Army Life: Our Experience of Basic Training, From MEPS through Graduation

The process of going from civilian . . .

 to soldier.

Here it is.  My experience of what can be collectively called the Army's Basic" but what in actuality has quite a few steps: 1) MEPS, 2) Reception, 3) Basic, and 4) Graduation.


MEPS

On Monday, the day before MEPS, I had to drive Ryan to the hotel so he could check in. The Army puts the future soldiers in a hotel near the airport and once checked in the soldier is pretty much property of the Army.  I dropped him off around noon that day and I think he was released around 1500.  Then we had a few hours together before he had to be back.  I remember this originally surprised me.  I had had it in my head that I wouldn't have to start letting go until the day he was scheduled to swear in.  But, that's the life of an Army wife.

Tuesday, the day he was scheduled to enlist on his original MEPS contact, was a busy day.  We didn't see him much.  He had stayed at the hotel the night before and we showed up at the MEPS office around 1100, thinking he'd be sworn in soon.  Well, this was our first taste of "hurry up and wait".  A "soon" estimate turned into a 1-2 hour wait.  Word of advice: bring lots of snacks and plan on at least a 2 hour wait, if not more.  When it was finally his turn to be sworn in the NCO allowed me to be on stage so that I could take photos of Ryan.  Unfortunately the camera died but it was still fun being able to watch him.  We were the only family present out of the 18 or so being sworn in at that moment.

After the swearing in Ryan had some more instructions and processing to do before he could be released.  He was also required to ride the bus back to the hotel and THEN I could pick him up.  I did a lot of driving that day back and forth.  I think we only got about 2 hours together alone that day.  It was really rough.

I still remember the goodbye like it was yesterday.  We stood outside, next to our car, trying to find a private space but there was a lot of in and out traffic from other families.  We hadn't been apart in over 9 years.  There were lots of tears and I probably shouldn't have driven home.  It was like a piece of my heart had been removed and was carried off as he walked away.

The next day he his flight was at about 6am.  Had I been alone, I would have met him there to see him off.  The airport gives special passes to family to accompany the soldier to the gate.  You still have to go through security but you're not required to have a ticket.  Well, with a 1-year-old we decided it would be too much.  He was able to call from the airports though - some had special phones available to soldiers.  Ryan didn't take his cell phone with him.


RECEPTION

Turns out a cell phone wouldn't have been a bad idea.  Cell phones were allowed for most of Reception.  Luckily, he was able to borrow one once in a while and his bunk mate ended up being quite generous with it.  I'd say during that week of Reception I got a phone call almost every day.  They weren't long but it was definitely nice hearing his voice because once he joined his Basic unit, that was over.


BCT

I think I went well over a week without any contact.  I knew this might happen but it was still a shock.  A Facebook page was started by his commanders and in the beginning we were kept pretty well updated on what our soldiers was up to.  I remember I found out about the Facebook page from a letter, either from the sergeant or from Ryan.  The Facebook page had a mailing address but didn't list the specific platoon so in order to mail letters I had to wait until Ryan sent me one with a return address on it before I could get a letter to him.  I had written letters every day since he had left so once I finally was able to send them, I'd send two or three at a time.  It took a few weeks to catch up.

Ryan looking studly in his full combat gear.

There was huge delay between when I would mail a letter and when Ryan would receive it because mail was only collected on certain days.  He'd write back over a couple days and then I'd get it a few days after that so it was hard to stay current - everything was backlogged.

My first phone call came about 3 weeks after he started Basic.  They had to earn their phone privileges.  Actually, they hadn't even earned them yet since one soldier lost it for everyone but Ryan was able to make a special call because we were having issues with his MyPay account.  I still remember the call so well.  I was in RiteAid (not where I wanted to be when he called) and when we both heard each others' voice, it was instant tears.  I started shaking.  It's crazy how emotional and visceral the response is of hearing your husband's voice after so long.  Just knowing he was okay and able to talk and that we could communicate in real time was amazing.

I think the phone call lasted about 5 minutes.  After that he had to go.  They were supposed to be able to call every Sunday once they started the White Phase (Red, White, and Blue were the phases of Basic) but unfortunately there were more screw ups and one soldier can really lose it for everyone.  I maybe got 4 or 5 calls the whole time he was in Basic and the longest one was 30 minutes.  The shortest phone call was about a minute.  All of a sudden a sergeant was yelling and Ryan hurriedly said goodbye.  That happened a few times.

