Update on DS at Basic Training

Update on DS at Basic Training

Postby kim » November 4th, 2013, 9:25 pm

well, there is only three weeks left til Graduation. I can't wait to see my DS!

This has been a long road. DS's letters are not descriptive as to what is going on. I get most of my information from the FB group page of family members. We have formed a family over there that offers information, and more importantly, support. Sort of like here....huh?

Several SITs (Soldiers in Training) have been injured and have been either sent home to recuperate or are in the hospital healing. Some are being medically discharged for various things. Just hoping DS makes it through it. After all these weeks, one soldier was found to have a shoulder/arm that keeps popping out and is being discharged. He is sooooo disappointed.

There are also the funny stories of one girl in "holding" (waiting to be sent home for medical reasons) that got caught smoking. Some guys practicing combat moves and got carried away and made a hole in the barracks wall. And other little pranks. One gets into trouble, they all suffer. They are learning teamwork. Oh, and apparently my DSs floor got Latrine Duty....someone got the bathroom dirty and the Drill Sergeant saw it and "had a fit". I have a request in for the DS to take a pic of our sons cleaning toilets.
is
And my proud momma moment.....my DS got EXPERT in the M4 qualification. I had to look this up, but just qualifying is called Marksman, really good is Sharpshooter, and as one mom called it...."if you rocked it" it is called Expert. My DS "rocked it" on his first try. He has also passed his Physical Training.

This week will be shooting moving targets and I guess going into buildings, etc. At the end of the week, they repel down a 75 foot wall. I am hoping all that rock wall climbing he loved to do growing up will help with the wall. THey have also thrown live grenades. Hoping his baseball pitching helped with that as I found out it isn't just throwing the grenades, but having targets you have to hit.

I am STILL working on those photo mats but have them all cut, just gluing them now. What a job!!!
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Re: Update on DS at Basic Training

Postby Retta » November 5th, 2013, 6:06 am

Congratulations to your DS!!! I thank him and you for the sacrifices that your family is making. They are going to love your gift Kim!!!
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Re: Update on DS at Basic Training

Postby PennyDuncan » November 5th, 2013, 6:39 am

That's awesome Kim...Your son sounds alike like my oldest when he went in to the Marines several years ago......He too made the rank of Expert in the sharpshooting.......and I was one proud mama as well.......and he didn't share details of his experience either.......I think it's rather commendable cause they have such a sense of pride for their platoon and all they've endured together....When you go to graduation you will be ASTOUNDED of the MAN in front of you.....He will NOT be the same guy that you sent off.......and the pride will be beaming from you!!!! It's mind boggling how many do get injured through the training process.......Billy said SEVERAL that went in with him were hurt to the point of being sent home as well.......

After Billy's graduation he took us for a walking tour around the base and I so enjoyed seeing the places he did some of his training...his barracks and watch him interact with his piers.....Billy's place he seemed to see a lot was the Sand Pits.....as he was a Troop Leader and anytime anyone his is Troop got in trouble.....he was punished as well.......in the sand pits is a thing called Sand Fleas (really ants).......he said they would eat him up...LOL So to this day he HATES ants!!!!!!
ROFL

Thank you and your son for his devotion for our Freedom!!!!!! You have EVERY right to be one very very very proud mama!!!!
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Re: Update on DS at Basic Training

Postby kim » November 5th, 2013, 11:27 am

Thanks everyone! And Penny, I hear the Marines have a LOT tougher training than any other branch of the Military. Army comes in 2nd. I hear PRIDE in his letters....no whining, no bellyaching. He has cleaned his room from top to bottom with chlorox and water, because of a cold and laryngitis that was going around. And was being humorous...saying "me cleaning, I know". His "battle buddy" is 23 years old and from Iowa. He is National Guard and in the civilian world, an administrator for a Nursing home. So glad that DS has someone that is mature and stable to be his "buddy". Basically, battle buddies are their Siamese twins. They are punished together and rewarded together....or as DS puts it..."they are attached by an invisible rope".
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Re: Update on DS at Basic Training

Postby Gigi » November 5th, 2013, 11:45 am

I love reading the love and pride in both of your posts. Congratulations to both of you and God bless them for all they do for our country.
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Re: Update on DS at Basic Training

Postby Elizabeth » November 5th, 2013, 12:31 pm

Thanks for the update, Kim. I was just thinking about you and your ds last night, and wondering how things were going. Sound like all is well.

