My son is currently in Jump School. He will graduate in 2 weeks. Trying to decide whether to travel to graduation. I'd love to see him jump, but I think that concludes a day or two before graduation ceremonies. Hate to take 2 days off from work and travel 6 hours each way to see a 30-minute graduation. Any advice from anyone recently participating is appreciated.
Airborne graduation
- Thread starter Tiger87
- Start date
That's a great point, Ooh-Rah. I, too, went to see my son graduate Army OSUT and it was a proud day for everyone involved. That is part of the problem with traveling back to Benning. I was just down there 2 weeks ago and took off 3 days for that graduation.
I will gladly go if it is a worthwhile ceremony. Like I indicated, I'd rather see him jump because that would be a definite once in a lifetime as a parent.
I will gladly go if it is a worthwhile ceremony. Like I indicated, I'd rather see him jump because that would be a definite once in a lifetime as a parent.
TLDR20
Verified SOF
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2009
- Messages
- 6,548
To be honest I would save your time and money. If he has an option 40 I don't think he will have much time afterwards to talk to you. He may get hemmed up and shipped off to start the fun and games right away. Airborne graduation is no shit 30 minutes long. It isn't that impressive.
Thanks, TLDR. He is option 40 and that's what I was afraid of. Another option I've been thinking of is going down Sunday of Jump Week and taking him out to eat. Then sticking around Monday morning for his first jump. I'd still miss a day of work, but if I saw a jump, it'd be worth it. Do jumps absolutely start Monday morning, weather permitting?
If your days off are slim, my suggestion is this. This is your son jumping.......can you see him?
You'll have plenty of time and opportunities to see him jump during his career.
While it is a worthwhile ceremony, I would hold off until he graduates RASP. That day will be the proudest moment in his life and your family's as well.
TLDR20
Verified SOF
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2009
- Messages
- 6,548
This is something that may seem harsh. I'm not a parent, but I was a young man once and in his position. He may be homesick, and may miss the hell out of you, and you him, he may also want to go hang with his boys that he went through basic with. He may want to spend his Sunday relaxing without any added responsibilities, or he may want to PT and recover. Maybe just let him do that for a bit.
He is growing, and has already become a man. It would be harder in my opinion to have you come, and put him in a position where he has to come out, and not do something with the dudes that might make him feel left out. It is hard and I know you just want to be that supportive dad.
Maybe feel him out. I know that whenever I had family come visit, it was a hard juggling act for me. Juggling actual work responsibilities with the added stress of having to accommodate their demand for time.
TLDR, it's less the homesick thing and more the respect/support thing. He's a 22 year old who went to college before enlisting, so he's self-reliant and we're all past homesickness. At the same time, he's told me a couple of times that I don't have to come, but if I want to, I'm welcome. I think I will talk more to him about it.
Did you graduate airborne? I went a "few" years ago and they let dads wing their kids
They were doing that in '93 so the option is probably still there. With that said, to the OP I would say skip graduation.
My Dad "winged" me in 2003, and I was able to "wing" my younger brother a year later.
I loved my Dad for being there, especially since he'd be in the 82nd, wish my Mom could have been there too. Then again, I wasn't doing the duffel bag run over to Ranger barracks afterwards.
If you do go, take a lot of pictures!
I loved my Dad for being there, especially since he'd be in the 82nd, wish my Mom could have been there too. Then again, I wasn't doing the duffel bag run over to Ranger barracks afterwards.
If you do go, take a lot of pictures!
Well, we worked it out so I could go on Friday for graduation. He was proud and really wanted me there, though he wouldn't come out and say it. Their jump week was windy all week, and by Friday they only had 2 of the 5 jumps in the books. So they were planning to jump all day with graduation late Friday or early Saturday. Cool - I would see him jump and graduate. So I sat at Fryar Field all day. Saw a few jumps that morning - none of my son - then they got grounded for wind. (However, midday we saw some Ranger HAHO jumps.) Late afternoon, they finally took to the air and everyone finished their 3rd jumps. Saw my son - though I didn't know until they came running by if it was his Chalk or not. I kept my eye at the end of jump group, because he was always last. The Air Force shut it down at 7:30 that night, and no flying over the weekend, so they had to wait until Monday to finish up. I had to leave that night so I didn't get to pin his wings. But everyone did get their final 2 jumps in on Monday and graduated on Tuesday.
