Side trip to Ft. Jackson, SC

Thurs., June 13, 2013

Today is the big day for Kyle.  He graduates from basic training and we got up very early to drive to Columbia for the ceremony.  It was a rental car and a trip down the Interstate today - no MG.  The A/C was nice because it was very hot today - over 90 for the high.  Once we got to Columbia, there was very good signage directing us to the base.  Once on the base, there was a blue stripe on the roadway that you followed to the field where the ceremony took place.  Luckily, the bleachers had a roof that provided some shade, and luckily, the ceremony was relatively brief.  The Army band played, 3 companies marched to the field and after some words from the commander, we got to see Kyle for the first time in about 10 weeks.

E Company, 2-39 Inf. Reg.

Spc. Orkin

We got a partial tour of the base with Kyle as our guide, then took him off base to eat.  He said he wanted seafood, so we found The Blue Marlin downtown and it was delicious.  Then next door for dessert where he got some peanut butter and chocolate candy.  His first sweets in 10 weeks!  It was then back to the base to drop Kyle off and return to Asheville for the awards banquet.  Kyle will remain at Ft. Jackson for another 8 weeks for his Advanced Individual Training in Finance.  After that, he gets deployed where they need him.  He is hoping to get assigned to Europe somewhere - Belgium, Germany, Italy??

We then hopped back on the Interstate and drove back to Asheville, hitting rain just south of Asheville.  We returned the car and then went back to the hotel for the awards banquet.  We didn't bring home any hardware, but met some nice people and had lots of fun.  We really enjoyed Asheville.  Tomorrow, we head home.