Columbus,
GA week vacation was very relaxing and was
much needed time with Eric and his family!! Tuesday Johnny (aka: Pops), Connie
(aka: CeCe), and I went to a meet and greet with the men that were in charge of
our man's life the past 10 weeks. We got to ask questions as a group an learned
more details pertaining to the week ahead.
Most men were getting on a bus or airplane after graduation and moving
to different places for AIT (Advanced Individual Training), but luckily our man
along with thirty others were staying in Fort Benning for OCS (Officer
Candidate School) and had a weekend pass to spend time with loved ones!
 |
| First time to see him in 10 weeks!! EXCITING!! |
Wednesday
Pops, Cece, and I went to the award/family day ceremony and got to see Eric for
the first time in 10 weeks!!! Our man was a bit smaller and surprisingly
hairier, at least on his arms and chest Ha! He was just as excited as we were
to see him, but more excited to spend time doing what he wanted and not what he
was told to do! Getting off base was a bit of a challenge though, with all the
construction going on on base, roads were
blocked and one ways just got my little GPS lady all confused. So a few U-turns
and illegal round-a-bouts had to occur to get off base and into civilian life
for the afternoon. Immediately we went to a restaurant with TV's so he could
have food and watch and hear about what had been going on in civilian life.
Most of the afternoon was filling him in on sports, politics, and family life
talk! Then unfortunately we had to take
him back to his barracks for the night, so they could prepare for graduation
the next morning. That trip ran a bit more smooth getting on and off base!
 |
| My ARMY Man =) |
Thursday's Graduation was more exciting than I
thought it would be. When getting ready to leave the hotel and head to the
Infantry Museum, I walked into Pops and Cece's room and lo-and-behold IT'S
GUPPIE!! Guppie came for graduation, as well as Eric's sister Amy, uncle
Dayton, and grandmother Neanie!! At the ceremony the Army band was great and
actually played some entertaining music! A Georgia state senator spoke, there
was a demonstration of all the Army uniforms in history, a reenactment of
today's soldier and a presentation of arms-- each kind our man learned to use.
Then finally our men came onto the field and did their ceremonial parade and
finally they were ours and we could take them with us for the rest of the
weekend!! ...Wrong! They were instructed that OCS men were to report and file 2
hours worth of paper work, they had to
report back to the barracks for the night, be picked up at 07:00 on Friday, and
then they could be free to leave base for the weekend. So without being told
where to go for OCS check in and a few phone calls later, the men finally
realized one of the OCS guys' father knew that base like the back of his
hand!! So half a dozen cars caravanned to the OCS check-in and five minutes
later they were finished with their "two-hour" paper work! wooo
hoo!!!
Friday
was an early start to the day leaving the hotel at 06:30 to go get our military
man for the weekend... Lots of napping occurred that day! Friday night was fun
because Amy, Guppie, and I got to hang out with Eric and a few of his OCS
buddies and get to know them better.
Saturday and Sunday flew by extremely too fast and before we knew it, it
was time to pack Eric up and send him on his way back to Fort Benning for the
next 14 weeks...
Eric is
very excited to start OCS (Officer Candidate School) and begin the next part of
his career... October 9th officially started his OCS schooling which will be 14
weeks long and he will come out a 2nd LT!! WOO HOO!! He may have no phone
access for a few weeks but if he does it will be limited, which is ten times
better than basic with one phone call every 3-4 weeks. November 16th will be his Branching ceremony,
which will determine our future in the military!!! (EEE EXCITING AND NERVE
RACKING!) He will get the week of Thanksgiving and the week of and after of
Christmas to come home and spend some family time!!! He will graduated OCS
January 10th! After that it is right
now up in the air about what his/our plans are -- After his Branching Ceremony
we will have more of an idea of where and when we will be for the next year!!
Until next time XOXOX
