BCT 1

Our family dropped Grant off at 11am on 28 June 2023 for Basic Cadet Training at the United States Air Force Academy. What that means - we rolled up, he opened the door and hopped out, and we drove off. It's a very not-normal way to leave your child at school, and then to not talk to them again for six weeks (but really it was five - six to see him). During that time, we received ten snail mail letters from him with good information on how he was handling it and some of the details of what he was going through.

All of the pictures below are ones taken by WebGuy, the USAFA staff photographers, who posts the pictures and then "allow" the photos to be gone through and saved by the parents. It was a lot of pictures to go through... but when you find "the picture" it was totally worth it!

getting ready to take their first oath before the Superintendent.

His first roommate, Jackson, from Lakewood, CO.

Our buddy we met at Chickfila right before reporting.

He's a football player from Tennessee and was so funny.

This is "the bus" where they are first yelled at and then as they depart, they're getting yelled at by the cadre.

USAFA I-DAY Video - Start at 2:30

He's already enjoying it and has a good attitude.  I LOVE this picture because he has his fingers crossed which was our "I'm good" sign - HOWEVER, with his smirk, and the cadre right there, it looks like he is flipping her off. It cracks me up.

These are the footprints. There are spraypainted images to teach them the angles their feet are to be positioned, and then they are yelled at the seven basic responses they are allowed to use during BCT and that is it. Lots of learning. Lots of marching. Tons of memorizing. He did his research so none of this was a surprise.

His first letter home said he was basically ignored on the footprints - which we thought was a great thing - and he was actually wanting the full experience. Deep down, I do think it was great that several people weren't totally in his face the whole time yelling. He was told to wear simple, basic clothes and to be ready and to know the seven responses.  Apparently, not everyone was quite as ready and it made them easy targets.

Haircuts!

Learning to walk on the white marble... their only path until Recognition in April.

First pictures of physical training.

I would pretty much save any picture I saw of him. There were eight groups (A-H) and each of them were broken up into 5 smaller flights (8x5=40 total which lead eventually to the 40 squadrons). He is a Hellcat Delta (39th squadron for the academic year). It is fun to see the pictures from day 2 and how the guys in the pictures below are the friends he goes on a hike with on his first Saturday after A-Day. Also, the fingers crossed below... all is good, Mom!

This is Adi Nair, his roommate for a short while after Jack's Valley.

James, in the glasses, is his current roommate. 

Dom, the short guy, is one of his best buddies.

The three smiling are three of five that are a group of dudes.

Their first time to shop in the bookstore.

This is Grant's feet and wrist - so many times I noticed him by his Hokas or watch! :)

Back of the line. On this day, I realized his cadre might be a little relaxed compared to some because were obviously not having to march everywhere they went. Not sure if that was true or not as we haven't had time to discuss all of that fluffy stuff yet - maybe in December!

These were the first smiles - maybe about ten days in. These were their dress blues - getting dress pants sized/hemmed.

Notice the fingers :)  what a great kiddo!

The arm around Dom just really filled us up with joy - we knew he was happy and had a friend!

Smiling during a PT test!

Now he is doing the Hawaii "hang loose" sign as he received a letter from me telling him the fingers crossed sign looked like flipping off the cadre initially!

He's waaaaay in the background.  

So many different hats and uniforms.

Starting the March Out to Jack's Valley...