Reality Check.

I was at work and ran into a girl from high school. I hate this. I do one of two things. 1) I ignore them. 2) Or get suckered into the how are you, what’s new, blah blah blah conversation. Anyways, this girl told me she joined the Navy. We talked about when she was leaving, if she was excited and then I asked her why the Navy. Ready? This is great. She tells me she joined the Navy because, “I don’t want to go war. So the Marines and Army were out of the question. And my big thing is I don‘t want to have to carry a gun.” And no way to the Air Force because all she’ll want to do is fly a plane and she doesn’t have 20/20 vision. I looked at her like she was an idiot. I think she is an idiot. Who the hell joins any branch of the military in 2008unwilling to carry a gun or go to war? Does this chick not pay attention to world affairs? Maybe she hopes she’ll be sitting pretty on a ship, playing cards and avoiding the desert heat and sand. Someone needs a reality check.

I told her about some Navy women I know, who love the Navy and who also ended up in Iraq. She shrugged her shoulders and took a swig of her beer. She leaves in March...five months until her wake up call.