My wife took her oath of enlistment today in the military

[JoBri 552]

My wife took her oath of enlistment into the Air National Guard today. She will be leaving for her 8.5 weeks of Basic Training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas sometime in November, followed by her 6 week technical school at Ft Lee, Virginia. A total of almost 4 months. She went in at the grade of E-3 (Airman First Class) because of her education. She will be 39 years old in November. She has improved significantly on her push-ups now (regular or "men's" push ups, doing a total of 16 consecutive perfect military push-ups out of the 28 she will have to do by the end of Basic Training. And she is still working on her running, even in the heat we have been having.

I am proud of her.

[X Factor 1,113]

She will come back in top shape.

[-=Mai and Timmy=- 12]

cool

[ssupra1 0]

Good job!

[DavenRoxy 1,073]

That's awesome, Brijo, except for one small detail.... this means 4.5 months of eating your own cooking!!

It's awesome she is doing it, glad she was able to move forward in her dream. Best of luck to you both!

[웃 910]

My wife took her oath of enlistment into the Air National Guard today. She will be leaving for her 8.5 weeks of Basic Training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas sometime in November, followed by her 6 week technical school at Ft Lee, Virginia. A total of almost 4 months. She went in at the grade of E-3 (Airman First Class) because of her education. She will be 39 years old in November. She has improved significantly on her push-ups now (regular or "men's" push ups, doing a total of 16 consecutive perfect military push-ups out of the 28 she will have to do by the end of Basic Training. And she is still working on her running, even in the heat we have been having.

I am proud of her.

This is really incredible and I am in awe that she will enlist in the military at 39 but it is an extremely wise and adventurous decision!

She made an excellent choice. Keep us updated.

From my experience (not military but very similar, actually harder than military boot camp in many ways) there is no way to train. Being physically fit helps but it is the mental torment that she needs to prepare for.

Does she cry easily? Is she used to being yelled at? Being punished for another person's mistakes?

Spending a lot of time cleaning and folding and then being told you didn't do it fast enough as the DI throws your clothes all over the room and you have to start over. Never being allowed to sit down. Wearing boots that swell up your ankles. Being humiliated in front of your platoon for a petty mistake. Communicating with no pronouns (never allowed to say you/I) and referring to yourself in the third person:

"SIR, TRAINEE SMITH REQUESTS PERMISSION TO SPEAK SIR"

"Speak..."

"SIR, TRAINEE SMITH REQUESTS PERMISSION TO USE THE HEAD SIR"

Showering with 40 grown men using 4 shower heads and getting barely any time. Always 2 people piss per toilet at the same time and sometimes even 3 people piss simultaneously in one toilet (she obviously will luck out on that).

Fun times....

[calibob 73]

Super news. Our prayers will be with her and you as you all get through the training hurdle. Please keep us informed on her progress.....sort of a running thread on how she's doing. Although I don't know you or her personally, I'm honored to be associated with such outstanding people. Two thumbs up on her decision and best wishes for success!!

Bob

[Caryh 5,206]

Wow, its all I can think to say. I don't think I'd like my wife gone that long personally, but its good you're supporting her dreams.

[Darnell 8,479]

re: folding - aiyo... bring a pair of tweezers and a wooden 12 inch ruler into boot camp - will come in very useful for inspection prep..

[lierre 224]

COngratulations! to you for supporting her dream!

[JoBri 552]

Yeh... Actually I didnt want her going in, personally. We went down this route in 2009 when she first got here and I talked her out of it, which is a good thing because a couple months after that we conceived our son which never would have maybe happened if she was away at Basic Training then.

