I had been married for less than a month when my hubby took off for basic training with the U. S. Air Force in April 2008. At the time, basic training on the enlisted side was for 6 weeks. Although, right after my husband took off they decided to extend it to and eight week experience. The whole process started off with many visits to a recuters office. I joined my fiance once or twice to his meetings and asked a few questions. The recruter my husband saw was one recommended to him by his cousin. It's not easy to find one that will tell you the truth regardless of the quota they have met for the month. But we were blessed with a man of integrity who took a genuine intirest in my soon to be husband. They actually still talk on the phone now and then. There was a lot of paperwork to fill out. Not sure how many times they require you to "sign on the line". In case you are in this stage yourself and wondering how it works. The ASVAP is a test that any canidate for the military must take. The scores for the ASVAP determine if you will be placed by the military into a job they choose for you, or if you will be able to make a list of preferred jobs. And from the list of preferred jobs, you just wait and see where you are placed. Sometimes you do get a job "guaranteed" to you , but that job/field is only guaranteed as long as you graduate your basic training and your technical training for that specific field. If you have sturggles in your technical training you have the possibility of being placed in another field alltogether.
Anyways, after the many meetings, tests, paperwork and such you are sworn in. And soon afterwards you are given a date for when you go to basic training. For the Air Force, basic always is at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX. It would be a good time to start working on your run if you haven't by now. Physical testing is not as easy as people like to tease our particular branch about. You will be given a list of things to pack and things not to pack for your time at basic training. Sneeking a cell phone is NOT a good idea foks. Something to keep in mind if you are helping with the packing.
After three weeks of marrige, my new husband took off to basic training, and I went to spend time with family. Gals, don't expect to hear from your sweetheart much while he is away. They never know exactly when they will be granted time to call on that little pay phone. And when they do, the clarity of voice is usually not very good and the call itself is about 5 minutes. The days of carrying my cell phone everwhere I went had begun. I wrote him a letter every day. And he soon became popular for beign the guy with the most mail. It was also a way for me to feel closer to him and share what was going on, even thought we could not talk. I did not want to distract him from his work and knew he did not have time to read too much so I kept my commnicatio short. Often including Bible verses or a picture.
About four weeks into basic training my husband got sick with a high fever and was transferred to a sick ward. They don't take the greatest care of you therem, but as least he got to rest and make a phone call daily to me for a few minutes. We did not know if this would hold him back from graduation on time, and were concerned. I had all ready purchaced a ticket for his graduation ceremony. But he was able to find someone that listend to his appeal to re-join his group and was able to graduate right on time. What a blessing and relief on my end.
I flew out to see him graduate along with two of his buddies. And when I saw him with his haircut, in uniform marching I knew we were in the military now, it really hit me. The anticipation is tremendous at times like these in life.
We spend one day off base together after the graduation. Then he was back to the base, to head off to technical training for his career field. And I was about to start a new countdown till I was able to see my hubby.