So, Basic consisted of writing letters every night.  I started out handwriting and switched to typing so I could include more.  I also took 1-2 photos of Chloe every day and would print those and send them along.  She grew up so much in those 10 weeks.

Another action shot.

That was the hardest part of Basic: Chloe.  She was only 20 months when he left and there's not much you can explain to a one-year-old.  I did my best to talk about him every day and she had her Daddy Doll but I could tell she was sad.  There's no way to get a toddler to understand time and for all she knew, she'd never see him again.  She never wanted to talk on the phone and when she heard his voice, I don't think could tell that he was actually there.  We had Ryan read stories while being videotaped right before he left and I thanked God over and over that I had thought to do that because it was the only way that she had a visual of Ryan, of his mannerisms and of how he talked to her.

Chloe two weeks before we went to Graduation.

GRADUATION

Going to Oklahoma was the best part of this whole process!  Family Day was Thursday and Graduation was Friday so we had originally planned to leave for home Saturday.  However, Ryan found out he could get passes from his AIT unit for both Saturday and Sunday so we rescheduled to stay until Monday.  That was SO expensive to change our flight but SO worth it!

We left for Oklahoma Wednesday.  I was so nervous that something was going to happen to our flight.  Sure enough, it did.  We were originally scheduled for an 8am flight but there was a delay and we didn't leave until 10am.  Because our layover was so short they had to reschedule the second half of our flight as well and we ended up not getting into Oklahoma until around 1700 their time when we should have been there around noon.  At least we made it though!

The next day we headed over to the base for the first time.  I think Family Day started around 11am with some demonstrations.  It was SO hot!  Ryan wasn't in a demonstration so he marched out with others from his class.  Thanks to my poor eyesight I totally pegged the wrong guy and was waving to him and smiling the whole time.  Whoops!  When they finally released the family and soldiers I started making my way to where I thought Ryan was only to have him call my name from the completely other side.  Either way, there he was!  I ran to him and we embraced.  It was so strange and amazing hugging and kissing after over 10 weeks apart.

Family Day.  Right after we were first reunited.

The feel of pride is indescribable.  There he is.  The same person but not, now embodying this greater cause, a cause of freedom and liberty and justice.  You just feel so proud to be a part of it, serving your country.  

Chloe took a little time warming back up to Ryan.  After about 30 minutes or so she allowed him to hold her.  They had been incredibly close before he left so it was a bummer but also we expected it could happen since she was so young.

I think Ryan was release on Family Day from about 1300-1800.  We took him out to eat and then hung out at the hotel.  His mom, dad, and stepmom were also in Oklahoma with us.

Here's Ryan relaxing for the first time in quite a while.

Graduation Day was really just that: Graduation.  We headed over to the theater around noon and I think it started around 1300. Chloe kept yelling "Daddy!"during the whole ceremony but Ryan said he never heard her.  Unfortunately I didn't get very good photos with the lighting but it's in my mind.

Before the ceremony one of his fellow soldiers took this photo and sent it to my phone.  Ahh . . . technology!

After Graduation is was chaotic.  We had less than 5 minute to find him, take some photos and congratulate him before he was ordered to help and then head over to his AIT unit for in-processing.  He called around 1500 that day to say come pick him up and I sent his dad, not realizing there would be a family orientation.  Ugh!  Go to your soldier's orientation if you can!  He didn't get released until late that day and I think we had all of two hours with him.

The next two days were better.  On average he was released around 9am and had to be back around 1700.  It was never enough time but that Saturday was our 5-year anniversary so it was really special being able to celebrate that with him. The timing was perfect.  And on Sunday we went to Mass together, something we had missed doing for all of those weeks.

Here's our cutie trying on her Daddy's hat.

Hanging out by the pool.  He did get in and swim on other days.

Heading to Mass.

Sunday we had to say goodbye again.  I kept it together a little better than when he first left but it was still so hard.  I just wanted to hang on and never let go.

And that was that.  Now he's in AIT.  We Skype almost every day and talk and text and it's much better.  Only 20 days until we're in each others' arms again!

~Laura