When we left off, I had mentioned enlisting in the Air Force at Military Enlistment Processing in Montgomery, Alabama. I had entered the Delayed Enlistment Program. Essentially meaning the Air Force (AF) reserved a place for me to join Active Duty (AD) when a position became available.
The year was 2003, the month of March. Nearly ten months after I enlisted the time came to ship off to Boot Camp. I had never stepped foot on an airplane, and here I was getting ready to fly from Alabama to San Antonio, Texas.
I would be leaving behind my Mother, Father, and 9-year-old Sister. It honestly never occurred to me that my family would be paying the price for my choice. It’s never really “our life” or “my decision.” To look at it that way forces a very narrow-minded point of view and if I dare say it selfishness.
I said goodbye to my family and set out for Montgomery. I’m sure we received some instructions upon arrival, but I don’t recall from whom or what they may have been. What I do recall was the absolute worst hotel I’d ever seen. Honestly, I thought the thing was due to be demolished. I recall the outside walkways being dimly lit and feeling like a very shady place. When I found my room, there were no sheets on the bed that I can recall, and if I remember correctly, the mattress was on the floor. If you can imagine one of those shady places you’d expect to find heroin needles, then you’ll have a good picture of this place.
Once, our little adventure through Bates Motel was complete, we loaded onto buses and went to a local airport. I mentioned in the previous post I had never flown, and to be perfectly honest, I was not thrilled about the experience. I don’t recall much more than brief mental images from the airport; however, one stands out more than the rest. We ended up in what I now know was an empty terminal. I suppose it was reserved just for us. A lot of other guys from all over Alabama and I were told to take a seat on the floor, and someone called role. This was probably where a little bit of reality began to set in. It had begun, and from this point, into the foreseeable further, I would be told where to go and how to get there.
Once, everyone was accounted for we boarded a huge plane. I knew very little about aircraft then, but looking back it was likely a 700 series Boing. I recall being about midway back, in the middle section of seats, clutching tightly to the large Bible my Pastor had given me. I don’t remember how long the flight was but knowing myself that’s because despite my uneasiness I feel asleep. I wish I had more memories from the plane, but everything from the creepy Hotel until we arrived at Lackland Air Force Base was a blur.
I don’t think it’d be too much of a spoiler to tell you the plane didn’t crash as I had feared. Instead, we landed and ended up crammed on an Air Force Blue Bus with all our bags. We arrived in the middle of the night on the base to the welcome party of some very kind gentlemen screaming and yelling like it was their job or something. We exited the bus like mad-men and lined up, in rows on yellow marks in front of a building.
Please, join me again next week as we journey through my first week, also called rainbow week and zero week at Basic Military Training.