Zach is in the Army Now (formerly who is from Georgia)
- Thread starter Dave
- Start date
My cousin's son just graduated at Ft. Lost-in-the-Woods. He's headed to CO as an MP.
Dave
Staff member
More pictures, you say? Well okay then!
First, Zach doing a spot of first aid. He looks excited to be there.
Next, going over some maps with his battle buddy.
Last, back to First Aid. Why? Because it's the first time we saw him without his hair. And I immediately noticed he must have had a bump...OUCH!
First, Zach doing a spot of first aid. He looks excited to be there.
Next, going over some maps with his battle buddy.
Last, back to First Aid. Why? Because it's the first time we saw him without his hair. And I immediately noticed he must have had a bump...OUCH!
TELL ME WHEN TO THROW MY GRENADE BATTLE BUDDY!
Language in video
Language in video
That video gets me every time. The look on his face when he realises.... D:
Racist.
Dave
Staff member
Zach took the Confidence Course this weekend. Now, for those of you who do not know, the Confidence Course is the thing you always see in the movies where recruits climb down ropes and scale these huge wooden platforms. It almost did me in because I'm terrified of heights.
But he did it. Mad props to my kid!
But he did it. Mad props to my kid!
Dave
Staff member
Obstacle courses, yes. Confidence courses not so much.
Dave
Staff member
You are a better man than I. I was almost wetting myself with fear. I overcame it, but it was a very close thing.
Breezed through the confidence course when we did it back in '89. I don't think I would do nearly as well today.Obstacle courses, yes. Confidence courses not so much.
We didn't get to do the water challenges though, it was 30F when we did it.
They get some ibuprofen from medical with orders to drink plenty of fluids.
Sometimes you get told to quit being a baby. At least that's what happens when my husband complains about his back during PT despite having records to show he has 2 herniated disks and an impinged nerve. His legs gave out last week while he was PTing because running jars the nerve and gives him pretty awful shooting pains. His PT Coordinator told him he was faking it and to get up. The guy later told my husband he might want to look into gluten intolerance and Celiac disease being the cause of his problems. Awesome.
...or he could have bounced down a ladder. That should be in his file, right?
It is, but the people in his current command act like they don't bother to look at his file. They tell him to stop acting like he's hurt. It's a joke.
Dave
Staff member
Okay, back from Georgia and the trip rocked. Not the 16 hour drive that I did straight through, but the rest was cool.
We did stay at a Hampton Inn (no, I didn't get any help from O_C. I had to book it before he could help) and it was the cleanest and friendliest hotel I've stayed at since I was at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago, but seeing as that one is 4-5 stars and $300+ a night, I'd hope it was good!
One thing that messed with us is that the hotel is in Phenix City, AL but the base - right across the river - is Columbus, GA. Why did this mess with us? Check out the time zones. Phenix City is central and Columbus is Eastern. Add in the fact that we had to set the clocks ahead on Saturday night and just knowing what time it was proved to be a bit of a hassle. Luckily, everything in Phenix City is shown as Eastern time, probably because all the media - radio, TV, etc. - is located in Columbus.
We got there on Thursday at about 3 PM local time, which was perfectly timed with check-in and went right to our room. I'd have liked to have rested a bit, but considering none of us had eaten in a number of hours, we decided to go find food. Which turned out to be our first "holy shit" moment. Food in Georgia is unusually expensive. Not sure if it was due to the base being nearby or what, but food was pricey, which would factor in later.
Sated, we finally went back to the room and I went to bed. The next day we went to Benning and attended the ceremony where they passed from basic training to his individual job training, which will include such things as firing the .50 cal and spending time in tank simulators and then in tanks themselves. Which all just sounds kick-ass.
He did look happy to see us!
Of course, he really wanted to just rest a bit. So we let him.
Here he got in a picture with Sammi.
Okay, here's where the expensive food thing comes in. This boy used to be like a squirrel. He'd come upstairs, grab a few things and then scurry back to his room. Now, though, the man EATS! And by eats I mean holy shit does he pack it away.
Before:
After:
That, by the way, is a 1.5 pound hamburger with onion rings, pulled pork, cole slaw, and a side. And he absolutely destroyed it. I'm sure he's working it off now, but holy crap. When he comes home in April we're going to have to take out a small loan to buy groceries!
We took him back Sunday at 7 and instead of going back to the hotel we just took off for home. We got back on Monday and we all still had Tuesday off so we weren't dead or dying and all in all the trip was a success.
Now we get to do it all again in about 6 weeks.
We did stay at a Hampton Inn (no, I didn't get any help from O_C. I had to book it before he could help) and it was the cleanest and friendliest hotel I've stayed at since I was at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago, but seeing as that one is 4-5 stars and $300+ a night, I'd hope it was good!
One thing that messed with us is that the hotel is in Phenix City, AL but the base - right across the river - is Columbus, GA. Why did this mess with us? Check out the time zones. Phenix City is central and Columbus is Eastern. Add in the fact that we had to set the clocks ahead on Saturday night and just knowing what time it was proved to be a bit of a hassle. Luckily, everything in Phenix City is shown as Eastern time, probably because all the media - radio, TV, etc. - is located in Columbus.
We got there on Thursday at about 3 PM local time, which was perfectly timed with check-in and went right to our room. I'd have liked to have rested a bit, but considering none of us had eaten in a number of hours, we decided to go find food. Which turned out to be our first "holy shit" moment. Food in Georgia is unusually expensive. Not sure if it was due to the base being nearby or what, but food was pricey, which would factor in later.
Sated, we finally went back to the room and I went to bed. The next day we went to Benning and attended the ceremony where they passed from basic training to his individual job training, which will include such things as firing the .50 cal and spending time in tank simulators and then in tanks themselves. Which all just sounds kick-ass.
He did look happy to see us!
Of course, he really wanted to just rest a bit. So we let him.
Here he got in a picture with Sammi.
Okay, here's where the expensive food thing comes in. This boy used to be like a squirrel. He'd come upstairs, grab a few things and then scurry back to his room. Now, though, the man EATS! And by eats I mean holy shit does he pack it away.
Before:
After:
That, by the way, is a 1.5 pound hamburger with onion rings, pulled pork, cole slaw, and a side. And he absolutely destroyed it. I'm sure he's working it off now, but holy crap. When he comes home in April we're going to have to take out a small loan to buy groceries!
We took him back Sunday at 7 and instead of going back to the hotel we just took off for home. We got back on Monday and we all still had Tuesday off so we weren't dead or dying and all in all the trip was a success.
Now we get to do it all again in about 6 weeks.
I think this is just from the location in proximity to the base. I know in San Antonio the restaurants will be a little pricier near the bases than they are on the north side of town.
The food thing will only last a couple days after he gets back. After I got off the Island, we stopped at a Dennys. I got two Grand Slam meals, extra side of bacon, oatmeal on the side. I finished that, the rest of my girlfriend's plate, the rest of my sisters, and my brother just slid his over, saying "I'm just gonna do this now, before I lose an arm."
Once he stabilises after being on Boot camp rations, he'll even out.
Sorry again about that, Dave... I feel really shitty that I wasn't able to to help, especially after I got your hopes up.
Once he stabilises after being on Boot camp rations, he'll even out.
Sorry again about that, Dave... I feel really shitty that I wasn't able to to help, especially after I got your hopes up.
Still feel shitty about it. Will do better next time!
