My son has decided to join the Civil Air Patrol.\u00a0 I have the membership form ready to go.\u00a0 Just have to pop it into an envelope with a check for the fee and we\u2019ll be on our way.<\/p>\n
The Civil Air Patrol is a civilian \u201cclub\u201d associated with the United States Air Force.\u00a0 I was in it for a while when I was a teenager.\u00a0 As a military brat already in ROTC in high school, the addition of CAP to my life was seamless.\u00a0 It\u2019s very militaristic.\u00a0 Cadets wear uniforms just like the military \u2013 blues for dress and BDUs for utilitarian work.\u00a0 They drill \u2013 right face!\u00a0 left face!\u00a0 forward march!\u00a0 They respond with \u201cYes First Sergeant!\u201d in a bellow when given instructions.\u00a0 They stand at attention, salute the flag, and strive to earn rank just as their military counterparts do.\u00a0 I have to admit that I like it and am comfortable with it.\u00a0 My dad was in the army for twenty years so I grew up surrounded by all the trappings of the military.\u00a0 Dad went to work every day wearing olive drab (back before camouflage was the standard dress).\u00a0 I grew up with jets and helicopters flying overhead and field artillery shells dropping in the distance.\u00a0 I joined JROTC and rose to the rank of Captain and led my own drill team.\u00a0 I rappelled off a cliff, flew a simulated aircraft at Altus Air Force Base, and have fired everything from handguns to an AR-15.\u00a0 I have no problems with the fact of the structure of the Civil Air Patrol, but I do have reservations due to its association with the military, so this is kind of an experiment we are starting here.<\/p>\n
I should state that I believe that a Muslim cannot serve in the military of the United States.\u00a0 A Muslim\u2019s first loyalty is to God, and there are too many in the military who believe that the West is in a Crusade against Islam, and a Muslim American soldier might find himself facing a fellow Muslim on the field of combat.\u00a0 If one Muslim kills another, one or both may be in the Hellfire, and thus this dichotomy would cause the Muslim American to either endanger his soul or his comrades in arms.\u00a0 It\u2019s an unsolvable problem, and since service in the military is voluntary, the issue is most easily avoided by simply not joining.\u00a0 I know there are Muslims in the U.S. who have different beliefs, but these are mine and I will raise my kids according to this belief.\u00a0 They can be \u201cgood Americans\u201d as civilians and serve mankind without ever having to don a uniform.<\/p>\n
That being said, I\u2019m happy with my son\u2019s interest in CAP and happy with how we have been received so far.\u00a0 On our first visit, we were greeted by helpful cadets (young people between ages 12 and 20 or so) and senior members.\u00a0 One of the senior lieutenants made pleasant conversation and even told me she\u2019d been really wanting to get the first Muslim cadet in the unit.\u00a0 She has an Iranian brother-in-law and several Muslim friends.\u00a0 No one was put off by my abaya and hijaab, and other parents made small talk with me while we watched our kids fall into formation.\u00a0 It was an auspicious beginning, and over the month or so we\u2019ve been going I\u2019ve never felt a bit singled ot, or felt that anyone was treating my son any differently than other cadets.<\/p>\n
All prospective members have to attend at least three meetings before they are given the paperwork to join.\u00a0 I have my son\u2019s forms completed now and plan to send it off as soon as I find an envelope.\u00a0 He\u2019ll be sent learning materials and will be given a uniform.\u00a0 He\u2019ll continue to attend meetings and will have classes in aeronautics, military etiquette, and physical fitness.\u00a0 In order to advance in rank, he\u2019ll have to take tests on everything he\u2019s learned, and to drill and do pushups and other exercises.\u00a0 It\u2019s very structured, and since I know my son is a lot like me, I think he\u2019ll thrive in this type of environment.\u00a0 I\u2019m looking forward to being there to help him learn and grow, maybe pick up a pilot\u2019s license along the way, and have some good experience to take him into young adulthood.<\/p>\n
There may be some challenges along the way related to Islam.\u00a0 As puberty progresses, he\u2019ll be sprouting chin hair and will have to get a religious exemption to avoid shaving.\u00a0 When he is engaged in CAP activities, he\u2019ll have to manage his prayers along the way, and fasting during Ramadan.\u00a0 The vibe I get from the squadron is that these are some dedicated people who are not afraid of diversity, so I\u2019m hopeful we\u2019ll be able to help them learn about us as we learn about the Civil Air Patrol.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m pretty sure my son is not the first Muslim in the CAP, but he is the first one for this squadron.\u00a0 I\u2019ll be keeping track of his growth in the CAP and will be on top of any potential issues, all while trying to stay out of his way since it\u2019s HIS club and not mine.\u00a0 I hope I have very little to share, actually, and that his membership is fulfilling, educational, and fun.\u00a0 I know it will be fun for me when I\u2019m reliving my glory days of ROTC and teaching him how to march out in the cul de sac.\u00a0 How many moms get to be real drill sergeants with their kids?\u00a0 Atten-shun!\u00a0 Forward, march!\u00a0 Right flank, march!<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
My son has decided to join the Civil Air Patrol.\u00a0 I have the membership form ready to go.\u00a0 Just have to pop it into an envelope with a check for the fee and we\u2019ll be on our way. The Civil Air Patrol is a civilian \u201cclub\u201d associated with the United States Air Force.\u00a0 I was […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":81,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-368","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-islam-2"],"yoast_head":"\n