Official "Mom of an Airman"

[PatsGirl]

My son graduated on Friday from the USAF at Lackland AFB, Texas. The coin ceremony and graduation parade were very moving. I am so proud of DS ~~ he earned "Honor Graduate" by coming in the top 10% of the 800 at BMT for all the requirements, physical, academic (must have at least a 90% in every test I think), and dorm/physical environment. He was also presented with the Thunderbolt award for physical achievements. From what he says, he missed the Marksmanship by one point but will have other opportunities to earn this ribbon. All this from a boy that left home because I wanted him to make his bed , well, maybe I wanted a few other things too, lol.

The weekend was fun and he was allowed extra off-base time because of the Honor status. We spent Thursday afternoon on base with him, and then Friday afternoon, all day Saturday and all day Sunday off base. We were able to go to the Spurs game Friday night, the San Antonio Riverwalk, the SA Zoo and we ate in some great restaurants.

He is a changed man. He even called me M'am I corrected him of course, to let him know that I was far too young to be M'am'ed by ANYONE! He brought one of his friends with him all day Sunday (another honor graduate whose parents didn't account for the extra day off-base pass) and what a nice kid!

Things are still rather uncertain, information is difficult to get. He thought he was leaving for Sheppard at midnight last night with hundreds of others but he isn't assigned tech school there so his orders are confusing. Anyways, we think he'll go there for a few days, back to Lackland for a 6-day tech program and then off to EOD school in Pensacola, Florida for 8-10 months. Yahoo!!!

First test passed.... many more to come. Stay tuned. I will have faith. I will have faith. I will have faith.

 

[michellekl]

congratulations to your son, honor graduate is certainly something to be very proud of.

 

[jmskinner]

Congratulations to your son and you!

 

[kc10family]

Congratulations to you and your son.

 

[Backstage_Gal]

Congratulations to you and your son. My son graduated in August

 

[barbnbrian]

Congratulations - you must be so proud! How old is your son?

 

[PatsGirl]

Thanks. DS turned 19 the end of January. He actually signed up the week he turned 18 and went into boot camp August 2008. He's now about 1/2 through his technical school for Explosive Ordnance Disposal (8-10 month program) and has learned his home base assignment will be Minot, North Dakota To say he's not thrilled would be an understatement but he does realize that he goes wherever the Air Force NEEDS him.

 

[Backstage_Gal]

Yikes, North Dakota, BRRRRR! At least he will be going in the summer, so that is a bright side.

My son lucked out and is in California for 6-8 months for training, right neat the beach. He is a 2nd Lieutenant, assigned to missiles. Heaven knows where he will be after training....

 

[PatsGirl]

Actually, we figure he'll head to North Dakota (Minot, not too far from Fargo but on record as the coldest city in the US) late fall after a security clearance and training in DC, a couple weeks of local recruiting, and hopefully a couple of weeks of leave here at home. He'll most likely have at least six months there before heading to wherever??? Afghanistan/Korea? The most unfortunate part is the six months here (North Dakota) and six months deployed seems that he'll always be in "winter mode", a boy that hates cold weather

 

[ladykingel]

You should be sooooo proud of your son. Truly proud. He is a very special person. All the best to him and your family.

 

[MarkyMark07]

Congratulations!

 

[Jennysie]

Wow, awesome! Congratulations!