Phoenix PK wrote:This was the most special graduation I've ever
attended at Camp. Something about it was unique, I can't put my finger on it. Maybe
it was the guests in the back, maybe it was the video-taping, maybe it was the size of
the group-the largest I've ever been in.
The one Steve and I were in last year had more people, but this one was better. I'd never had a graduation on the training floor before, such a great place for it.
Phoenix PK wrote:It might have been the fact that it was the first time I've ever heard our Crew Trainer
tear up when describing her experience with us. I almost lost it at that point.
Yeah, I think we all probably were choking up at various degrees at that point. Such a great person. We had a 'perfect storm' of a team who all had the same enthusiasm and experience level and a trainer who knew just how to handle us. Having seen the other trainers that weekend, I'm sure we lucked up with Mel! As for the group, I didn't talk to each one as much as I'd liked (crying shame we couldn't have done a week-long session with the same team mates and trainer) but I can say I consider each and every member of the team my brothers and sisters. Or, like Pappy would have said, my
Space Brothers and Sisters!
Phoenix PK wrote:BTW, we HAVE to come up with a callsign for you, bud!
Yeah, good luck with that. In 3 trips to SC, I think I've only seen 2 suggestions for a callsign total.
I had a few call signs in the Army:
Ratchet 5
Eggman (long story, I chose the call signs for stateside deployment and my NCO was a big Beatles fan. When we crossed the line of departure, on coms we said, "Coo coo ka-choo"...)
Hollywood
Had a few others for training exercises, I had a cool one when i was doing OPFOR but for the life of me I can't recall it at the moment.
They also called me, "
Grampa" when I was in Army ROTC because I was so much older than my classmates I was being commissioned with.
In sci-fi circles, I have been called, "
Mustang" due to my owning a car by the same name (a 2006 which turned out to be a real lemon) and having flown in a P-51. That, and being an old Army guy.