Our second day in Texas, and third day of our trip, was just as hectic as the first two. Once again, we had a 5am wake-up call in Austin. I didn't mention it in yesterday's post, but on our way to San Antonio the day before we'd sat in wall to wall traffic for 45 minutes behind an accident. Thus we were late and missed some of the events for the graduation. Like the Airman run. So it was our worry that we'd end up missing the actual graduation!
Thankfully our travels to San Antonio for the actual graduation were smooth and we made it with time to spare. We found a fabulous parking spot Saved up almost three entire rows of seats and welcomed up our family as they trickled in from their various parking spots around Lackland. It was still kind of cool and we actually had on thin hoodies. We had to find the shadiest bleachers so we could avoid my mom and her sunshine whining from the day before. When everyone had showed up, we started digging in to the McDonald's breakfast they brought us. Only to have to put it down and start the stand-up, sit-down of graduation.
Graduation is such an amazing thing to witness. Like I said yesterday, there were 722 graduates. They had the flag detail. And the band. Plus the rest of the guys formed up in their individual flights. An amazing thing to see all that proud blue on the parade grounds. Also amazing was the amount of uniform we were proud to be with in the stands. My uncle is retired Air Force; though he didn't appear in uniform because he'd have to shave his facial hair. Slacker. My cousin, a sargeant, was there in uniform representing the Army. My cousin-I-don't-really-know is dating a major in the Air Force and he was also present in full uniform; which is humorous when walking through crowds of newly graduated Airman. I got to be there as the active duty military spouse and my aunt put in her 20+ years. And we were all there as the proud family of a graduate. My mom getting to be a new military parent. Basically, we just had a lot of military pride happening and that wasn't even everyone in our family.
With everything going on, I really couldn't tell you what happened in what order. There were a few training MTI's who graduated. MTI = Military Training Instructor. The guys who make your life hell in basic. There were the introductions of the commanders and whatnot along with their spouses. There was one speech. Or was it two? The National Anthem. The Airman's Creed. The Air Force song. I got video of my uncle singing. Haha! And they did their march around the parade grounds. As they went past, I'm pretty sure I got a view of Uncle Choo's Airman friend and so I snapped a few pictures of what I will say was his flight during the parade.
Once the formalities were finished, it was again time to play the "Where's Our Airman?" game. Only this time we really had no clue in what general direction we should be headed. I do think I found him this second time too. We converged on him and Airman friend. Pictures were taken. Same as the day before. Only this time the guys were stammering and probably a little freaked out about being in close quarters with a Major. I don't know that they were quite sure what the protocol was for that. I don't know that they intended to spend graduation day with one.
As things ended on the parade grounds we all headed, or were supposed to head, to the barracks. Home for the last two months for my brother and his fellow graduates. My cousin and I, with four children, headed off and arrived there first. We waited around. Expecting the others to actually walk straight to the barracks. As usual, with our family anyway, they had all sort of wandered off in various directions. Leaving us to be confused, tired and a bit pissed off honestly. So we decided to search for the barracks alone. And we ended up there alone. We didn't quite realize we weren't supposed to be in the barracks without the guys, but no one got in trouble so well just pretend that didn't happen. Since no one was there, I did get ample time to take some pictures inside to show all the friends and family back home just what it's really like when you are there. Not exactly the fanciest of quarters. And once everyone arrived there were more pictures. Uncle Choo with his sock roll. Uncle Choo in front of his locker. And of course, Airman friend with his things. And with their MTI. If nothing else, we were very thorough with pictures.
At the point when we finished in the barracks we were pretty much finished. Graduation was really and truly over. When we got outside the building, the kids watched some of the trainees as they practiced on the pad below the barracks. And they played with the giant bubblers. Water fountains to some, I think. I took a few shots of everything. Then we had a random Airman outside take two family shots of us in front of the building.
And then it was off to explore San Antonio... But since it's a post in it's own. We'll leave you hanging right here.
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