Posted on 06/28/2010 1:24:01 AM PDT by ScubieNuc
My oldest son left last week for the Army. He is currently at Fort Benning waiting in the "receiving" barracks. His Boot Camp Company (I'm not sure if that's what the Army calls it...I'm exNavy) forms up and starts actual Basic this next Friday.
We've gotten a call from him the other night. Other than being tired and anxious for actual training to start, he sounded like he was doing fine. This is new territory for me and my wife. I don't feel old enough to have a child in the military.
We are planning on going out to his "Turning Blue" Ceremony and his graduation in October. I'm pretty excited, but I have a number of questions that I'm hoping some FReepers can help me with. I know that in a couple of weeks we are supposed to get a package in the mail detailing his graduation date and stuff, but I'm interested in other things. Things like....
Should I fly into Atlanta or Columbus?
What are the best places to stay in Columbus?
What are some good things to do or see in Columbus or the surrounding area?
Thank you for any input.
If obummer lets him....
Orlando RTC ‘86—no Disneyworld, no sandy volleyball. I DID get to be the Division Yeoman during Hell Week, so I missed out on KP duty...but got sicker than a dog from the yellow fever shots. Stayed at NPS Orlando..now all of it is gone.
Thanks for your 24 years of service. I was Navy, but my son is Army. He just submitted his Drill Instructor package. He wants to be a DI.
I had to medevac one of you guys once...Guy tried to bite the head off of a water moccasin...He lost. That wasnt you was it?
Our youngest started two weeks before yours. So far here is what has/will happened.
9 June - shipped out, MEPS, tranfer to Ft Benning
10-17 June - Reception, shots, uniforms, adjustment to Army, 2 phone calls
18 June - transfer to Basic company, short phone call
25 June - received letter from son and his commander, sent 20 June
20 Aug - Family Day, son has pass starting noon Friday ‘til 1600 Sun
23 Sep - Turning Blue, parents pin on Blue Cord
24 Sep - Graduation
Like your son, ours wants Ranger, he should find out at end of Basic whether seleced for Ranger Indoctrination Program (RIP), if so, 3 weeks of Airborne, then 3 weeks of RIP, then who knows, needs of the Army and all
His mother and I were USAF (retired)
Made reservations @ Candlewood Suites, can’t make on post reservations ‘til 30 days in advance, she couldn’t wait
No advice, but thanks for your family’s service. Your son is one of the good guys in the world.
My son went to Navy boot camp in Illinois...but he played the trombone all through High School, he went into the Basic training Navel band and spend most of this time in parades playing his trombone...easy basic training...he never did shoot a gun, but said no one trust a navy man with a gun anyway unless they are attacked to sides of ships....Thats why they have marines on ships...
Wow! Thanks for the information. I didn’t realize Family day was 4 days before graduation.
My son is supposed to graduate in October and my two other kids want to go, but my other son is in High School and he’s debating about missing too much school. Hopefully his teachers can give him enough of his assignments so that he won’t miss much.
Like you guys, we’re anxious to go see him again, even though it’s only been a week since he’s been gone. Summer is going to go slow this year, I think.
Not 4 days, 5 weeks
Thanks
Since you were in the Navy, you might enjoy the Confederate Naval Museum in Columbus. The Confederate Navy used a fair number of river gunboats, and they have salvaged one from the Chattahoochee River. It’s a small museum, but well worth seeing.
About 30 minutes south of Columbus is Providence Canyon State Park, erroneously called by locals the “little Grand Canyon”. It’s nothing like the Grand Canyon because in the south there’s so many trees and plants, but it’s worth seeing. Put on your hiking boots. I went this year and referred to it as the “poor man’s stress test”. Of course, because the State of Georgia is crying poverty, there’s probably not going to be any staff available.
Thanks to your son for serving our country.
Oh, Ok. My bad. So Family day is half way through? Hmmm. I don’t think I can fly out to Georgia twice though. Would be neat though.
Thank you for the input. I’ll check ‘em out on line.
Since you have recieved your packet, does it have any travel restriction on it for after his graduation?
The reason I ask is because the Gulf Coast is only about 4 hours away by car, and I would like to see it again (unless the oil spill has totally ruined that).
Scubie,
Family Day comes a few days before your son’s graduation from the BCT portion of his training. There is no family day event before AIT graduation, because soldiers are granted leave after AIT. Hope that helps.
The worst kind of crap details they can think of :)
So you are saying that Family day marks the end of BCT. Ok.
His recruiter told us that if we go out and see him, the best time is at the end of OSUT. That’s because of the Turning Blue ceremony, the pomp and demonstration at graduation and the time off he’ll have.
Thanks for your input.
Yup. Family day is at the end of BCT. In “normal” training cycles, they have family day then because it gives families a chance to see their soldiers before they leave for AIT. With OSUT, there really is only a weekend off and then it is back into training mode. I would go out at the end of OSUT and he will probably be able to fly back home with you, depending on when Jump school starts.
No restrictions. When I was in, pass meant to be within one day’s drive, 400 miles. Could go further if you had round trip air fare.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.