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.
Well, Reveille is at 5 AM each morning, at least it was back in the early 60’s.
Not true about all recruits arriving late at night. Many times while we were out on the parade grounds either doing calisthenics or marching we would see buses pull up to the receiving area where new recruits first were dropped. Since due to the extreme heat in Texas in the afternoon (I was there from August through Sept), we were out on the parade grounds at about 6 AM, right after breakfast.
We would also see the new troop buses loaded with kids in civvies dump their confused cargo at other times during the day. Perhaps the AF did it different since being tough wasn’t really apart of what the AF is all about, at least not back then.
When I was in the UK we used to have TDY Army troops drop in from time to time and they were always amazed at the on base housing and chow hall we had compared to what they had to endure. The likened it to being on permanent leave.
We told them we were treated this way because we were the brains of the military.
Thanks, I always enjoyed the acronyms in the military. usually some Col would get his kicks/promtions based on new acronyms/programs. :)
Yeah, I may have “misspoke”. ( ;
Of course I don’t know how ALL services do it. I know that all the Navy people I’ve talked to, they were delivered to Boot camp at night and kept up until around 4am, then promptly gotten back up around 5-5:30.
My son’s recruiter also indicated that that is also how the Army does it. Like you said, the Air Force may have done things differently.
Yeah, but it’s also the pressure for commanders to be able to put on their resume what they found and how they “fixed” it. That means that things are always in some kind of constant flux. I guess in the overall scheme of things, this is probably good. It keeps things from getting old.
Try to fly in to Columbus if possible, if you’re planning on hanging around there and not planning to go to Atlanta.
Stay anywhere north of Exit 7. The closer you get to Benning, the more ghetto it gets.
I think there’s a riverwalk over there, but I’m not sure. Sights to see at Benning: go to main post and check out the Airborne school jump towers, the Ranger/SF memorial at BLDG 4, Doughboy Stadium (Eisenhower played football there, and it’s where Mel Gibson gave his deployment speech in “We Were Soldiers”)...stuff like that. Columbus is overall a fairly boring town. Lots of good restaurants in the Exit 7-Exit 10 area, too.
There’s more to do in Atlanta, however. I’ve been to the Coca-Cola Museum and did the CNN tour, and there’s a big aquarium there but it was too expensive for us at the time.
Hope this helps!
Yeah, every bit of information helps. Thanks.
My son is at Fort Benning now too! He is in Blue Phase and is set to graduate OSUT on Aug. 13th.
While it has not been a cake walk, my son has been positive about the experience. Red Phase is horrible, but after that, they get to do the cool stuff, LOL!
Freep mail me any questions. Also there is a Fort Benning Face book page, your son’s Co. will have a topic and you can keep up with other parents, wives etc. share information and also see pictures from time to time. My son had his pics done because Robert Gates came to visit while they were doing the Eagle Tower. There is also a page I can give you to order his official Army Picture.
I also live in GA, fly into Atlanta and drive to Columbus.
An odd bit of good advice that almost sounds silly but truly matters is that every night, before sack time, inspect your feet. If there is a problem, deal with it before you go to sleep.
Most people try to tough it out, be it blisters, ingrown toenails, cuts, and at airborne school, suspected broken toes. They always lose. Foot problems that are ignored will put you out of action.
Sounds silly all right.
Yo ScubieNuc—I know exactly how you feel. I’m USA ret’d and my second son has been in the army for over 18 years. He’s a Command Sergeant Major of an MP batallion in Hawaii. The day he went off to basic training I, too, thought I was way too young for this to be happening. He’s been deployed into harm’s way four times. Unless something changes he will be deployed for the fifth time within the next 12 months.
God speed to your son and thank you both for your service.
Awesome! Thanks for the advice.
I’ll pass it along. Thanks.
Well, you’re welcome, but I didn’t do really anything compared to you and your son.
THANK YOU, for yours and your son’s service. (Deployed for a FIFTH time!!! Holy cow!!!)
ight after 9/11, I had another nephew join the Army and his boot camp was at Benning as well. W flew into Atlanta and drove to Columbus for the graduation. I'm pretty sure we stayed at a Comfort Suites in Columbus. As I recell, there wasn't a whole lot to do down there, but the people were just fantastic. I really love Georgia. Hope your son does well.
The “Screaming Eagles” ain’t Airborne anymore. They’re Air Assault.
Thanks to all those with sons and daughters serving now.
My son is/was 68W. He’s in a black hole now because of injuries. He’s home but not sure whether he is actually in or out of the Army. Paperwork is behind I think.
I remember how excited he was to go get a civilian meal and to have the bathroom to himself. He recounts that the only time he was alone during basic was when he left his foxhole to answer nature’s call.
Write him often, keep your cell phone handy in case he gets to call. Figure out what music etc he’ll want after basic when he can have music and books. Get those ready to go because he’ll be so anxious to have access to those things again.
Thanks also to the good folks in San Antonio TX who took my son in during the Thanksgiving holidays when he was stuck there - made sure he had a family and a family Thanksgiving meal.
My son was in basic during 9/11 and they essentially did a news blackout. I kept copies of newspapers with photos and all and took them to him. I think the “no news” is pretty standard for basic. Someone else may speak to that.
My son is 19, all last week they did day and night navigation in the field. He sent me a letter and said it was like Man vs. Wild.
Plus they get their weapon issued within the first 48 hours, he was so excited!!
You may be surprised at the amount of communication you have during reception. My son brought his cell and we talked everyday until going down range, now that he is in blue, on Sunday’s if they earn their phones they get them, otherwise the calls come from the pay phone. You will get a packet in the mail with their address, send stamps and calling cards. After getting out of red, they were allowed insoles for their boots as well, I sent the Dr. Scholl’s athletic gel ones, he said they are great.
The hardest part for me is waiting on the letters. I rush to the mailbox now! LOL! The letters will crack you up!!
Also www.goarmyparents.com is a great site too! Lots of information from basic to deployment!
Look around for the online groups. There are many. Back channel and sub groups to the platoon and squad level.
My wife was able to keep near constant track of our USMC Infantry son over four plus years and three tours in Iraq. When the guys leave CONUS the moms turn their radar to max all the inputs are combined then sorted. The combined output resolution is very good.
Of all the administrations to serve under, God bless your son! At least now Zero apparently neutered himself over the McChrystal incident.
Some people fear a coup by Obama. I bet from your perspective, such madness would be very unlikely to succeed. Our military is not made up of robots.
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