Mom’s surprise at basic training

This is my first story so don’t be too harsh.

This is an account of events that happened about 10 years ago.

I had left a small town in the northeast and joined the army. I didn’t leave on the best terms with my family, I had been in a lot of trouble before I decided to make the change in my life and join the Army. My mother still wasn’t happy with the fact that I joined the army and we didn’t talk before I left for basic training in Kentucky. I wrote a letter to my mother and explained I had no other choice then to leave and look for my own life. I was surprised when she wrote back and told me she understood my situation and wanted to support me in my choice.

I was finishing basic training and graduation was only a week away. I was looking forward to moving onto AIT and learning my job in the army. Most of the guys were talking about their families and girlfriends coming for graduation and how they got one night away with their families after graduation before we loaded on cattle trucks and moved to a new location for AIT.

While they were talking I just sat there and knew I had no one to come and visit, No girlfriend, and I knew my parents wouldn’t make the trip down to see me graduate. I was going to be stuck in the barracks with all the other losers and still have to listen to the DI chew our asses.

This is where the story really starts

….. Graduation Day……. We all looked sharp in our class a uniforms, standing in formation waiting for the ceremony to start. We marched into the gym and I saw all the families cheering for their sons and all the soldiers trying to keep a straight face and look tough. Myself, I had a face that was stone cold since I knew no one was there for me.

Our graduation was finally over. Two hours of standing there sweating in a hot gym, the command released us and the DI told us we could find our families and were released to them until 0700 tomorrow morning. He then told the ones of us that didn’t have any family that we were to report to the barracks and change and we could visit the post and were to return by 1800 hours. Damn. That is only 4 hours. I was pissed knowing he would be waiting for us when we got back to the barracks. Everyone was released…..

I started to walk away with a couple buddies when I heard my name being yelled. I turned around and saw a sight that made me tear up…My mom standing there waving at me. She had a smile from ear to ear. I couldn’t believe it, I walked over to her and she hugged me so tight and wouldn’t let go of me.

I asked, “Mom, what are you doing here? Where are dad and my sister?

She told me that she wanted to come and see me graduate and dad had to work so she came by herself. She didn’t want to miss out on seeing me and was so proud of me.

I couldn’t believe she was here, what a surprise and I knew I didn’t need to go to the barracks.