The Good and the Bad of Having a Military Dad

Joining the military is an important decision for a young man or woman to make. Everyone has his own reasons to join the military. My dad decided that he wanted to be a part of our Army. I would like to share with you a list of pros and cons of having a military dad:

Pros

1. Social Benefits: Being a serviceman, my father was given free Army base housing with the amount of money to cover utilities for our family. The government covered his vacation and holidays. I was privileged to all the perks and benefits of having a military dad such as cheap healthcare, free schooling, discounts at certain restaurants or theme parks. After retirement, he will get a pension that will help him cover most of his expenses.
2. Opportunity to See the World: My dad has visited countries around the world that he would never have been able to afford visiting. The Army can be stationed in Europe or Asia; the Navy has bases all over the world. Traveling and discovering new places makes military living more interesting. I traveled much more than the kids my age.
3. Advanced Training: Every position in the military requires different levels of education and training. That’s why my dad is always active and in good shape. His everyday activities help him stay strong and healthy. He keeps telling me that, “Your body is a temple, but only if you treat it as one.”

Cons

1. High Risks: Military service requires good physical and mental health. There is a chance my father would go to a hot spot. He could face a risk of being wounded or even killed. But I fully understood the main reason why he joined the military was to protect people he loved.
2. Leaving Home Behind: The military dad is obliged to serve the country and he needs to leave even the newborn kids. Of course, it’s hard to be a first-time mother when your husband is away. My dad was often very far from home. He could not attend my birthdays or other holidays. It made me sad for a while, but I realized that he was serving the country and it was a more important thing. When Dad returned home wearing his military uniform, it made me very proud of him and of what he was doing for our country.
3. Service Obligations: Getting out of the military is almost impossible. The process of joining the military included signing a contract where my dad specified the number of service years. He could not simply stop serving our country, go home and find another job.

Walter Hurley is a content writer at http://customwriting.com eager to become a professional writer. Walter is passionate about words, texts and literature and enjoys sharing his thoughts with large audiences.