You military mamas deserve to be extra proud of your children! It is a tremendous sacrifice, but with huge rewards in life experience to go along with it. I am very grateful.
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Re: Update on DS at Basic Training

Postby LisaH » November 5th, 2013, 9:01 pm

Bravo Kim - to you and him!
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Re: Update on DS at Basic Training

Postby PennyDuncan » November 5th, 2013, 11:58 pm

Oh Kim that is SO wonderful..... I'm so excited for you to get to see him.......I think we'll be able to see you beaming with pride from all our homes!!!!
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Re: Update on DS at Basic Training

Postby rachellann » November 9th, 2013, 8:13 pm

That is so Awesome Kim sounds like he is loving his career choice.
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Re: Update on DS at Basic Training

Postby kim » December 1st, 2013, 8:08 pm

HE GRADUATED from Basic Training! I went to Fort Leonard Wood MO for the ceremony and Thanksgiving. It was FREEZING cold. Got to meet his grilfiend too! It was an adventure. It was a Murphy's Law Trip. The day before the trip, I got one of my sinus infections and my eyes were blood red and my vision cloudy. Just great. I tried everything to try and clear it up, but to no avail. THe whole trip was downing sudafed, my eyes hurting and my vision being like I was looking through a cloudy lens. My 1st flight was delayed....no toilets and then the electric start for the engine didn't work. (Was wondering if I should walk off the plane at that point.) Then after running through DFW to NOT miss my connecting flight, THAT flight was delayed. So I was late getting to St Louis. Meet the girlfriend, pick up the rental car. I give her the GPS and tell her to put it in. I put my bags in the back and then hop in the car. Now, Fort Leonard Wood is supposed to be about 2 hours from St Louis. We drive 2 1/2 hours and still see no signs that we are near the base. I turn to GF and ask her what did she program into the GPS. She looks at me and says "I thought you programmed it.". LOL. We were headed for Louisiana. Okay, we re-program the GPS....another 4 1/2 hour drive. We get near the base, we can see the base on the GPS but we can't find the main gate. The GPS keeps trying to take us on a dirt road. It is midnight and we can't see a thing. We drive around for an hour trying to find a gate. FInally we find one and it is CLOSED. But there is a sign with a phone number to the Military Police. We call them and they get us to the main gate. By the time we checked in the hotel and I put my head on the pillow, it is 2 a.m. We have to get up at 6:30. Oh, and by the way, we missed FAMILY DAY which was a 3 hour visitation. :(

So, we do the graduation thing and Thanksgiving and had a blast. The changes in my son were amazing. The Drill Sergeants did an amazing job in such a short amount of time. He is not quite a man yet, but he is well on his way. I was so proud!!! It was a very emotional time for me.
During this time, from lack of sleep, I dropped my make up bag in the toilet (the water was clean). Then I dropped my hair brush in there. Kept the lid closed after that. LOL.

So, go home with no drama until it's time to get my checked bag. It isn't there. They find it at DFW and I get it the next day (Saturday) in the morning. A couple of hours later, I break my ankle. Yes, you heard me right....I broke my ankle. The bright side....it happened AFTER my trip. I would have been heartbroken if I had broken it before or during my trip. Oh, and my eyes cleared up on Saturday! LOL....this was a trip that I won't forget!

So, now he is off to Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio for his medic training.
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Re: Update on DS at Basic Training

Postby LisaH » December 1st, 2013, 8:12 pm

Well, it will definitely be a memorable event!

So happy that things are going in the right direction for him and OMG, woman, pleeeeease be careful! Hope you heal really fast!
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Re: Update on DS at Basic Training

Postby Gigi » December 1st, 2013, 9:40 pm

OMG Kim......... what was an incredible adventure in so many ways. What a roller coaster of a trip - emotionally and physically.

