So.. today began without yesterday really ending.. Remember.. I said I left Billy’s party in Houston at 1 .. and drove 3 hours .. Well today I was in San Antonio to see friend Kevin graduate from basic training for the air force.
(tell you what..it’s 1 am.. I’ve had 2 hours sleep in the last 36.. I’ll finish the text of this tomorrow..) Meanwhile.. you can see the pics !
nite for now.. all.. nite sam -me
OK.. It’s now tomorrow and I can add some color commentary to the pics I posted.. I spent teh mornign attending our good freind Kevin’s graduation from basic trainign in the air force. Kevin was one of Sam’s first and closest frinds. Since Sam’s passing.. keving has been a stedy presense in our lives.. we’ve helped him and he’s helped us as we all continue without Sam in our physical lives. We love this kid so much thet there was no way that I was going to miss representing our family at his graduation
I got to San Antonio about 4Am after a very cool and empty drive through the flat Texas night. My original plan was to get a few hours of sleep in the car.. but Diane had had the good idea that I could use Martha (Kevin’s mom’s ) room.. She’s an early riser.. so when I got to the room around 4:30. she was waking up.. She went down stairs and red whil I caught 2 hours of much needed sleep. She came back up and woke me around 7.. handed me a red bull.. and off we went towards Lackland Air Force Base..
It was raining as we drove out to the base.. which unfortunately was to force the graduation exercise indoors.. That meant we didn’t get to see the guys march..
On the way out of town we passed a Holiday Inn.. I can’t be sure.. but I think this is the same holiday Inn i had the mumps in in 1965 or 1966.. All I remember is halucinating under the influence of a 106 degree fever. My family used to come to San Antonio back then because my dad had some business with a radio station.. I rmemeber the long drives in the station wagon to get here before I10 was complete.. and before there was such a thing as car air conditioners.. Interesting memories.
We got to the base pretty easily.. I had to go through security clearence which I am please to report I passed. Martha and I had to run to catch the buss to the graduation ceremony.. They don’t mess around on schedules..
The short buss ride took us to Kevin’s training barracks.. it looked a little prison like..
We were lead to a holding room.. there were about 100 folks gathered to watch the graduation.. all were proud of their air men and air women.
In short order we were brought out to a covered deck under the dorm.. I guess we were to have had the cerimony after the parade that didn’ thappen. I for one was fine with indoors.. It was wicked hot..
The newly minted air people stood at rigid attention as we found our seats. Martha and I stood at the back
The head drill seargent called the guys to attention and the cerimony began. It was short and sweet.. and I have to say.. it kindeld a bit of patriotic pride I rarely feel these days. The female seargent reading the short intro pointed out the great thing that these kids were were doing by serving their country. I have to confess that I’d never given that part much thought when Kevin told us he was goign to enlist.. I thought about it more from his perspective.. building skills, learning discipline. helping pay for college, etc.. The more I thoguht about this service perspective, the more proud I got of Kevin.
We were then addressed by Corperal Somebody.. His own nephew was in the graduating group. he Ta short inspiraitonal speach. It was heartfelt and funny. His main messages were.. get there on time. clean up affter yourselves. learn all you can about your job, and do the best you can do.. I suppose if you follow those rules, youcan skip the training. There.. I saved you all the 8 weeks of grueling training . inhuman treatment and insufficient food.
THe corporal then admisstered the oath that turned these guys into real airman.. they promised to abide by the standard code of military conduct, obey the president and his appointed leaders of the military and to server their country.. As I listend carefuly.. I realized it was essentially a legal contract that the airman were signing with the military..
The oath was done.. and then the newly minted airman sang the US Air Force song.. recoreded here for your listening pleasure
At that point the officer declared the cerimony complete, he put the airman at ease.. and we gave them all a standing ovation..
We were then allowed to go up and grab our cadets.. Martha found Kevin in the back row.
Kevin looked good !> Kinda thin and eerily clean cut.. but it was still kevin. He was happy to have made it and we were so poud to be there to see him finish !
At that point kevin offered to take us on a tour of the training facility.. He showed us the stair well he ‘owned’.. Each airman had special responsibility.. and this was his.. he didn’t know why. but I explained that it was prophesisid long ago by Led Zepplin :
“… and he’s assining the stairwell… to Ke-vin”
(OK. you need to sing the song to get that.. )
Kevin then showed us his room
His bed
His snazzy uniforms.
even is hyperneat sock drawer
We couldn’t help slipping a little Sam mischief in there as well .
We got to see his official military portrait ..
Then we toured the day room.. where they had to do endless squat thrusts.. It was decorated wit military stuff. and reminders on how to behave
We met some of the other airmen in kevins flight.. this guy’s named is Balderas.. he’s either from Iowa or Illinois.. Kecvin wasn’t sure.. maybe Balderas isn’t even sure..
We even toured the bathroom.. (yuck)
I wnet around reading all the stuff pinned up on the walls.. Interesting and strange stuff.. i found out that the provide religious services for just about every denomination.. 87 flavors of christianity, jewish sercies, hindo, muslim, b’hai, bhuddist.. even Wicca.. That made me happy to knwo that despite the rigors of training they attempted to accomodate folks beliefs.
Kevin had a pin he put on his mom to identify her as an airman’s mom.. I offociated at this breif cerimony. Martha was really proud of her boy !
Then we were off.. Kevin was on leave till 6 or so.. We left on an appropriately decorated bus.. got our cars.. and left the base
First stop was a laundry place where Kevin got his new stripes sewed on to his uniform.
We called Diane to let her say hi to the new grad..
We then drove back downtown to the San Antonio river walk. It’s a pretty magical place.. The San Antonio river flows about 15 feet below street levl.. the baks of the river are lined wiht small resturants..
We chose one
At nights you can eat on one of the barges as it motors slowly under the town.. it’s all lit up and mariachis hang around you until you pay them to go away. I rememeber coming here so many times as a kid !
We had a really nice mexican lunch.. then we walked up and down the river a bit.
Somewhere in theer Kevin showed us the ocin they’d given him for his graduation. He was to carry it at all times. He told us that when he reacehs 21, being caught without it in a bar meant that he’d have to buy the drinks..
After lunch I still had about 30 min tbefore having to head to the airport.. So we wlaked down towards the allimo.. everywhere we went folks came up and shook kevins hand.. and said “thank you for your service” .. It was pretty cool
We took a short walk aroudn the alamo.. I remember visiting this so many times a sa a kid. This is Texas’s most holy shrine. I remember as a kid that Texas history was more important than US or world history.
It was funny seeing this place through adult eyes for the first time.. It was still pretty cool
Then it was time for me to go.. We spent a few frantic minutes trying to find our way back to my car.. I hugged Kevin and Martha and headed off to the airport still on 2 hours sleep. .. It had been well worth the trip.. .
I was so proud of Kevin He starts 6 months of training now.. I can’twait to see what he learns and what her learns abotu himself..
OK. that was my visit.. more about tomorrow. nite all, nite Sam -me
ps. I made Kevin this with the sugar packets in the hotel in Richmond.
