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Son started bootcamp on June 1st. He called when he got there and we got the letter when Graduation was with the 2 little lines from him. We have sent several letter and cards. We have not heard anything back no phone call no letters nothing. I just wondered if this is normal.
thanks
Her experience this year followed a mostly academic calendar, not unfamiliar to her father (I'm an academic professor and researcher). In medical school, the challenging first term course is gross anatomy (with cadaver dissection) and she busted to do well in this hallmark course. She also worked hard and did well in biochemistry (for which USUHS administers a "shelf exam" which is similar to components of the United States Medical Licensing Exam step 1)... you see, graduates from the Hebert School of Medicine at USUHS have to become licensed just like a civilian physician. Due to travel restrictions, she wasn't able to have the Thanksgiving holiday with us in California, but the Fall term ended in mid December so she had two weeks of liberty with us over the Christmas holiday.
Over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, we traveled to Bethesda to celebrate her "White Coat" ceremony - an event that has become common in medical schools around the country to symbolize students' induction into the study and practice of medicine. We then toured the National Mall in DC, including some of the Smithsonian museums and the WWII memorial, while remembering POWs & MIAs from all our nation's conflicts. More poignant than ever before...
Having now completed her first year's studies, she has an interesting summer coming up. After a week's training (this year at Andrews Air Force Base on the other side of Washington DC) and two weeks of liberty, she'll be a part of Operation Kerkesner [video], a training operation that applies some of the skills learned in her military medicine coursework during the first year (EMT-like treatments, along with practice in field operations including chemical/biological warfare protective gear). Following Kerkesner, she'll be a "patient" at Operation Bushmaster, an exercise for fourth-year students who set up and operate a field hospital in the woods near Fort Indiantown Gap, PA. I say "patient" because the first year students are the simulated battlefield casualties (made to look as realistic as possible with expert moulage)... I'm wondering what "injury" she'll encounter. She then has a two-week clerkship with the Marines at Camp Lejeune, NC before another brief liberty and the start of her second year's coursework.
Throughout this year, I've been so proud of Audrey's dedication and service, as I'm sure all Dads here are proud of your sailors' service to our country. My thanks to them and to you this Fathers Day!
Well Ethan left this afternoon for a night stay at a hotel in Oklahoma City. has a date for a 4 am wakeup call. going to take his Physical and find out about the Job rate that he wants. He wants to be an M.A. His recruiter says that it looks as thoough he could get a July 2011 ship date right after high school graduation. Ethan says he should find out tomorrow if there is any openings for what job he is wanting, if there are no openings he has to go back next week and do this again.
On another note we got a call from Trevor this morning while he was in between classes for SSF (Ship Security Forces) . He was in the self defense class when one of his ship Command came into the class and requested to talk with him through the instructor. Trevor said that when his command came to him and told him that he needed to talk with him in private in the hallway. They walked out into the hallway and his command told him that he would have to wear his dress whites and be out on the field on tuesday morning. Trevor said he asked why am I in trouble? The command said no son you have been nominated by your MCPO for the sailor of the month. You have to be in dress whites as you will have to go before the board and answer some questions while they review your files and get to know you better. Trevor said if he gets this nomination that will put him in the running for Sailor of the year. All of this coming only after 10 months in the fleet with 4 months on deployment. Dad this will look good for me when I file my admiral in 21 officers courses paperwork. I'm not sure when trevor will find out about the Sailor of the quarter nomination but I know that he is very excited about this and can't wait to find out if he is selected.
I'm gonna give my boys a big BRAVO ZULU just because I can. I'm not bragging just very proud of my boys.