But since it came up again, I changed from when she first got here. Although I still didnt look forward to her going in, it isnt ALL about me... she is a human being with her own dreams too. And some of her dreams are HER dreams, and not always my own dreams I guess. I decided this time I would support her and not try to talk her out of it. I decided to tell her the good things about it too, and not only the bad. I have many years experience in the military both as an enlisted soldier as well as an an officer, and so I pretty much know what it is all about. So I tried to let her make an informed decision. I remember one night while we were laying in the dark in bed I got lost in my own thoughts and memories and was going on and on about some especially horrific aspect of when I went through Basic Training. Suddenly I noticed she pulled the pillow over her head and I asked her if she was ok, and she said "you are scaring me". Well, I stopped going on about it that night, but I did want to give her the awful aspects of the military too. She heard it all already from me...

Even up to the point when we were almost at the airbase where she would be sworn in, in the silence of our car I told her "It still isnt too late if you decide to back out of this. You can just say you dont want to do this and we still can walk away from it all and you wont have to see that recruiter ever again or go through any of this. We can just go home, and everything will be ok". But she said she is a strong person and she will be ok.

I dont want her away all that time either. And God forbid if she gets deployed to some war zone at some time, which is very likely in this day and age. And it will be very difficult taking care of our son alone. But like I said, it isnt just about me. She accomplished a lot in her short life in the Philippines. She rose to great heights there. She left it all behind to come here to the USA and start over with nothing she had previously accomplished. Now she has new dreams here, and goals, and the chance to achieve and accomplish a lot on her own and for her own. She has a chance now to make a mark in this country with her successes, and to know it (this military choice) is all about her and her own abilities and accomplishments, not tied to me or anything or anyone else in these accomplishments. Not sure if that makes any sense, but to me it is all important. She needs her own personal things of life to look back on in this country, I feel, that reflect ehr own personal accomplishments, and her own future aspirations.

At any rate, after I asked her on that drive to the airbase if she wants to just walk away from it all, and she chose to go forward, at that point I ceased to say any other negative thing about it. From here on out it is all about encouragement and support. She made the choice now and there is no turning back, so we go forward together in whatever way that may mean.

Like I said, I am proud of her. I am afraid too, but also proud. I still get the car door for her every time and I massage her feet at night and love her so much. It will be hard knowing she will be yelled at and intimidated and made to be afraid and struggle with heavy loads, but it is her desire to go through all this, so now I just have to support her the best I can.

I will write her every day she is gone, and send her care packages weekly. I really love her a lot.

This is really incredible and I am in awe that she will enlist in the military at 39 but it is an extremely wise and adventurous decision!

She made an excellent choice. Keep us updated.

From my experience (not military but very similar, actually harder than military boot camp in many ways) there is no way to train. Being physically fit helps but it is the mental torment that she needs to prepare for.

Does she cry easily? Is she used to being yelled at? Being punished for another person's mistakes?

Spending a lot of time cleaning and folding and then being told you didn't do it fast enough as the DI throws your clothes all over the room and you have to start over. Never being allowed to sit down. Wearing boots that swell up your ankles. Being humiliated in front of your platoon for a petty mistake. Communicating with no pronouns (never allowed to say you/I) and referring to yourself in the third person:

"SIR, TRAINEE SMITH REQUESTS PERMISSION TO SPEAK SIR"

"Speak..."

"SIR, TRAINEE SMITH REQUESTS PERMISSION TO USE THE HEAD SIR"

Showering with 40 grown men using 4 shower heads and getting barely any time. Always 2 people piss per toilet at the same time and sometimes even 3 people piss simultaneously in one toilet (she obviously will luck out on that).

Fun times....

[beejay 125]

You sound like a very loving and supportive husband. I wish her courage and strength during her time away Good for her for following her dream!

[JoBri 552]

Much thanks to all! I am sharing about all this on here because for us it is the continuation of our immigration journey. Personally I haven't read about anyone on here who has taken this step, although I am sure there are some posts if I dug enough on here. But it is quite a thing, I think. I mean, 7 years ago my wife was living in the Philippines with no thoughts of ever going to the USA. Since then we have gone through the immigration process, and now she is doing something that most American women wouldn't even do, and that is to serve the country in the military. The thing about it that is big to me is that she picked up with her life here, taking ahold of an opportunity she saw that is very American (I mean, the U.S. Military is definitely a very American thing... and serving the country). So, she in a big way is making this country HER country. I guess that last sentence is the big huge thing to me. I know that there are other ways to go about it, but this is one way that is exciting to me. She isnt looking back, thinking of life there in the Philippines. She is looking forward, and making herself a part of this country through her life. And I give her a lot of credit for that.

