Well, we are so glad to be back home after what seemed to be a whirlwind trip to Parris Island, South Carolina. You are probably aware that we attended our granddaughter's graduation from Marine Corps boot camp.
She was assigned to the 4th Battalion, Platoon 4049, November Company. She also excelled and graduated in the top 10% of her platoon earning her a meritorious promotion to Private First Class, E2. Normal graduates graduate as Privates, E1 - so this is more rank and a little more money. They graduated in their dress blues and did she look sharp and squared away.
Wednesday
We woke up at 2:15 AM and got ready to leave. We picked up my daughter at her new Vancouver residence, loaded her up, and drove to the Park and Fly at the Portland International Airport. We live just across the Glenn Jackson Bride (I-205) - about 12 minutes away. The Lord was kind - there was a handi-cap parking space right next to the shuttle bench. So we parked an waited on the shuttle.
We took off at approximately 6:35 AM on Southwest Airlines. We flew to Los Angeles where we stayed on board and then flew to Houston, Texas for a transfer. Again, God was so kind, I had wheel chair service from plane to plane!
We landed finally in Charlotte, SC at about 8:30 PM east coast time. We drove to the motel in Beaufort, about an hour away and checked in.
Thursday
We awoke at approximately 5:00 AM in order to get ready to on base in order to stand in the dark and the freezing cold and wind to watch our granddaugther run in platoon formation in a run called the Motivational Run. We stood on a corner where they turn and we waited for 40 minutes or so an the company ran by but we couldn't see her. But oh well, we were there for her.
We then got breakfast and coffee and waited in a hangar for 90 minutes waiting for orientation and liberty call to begin. They had a short 30 minute orientation about what the recruits could do while on Liberty and then at 10:00 the recruits were released to family. We had her until 3:00 PM.
We found a picnic table outside the Marine Corp Exchange and grabbed it for others did and we had a picnic in the wind and freezing cold but it was so fun. She was so sharp, we were so proud.
Our youngest daughter Stacy, her husband Paul, and the twins (Carter and Cheyenne) drove down from Ottawa, Illinois. Sonja (Brytanny's mom), Irene and I along with Bryttany had a great picnic and hugged her almost to death
We then returned her to the barracks at the end of liberty. We drove to Hilton Head, Island where Paul and Stacy and the kids were staying and we had pizza for dinner and enjoyed seeing them all.
We drove back to Beaufort and fell into bed around 8:00 PM exhausted.
Friday
We arose around 6:00 AM and got ready for the big graduation ceremony. It started right on time at 9:00 AM and ended at 10:05 AM. The pomp and ceremony was fabulous. The National Anthem, the Marine Corps Hymn, the formations, the guide-ons, the flags all brought back memories of my time in the corps and couldn't keep back the tears.
When the final order of, "Drill Instructors, dismiss your troops" was given we grabbed her and then had to drive to the staging area where her gear, bags, and etc were staged. We loaded up and she wanted to eat at Olive Garden, after 13 weeks of Marine Corps chow she wanted Olive Garden. We drove back to Hilton Head and had the best lunch and time eve.
We said good by to our Illinois family and drove back to Beaufort. Believe it or not, with the time change, the flights, the early rising times, Irene and I fell into bed at 7:30 PM and fell asleep.
Saturday
We arose at 1:15 AM and got ready. We packed the rental car (It was a Jeep Renegade & I didn't like it and don't recommend it).
Here is a tid-bit - we wanted coffee and there was a McDonald's next to the Motel. So, we whipped in the line and was the sixth car in line. It took over 5 minutes before the car at the window ever moved. Then it took another 15 minutes for the next four cars to move. Now, the car in front of us never moved, even when all the other cars did. My daughter, sweet as she is, waited until the last car left the window and then she began to honk. Finally the manager came out and had to wake up the driver. We finally 25 minutes later get to the window. The clerk slowly rang up two coffees and gave us our change. Then she said, we will put a pot on and it will be ready soon. My daughter said keep the coffee and we drove off, we had a plane to catch. 25 minutes waiting and 2.16 cents and no coffee.
We turned in the rental and boarded the plane at 6:35 AM and took off for Chicago. We changed plans and had a four hour flight to Portland. We collected our bags, loaded my Blazer and drove home.
We had a wonderful trip. We had so much fun. We are so proud of Bryttany. She had 10 days leave with family and friends, she then serves 10 days duty as a Recruiter's assistant in Portland. She then flys to Camp Geiger, North Carolina for 5 weeks of Marine Corps Combat Training.
