The first two weeks...
The ten week basic training experience is a bit difficult to describe. The first couple of weeks are harsh. The life I had once known as a civilian are over! I suppose you could say becoming an Army Officer requires an attitude adjustment and that would be an understatement. "We spend a lot of time getting yelled at and the other time doing push-ups. Some people are trying real hard to be good and not mess up and others don't care so they talk all the time."
"I met a buddy who is going to WOCS with me after this. He's a pretty cool guy." "He wants to fly Apache's so him and I might stick together in the future. So far it has been tough. Supposedly, we've been told, that it's going to get easier."
Working out and being in excellent physical condition paid off!
Rich spent more than six months working out and preparing physically and mentally for basic training. Once at basic training camp he was challenged even more. During the week of February 11th the training paid off big time!
"... today has been going pretty well! We had this match/competition called Pugil. Basically it goes off the idea that you have a rifle with a bayonet and you have the butt of the rifle. Both ends of the weapon are used in head-to-head combat. ... in [a] Pugil [match] you have a rod with pads attached to the two ends. We fought others in our weight class in this large rectangular sized box.
First we fought within our platoon. And then we fought against other platoons within our company. There are four platoons in ours. I'm in the 4th platoon called the Hell Hounds. I fought in the first Pugil and won. Then my platoon voted me to fight against the 2nd platoon. I won that one and then the last was for the championship. I won that one also. I am now the middle weight champion. It was a small victory, but the little things count."
Apache AH-64
Rich recently told us that one of his goals as a Warrant Officer is to become an Apache Helicopter Pilot.
The AH-64A is equipped with some of the latest avionics and electronics, such as the target acquisition designation sight, pilot night vision system, radar jammer, infrared countermeasures, and nap-of-earth navigation. Rich has since changed his mind and when given the opportunity by the Army, he choose the Kiowa Warrior.
For more information about Warrant Officers Click Here
Victory Forge
Victory Forge is a 72-hour exercise that climaxes Army basic training at this post. The Army created Victory Forge using the Marine Corps' 54-hour-long Crucible as a model. While the Crucible and Victory Forge rely on team-building exercises, the big differences are that Army men and women train together and their exercise is totally tactical -- conducted as if in a combat zone. Marine men and women train separately, and the Crucible is a training environment.
Basic Training Graduation - April 11, 2008
Basic Training graduation was April 11, 2008 at Ft Jackson, SC. The graduation took place on Hilton Field. Rich was looking sharp in his dress uniform that morning.
During the final weeks of basic training Rich received one of the top scores in the Physical Training test as well as being awarded a medal for his excellent shooting score at the range.
Meeting other soldiers
Rich and several other soldiers gather after the graduation ceremony while friends and family take a few pictures.
Rich Alberts & Dad
Dad gets a look around the "Bay"
Meeting the Parents
On family day we were able to meeting Tony Carson. Rich mentioned "Carson" in several of his letters. Tony and Rich became friends during basic training. Both Tony & Rich are attending Warrant Office Candidate School starting April 14th and both are planning to fly Apache helicopters! We met Tony's parents and plan to get together with them when Rich and Tony graduate from WOCS in May/June. The Carsons are neat people and we look forward to getting to know them and their family. Mr. Carson is also in the Army and is an Apache helicopter pilot!
Learning more about basic training!
Here's Rich sharing some information with Mom as we took a tour around Ft Jackson and stopped at Hilton Field the day before graduation. Ft Jackson, like many Army Posts are mini cities with schools, training centers, hotels, fast food restaurants, a library and of course the parade grounds (Hilton Field) were the graduations take place.
Hilton Field - Ft Jackson, SC
Soldiers ready to march past the grand stand at the graduation ceremony. More than seven hundred and fifty soldiers completed basic training and were honored April 11, 2008.
Graduation Day & a stop at McDonalds!
There were several thousand family and friends of the graduating soldiers in attendance at the graduation ceremony at Hilton Field that morning. The band was playing and the flags were waving as the soldiers marched past the review stand and visitor seating area. After the graduation soldiers were given a off post pass for the day to spend time with their family and friends and relax. Rich needed a McDonalds fix, so that's one of the places we stopped.