My son with his first cup of coffee in 10 weeks
 

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1320148491.jpg

He's on the far right
Recruits don't get caffine during basic training at Fort Jackson SC. He finished last week, lost 10 pounds (not sure where), maxed out his PT scores and was soldier of the cycle for his company.
And hats off to his buddy Van Dyne, going through basic at 37.
Jim

Congrats and THANKS!

Military experience is a great character builder.

I can't imagine going through basic training at 37. I went through boot camp at 20 and it kicked my butt! I was the "old man" in my company...

Wow, congrats!

I can't make it through 10 HOURS with no coffee, I can't imagine 10 weeks!!!

Huh.... We drank all the coffee we wanted when I went through Army basic training in the 80's at meal time. Our MRE meals all had instant coffee in them also when we had to eat those in the field.

Crazy.... After thinking about this, I can still remember what the coffee in the mess hall tasted like (not good) and I can also remember what the coffee from the mobile lunch vendors (maggot wagons) tasted like (tasted better). I guess one's taste buds are capable of forming powerful long lasting memories.

Congrats and was thinking of what basic was like a few days ago. Doubt that I could do it at age 37 and surely not now.

tell him congrats!

my first cup after that long..i would have brought my own ceramic mug! hell, made my own in a coffee press..

Good for him! I went to Ft. Leonardwood for basic (Combat Engineer) and it was tough. What's his MOS? Looks like he's an E-4 already.

Awesome and HOOAH!

Tell him "thank you" from me please.

"Fort Lost in the Woods" ... 1974 there for me!

Congrat to you and your son.

And thank you for your service!

All the best to your boy and his friends. Thanks from everyone at home.

Ditto, but in the 80's. Running a couple miles through those hills each morning SUCKED!

yeah i remember low crawling in the ft jackson sand.. i was drafted in june '66 only a few days from my 26th birthday..i was married with no kids. scor
ed the highest in my company on our first PT test and was rewarded with a saturday afternoon pass! maxed the final PT test...71 now and how i miss those days of physical capability!

congrats to your son.

van dyne at 37.... what possessed him to do that?!

Wow...my thanks to all who served and all who are serving.

Thanks guys
Cathy and I are somewhat at a loss as to why he has turned out so well. It's probably a good thing he never met his parents when they were his age.
He went in as an E-4 (college grad) but didn't want to be an officer. His AIT is signals/communication, taking it at Fort Gordon, GA
Jim

Congrats and thanks to all of them.

No Coffee:

This may explain what happened to me on my last flight. As I was seated, 2 recruits passed by to be seated somewhere behind me. As the stewards made their rounds, I told her that I would pay whatever they chose to eat and drink and to tell them that whatever they wanted was already paid for. To just tell them that someone on the plane had taken care of it out of Thanks.

It was about a 3 1/2 hour flight. When the steward came with my bill, it only had what my wife and I had partaken. I asked her if she had forgotten about the soldiers? She said, "No sir, they slept the entire trip."

Again, thanks for what they do.

Maybe unemployment?

I seriously considered going in a couple of years ago - got the physical, took the ASVAB, all that. Would've been 39 at the time. No picnic fo' sho - would have done basic and then right off to OCS for more fun. Then got the offer at this place and decided it was better for me/my family. Tough to sign on the line with others depending on you and who would be better off with you being around in something resembling a stable household.

unemployment was my guess.... but still.... i can't imagine doing basic at my age (42), but it might have killed me at 37. at 18 they wouldn't take me, anyway. deaf in one ear and diagnosed with cancer right after my 18th b-day.

thanks to those that served and are serving.