Edited July 26, 2012 by Brijo

[DavenRoxy 1,073]

When it comes to care packages, I have some input... never send her M&M's in an empty shampoo bottle. No matter HOW MUCH you rinse that bottle, the M&Ms will still taste like shampoo!! I ate them though, cuz the concept was awesome as a way to sneak them past the drill sergeants. A little cotton in the top stopped the rattling. But the taste? Ewwwwww

[superpotsky 13]

WOW CONGRATULATIONS!

Its so nice that she has you as a mentor in joining the military. I came to US when I was 17 and joined the Army when I was 18. I used to work as a nursing assistant. I did not have my own bedroom when I was living with my dad and his new family so I was sleeping in the kitchen. One day after work I dropped by the mall and there was job fair. I looked around and the army kiosk caught my eye. The Army recruiter was Filipino and we speak the same dialect. I was inspired by everything he said and at that time I was already sold that I want to join the army because I could have my own bedroom etc. I took the ASVAB test and luckily I passed (knowing that I was only a high school graduate from PI). I planned on getting my driver's license before going to basic training so I did not have time to attend the drill. After 2 weeks of passing ASVAB my recruiter told me to go to basic training. He didn't even teach me the basic command such as "attention, right face, left face etc. " He also didn't tell me about running, sit-up, and push up. Not only that I quit my job and I did not know that I was only in Army Reserve. I did not know the difference between active duty and reserve. I didn't also know the Soldier's Creed. Zero knowledge. All I did was signed the contract, took the oath, and left for basic training and AIT.

I attended basic training in Fort Jackson SC and AIT (job training) in Ft Lee VA (MOS was 92Y). On basic training: I was shocked and in tears when I was just stepping down the bus, the Drill Sgt yelling in my face "Run! Run! Run! the duffle bag was very heavy and then another Drill Sgt on my face "hurry up soldier! hurry up soldier! hurry soldier! . After 1 week in training I wanted to quit so I told my Drill Sgt that I dont understand English. He said that instead of sending me home they will send me to language school. I just realized that there is no way out. I remember my recruiter said that I will have my own bed room but LOL it was a bunk bed and a big shower room for 20 people. It was hard but I survived. On sundays I attended the service to have donuts Thankfully I made it to the graduation.

Days passed by I came back in CA after AIT ... I was jobless so from army reserve I was successfully transfered to active duty and my first duty station was in Germany. In my unit I was the only female asian and it was hard because I did not have someone to relate to. But I was only in Germany for few months because I was deployed in Baghdad, Iraq for 14 months (2005-2006) My experience in Iraq was unforgettable the rocket attacks, IED attacks, ambush, etc. no shower for weeks, no hot meal ....luckily I came back home with complete body parts. And then 2007-2008 I was deployed in Afghanistan for 12 moths unfortunately I was injured and was medically discharged on 2009. Overall my military experience was somewhat amazing.I had the opportunity to see the different places.

GOOD LUCK TO YOUR WIFE!

My wife took her oath of enlistment into the Air National Guard today. She will be leaving for her 8.5 weeks of Basic Training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas sometime in November, followed by her 6 week technical school at Ft Lee, Virginia. A total of almost 4 months. She went in at the grade of E-3 (Airman First Class) because of her education. She will be 39 years old in November. She has improved significantly on her push-ups now (regular or "men's" push ups, doing a total of 16 consecutive perfect military push-ups out of the 28 she will have to do by the end of Basic Training. And she is still working on her running, even in the heat we have been having.

I am proud of her.