Boot Camp - unknowns

[ndws]

Hopefully someone here has some information to help my wife and I.

Anyway, her son is going the ROTC route through college, and is doing boot camp between his junior and senior year of HS, which is this summer.

He's all sworn in, has his MOS, etc...but he pulled a bait and switch on everybody and picked an MOS that sends him to Ft Benning, GA instead of Ft Sill, OK like everyone had planned on. In any case, that changes our travel plans for his graduation quite a bit. We aren't driving now, and are instead flying.

So, despite him having a definite day he leaves here on, his actual start of camp apparently can vary by a number of days because of the speed of his intake at the base, and in turn causes his graduation date to vary.

My questions are, has anybody gone through this recently, and have tips or advice for planning the trip? Are there military discounts for airfare available since the family is traveling for his graduation? The discount may be a pipe dream, but its worth asking about. Anything we should know about ahead of time? We'll be traveling in late July/early August with a 14 month old too, so one extra moving part in the process. lol

Any and all information is greatly appreciated.

[Frosty]

I did Basic in between my Jr and Sr year of high school. It was definitely intimidating to be that young. Unfortunately, I can't help with the rest because that was over 30 years ago. I will say that doing Basic in Georgia in the summer sucks really bad. Also, I was one of five people that didn't get to start training when scheduled because the class was too big. We had to wait two weeks for the next group to show up.

It does amaze me now that graduation from Basic is a thing. My nephew just got out of Basic for the Air Force and they had a big ceremony. My sister and BIL (and his wife) flew down for the ceremony. IIRC, we had a 20 minute ceremony and then they sent us to our next duty station (I went home).

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by Frosty

I did Basic in between my Jr and Sr year of high school. It was definitely intimidating to be that young. Unfortunately, I can't help with the rest because that was over 30 years ago. I will say that doing Basic in Georgia in the summer sucks really bad. Also, I was one of five people that didn't get to start training when scheduled because the class was too big. We had to wait two weeks for the next group to show up.

It does amaze me now that graduation from Basic is a thing. My nephew just got out of Basic for the Air Force and they had a big ceremony. My sister and BIL (and his wife) flew down for the ceremony. IIRC, we had a 20 minute ceremony and then they sent us to our next duty station (I went home).

I graduated in 2001 and they had a ceremony then as well.

Lost my ID card while my parents were there.

[oldandslow]

Went through basic in 1966. Kinda thinking maybe things have changed since then.

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by Pestilence

I graduated in 2001 and they had a ceremony then as well.

Lost my ID card while my parents were there.

You know what the worst thing that happened to me in Basic was?

The very first night I was there, I locked my keys in my locker with all my clothes, except for the shorts I was wearing. There was no one around to get help from and I was a stupid 17 year old without a clue on what to do.

After they cut it off, I got a combination lock.

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by Frosty

You know what the worst thing that happened to me in Basic was?

The very first night I was there, I locked my keys in my locker with all my clothes, except for the shorts I was wearing. There was no one around to get help from and I was a stupid 17 year old without a clue on what to do.

After they cut it off, I got a combination lock.

I spilled a bottle of edge dressing on the floor. I literally had to scrub it off with a wire brush and some heavy duty cleaner. I was dumb and did it with no windows open......ended up having to go to the ER and spend the night there. I got being the guideon taken away because of that. Plus they threatened to dock my pay to pay for the tile removal.

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by Pestilence

I spilled a bottle of edge dressing on the floor. I literally had to scrub it off with a wire brush and some heavy duty cleaner. I was dumb and did it with no windows open......ended up having to go to the ER and spend the night there. I got being the guideon taken away because of that. Plus they threatened to dock my pay to pay for the tile removal.

Ok, you win.

I did the guideon in AIT. There were a lot of benefits to that, though it made running in formation tougher.

[Dante84]

[Insert obligatory Full Metal Jacket reference]

[InChiefsHeaven]

My son graduated from Marine Boot a year and a half ago. We flew out like a day before Family Day. He actually graduated the day before Thanksgiving, so travel was a pain. We didn't know his grad date until a few weeks before, because like you said, it's not definite, it depended on some crap that I can't remember now.

Good luck. You'll basically have to wait until you know the exact date, and then get your flights, or just go a couple of days early and hang out I guess.

[ndws]

Originally Posted by InChiefsHell

My son graduated from Marine Boot a year and a half ago. We flew out like a day before Family Day. He actually graduated the day before Thanksgiving, so travel was a pain. We didn't know his grad date until a few weeks before, because like you said, it's not definite, it depended on some crap that I can't remember now.

Good luck. You'll basically have to wait until you know the exact date, and then get your flights, or just go a couple of days early and hang out I guess.

Dang it, you would think with all of the precision that is our military, a graduation date and family day could be something a little easier for the family to plan for. lol

According to the recruiter, once he's in training, then everything schedule wise appears to fall into place. But that sure kicks discounted airfare out the damn window.

