Tim Medeiros leaving for BMT

[spaatzmom]

Well, today is the day.  Tim has left for basic training in the Air Force at Lackland AFB, Texas.  He is really excited about this new chapter in his life, as can be seen in his away message, "I'm spreading my wings, ready to take flight and soar like the dragons of old."

I know he will do well.  He has dreamed of this since he was a tiny little boy.  What a grin when he walked out the door.  If anyone wants to write to Tim while he is away, please let me know and I will forward his mailing address as soon as I get it.

The  house is quiet, but that is ok, I can handle that with no problem.  The dogs will keep me busy enough along with work.

Deborah Medeiros

[coudano]

Keep the mail flowing as often as possible.
Getting mail can make a bad day much better.
watching everybody else get mail and not getting any...   sucks.

And more days at BMT are bad than not
mehhh

[Spaceman3750]

A trainer at NESA this year did something cool for one of his friends in BMT - at NESA, everyone he could get to do it he handed a postcard and asked them to write some words of encouragement. He then collected and mailed them so his friend would always have mail. Maybe you can try to do this at his squadron or group?

[NCRblues]

some words of advice.

Have a pen and paper handy all the time, his first phone call is going to be about 60 seconds long and he will read off his flight number squadron number and address on lackland for the squadron. (mine was flight 435, 331st squadron ext...)

Write as much as you can. Mail is so important in basic training, but make sure its in a sealed envelope...my TI had a tendency to read post cards out loud  .

He will hate it while he is there, but after graduation (which is an amazing thing, i hope you plan on attending) he will think back on it and find out it was a great experience in his life. I know i did, and truth be told....i would do basic again...cause i had the time of my life.

He has chosen well, the AF will teach him good things.

Congratulations mom!! 

[spaatzmom]

A trainer at NESA this year did something cool for one of his friends in BMT - at NESA, everyone he could get to do it he handed a postcard and asked them to write some words of encouragement. He then collected and mailed them so his friend would always have mail. Maybe you can try to do this at his squadron or group?

That is a very good idea, but unfortunately he is at wing and region, so very difficult for me to do.  I thought since he is fairly well known throughout a great part of the country and Captalk it might be an alternative.

[NIN]

With some of the pranksters around here, he might get more than a postcard!

[Ford73Diesel]

watching everybody else get mail and not getting any...   sucks.

I would like to emphasis this- happened to me a lot at boot camp for the CG

[Hill CAP]

Debbie,

When you get Tim's address please let me know. He has worked so hard for this day and I am proud to say I not only know him through CAP but as a friend.

[DogCollar]

Hi Debbie,

My son, Alex, left for Army BMT on 13 September 2010 and graduated on 26 November 2010.  I don't think I could've been any prouder of him on graduation day than I was!!  As others have said, write often...we didn't get many letters back, but we did get short phone calls on Sunday nights.  He said that getting mail from home was really, really important.

By all means, get to his graduation.  It's a pretty big deal and I'm so glad that we went.  He graduated from Ft. Sill, OK.  My wife and I drove from Richmond, VA and back.  We took a few extra days and made it a nice mini-vacation.

You are right, the house feels guiet and empty for awhile.  Eventually, we've gotten used to it.  We've used the time to do somethings that we've neglected while he was at home.  His going into the military, so far, has been a great decision for him.  He loves it, which makes us very happy.

I wish you, your whole family, and especially Tim, God's blessings!

[Spartan]

A trainer at NESA this year did something cool for one of his friends in BMT - at NESA, everyone he could get to do it he handed a postcard and asked them to write some words of encouragement. He then collected and mailed them so his friend would always have mail. Maybe you can try to do this at his squadron or group?

I don't know how the AF does basic, but every piece of mail we got was 25 push ups.  If BMT at Lackland has "fun" like Ft. Benning does, he will appreciate the encouragement and well wishes, but may not like the volume of mail.

[Spaceman3750]

A trainer at NESA this year did something cool for one of his friends in BMT - at NESA, everyone he could get to do it he handed a postcard and asked them to write some words of encouragement. He then collected and mailed them so his friend would always have mail. Maybe you can try to do this at his squadron or group?

I don't know how the AF does basic, but every piece of mail we got was 25 push ups.  If BMT at Lackland has "fun" like Ft. Benning does, he will appreciate the encouragement and well wishes, but may not like the volume of mail.

Since said instructor has been through Lackland himself I'm guessing that he considered that possibility beforehand.

[Spartan]

A trainer at NESA this year did something cool for one of his friends in BMT - at NESA, everyone he could get to do it he handed a postcard and asked them to write some words of encouragement. He then collected and mailed them so his friend would always have mail. Maybe you can try to do this at his squadron or group?

I don't know how the AF does basic, but every piece of mail we got was 25 push ups.  If BMT at Lackland has "fun" like Ft. Benning does, he will appreciate the encouragement and well wishes, but may not like the volume of mail.

Since said instructor has been through Lackland himself I'm guessing that he considered that possibility beforehand.

Insert hysterical laughter here

[ColonelJack]

First of all, Debbie ... please pass along my best to Tim and my wishes for all the best in BMT.  Oh heaven, the memories this brings up ... 35 years later, I can still smell the cologne my TI wore the first time he got into my face.  (And the second, and the third, and the fourth,........)

I know what not getting a lot of mail felt like ... and strongly encourage that you -- and all his friends -- write as often as possible.  They've changed AF BMT since I was there in '75, but it's still a major life challenge.  And, like NCRBlues, I'd do it again too.  In a minute.  (That is, assuming I was still 17, and not in my 50s.)

