As of Thursday, 2-14-08 our youngest son is regular army (boot camp). Cindy and I dropped him off at the recruiting center in Tucker, GA. at about 3 pm Wednesday, and watched him drive off with his Sergeant to a local motel where the army put up new recruits for the night.

Thursday, he called and said they were loaded up and schlepped to Atl. Hartsfield to meet other new recruits for the drive to boot camp at Fort Benning Ga. Officers hadn’t taken their cell phones yet… (he’ll be incommunicado for awhile) so he was touching base before the cut-off. Seems all the recruits were sitting in the Atrium at the Airport and soldiers were coming and going, to and from deployment. As new troops came in there was applause throughout the atrium as people showed their appreciation and respect for those defending our country. It was a touching and inspiring moment for him. I reminded him that things haven’t always been that way for this country’s defenders so to ALWAYS pass that same respect to those who served before him, esp. Vietnam vets who weren’t appreciated at the time.

He passed along some news he was excited about… He had been trying hard for airborne but hadn’t been successful. That had been the only down point in his whole experience to this point. I didn’t get all the details but seems an officer called him out of the group, took him aside and asked if he still wanted that assignment. After an excited “yes” from Devin he stamped his personnel file “Airborne” a couple of times and congratulated him! He got his assignment! (Now all he’s gotta do is make the grade!!!)

Well that’s it for now. He’s finishing his third day in boot camp as I write this and I’m assured it will be awhile before there are any updates. Cindy says she’ll post tomorrow.

Please feel free to post at will. I’d like to have this site an inspiring present for him when he can finally access from Benning.

Love to all and keep him in your prayers!

papaj