Military Mom

It was a long day for Jared yesterday, most of it spent sitting around, waiting doing nothing.  But here is what happened and what is next.

As I said in the previous blog, he was taken to Raleigh on Monday afternoon so that he can take the ASVAB and then he stayed the night there and woke up at 4:30am yesterday morning.  He did end up having a roommate, another guy who was about Jared's age.  Apparently they go by last names so the other guys name was Williams.

Williams came in with some envelope that Jared did not receive so Jared asked about it.  Williams told him that it was the test results from the ASVAB and that he just happened to be at the right place at the right time to get it.  Apparently, whoever gave Williams his envelope said that Wiley had scored the highest they had in this past quarter!  Jared scored 95% on the ASVAB!

After they had breakfast they were bussed over to the military's building nearby for their physicals, and, a ton more paperwork.  Jared said he was asked the same questions over and over again - mostly whether he was a terrorist or anarchist.  I guess they really want to make sure that if anything happens later that they can say, "Well, we asked 100 times if they were a terrorist and they said no.  What more can we do?" (Smile)

Then he just sat around in the lobby of this place and watched TV or chatted with some of the other inductees.  Jared thought that he was to go over his career choices after finding out his test score but that seemed to not be the case so it was just waiting until the time came for all of the young inductees were done - then they had them come together to take their pledge in a group, and then sign their official forms to join the military!

So, it's official.  Jared has joined the Marines.  He will be meeting with his recruiter later this week or early next week to decide his career choice - in which he should have any choice he wants with such a high score on the test.  And, this Thursday he and the other 14 or 15 young men and women who were with Jared will all be going to a Durham Bulls baseball game in Durham and before the game starts will be out in the park to do their pledge once again in front of all the people in the audience!

Jared's ship out date to boot camp at Parris Island, SC is November 26th, right after Thanksgiving.  Boot camp is 3 months, and when he completes that he will immediately be trained for the next 8 weeks or so for the career path he has chosen before he gets shipped or placed wherever the Marines want him to go.

We are so very proud of Jared and so very sad to see him go.  A four year commitment is such a long time - and yet, really it will go by in a blink of an eye for him.  But we know he will be successful and find himself and his path along the way.  We love you kiddo!

And now I am a Military Mom - a whole new job and a whole new life to learn...