Remind me to tell you some time about the first time my junior TI "noticed" me ...

Jack

[Ford73Diesel]

Remind me to tell you some time about the first time my junior TI "noticed" me ...

Jack

Not to go off topic, but....

I'd like to hear this story, if you don't mind.

I only got into trouble a few times at CG boot camp, so I'll tell the worst thing that happened to me individually

We were in firefighting, which is week 5 or 6. The company commanders-CCs (think TI or DI) were not present as the class was taught by other instructors. Since we finished early, we were told to wait for our CC's to pick us up. We were not allowed to talk to each other, or slouch in our chairs, the only thing we were allowed to do was study or practice knots.

Unbeknownst to most of the company, our CC's came early and were watching most of the company screw around through the windows at the back of the classroom. The CC's took us outside and prepared to march us to wherever we went next.

The CC said something to the effect of "You guys want to act like a bunch of civilians? Untuck your shirts and turn your hats backward- TURN LEFT, FORWARD, GO, DO NOT STAY IN STEP."

I must have let out a slight smirk, the CC ran up to me, got in my face, chewed me out hardcore (spit in your face type), threw my rucksack like 20 feet, and grabbed me by the shirt collar and "removed" me from the formation.

For the next couple days I had to march behind the company. Thankfully, none of the other CC's bothered me, and I never personally got yelled at the rest of the time there.

I did have to report to the quarterdeck for a nightly incentive training session for a few days. That SUCKED. I thought it was unfair because that was the first time I got into trouble, and most of the other people there were hooligans. But I guess I earned it....

It was good times, would do it over in a heartbeat.

[ColonelJack]

/off topic on/

Okay ... it wasn't anything bad but somewhat embarrassing ... and it gave me a "job" I didn't want, but it all worked out fine.

The second day of BMT we were all lined up to get our shots, and I had had to speak to the junior TI (SSgt Williams, a very large and imposing individual).  Afterward, I did a smart about-face and headed back to my place...

"Airman Bagley!  Get back up here!"  SSgt Williams had an imposing voice as well.

I ran up, saluted, barked, "Sir!  Airman Bagley reports as ordered!"  (We weren't called "Trainees" then ... you got called Airman from the first day you got to Lackland.)

Williams glared at me.  "Where did you learn how to do that?"

"Sir?" I asked, somewhat perplexed.

"That about-face!  Where did you learn that?"

I said, "Sir, I had two years of Army ROTC in high school."

Williams looked at the clipboard he had in his hand.  He got somewhat red and said, "Then why didn't you tell SSgt Bong (our senior TI) that when he asked who had ROTC training yesterday?"

I said, "Sir, if I recall correctly, SSgt Bong asked if anyone had three years of ROTC experience.  I only had two, sir."

Williams stood back a bit, smiled grimly, and said, "You're right.  He did.  Back in line, Airman."

When we got back to our dormitory, I found out I was a squad leader for the rest of BMT.  (They call 'em elements now, but back in '75....)

That's my story.  We now return you to your original discussion.

Jack

/off topic off/

[Earhart1971]

SSgt Bong was an Assitant TI to SSgt Standifer in my Flight at Lackland. 3704 BMTS Dec 74 to Feb 75.

They always plan to have you arrive after midnight. You eat, then under the overhang of the 1000 man dorm in the dark.

Darkness and silence. You stand there in formation with 60 other recruits

Door opens - Light - Door closes darkness

Click Click Click of Horse Taps on Boots

Pick em up, put em down!

TI motions to follow, we follow up stairs.

It all flows from there!

We lost about 10% of our flight due to non hackers and medical problems.

Air Force Basic is not easy.

[ColonelJack]

Wow ... another person who remembers SSgt Bong!  Incredible!!

I remember vividly his first-night talk to us ... including the classic line, "...unless you turn chicken-s***, in which case I don't want you in my Air Force."

That man terrified me for three weeks ... then he became almost -- ALMOST -- human.

And I will never forget what I learned from him.  I don't remember what I had for breakfast, but I remember what I learned from SSgt Bong.

He was my Senior TI in Flight 373, 3704 BMTS, Nov 75 to Jan 76.  Wow.

Jack

[Earhart1971]

Bong was nice, LOL!

Standifer was crazy the first night.

I was standing next to a guy in the bay, that was messing up with dog tag chain rite of passage. In other words he could not figure out the little chain goes on the big chain.

Standifer came up and grabbed the chain (which was around the kids neck) and yelled are you a DUMB ASS?

Standifer played the bad cop, and Bong played the good Cop.

In touch with Standifer to this day. Great memories.

[coudano]

Air Force Basic is not easy.

Eh, it's easy and not easy.
No single task that they ask you to do is particularly difficult (indeed most of it is mind numbingly simple --people still manage to screw it up anyway).

The difficult thing is acclimating to the change (acclimating to the military lifestyle), and tolerating the stress.
If you acclimate well, it's a snap...  just do what you're told and enjoy the ride.
If you are hard headed and resistant, you're gonna fight the whole way and hate every minute.

Either way, it's an eye opening and life changing experience.

[caphornbuckle]

A little tip when sending stuff to people in AF BMT:

Avoid sending "care packages".  They will have what they need during BMT.

Girlfriends/Boyfriends/Spouses:  DO NOT send provocative pictures of yourself or from magazines! (some in my unit during BMT had "issues" with this one from our TI).  Hopefully, this won't apply to parents, family members, etc.! This also applies to postcards!

Just a couple of friendly notes for those who are reading this!