Army Training, Sir!

The Jones crew arrived in Wilson on Wednesday, and we all drove down to Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Seems Wiggy's nephew was graduating from US Army basic training on Friday. We left on Wednesday night from Wilson and made it as far as Bishopville, SC before we collapsed in a heap at the local Economy Inn. Nice folks, they gave us a good rate and some 10% off coupons at the Waffle House next door, which we took advantage of. Then we drove the rest of the way into Columbia, SC and got on base for Visitor's Day.

Here's old Wiggy and The Kid hanging out with the family:



We were able to spend some time with newly-minted Private Glucose T. Coffeemaker and we wandered around the base with him. He showed us various places where he had trained and so on. I must say, some things have changed since ol' Wigwam's time in the service, back in the early 1980's. Female recruits in the same platoon as males. All uniforms were sent out for laundry service. Recruits are given Article 15 punishments like parking tickets (when I was in, an Article 15 was a career-ender).

Here's a photo of Pvt. Coffeemaker's younger brother with the Pvt. Glucose had done his brother up with cammo stick for fun:



The next day, we gathered for graduation ceremonies, which were very well done. A four-star general, one General Burns, was in attendance, and he spoke well. There was a 'Pass in Review' and then it was over, more or less. We were given 15 minutes with our new soldier, then he had to get on a bus and be taken to Advanced Infantry Training, which in his case will also be on Fort Jackson.

Here's our boy:



So we drove back to Wilson yesterday, and we again all collapsed in a heap. At the moment, we've got our coffee, Mrs. Wiggy has gone to get the bisquits, and at some point this afternoon, we'll all pile in the Chevy for a drive into Raleigh to put the relatives on a plane back to Minot, North Dakota. Pretty cold up there this time of year - but we got sunburned in South Carolina.

Semper Fidelis,

Wigwam Jones