Fort Benning

[Sherrypooh]

Any assistance would be appreciated. My 18 yo will be graduating hs in june and plans on joining the army. The recruiter has told him his will be doing basic training and his next schools in fort benning. We are a navy family and don't have a clue about the army or fort benning. Anyone out there have any suggestions, helpful hints about graduation etc? He has informed me that I am coming to his graduation (like as if I would miss it) and I know if he ships out mid august he will be mid november when he graduates. I am civil service and looking for someone who can help with hotel etc?

Hope this makes sense and thanks in advance for any information. Yes, I know I can google it, but looking for IRL experiences.

Sherry

 

[Sherrypooh]

No one? No one has had a child go through boot camp for the army? Maybe I need to rephrase my question...

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Sorry, went to boot camp at Benning, but that was 25 years ago...

 

[Sherrypooh]

Thanks for your reply... I was beginning to think no one was here today!

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

I hve been to Fort Benning for some non-military sponsored training. suffice to say it is a BIG base.

There are several chain hotels near there, and you could probably jump into the base welfare and rec. web site and get a list, some may even offer government rates.

 

[padams]

Can't help with the army questions. Fort Benning is southeast of Columbus, Georgia. There are quite a few hotels in Columbus- most of the major chains are there (Hampton Inn, Courtyard, etc.). Columbus has a population close to 200,000. It is about 1.5 hours (2 hours with traffic and road construction on I85) southwest of the Atlanta airport (just drove down there last weekend for DS' soccer game). It is about 1.5 hours east of Montgomery, Alabama.

Thank you to you and your family for serving our country.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

We're PCSing to Ft Benning in 2 months so I may be of more help later.

If you are on Facebook then join the Ft Benning fan page. They have TONS of info there for the families of soldiers going to basic training and even have weekly trivia contests where the winner gets to pick which group gets pictures taken and posted on the site. You can also ask questions on the page about basic training schedules and hotels, etc...

If you are flying in, I have been told it is much cheaper to fly into Atlanta and drive down than to fly directly into the small airport in Columbus.

Thanks to your DS and your family for their service. (Go Army! Beat Navy!)

 

[Sherrypooh]

Thank you all for your help! I am very proud of him for making this choice, just as any mother, worried about his future. I am on the base in groton, ct and we are a subase and I know we are very small. I had both of my children in the charleston sc area as my husband was on a ship there. Army should be interesting. I will try to find tina, see if she can be of any service too. Thanks for the fb suggestion, I will try to find it now!

 

[mtdevine615]

If I remember right Lovemygoofy's DH is at Benning right now. You might want to PM her. The last time I was there was for jump school many moons ago.

 

[lovemygoofy]

Thank you all for your help! I am very proud of him for making this choice, just as any mother, worried about his future. I am on the base in groton, ct and we are a subase and I know we are very small. I had both of my children in the charleston sc area as my husband was on a ship there. Army should be interesting. I will try to find tina, see if she can be of any service too. Thanks for the fb suggestion, I will try to find it now!

are you looking for me?

I've not lived at Benning but hear great things about the area.

The first thing I noticed is that your son hasn't enlisted yet. Does he want to be infantry in the army? That is the AIT school at Benning. Here is a link for basic training and then onto AIT at Benning https://www.benning.army.mil/infantry/basictraining/

There are plenty of hotel options and it's fairly close to the beach if you want to make it a fun trip besides stopping in to see your son.

I'm not sure what else you are looking for answers to. I've not had a child go through basic or AIT but I know several parents on here have. I'd be happy to answer any other questions.

 

[Sherrypooh]

Actually tina, yes I was looking for you. Yes, he is "suppose" to be heading there in august for basic. He has his meps next week but the recruiter is saying he is out of here in august. I guess I am just wondering how things work etc. At 18 he is only interested in going, not the hows and whys that a mother will ask. For example he has stated I need to be there after 9 weeks at his basic graduation, then I have to go back in another 5? Then he comes home for a recruitment week? I live in ct, and will be at everything I can, but he seems to think it is only a 30 min drive lol. I work on a navy base and know a ton of navy kids I could ask, just don't know how the army works. Yes, he is going for infintry. I know you are in dc as I do read your posts, but also know you are army so hence why I was looking for you!

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

Thank you all for your help! I am very proud of him for making this choice, just as any mother, worried about his future. I am on the base in groton, ct and we are a subase and I know we are very small. I had both of my children in the charleston sc area as my husband was on a ship there. Army should be interesting. I will try to find tina, see if she can be of any service too. Thanks for the fb suggestion, I will try to find it now!

Sadly, the Charleston Navy base closed many years ago. I was born and raised in Charleston just across the river from the Naval Hospital.

And Tina knows ALL and if she doesn't know then she knows someone who does know or someone who will drop everything to find out for her. She rocks!

 

[Sherrypooh]

Sadly, the Charleston Navy base closed many years ago. I was born and raised in Charleston just across the river from the Naval Hospital.

And Tina knows ALL and if she doesn't know then she knows someone who does know or someone who will drop everything to find out for her. She rocks!

It is sad about the base. I was there when the shipyard went. Since I still work civil service, I do see/talk to some at the navy hospital there as we all do the same job so we have a yearly conference and I see some of the people who are still at the hospital. My kids were very young when we moved from there and it has always been my plan to take them back and show them where they were born, just havent had the time yet to do so.

 

[pilesoflaundry]

If you are flying in, I have been told it is much cheaper to fly into Atlanta and drive down than to fly directly into the small airport in Columbus.

Thanks to your DS and your family for their service. (Go Army! Beat Navy!)

That is true. We lived at Benning almost 6 years ago and my mom used to come visit and it was always about $50 more to fly into Columbus. I'm sure the difference is higher now.

Keep in mind the atlanta airport is about 120 miles from Fort Benning so gas or transport make make up the difference.

My hubby did basic +airborne school there but it was years ago so I'm no help in that department, I didn't know him then. It's not a bad post but the area directly outside the gate is a bit sketchy so try and stay at guest lodging on post or go a few exits out.

 

[Sherrypooh]

Thank you all again for your help. I guess it is just hitting me that this is all right around the corner... Unfortunately, I am a type A person so I am already stressing all of this stuff!

 

[chrisxtwo]

You should get packet from the army once he starts basic. Should include "here is what your son is doing" type information. They will also tell you when you should be able to hear from him and who to contact in case of an emergency. Once the graduation date is set, they usually send out or post on the web the information for the ceremony and links to recommended hotels. It will be MUCH cheaper to fly into Atlanta and rent a car. I believe Fort Benning's main page has a link for Basic and AIT information. That might help too.