The oldest is off to boot camp
 

My son left yesterday to Fort Benning, GA for 9 weeks of summer fun. He joined the Army National Guard back in March. He will be heading to Texas afterwards for Combat Medic training.

Has been accepted to New Mexico Military Institute and wants to finish up at UNM with a Sports Medicine degree. Glad he has a plan and took steps to get it rolling.

Congrats, tell him we say thanks for his service. :)

Tell him thanks for me as well. That's a miserable place in the summer... but he'll barely notice the weather.


If you want to have some fun, send him a care package full of playboys and candy bars....

Good for him! Oh and the Army calls it "Basic Training." :D

Congrats, good luck to your son.

What does the Army call a monkey roll? ;)

Please convey my families thanks to your son for serving!! It is very rewarding.

I earned my degrees while on active duty. Great way to grow up, learn, and pay for college at the same time!

Just make sure he takes advantage of the education benefits now. At least when I was in, SRGIB, and whatever other state level education assistance is offered, did not extend past ETS like traditional MGIB.

On the bright side of the Guard's GIB etc., I had tuition covered by a state level TA program for the Guard and $450/month in SRGIB and 'kicker' on top of drill pay. It certainly kept drinking money in my pocket.

Excellent. Congratulations!!!

God Speed to him...I wish him the best

Hey, I'm stationed at Ft. Sam Houston with SOUTHCOM. This is where your Son will attend AIT. If you want me to make contact with him or sponsor him somehow I'm happy to do it.

PM me if so......

tell him THANK YOU!!! and to keep his head low!

yeah..i was doing that 44 years ago at ft jackson, sc! loved that sandy low crawl into the mess hall!

I will pass on all your thanks and good luck to Blake.

Too many Marine years in me to call it basic training, he tried to tell me the same thing.

He will be a contrct cadet at NMMI. I was shocked at how much money he gets for education. MGIBill, MGIB kicker, TA, monthly stipend, legislative scholarship (covers boarding), and drill pay. Afterwards most of tuition at UNM is covered.

Was hard seeing him go. You spend 17 years raising them and still wonder if you really prepared them for the real world, was there more you should have done?

Snapper, you have a PM.

NMMI is a great school from what I hear. I'm about 30 minutes south in Artesia NM from Roswell... He'll have fun in San Antonio for Medic school, all 4 months or so. I know I did back in 08 to become one. The river walk is a great experience. and alot of beautiful women. LOL. Tell him to stay positive and stay motivated, and not to hang out with the negative people. They can bring a whole platoon down fast. Thank him for his service from us all.

well it's not party-ville any more..
I taught the Combat Medic and the Para-course a few yrs ago..
he needs to pay attention..
we didn't pass folks just for #'s..
when in doubt..we flushed you to the cook school..
being Guard can quickly = Afghan or Iraq
no -civilian clothing first few weeks..
then comes the Riverwalk..
Snap is within mortar distance to me..as is Ft. Sam..

Rika