She was assigned to the 4th Battalion, Platoon 4049, November Company. She also excelled and graduated in the top 10% of her platoon earning her a meritorious promotion to Private First Class, E2. Normal graduates graduate as Privates, E1 - so this is more rank and a little more money. They graduated in their dress blues and did she look sharp and squared away.Wednesday
We woke up at 2:15 AM and got ready to leave. We picked up my daughter at her new Vancouver residence, loaded her up, and drove to the Park and Fly at the Portland International Airport. We live just across the Glenn Jackson Bride (I-205) - about 12 minutes away. The Lord was kind - there was a handi-cap parking space right next to the shuttle bench. So we parked an waited on the shuttle.We took off at approximately 6:35 AM on Southwest Airlines. We flew to Los Angeles where we stayed on board and then flew to Houston, Texas for a transfer. Again, God was so kind, I had wheel chair service from plane to plane!
We landed finally in Charlotte, SC at about 8:30 PM east coast time. We drove to the motel in Beaufort, about an hour away and checked in.Thursday
We awoke at approximately 5:00 AM in order to get ready to on base in order to stand in the dark and the freezing cold and wind to watch our granddaugther run in platoon formation in a run called the Motivational Run. We stood on a corner where they turn and we waited for 40 minutes or so an the company ran by but we couldn't see her. But oh well, we were there for her.We then got breakfast and coffee and waited in a hangar for 90 minutes waiting for orientation and liberty call to begin. They had a short 30 minute orientation about what the recruits could do while on Liberty and then at 10:00 the recruits were released to family. We had her until 3:00 PM.
We found a picnic table outside the Marine Corp Exchange and grabbed it for others did and we had a picnic in the wind and freezing cold but it was so fun. She was so sharp, we were so proud.
Our youngest daughter Stacy, her husband Paul, and the twins (Carter and Cheyenne) drove down from Ottawa, Illinois. Sonja (Brytanny's mom), Irene and I along with Bryttany had a great picnic and hugged her almost to death
We then returned her to the barracks at the end of liberty. We drove to Hilton Head, Island where Paul and Stacy and the kids were staying and we had pizza for dinner and enjoyed seeing them all.
We drove back to Beaufort and fell into bed around 8:00 PM exhausted.
Friday
We arose around 6:00 AM and got ready for the big graduation ceremony. It started right on time at 9:00 AM and ended at 10:05 AM. The pomp and ceremony was fabulous. The National Anthem, the Marine Corps Hymn, the formations, the guide-ons, the flags all brought back memories of my time in the corps and couldn't keep back the tears.
When the final order of, "Drill Instructors, dismiss your troops" was given we grabbed her and then had to drive to the staging area where her gear, bags, and etc were staged. We loaded up and she wanted to eat at Olive Garden, after 13 weeks of Marine Corps chow she wanted Olive Garden. We drove back to Hilton Head and had the best lunch and time eve.
We said good by to our Illinois family and drove back to Beaufort. Believe it or not, with the time change, the flights, the early rising times, Irene and I fell into bed at 7:30 PM and fell asleep.
Saturday
We arose at 1:15 AM and got ready. We packed the rental car (It was a Jeep Renegade & I didn't like it and don't recommend it).
Here is a tid-bit - we wanted coffee and there was a McDonald's next to the Motel. So, we whipped in the line and was the sixth car in line. It took over 5 minutes before the car at the window ever moved. Then it took another 15 minutes for the next four cars to move. Now, the car in front of us never moved, even when all the other cars did. My daughter, sweet as she is, waited until the last car left the window and then she began to honk. Finally the manager came out and had to wake up the driver. We finally 25 minutes later get to the window. The clerk slowly rang up two coffees and gave us our change. Then she said, we will put a pot on and it will be ready soon. My daughter said keep the coffee and we drove off, we had a plane to catch. 25 minutes waiting and 2.16 cents and no coffee.
We turned in the rental and boarded the plane at 6:35 AM and took off for Chicago. We changed plans and had a four hour flight to Portland. We collected our bags, loaded my Blazer and drove home.
We had a wonderful trip. We had so much fun. We are so proud of Bryttany. She had 10 days leave with family and friends, she then serves 10 days duty as a Recruiter's assistant in Portland. She then flys to Camp Geiger, North Carolina for 5 weeks of Marine Corps Combat Training.
2 comments:
Congratulations to your granddaughter!!!
A most informative post Greggg and wonderful pics to match. How proud you must be of your granddaughter.
Yvonne.
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