and embarassed to admit it. </p>
<p>My S, who’s a sophomore, has been a fire/emt nut since he walked into our local volunteer station the day he turned 16 and signed up. He just emailed me that he’s planning on taking an advanced EMT course at the local CC while carrying a full load next semester at his college. And I have no doubt that if and when there is a need to prioritize his work, his EMT course will take precedence. </p>
<p>That’s just how they are. And circling back to the actual topic of this thread, that is exactly why there is nothing the OP can do to change her D’s mind, other than make some very mild suggestions of alternative service (some great ideas, by the way). You may not know how this got into her blood, but if it’s really there you’ll have to get used to it. I do understand your concern – believe me, I was the one left at home with my DW when our 16 year old son charged out of the house to his first fire call (and it was real, full-blown situation). I think he had an easier time dealing with the fire than I did dealing with my wife!</p>
<p>Let us know how this turns out. As a mom, I would worry, son or daughter about child going into law enforcement, military, etc. The danger is what would worry me.</p>
] Focus on this part…Over the years, he has become ballistics expert and, even though retired, is still in high demand for investigations and court testimony. He has worked the ballistics/forensics on Waco/Koresh case and Oklahoma City bombing case. That’s not to say he didn’t have his exciting undercover years, but many careers in law enforcement can be exciting without being dangerous. (When I was younger, he tried to lure me from public accounting to fraud work with the FBI.) There is such a broad selection of career opportunties in federal law enforcement.</p>