'I am proud that my child volunteered for military service'

The new recruits are preparing to leave for military service, starting their 2-year journey of military service. My heart is pounding with mixed emotions before the day my child officially enters the military environment.

From emotion to pride

18 years old, the age considered to be the beginning of adulthood, to be able to make your own life decisions. However, in my eyes, the child who just graduated from high school, even though he is 1m76 tall and weighs 68kg, is still a skinny, clumsy, carefree child who needs the protection of his parents. Before that, when my husband and son persuaded me to voluntarily apply for military service, I made a fuss, the atmosphere was tense for several weeks.

Joining the military is the responsibility of every citizen to the country, I always knew that, but joining at the age of 18 makes a mother like me inevitably worried. Every day at home, from getting up to go to school to eating, I have to remind my son, so it is impossible to imagine how he lives in a military environment with iron discipline.

Many parents support their children joining the military. (Illustration photo)

I had advised my son that he could choose to do military service after he finished his university studies, or at some other time when he had more experience and life experience. I strongly opposed my husband's opinion, and it seemed that nothing could shake that opinion, if that night my son had not knocked on my parents' door to confide in me.

I have witnessed my child through many moments in life, from taking his first steps to learning to talk, from learning to ride a bike, to getting a perfect score in class... but there has never been a moment that made me burst into tears and moved like when he confided his desire to join the military. In that moment, my child became so big and mature that it was amazing.

I still remember clearly every word my son said that night: “Mom, let me join the military service, after I finish 2 years I will continue my studies. I want to fulfill my responsibility to the Fatherland to proudly walk on the road ahead, please believe in me”.

My son said, 2 years is not short, especially 2 years of youth with dreams and ambitions, but for the Fatherland, our ancestors did not spare their lives and blood, why can we, the young generation, spare two years for great and good things.

Indeed, even I myself at that time could not think of such profound things as you.

My journey of raising my child has brought me many tears, tears of worry when my child is sick or hurt or when he does something sad. But that night I cried with pride knowing that my child has grown up and knows how to think about responsibilities and the future.

And of course, when my child has made his own decision and is responsible for that choice, I have no reason to stop him. When he received my consent, both father and son cheered happily and hugged me. At that moment, I felt so small and happy because I had two grown men beside me.

From anxiety to peace of mind

Although I support my son in joining the military, I am still worried about the upcoming months in the army. I asked my friends whose children have served in the army about the situation and only when all the answers were positive did I feel relieved and reassured.

A friend of mine confided that her son returned from military service and was completely different. He did not play around like before, and his lifestyle was very neat and orderly. After two years in the army, the unruly son, who no one in the family listened to, when he was discharged, even brought money home to his mother to buy a refrigerator and a new set of tables and chairs.

When I asked about the military environment, my friend's son excitedly said: "Knowing that joining the military would allow me to meet close comrades like brothers, to be trained and shared, I would not have cried out loud when my parents advised me to join the military. Luckily, my parents were determined, otherwise I would have missed the golden opportunity of my life with experiences that could only be given to me through my years in the army."

New recruits in the military environment (Photo: QĐND)

My son seemed to understand my worries, so since the day he was approved to volunteer for military service, he has become much more proactive. Every day, he takes the initiative to wake up early, fold the blankets and curtains neatly, and help me sweep the house and yard - things that he would never have done if I had not reminded him before.

Seeing my child being independent even before he joined the army, I felt somewhat reassured. My little child had reached the age where he had to walk on his own two feet and make his own choices.

Although the military environment is strict, it is also the best training place for will, spirit and morality. I believe that my son, like many other young men who join the army, will mature and become better in both health and mind after his military service.

Once you have experienced the military environment with its challenges and training, I think you will easily overcome the difficulties that life will face in the future to move forward steadily. As my child said, 2 years is not short but compared to the life ahead, it is still very long.

In the bustling atmosphere of the military recruitment season, I am very excited to wait for the day my child puts on his military uniform and becomes a soldier to carry out the mission assigned by the Fatherland. Just thinking about it makes my eyes well up with tears, the day I send my child off to the army I will probably cry again, but I will stay calm to tell him: "Mom and Dad are proud of you, my soldier".

Truong Thi Han (parent)

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