What would you do? Asked whether someone should have a child because it will give them free college.

CSM Michael J. Uhlig — Sun, 13 Sep 2015 17:23:31 -0400

So I was talking with a younger person today (24 years old) and he wanted to know if his plan was clever...

He said he wanted to have a child and be a single dad so he could get free/reduced tuition rates in college and that he wanted to go to college for 10 years at the reduced &/or free rate.

I know what I said, what would you say? What would you recommend?

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Sep 13 at 2015 5:26 PM

LTC Stephen F. — Sun, 13 Sep 2015 17:26:08 -0400

That is a bizarre and selfish reason to have a child CSM Michael J. Uhlig. To be honest it would take me a moment to get my blood pressure down before I answered.
It would be sad if there was a woman/girl who concurred with this young man's plan.
Raising a child takes an incredible amount of time, effort and patience. Raiding a child as a single dad is a very challenging project - I did it not by choice after my first wife decided she wanted to be with somebody else.
For this young man to raise a child by himself for the sole purpose to "get free/reduced tuition rates in college and that he wanted to go to college for 10 years at the reduced &/or free rate" he must be very callous so as not to care what happens to the child and incredibly foolish to think the amount he saved on college would offset the costs he would experience by being responsible for raising a child.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Sep 13 at 2015 5:26 PM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Sun, 13 Sep 2015 17:26:47 -0400

The cost of a child over 18 years is going to cost him far more than what he is going to save over 4 years. Even if you broke it down to the first 4 years, it's a losing deal financially. That's without getting into any of the other issues.

That would be after I had asked him how many times his parents dropped him on his head as a child.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 13 at 2015 5:38 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 13 Sep 2015 17:38:52 -0400

What would I do?...keep calm and try not to throat punch the poor misguided soul. Just as LTC Stephen F. and Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS already mentioned, I would explain the cost of raising a child versus the cost of actually paying for your own education. I have 6 kids myself, so I can draw upon a wealth of experiences in how much actually goes into raising a child that is beyond just dollars. I know you set this person straight CSM Michael J. Uhlig.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 13 at 2015 6:07 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 13 Sep 2015 18:07:31 -0400

Not everyone possesses common sense and/or decency. This makes that markedly evident, however if I were in your situation I would suggest that he do some research. I would suggest that he find out how much child care cost per week; ask what he plans on doing for work while in college (because we all know the GI Bill is only 36 months), and ask what he plans on doing if the child is sick, can't go to daycare and no-one else is available to watch him/her, just to see if this gets his light bulb burning. If that doesn't do it than I would recommend telling his mother and letting her smack him.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Sep 13 at 2015 6:10 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Sun, 13 Sep 2015 18:10:05 -0400

You are an effing idiot. Get out of my effing office and close the door.

Response by SPC(P) Jay Heenan made Sep 13 at 2015 6:34 PM

SPC(P) Jay Heenan — Sun, 13 Sep 2015 18:34:12 -0400

You should tell him that he is a douche bag and to grow up! Then you should ask him how he expects to have a child, take care of it and go to college. See, this is the world we live in...can't work for something, got to figure out how to 'play the system'.

Response by PV2 Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 13 at 2015 8:49 PM

PV2 Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 13 Sep 2015 20:49:14 -0400

Wow!! I'm doing a facepalm. Welcome to the age of entitlement I guess. If I tried that, my daddy would rise from his grave and beat my ass. SMH.

Response by SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. made Sep 13 at 2015 10:36 PM

SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. — Sun, 13 Sep 2015 22:36:22 -0400

Like being a single dad is the Great Skate!
Xin loi dude!
Just for comparison, most of my lab students were single moms, working, and shooting for an RN ticket. They were the most stressed, head down, elbows and a-holes people I ever met.
They got NO financial aid at all with the exception of Student Loans and those follow you past the grave.

This story is too much like being going to jail so you can get free health care.

Response by SFC Joseph Weber made Sep 14 at 2015 7:40 AM

SFC Joseph Weber — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 07:40:11 -0400

I would say "you are an idiot". If it was a young married couple and they said "we want to have kids and planned to wait until we finished college, but maybe we should bump that up and use it to help us to get through college" i would talk to them about children and all the responsibility and the cost and everything else I could think of and warn them to be very very careful. Single guy for 10 years of low rates, like I said - idiot, probably throw in selfish prick, immature a-hole, and maybe a few other choice things.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 14 at 2015 8:25 AM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 08:25:48 -0400

As an expectant father...this irks me.

I'm sure most parents will back me up when I say that having a child is a life-altering, permanent shift in priorities...This young man is not ready for that.

