Proud Marine Corp. Mama of One Strong Female Marine

People ask if I'm scared about Mallory joining the military. They say we are at war you know? Ya I do know how could I not. People raise their kids up, and say “oh they are still just babies” when they are like 20....Mallory became a women the day she signed that contract, and here is why she is no longer my baby. Would you want "your baby" responsible to carry a gun in the dessert? To hunt down the enemy? Would you leave you baby alone across the country with some man or women calling her or him maggot face, scum bags etc? Would you make you baby do 40 crunches within 2 minutes? Run within a given amount of time, weigh not above a certain weight? I think not! Mallory is no longer my baby. However she once was. As was all those men, and women in the military. They too once where a baby to their Mama, and Daddy too. They too raised them in a strict house hold where military rules are something they crave. They raised them so that they desire to stand up, and want to take care of all of you people. Even when you don’t care. When the pay sucks, when they are far away from home. They do it because they have to. Someone does......if they didn't who would? All those soldiers have a Mama just like myself. A Mama who is damn proud. Scared is not the word. I can’t think about that now. So why are you? Mallory didn’t when she signed her name on the dotted line. As did many soldiers before her. I think of the day I will see her graduate boot camp. All the promotions in ranks. No, no fear here.... Fear doesn't raise soldiers.......it raises pansy asses. I didn't raise a Marine let alone a female Marine by being gentle. I raised one by teaching her to kick fears ass. So you can be scared all YOU want to. That is why your kid isn’t a soldier. You see how could they be brave when you are not brave? Lead by example......that’s how I raised a Marine! Being a hard ass! That is also how I know she will do just fine!