Does the only son rule still apply to the military?

Question

I know in the 50's and such if you were an only son they had to have your permission to send you into combat and usually wouldn't. I don't think that is around anymore, or is it? And if it isn't, do they have any regulations regarding only sons? As you might have guessed, I'm an only son (The only male in the entire, (entire) family) and am wondering if I were to join the California National Guard and be deployed, if that would apply to me in combat. I'm ok with combat, but I would still like to know....thanks.

Answer 1

Thats just a rumor, even after the Sullivans, members of the military are not combat exempt.

Answer 2

As most have stated no such rule.

We have already lost brothers in the War on Terror.

The Army has four or five West Point graduate brothers in the infantry, etc, they serve.

But it is a "career ender" for a CO to allow such as brothers being together, esp the Navy.

People forget this incident in Vietnam:

Niobrara is a very small town in Nebraska--so small it doesn't have a cinema, and the locals could not have flocked to see Saving Private Ryan. But Niobrara has a memorial outside its library dedicated to the three Sage brothers, who were the first family group allowed to serve together on a U.S. warship after World War II. Radarman 3rd Class Gregory Sage and Seaman Recruits Gary Sage and Kelly Sage died together, along with 71 shipmates, on USS Frank E. Evans when the Australian aircraft carrier Melbourne literally cut their destroyer in two at 3 o'clock on the morning of June 3, 1969, in the South China Sea. Most of Evans' 272-man crew were asleep at the time of the collision. Jolted awake by the impact, the Americans began a struggle to save their lives, if not their ship. The Australians soon joined in the desperate struggle.

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Just so many "military families", high % of Vietnam vets dads have lost sons and daughters since 911.

Part of the "myth" is based upon old draft deferment rules that mostly appiled to family farms & ranches, where a son could be exempt as he was essential for the farm operation, etc. My experience is that most us us joined to get the heck off the farm.

This is why the Army and such have a $250,000 life insurance policy versus the $10,000 from WWII until after Vietnam. Bad enough the "army" almost killed me but what an insult to those lost in Vietnam that "mom" would have only got $10,000.

In Vietnam we always granted waivers to brothers but made sure they were not "together". Had more than a few fathers & sons issues.

Select who gets your insurance with care and thought, sounds dismal but important.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Seeing that the US has a "volunteer" military I would say no. My brother and I were in different services and deployed to combat zones at the same time. As a sworn Ca guardsman you will be expected to go where your unit does. Btw the guard is doing a fair bit of combat duty these days. I'd also like to say that I think Joe Doc wrong as to the Navy's position, I served with twin brothers on USS Carl Vinson in Op Desert Shield and southern Watch, both electricians mate if I remember correctly.

Answer 4

Actually its not just the only son rule but the eldest son rule. My friends were both stationed on the USS Enterprise (yes people there is a Aircraft Carrier named USS Enterprise CVN 65). The oldest was married and had to sign a release that if they were sent into a war zone he would have to come off the ship so that the ship would not go down with both brothers.

Answer 5

I am the last male heir of more than 5 generations of my family name. I served 2 combat tours in Southeast Asia flying fighters over North and South Viet Nam, Laos and Cambodia. Total of 250 missions. I was told that I had a "get out of jail card" if I wanted to use it. I did not use it. I did not want someone else doing my duty. I have my reward: self respect.

Answer 6

Not in today's volunteer military. It is assumed that everyone understands and accepts the dangers. If it came down to a draft, they may reinstitute the rule, but it would only preclude you to holding support and service support jobs, like supply and MP, much like females. It wouldn't get you out of a deployment, just keep you from leaving the FOB with any regularity.

Answer 7

That doesn't apply now. If you get deployed to combat it doesn't matter that you're an only son. Bullets don't care either.

Answer 8

That "rule" is not true. It is an urban myth.

http://www.snopes.com/military/onlyson.htm

If you are in the military you train with your unit, deploy with your unit, and when you deploy you do the job you were trained to do. Why? because other soldiers lives depend on you doing the job you were trained to do.

Military units fight wars. This is not a basketball game where you "redshirt" people.

Answer 9

I was in Viet Nam (66-67, IN-country) and I was stationed with 2 brothers from Kansas. They were the last males of their family line with that last name. If they both died, the family name, as far as was known, would die.

Answer 10

If you are the last male in your family bearing your family's name and you are in the military, you can request not to be sent into combat and have it approved. A friend of mine is in the military and so is his brother. His brother died in combat and now he is the last male to carry on the family name. He chooses to remain in combat, but was told by his commander that he does not have to. They offered to honorably discharge him, but he decided to stay in.