My family and I traveled up to San Antonio, TX, this Thanksgiving, to visit my brother, who was graduating from Air Force basic training.  My brother, Trent, has been in basic training for just about two months now. Basic training is filled with many different tasks and affiliations.  They not only have to go through physical training but mental and emotional training.  To pass basic training, airman have to pass a test that includes: a two mile run and another one and a half mile run, they also have to be able to do a certain amount of sit ups, pull ups, and push ups.  They also have to learn how to deal with getting up early and eating at certain times or they have to learn how to make a bed in an exact way or how to fold their clothes.  My brother learned all these things and passed with an 87% average on his final basic training test, which meant he was only three points away from getting honors.

Throughout the five days we were at the base, we were able to tour the base and get an inside look at what goes on.  We got to see many of the fighter planes and jets that were stationed around the base and we got to go into the malls that they build close to the base for people living there. On Wednesday, we were able to go onto the base and watch Trent’s coin ceremony which is where each airman gets a token for their service and graduation. We were able to celebrate Thanksgiving with him on Thursday. On Friday, we got to go on the base again to watch Trent graduate and become an official airman. Saturday, we were able to take Trent off the base again, where he was allowed to wear street clothes, and we toured Texas. We went to the Alamo and the River Walk. We then headed back home to watch football. On Sunday, we went to the Baptist church which is located on the base. We then had to come home on Sunday night because Sunday was the last day we could visit with him.  Being able to visit with him was huge for everyone, we had all missed him and it was good to see him happy and well.

It was a privilege that my family and I were able to go onto the base and that we were able to participate in all these activities. It was very rewarding for me to be able to see the inside happenings of a military base and everything that goes into making an airman.

During this time my family and I were also able to meet many different people who were in my brother’s airman group, which is called a Wolfpack.  It was nice to meet the people who kept him company and who helped him through these two months that he has been away from because it can be very hard to get through especially if you do not know anyone else.