He did it

Gun Grape

Gun Grape

Resident Curmudgeon
Joined
Mar 12, 2005
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Location
Panama City Fl
Today was Little Grapes last day as a high school student. Extremely proud of the Kid. He hasn't made less than a B since 3d grade. Not an athlete, which is fine by me. But a member of the Math Club, Physics club,STEM club, National Honor Society, Computer club, and at graduation will be 20 credit hours away from a AS degree.

Back around Nov, I started noticing a change in him. He was trying to decide which engineering field to major in, we submitted his FSA application and were talking about taking the ACT for a second time.

Then the Friggin recruiters came to the school for Senior Career Day. And he asked me if it would be a good idea to take the ASVAB. Just to get use to taking test.

Then in Jan, he and I were looking at a few packets from various schools when he hit me with " I want to take a break from going to school." " I hear the stories from you and mom about all the places you have been and I would like to see the world before locking into a career/life". I had no argument to counter that.

The only thing that I insisted was that when he went to see the recruiters I would accompany him. To call Bullshit when I saw it. So we went to see all 4 recruiters. I did tell him that there was no way I would let a son of mine join one of the branches. He ships for boot camp at the end of June.

Any guesses on which service he will become a member of?
 
Congratulations and good luck to your son, Gun Grape.
[I was hoping the answer would be NASA (lol)] ...but the "I'd like to see the world" sure reads as USN.
 
Gunny,

Congratulations to young Grape. I know your wife and you must be immensely proud. It appears he worked his tail off in school and that sort of drive seems increasingly rare. Betting he'll be a success at whatever he chooses in life.
 
OOOORAH!

Congrats to the Young Man.

And regardless of the service he chose (you did say Boot Camp so I am assuming USMC) I am sure he will be a fine Soldier/Marine/Sailor. I didn't say Airman because I consider the USAF an ally.
 
Congratulations GG. Proud day for you & Mrs Gunny. You have obviously raised a fine boy who will be a credit to his family & his country.
 
Thanks all.

My son is joining the Air Force.

The service that I told him I wouldn't let/want him join was my own. The Marine Corps.

The Navy recruiter stood him up on 3 scheduled appointments without so much as a text to say he couldn't make it. The 2d time, I called his Master Chief who informed me that the recruiter was on annual leave out of state.

The Army recruiter cussed like a storm. And after finding out that I was a Marine did the "they go to army schools so the Army is just as bad ass as the Corps". My son informed him that he had grown up in a Marine home and that he heard more cuss words in the 15 mins with the recruiter then he had heard come out of his fathers mouth in 18 years. His last words to the recruiter was "At the end of the day your still the Army and if you are the best example of what I should expect then its very unprofessional". I was ROFL

The Air Force recruiter was straight up professional, answered every question my son and I,asked. Didn't sugarcoat anything Then as a kicker told Chris that since he had base access, he should go talk to airmen and confirm what he said. So we did, asking Airmen from E-3, NCOs Jr Officers and even a Col. At 2 different bases.

In the end I was kicking my ass that I hadn't done the Air Force thing.
 
Nice to see the Marines are on top of stuff like this Gunny. Once the rot starts who knows where it will end. Honor is satisfied. :-D
 
Saw my son off today. His projected grad date is Aug 17. Which by some strange coincidence is exactly 36 years to the day from the day I started Marine Corps boot camp.

Man the house is empty without him.
 
Little Grape graduated Basic Military Training. The wife and I had a great time in San Antonio. Like a week before the hurricane. Although they didn't get any of it.

After watching the 2 day graduation thing that the Air Force does. Coin ceremony on one day, Graduation parade the next, If there is a hell, then Marine and Army SNCOs go to Lackland AFB to watch the cat rodeo for eternity. Does the AF even have a Drill and Ceremony Field Manual?

He didn't make Honor grad. Messed up on his written test. He was , however, the Series (Flight?/ Group that graduated that week) high shooter on the range. With a perfect score!!!!!

In the Corps that would have got him a meritorious promotion to E-2. In the USAF, not even a mention, except for his MTI telling me when we toured his dorm, an a marksmanship ribbon.

I did give him a hard time about graduating boot camp and already wearing 3 ribbons. Let him know it took years for me to get that many. And I had to get shot at to do it.

He is at Sheppard AFB becoming a "Super Wireman" MOS 3D1X7 Cable and Antenna Systems. Where he is learning, According to the AF website
Installs, maintains, reconstitutes, removes, and modifies copper core, coaxial, waveguide, and fiber optic cable and antenna systems. Climbs antenna support structures and wooden poles to various heights for maintenance and installation actions on cable and antenna systems. Installs and maintains dedicated local area network (LAN) and wide area network (WAN) media distribution systems, including distribution system interior wiring. Uses drawings, task lists, instructions, and technical data to work on copper core, coaxial, waveguide, fiber optic cable, and antenna systems. Installs distribution equipment. Terminates copper core and fiber optic cables on main distribution frames and interface equipment. Operates and performs maintenance on tools, test equipment, auxiliary equipment, and vehicles such as backhoes, trenchers, cable trailers, cable reel trucks, and antenna construction vehicles.

Locates, repairs, and replaces faulty closures in copper core, waveguide, coaxial, and fiber optic cable systems. Performs pneumatic troubleshooting to locate faulty splice closures and demivalve assemblies. Excavates and backfills splice pits. Seals cables, repairs demivalves, and adjusts pressure transmitters and contactors.

Installs and maintains aerial cable support structures such as pole line and suspension strands. Installs underground cable, uses duct rods, cleans cable duct systems, prepares the pulling apparatus, and pulls in and temporarily bonds cable. Installs, maintains, and marks path of buried cable systems.
Click to expand...

So he will have a job with the telephone/cable company if nothing else when he gets out.

he is in good hands while at Sheppard. Has a Marine Gunny as a instructor.

I remembered this thread because he called me last night. They got their orders. The lucky devil is going to Kadena.

I assured him that he would have a blast. I spent over 4 years on Okinawa as a single Marine. The Marine Corps had to drag me off the island. Kicking and screaming all the way to the "Freedom Bird".

I will definitely have to go visit
 
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Congratulations to your lad Gunny. A credit to his parents.

Given your travel plans I'm assuming the statute of limitations is up on your previous activities there. ;-)
 
Good Times!

yeah the Air Force Critters do things a little different....

But congrats to him...and in the Army Signal Corps we call folks with that MOS Wire Dogs or Cable Apes!
 
congrats to the Little Grape!

I assured him that he would have a blast. I spent over 4 years on Okinawa as a single Marine. The Marine Corps had to drag me off the island. Kicking and screaming all the way to the "Freedom Bird".

I will definitely have to go visit
Click to expand...

raises all sorts of questions about how many other Little Grapes are running around Okinawa...;-)
 
astralis said:
raises all sorts of questions about how many other Little Grapes are running around Okinawa...;-)
Click to expand...

I can neither confirm or deny the presence or absence of little grapes on the island of Okinawa.

But hypothetically, if there were female grapettes, they would be in their early thirtys. Doubt Little grape would "hook up" with his half sister. And their children, if any, would be young.

So no need to broach that subject with him at this time.

Bigfella said:
Given your travel plans I'm assuming the statute of limitations is up on your previous activities there. ;-)
Click to expand...

Maybe something I need to look into
 
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