Bitter sweet

[57 Ford Kustom]

Today was a hard day for me. Today I delivered my oldest son to the USAF. I never thought it would be so hard to say goodbye. He was my right hand man around the house, at work, and in the garage. We laughed yesterday about how hard it will be around here with just his little brother left here at home. Yesterday I laughed, today I have deep sorrow. But on the sweet side, he is opening a new chapter in his life, and the USAF is getting one of America's finest young men! Thanks, Tim 

[Zapato]

Tim, I was at a family gathering a few months ago and a nephew told me a story that was new to me. His mother told him that on the day my family learned(dad knew first) that I had received orders to Nam that not a word was spoken for hours after he announced it to them. It would be a wonderful world if parents didn't have to ever send their kids off to the armed forces sadly we will never see that. He'll be fine as you said he's one of America's finest young men. He'll do you and his country proud.

You might consider keeping a family log of events while he is gone and gifting it to him years from now. Include both good and bad its all valuable. Its amazing the things that have been brought up at family gatherings that still surprise me. And my day was just over 42 years ago.

Remember e-mail and texting is OK , but snail mail and care packages are GREAT! Nothing can raise spirits like some homemade treats. And there will be those days where the lift is needed;

He's now part of a proud ever shrinking brotherhood. And no amount of earthly treasures will match or replace his coming experiences. I am proud now to consider him my new brother.

Zap-

[57 Ford Kustom]

Thanks Zap, I like the idea of the family journal, great idea! He was very excited to leave today, I can remember when I left for the Army, I was excited also. But now I'm the Dad, and not the bright eyed kid. I guess it is never easy to say goodbye. His mother and I are so very proud of his decision to serve, just hard at first. Thanks agian for the idea about the journal. Tim

[alvin stadel]

Tim, I have twin sons, both career Army. They have done 8 tours between them and My oldest twin, Kyle, has to go again in Jan. Sounds like you are good dad, so I will tell you this, no matter where he is you will never stop worrying about him, I know I don't mine.
be as proud as you can and Zap is right , it's the little things esp. care packages that they will look forward to. E-mail and phone calls will make your and his day. take care, Alvin

[Zapato]

And be sure you both get set up with Skype, in my day we hung around at a M.A.R.S. station for hours waiting for a bunch of Ham radio guys to complete a connection. Strange but the one time I called home from Nam the guy making the final link was my high school shop teacher. Heck 12 year old kids today walk around with much better communication devises than the government had then.

Zap-

[Ford Blue blood]

Hook ups with family are phenominal today!  Get everything you can to stay connected.  As Zap said, the days of hanging out at the M.A.R.S. station are over.  As late as 1986 there was no way to communicate, we were in the Indian Ocean, Ham comms were impossible, mail was six weeks from question asked to answered, letters were numbered so when the rare mail call was held and you had six or seven or more you would know which one to open first.  Heck, on that cruise when we went into the IO my kids were in school, when we got into the Med they were back in school.

Both of my son - in - laws were deployed, one to Iraq and one to Afghanistan, both had Skype and email, just so much easier for the girls to keep in touch and manage the home while they were gone.  And as said, the care pakages, seams like they are the main connection, they were for me when I was young and bullet proof, no matter how "macho" the cookies and "home" stuff always filled the void.

[4thgen57]

Tim, I would just like to say Thank you! and Thanks to you son. Sometimes I wish I had the guts to serve. Thank you to all of you who had more courage than me to do what have done/ are doing.

[57 Ford Kustom]

Thanks guys for all the encouragement! I forgot how " connected" the world is today. I will check out Skype and see if I can set it up. He told me no care packages in basic training. But I think his first letter to us with his address will do wonders for his mother and I. Thanks agian, Tim

[Zapato]

Basic training, even in my day getting a care package wasn't a good thing. It can bring unwanted extra attention to a person.

I had a friend that used to write me and she would write F.T.W. on the back of every envelope and plant a big red lipstick print to seal it. Did a lot of pushups at mail call and you guys know how they get in your ear in this case was all about was I ''doing a commie bitch''. Those were the days.......

Zap-

[Ford Blue blood]

Yup...I remember the "good ol days" when we had to travel in uniform!  Airports were most unpleasent!  Refused to join a locker club so I could have civies, standby (had to be in unform to fly standby) was all we could afford for tickets.  As an E-4 making a killer $135 before taxes choises were thought out carefully.

Boot camp is not the place for care packages, mail and time for it is hard enough, besides after boot there is usually time to get home before reporting to the new duty station.