First a little background. I, among other things, am a former West Point Cadet. I was very gung-ho and into war when I was a teenager, but when my friend got killed in Iraq (Gulf I), I lost it and washed out of the military.

Unfortunately, I was scheduled for Airborne training the following year at Ft. Benning, and I never made it to that.

A good friend of mine now experienced a similar situation in his life, except the killer instinct never left him. He's been working on getting his jump wings somehow for the last 10 years, and now he's found a solution -- there's a para-military course in Germany that offers Airborne certification. He's signed up for the amount of close to $700.00.

Here's where I need advice. He will pay for my slot if I go with him. He just propsed it 10 minutes ago. I honestly don't know what to do.

only go for the closure that the certification will provide for your ego, as long as the move doesnt drag you back into the military which, even though i know nothing about you, is not a wise move for anyone that cant handle death and the misery of war...

if you go out there and get your jump wings you will re-introduce that teenager gung-ho nature back into your life that im sure you miss inturn bringing back that solid step in your stride with whatever you do or choose to do.

still... i have no clue who you really are and how you really feel and along with everyone else here are the last people you should be looking for advice from.

well we already talked about this so you know how I feel

it's al quaeda

Were I faced with something like this, I'd first determine why I would be going: would I be doing it to go along with a friend or would I be doing it for closure in doing something I couldn't do the first time. Even then, you need to make sure that your motives come from within and not pressure from your friend. Also, $700+ is quite a bit, and I assume you have other commitments which you need to take care of as well, do you feel it's worth it to set aside those commitments for a while to fulfill one short term commitment? Figuring out what I want out of something, and knowing why I am doing it, have always helped me in the past. Hopefully it'll help you here too.

I agree with the statements above. You have to look within as to why you want to do this. Not knowing you, I can't give you any better advice. I can however tell you how I handled a similar situation.

After 9/11, one of my best friends decided to quit the practice of law and become a navy pilot. Halfway through flight training school, he was medically discharged. He put his life on hold for the navy and was suddenly without a job, apartment, etc. Luckily he found another job moved to my town and started dating a classmate of ours. The call of the military and his sense of duty were still great. He ended up joining the National Guard as a JAG. (they had no problem with his health) When he found out a group of Guardsmen were shipping out to Iraq and the Colonel needed a JAG on the ground, he volunteered to go with them. After all he'd been through with the navy, I asked him why he was doing it. He told me that he had a strong sense of duty to defend our country and, more importantly, if he went some JAG officer with a wife and kid could stay home.

Around the same time he joined the National Guard, another good friend and co-worker enlisted in the National Guard. I had serious thoughts about enlisting as well, as I too felt that duty to defend my country. In the end, I decided not to enlist because I have a wife I don't want to leave behind. I do all I can to support those who are fighting for us and I defend our country in a very small way by going into court and fighting a different kind of war for our rights.

I know it is nice to hear other's thoughts, but it comes down to you and you alone as to what is the right decision. Good luck.

p.s. this really is cool:

Go.