[loochy]

I thought this thread was going to be about fat housewives that work out for a week in the summer

[BigBeauford]

Depending on the basic's phone policies, you either get about 2 phone calls for the entire cycle, or one every weekendish. I got the former

[Perineum Ripper]

Tell him in basic never look too far ahead..you got to look at it one day at a time..I went to Ft. Benning in 2005 as an infantryman..I never looked past the next meal and it made life so much easier..just thinking OK this sucks as but I get to eat and take a break in a few hours..Also tell him to do what he is told when he is told to do it..do not stand out..If he stands out for the wrong reasons most of the Drill will eat him up..I actually know a lot of the Drills down there right now..All from my first unit..they stayed regular army..I went on to bigger better things in the military cause well I'm awesome and they suck at life..Just kidding

As far as traveling to Georgia at that time..be ready to hate life..it will be very hot and very humid..make sure you take lots to drink for yourselves and for the little one

As far as his career in the military..I don't know if he is going active when he gets done or what his MOS is..I will say this..If he is in combat arms..especially infantry..He needs to get to know his lower enlisted very well..I had 2 Lts when I first joined..Both did ROTC..The first everybody hated because he would just give orders and didn't care about us or how much sleep or how we were doing..He left for certain reasons unknown to me..The 2nd one come in and got to know the guys..spent time with us..asked us about what we thought..always checked if we needed anything..He involved himself with us lower guys and didn't stay in that "I'm an officer" phase..He made sure he took care of his men..then during our deployment he did the same and we would have done anything he asked of us..He made himself on of the guys..In my opinion that is the best leader in the world..When you can be one of the guys and still lead..it's a very fine line to walk but if he can walk he will be a great leader

I hope this helps some

[ndws]

Originally Posted by mac459

Tell him in basic never look too far ahead..you got to look at it one day at a time..I went to Ft. Benning in 2005 as an infantryman..I never looked past the next meal and it made life so much easier..just thinking OK this sucks as but I get to eat and take a break in a few hours..Also tell him to do what he is told when he is told to do it..do not stand out..If he stands out for the wrong reasons most of the Drill will eat him up..I actually know a lot of the Drills down there right now..All from my first unit..they stayed regular army..I went on to bigger better things in the military cause well I'm awesome and they suck at life..Just kidding

As far as traveling to Georgia at that time..be ready to hate life..it will be very hot and very humid..make sure you take lots to drink for yourselves and for the little one

As far as his career in the military..I don't know if he is going active when he gets done or what his MOS is..I will say this..If he is in combat arms..especially infantry..He needs to get to know his lower enlisted very well..I had 2 Lts when I first joined..Both did ROTC..The first everybody hated because he would just give orders and didn't care about us or how much sleep or how we were doing..He left for certain reasons unknown to me..The 2nd one come in and got to know the guys..spent time with us..asked us about what we thought..always checked if we needed anything..He involved himself with us lower guys and didn't stay in that "I'm an officer" phase..He made sure he took care of his men..then during our deployment he did the same and we would have done anything he asked of us..He made himself on of the guys..In my opinion that is the best leader in the world..When you can be one of the guys and still lead..it's a very fine line to walk but if he can walk he will be a great leader

I hope this helps some

Great info. I've spent some time in Atlanta at different times of the year and yeah, the summers are tough.

The good thing is, the kid is a military nut. He loves the history of it, studies different parts of it, and eventually being an officer is what he wants to be. frankly, I think he'll do very well at it. I think he's immature at this point and maybe another year would help him in the intimidation factor, but he fought tooth and nail for his mom and dad to sign off on letting him go this summer. Originally, he had a couple different MOS in mind, but when he got to KC for his testing, he put down cavalry scout. So, he gets the crash course in rude awakenings. He's not a big kid, 5'9", 150lbs or so, but he's always stayed in great shape with cross country and other athletics, and he does close to 300 pushups and setups a day now to prepare for this summer. As far as the physical demands, I think he will be mostly ok, aside from adjusting to life on the Chattahoochee in the summer. And he should do well with various shooting exercises. He's a pretty good shot with his AR when we go out, and he's comfortable and sane with guns in general.

After training, he's obviously coming home for his senior year of HS, so he's not moving on to his next duty just yet. He's actually going in with Guards, so he'll drill during the school year locally, despite his infantry status which I think ordinarily would have him in Wichita.

In this case, is his return transportation provided like his transportation down to Ft Benning, or are we bringing him back ourselves? The recruiter actually wasn't able to answer this question, and frankly we haven't found anyone that could tell us definitively.

[Perineum Ripper]

As far as coming home when he is done..He should either have transportation home provided by the military..or he might be able to sign out and go home with all of you since he won't be going on to a duty station