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Basic Training
1. Your name (as you would like it to
appear on the website): Julana Strathearn
2. Where did your soldier attend basic
training? Fort Benning, Georgia.
3. When did he attend basic training?
February 8th 2008- April 17th 2008
4. How often did you hear from him?
(Phone and letters) I received a phone call the day he left
to let me know he'd arrived safely. 3-5 days later I got a
phone call for about 3 minutes, mostly to give me his
address. That same week I began receiving letters. I usually
got two letters a week. In total, I received 6 phone calls
before they were given their cell phones back before
graduation. Mostly, the calls were about 5 minutes, with a
couple of 15 minute ones towards the end.
5. How long was it before you heard
from him the first time? The night he left, then about 3 or
5 days later.
6. How long did it take to receive a
mailing address for him? About 3-5 days.
7. Were there any restrictions on what
you could send him? I couldn't send anything but letters and
cards. He didn't want me to send anything else, since the
DS's use it as tools for smoking.
8. Were you sent information about
family day and graduation? Yes. About 4 weeks prior to
graduation I received a letter from his company commander.
It also brought to my attention the possibility to drive my
soldier to AIT and an e-mail address to let someone know I
intended on doing so.
9. Did he have a family day? If so,
please describe. Yes. Family Day was the day before
graduation. It was at 9 am. The ceremony was only about 20
minutes long and was very nice. They were given their berets
and presented as soldiers. We were able to go meet the
soldiers and hug them afterward and it was really emotional.
There is limited seating, so get there early and sit up
front! Afterwards, he had a pass until 8 pm that night.
10. Please describe the graduation
ceremony. The graduation ceremony was the next day and also
at 9 am. Get there early and sit up front if you can! There
are graduation pictures available at a booth, and
t-shirt/memorabilia booths there also to check out. The band
played and the ceremony began with a staged "attack" kind of
thing involving two tanks, smoke grenades, M16 fire, and
Army guys with guns. I thought it was exciting, the soldiers
think it's dumb. Then the ceremony continues with the
platoons marching in and announcements regarding outstanding
soldiers and achievements. It's about an hour long.
Afterwards, you can go find your soldier, but only for about
10 minutes before they have to be back!
11. Is there a website for his basic
training unit? Is there a place to see pictures of his
training online? I found a website through Benning's
website, but his unit hadn't updates pictures since December
of 2007. Some other units did, though, so it's worth
checking out. Once you have his address, go find the site!
12. Any other tips or information? On
graduation day, don't linger too long after the ceremony.
give him a hug and take a couple pictures, then leave to
meet him at his barracks. You'll beat most people and be
able to get him off the base sooner! If you're driving him
to AIT, you'll need to wait in a line to sign him out so get
there quickly! The first day you go on base, you'll need to
get a visitor's pass so allow for that extra time. Make sure
you've got your military ID and all registration and
insurance info for your vehicle!! Don't worry about dressing
up to the extreme, either. For any ceremony. You end up
doing more walking around than you expected... so wear
comfortable shoes!
**************************************** We are currently seeking writers to contribute about their soldier's experience during basic training. Since training, contact and the overall atmosphere can vary greatly from one basic training post to the next, I thought this would be helpful. If you would like to contribute your experience to help other Army family members, please email me this completed questionnaire. Thank you for your help!
Before He Leaves...What You Need To Know & Do As An Army Wife Use this checklist as a general guide before he leaves for basic training.
If your soldier's basic training and AIT includes Christmas, you'll want to learn all about Christmas Exodus. Hint: You'll get to see him again!
Writing Letters During Basic and AIT Learn all about your main form of communication with your Army soldier while he is training.
What You Can and Cannot Send Your Soldier During Training Find out what is permissible to send your Army soldier while he is in training and find out what will get him in trouble.
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