Response by MSG Brad Sand made Sep 14 at 2015 9:33 AM

MSG Brad Sand — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 09:33:41 -0400

I think I would have to say, "Now choke yourself! Don't pull my f#@&ing hand over there! I said choke yourself; now lean forward and choke yourself!" I hope you said something similar. The only redeeming thing in his comments was the desire to better himself?

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 14 at 2015 9:43 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 09:43:37 -0400

I would say: if that is your reason for having a child, you should definitely not have one! Children are not tools to use for your own benefit.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 14 at 2015 9:53 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 09:53:34 -0400

Great post! Thanks for sharing!

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 14 at 2015 10:07 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 10:07:59 -0400

I don't know about combat bots, but I would definitely be interested in powered combat armor for Soldiers/Marines.

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Sep 14 at 2015 10:18 AM

CSM Charles Hayden — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 10:18:24 -0400

CSM Michael J Ulhig, I know of a woman whose life's 'employment' has been based upon such actions. After the first child, (no father indentified on the birth record), attained adulthood, she promptly conceived another and continued to game the system. She always used her unwed status for preferential status. Her continued consumption of the part-time in jobs @ community colleges and other gvm't agencies meant to assist struggling students was most revolting to me! S-----'s being a professional leech of public assistance w/o shame was unbelievable.

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Sep 14 at 2015 10:22 AM

CSM Charles Hayden — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 10:22:37 -0400

15APR1953

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 14 at 2015 10:27 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 10:27:05 -0400

Positive feedback is important, but can be used too much. If a Soldier does a good job we should tell them, but we must be honest with them on their performance compared with our expectations. The goal should be to recognize good performance, not make the Soldier feel good. Our young people today live in a society where breathing is cause for celebration and accolades. This is unhealthy, especially for Servicemen/women.

Response by CMSgt James Nolan made Sep 14 at 2015 10:36 AM

CMSgt James Nolan — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 10:36:04 -0400

CSM Michael J. Uhlig Appears that we are all on the same page here. You should have a child for the sake of raising a child...The job of a parent is to raise the child to grow and be as good and successful as possible, not to try and cheat for personal gain.
Figure out how to go to college if that is your desire, but do not have one to try and discount tuition.
Clearly somebody was not properly raised...

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Sep 14 at 2015 11:28 AM

CSM Charles Hayden — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 11:28:52 -0400

LTC Stephen Ford, I ordered some country ham and smoked bacon from Madisonville, TN. The ham was a tad dry for my taste, however the bacon is superb. The 1st pound was cooked in my kitchen. Thereafter, I close all doors and windows and cook it in a skillet on the outdoor BBQ. That allows the lovely aroma to saturate the neighborhood rather than my house.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 14 at 2015 11:48 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 11:48:03 -0400

I'd tell him his plan is seriously flawed because if he were to have a child and be a single dad, his schedule for school would be extremely limited. Those words may not come out of my mouth so tactfully, but the principle would be the same.

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Sep 14 at 2015 1:49 PM

CSM Charles Hayden — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 13:49:57 -0400

CW2 Kevin Storm, A 1949 Cushman was my 'ride' in high school, 1 cyl, 4 1/2 HP.

My kid brother rode a 175 cc Parilla from Ft Sill to Los Angeles upon his 1st discharge in 1958. He was so dirty he appeared to have been dragged behind the bike.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Sep 14 at 2015 3:10 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 15:10:35 -0400

What did you say and how did he take it?

Response by SGT Jeremiah B. made Sep 14 at 2015 3:20 PM

SGT Jeremiah B. — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 15:20:04 -0400

Essentially this:

Response by SGT David Starr made Sep 14 at 2015 4:22 PM

SGT David Starr — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 16:22:56 -0400

This is a prime example of what our children are thinking and how they see this country now my Generation has failed their children like no other in our history we shall bare the fruit of that I'm afraid...

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 14 at 2015 6:05 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 18:05:14 -0400

I knew two girls that were in my freshman class that went with this plan. They both decided they would have children their senior year of high school so that they could get reduced/free tuition.

Neither one graduated & both ended up having another child before the end of their sophomore year - which was, subsequently, their final year of college.

Response by COL Mikel J. Burroughs made Sep 15 at 2015 8:30 AM

COL Mikel J. Burroughs — Tue, 15 Sep 2015 08:30:11 -0400

CSM Michael J. Uhlig That is a stupid and selfish reason to bring a child into this world. Grow up!

Response by SSG Richard Reilly made Sep 16 at 2015 1:37 PM

SSG Richard Reilly — Wed, 16 Sep 2015 13:37:32 -0400

castration?