My kid is now a U.S. soldier!

My wife and I went down at the end of Sept to see our younger son during a Army "family weekend". His training is a form where the same unit does basic and their advanced "occupation" training together but this first break to the outside world was really the end of his basic and thus they were allowed to wear the black berets of actual U.S. soldiers and not just trainees anymore. He is enjoying the challenges and looking forward to finish his training and get to his first duty station (after probably coming home for Christmas for a while). I haven't talked to him since our visit but during the current phase of his training, they get to operate heavier weapons than just their individual rifles; M240 and M2 MGs, grenade launchers. Taking him back the first evening during our visit, I couldn't resist getting a pix with him in front of a WWII M3 Light ("Stuart") Tank that's out in front of their barracks...

Good for you. Tell him thanks from my family. God bless

Awesome. Tell him thanks

Congratulations

its a proud feeling to wear that uniform thank him for his service. I know you feel real proud! congrates

congrats to the both of you and thanks

Congratulations on his accomplishment! That's something to be proud of.

Excellent! Is he at Fort Knox?

Hoo-Rah!

Good job!

Chris

Good for the both of you!

Congratz to your son. Let him know we are thankful for his service. We are proud parents of our AirMen as you are of your son. Thanks for sharing

Congratulations, to the young man and all of your family.

Mine graduated basic about a year and a half ago. Congratulations to you. You look like a proud dad! My wife is proud of her little boy as you can see. Fort Jackson sure ain’t Idaho. SC is like a whole different world

Keep up the good job young man and Congratulations ! Thank you for your service !

Awesome. Tell him thank you from me and my family.

thank him ,and you , prayers that he returns home safe

Congrats! And thx!

Heck yeah man!

Very nice and something to be very proud of. Thanks to these young men and all who have served.

Greay Pjcture ... ah, Youth!

He'll do Great!

Well done all around.

Blessings upon him and the family !

Awesome!!

Congrats! I always remembered how proud my family was of me after basic/ait! All I had!

Congrats, don't forget to send packages, soldiers always like mail even just to share with their buddies.

X2

They grow up to fast. You have both done your self proud.

Congrats really nice pic of you guys. Still remember the first morning wake up at 4 10 am June 11, 1985 at Great Lakes navy boot camp. Empty garbage cans were a flying around will never forget it
J

Where is he taking his basic?

Good deal!

Thanks for all the nice comments about Tony and us here on the home front. Right back at you all that have young ones serving or did it themselves in the past. It is surprising how young they all are! I think his platoon started off with a couple guys in the first half of their 20s but I think the remaining 35+ (end of Sept) were all between 17 and 19. One of the squadron leaders gave this statistic during the family day event that only about 25% of the young people between 17 and 26 even fulfill all the criteria and restrictions to serve in the military under current conditions and of course we've probably have all heard that less than 3% of the entire U.S. population has served since the end of the draft late in the Vietnam era. A pretty thin line overall.

He's doing his training down in the southeast land of red clay and sand where they make cavalry troopers! Not much for duck hunting around there except the river...