How in the world did you break your ankle? Should I even ask? I hope you are back to 100% soon. :bighug:
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Re: Update on DS at Basic Training

Postby kim » December 1st, 2013, 10:51 pm

I was just going down the outside steps (3 in all) and on the bottom step, I stepped on the edge of the door mat, sideways because I was turning around to talk to my Dad, and my ankle turned and went down. I heard a pop, but since I could still move my foot (hurt a LOT), I thought it might be a sprain, but went to the ER and they said I had broken the Fibula or Tibula (little ankle bone that is a non weight bearing bone). It was a clean break. I was fortunate in the timing....after my trip....and it being a small bone and non weightbearing. Plus the clean break. I have to go to the orthopeadic doctor and get a cast or boot. Hopefully he will give me good news of this not taking much time to heal.

I guess this was my week for drama! Now I can relax for another year....I have used up all my bad luck and will only have good luck now. LOL.
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Re: Update on DS at Basic Training

Postby Gigi » December 1st, 2013, 11:02 pm

OH Kim - OUCH! I am so very sorry. I hope you can take it easy over the holidays and give yourself a chance to heal quickly. Glad it was not worse!
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Re: Update on DS at Basic Training

Postby kim » December 2nd, 2013, 5:29 pm

It may all have seemed like such drama....like the 2 hour drive turning into 8 hours, but honestly, it gave me a chance to talk to DSs girlfriend and get to know her. I absolutely LOVE her. She is a gorgeous person....outside, and more importantly, INSIDE. Although I am not sure the two of them will survive the separation of her going to college and him in the Army, it's like I told them....if they do survive it, they will survive anything. If not, then it just wasn't meant to be but they can maybe remain friends.

The downside to the ankle thing is that I can't do any crafting right now. SIGH. So I am cleaning up my files. At least I can be productive.
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Re: Update on DS at Basic Training

Postby MeFlick » December 2nd, 2013, 8:59 pm

Kim, adventures indeed. Glad you were able to make it down and spend time with your DS and get to know his GF really well! Lots of stories to tell from the trip that is for sure! Sorry to hear that you broke your ankle and pray that it does in deed heal quickly for you! I agree, only good luck should be left out there for you!
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Re: Update on DS at Basic Training

Postby Elizabeth » December 2nd, 2013, 9:32 pm

Wow! I will start with congratulations to your son on his graduation from boot camp. What an accomplishment for such a young man. I can't believe how much happened on your trip! Not much more could have gone wrong. I will close by adding best wishes for a quick recovery for your ankle. Oh boy, that must have hurt!
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Re: Update on DS at Basic Training

Postby PennyDuncan » December 3rd, 2013, 6:00 pm

Oh Kim....CONGRATULATIONS to your son!!!!! I know you are so proud....and your adventure sounds like it could have been one of my very few trips!! LOL I think it's awesome though you go to spend some one on one time with his girlfriend!!!! ;) OUCHHHHHHHHHHHHHH on the ankle ladybug....... I know that had to hurt!! ;(
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Re: Update on DS at Basic Training

Postby kim » December 3rd, 2013, 8:52 pm

Got my hard cast on....no boot. I have to say even though I have a run of bad luck....only good came from it or it came at a good time. LOL....have to look at the good side of things LOL. I heard from my son.....he says the discipline is lacking in some of the soldiers from other camps and that he is sticking with the ones that came from Fort Leonard Wood, since they are the more disciplines. I never , in my wildest dreams, thought I would hear those words out my son's mouth. LOL. He won't start his studies until after the New Year and so the discipline that they learned will be very important to them. He has been asked several times to sign up for Airborne, but said he wants to think about it and not make a rash decision. Good thing....his mom is still trying to recuperate from his wanting to be a Combat Medic.
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Re: Update on DS at Basic Training

Postby LisaH » December 4th, 2013, 4:42 pm

My two brothers were 82nd Airborne ;) - at the same time...they went in in the buddy system so they couldn't be separated.
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