posted March 14, 2004 03:21 PM              

Yeah, I went through Army Basic Training a while back, but it was different for me because there was no one that I really *cared about* on "the outside".
I know the prisoner mentality that can (legitimately) set-in in such circumstances, it just gets pushed to the back of your mind, y'know? And it must be doubly difficult for him, going straight from Basic Training into Warrant Officer School (which is effectively Basic Training but w/ marginally more freedom, 5-mile runs to start your day, and obsessive-compulsive paperwork/dining rites procedures), especially with his more nurturing/worrying Scorp Rising, 4th-House Mars in Pisces, 6th House Moon in Taurus, and 8th House NN in Cancer freting about his wife and bun-in-the-oven.

Some good bits, though: We definitely have a friend in Father Patrick (the Chaplain for Mass). As people were walking out and he was shaking their hands, he tapped Jase on the shoulder and said, "You all wait just a minute..." As soon as everyone had filed through, he said, "I've been thinking about you two alot, and if there's _anything_ that you need at all, just let me know and I'll help you with it. If you need to talk or need anything, just call me."
(He's kinda kept an eye our for us ever since I called around on Ash Wednesday to see if anyone could come out and do the rites for Jase - he was on 24-hour CQ duty and couldn't go to services...I'm not Catholic, but he's gotten more so since joining & it was important to him. Father Patrick was nice enough come out with his ashes and do his thing.)
So, we have a Captain in the Chaplain Corps watching our backs
The other thing being that I was the only family member/wife who showed up to Jase's class sign unveiling on Thurs (although there are apparently quiet a few others). I ended-up standing beside one of Jase's instructors (not military, but ex - he teaches some comp. courses) and we spoke for a while. The next day in class, the instructor said, "Where's Candidate Patrick?" Jase stood up, dreading being called out. "Do you have one of those Merit/Demerit forms?" Jason pulled one out, still dreading the outcome of all of this - he'd have to turn-in whatever's written to his TAC Officers. The instructor scribbled furiously for about 10 minutes and then handed it back to Jase. It read something to the effect of, "On Thursday, this Candidate's wife was the only family member out of all of those down here to attend the sign unveiling for Blue Class. Her support of her husband shows how much he must be supporting her, as well. I believe that this WOC and his wife will be a credit to the Warrant Officer Corps."

posted March 14, 2004 03:51 PM              

I broke my pelvis and hung around a training enviroment for a year before being medically discharged (the lag in large part due to the fact that I had gained a Top Secret SCI Clearance by that point for use in my AIT (DLI Language Training & Equipment training at Goodfellow AFB).
That was, I think, the most mind-numbing time of my life.

About April (both his grad and the due date)...he...ha...um...
Well.
I was recommended to go in for an ultrasound this Wednesday at last Thursday's OB Appt because there's a good chance that the kiddo's already dropped (as evidenced by fundal height, apparently).
That, and I have to go to the bathroom every 30 minutes to an Hour.
So.
She may be a little Ram instead of a little Bull (that is, she may be born in the next 2-3 weeks)...Jase's end of training might be delayed a little more by his baby leave (they automatically qualify for 10 days), if we decide that that's the best course of action.

But, eh - babies come when they want.