Cycle 2 Down

Okay, so I have come to realize that with any "army" picture Ammon ever wants me to take, I completely suck at it. Actually, anyone that was at the graduation said the same thing. They couldn't get their cameras to focus. Ammon finally graduated with his second cycle and this is a supposed picture of his whole 3rd platoon.

So why is Ammon dressed in his ACUs? Okay. Well. Ammon first went to basic training when he was 17-years-old in Fort Knox, A 5-46. Weird coincidence that it was the same company that he was put into when he came back as a drill sergeant. So needless to say, when he was measured for his Class As, he was 167 lbs. He had a 28 waist. He has worn his Class As a few times since. Last graduation, our wedding pictures. Okay, maybe that was it. (The Army has become quite casual lately and everyone pretty much only wears their ACUs). Anyway, last cycle's graduation, Ammon literally lost 20 lbs from the scheduling, craziness, etc. He never slept and never ate. He fit into his Class As fine. This cycle, I was here 95% of it and so he ate. He didn't lose 20 lbs. In fact, he gained a few. He could not even zip up his pants and has to walk with his shoulders slouched to wear his coat. Why didn't he get this fixed when he had to put his new rank on the jacket? He didn't think it would be a problem. So, for the actual graduation, he wore his Class As and changed right after back into his ACUs. He took all his pictures with his ACUs and I didn't get one shot of the three of us.

The graduation was actually cool. It was way neat getting to see 174 soldiers and their families. Yesterday was Family Day for them and so Ammon got to meet a lot of their wives, moms, children, etc. Since they are a reserve drill sergeant unit that was mobilized, the brigade looks onto them like a H1N1 that is being spread from private to private. But, they are the ONLY company to get 100% qualifying in rifle marksmanship. We were pretty proud of them. The graduation was cool because we got to hear the privates sing their chants and hear the Drill Sergeant Creed in the dark. Matthew and I sat in the back because we didn't know Ammon was behind the scenes backstage. He didn't get drill sergeant of the cycle, but I had a few people (other drill sergeants and what not) say that they thought he deserved it. Ammon always puts everything into being a drill sergeant and on some days, it drives me nuts. He is the first there and last to leave. He cares about them as soldiers and lets them know that they are going to Iraq and what they can do to help their fellow soldiers. He is happy this is his last cycle as a drill sergeant (for now).

With Mathias (Ammon's nickname for him). Matthew had to get up extra early for this graduation and was excellent during the whole thing. He thinks anyone dressed in ACUs is Ammon and thought every drill sergeant hat he saw was Ammon.

Ammon had to get a few things done after graduation, so Matthew and I got to walk around by the barracks. We never get to be there so it was interesting getting to see what Ammon is talking about all the time. As a drill sergeant, you have to do chants as the privates are walking and so Ammon had a group of them and they repeat what Ammon would say and even though Matthew didn't see him, he would hear his voice and would get so excited. It was so funny that he thought his voice was so distinct.

Overall, I'm happy the cycle is over, but I'm not sure that is even equal to what the drill sergeants are feeling. It made me proud that there will be privates in ten years who remember Ammon like he remembers his drill sergeant ten years ago. They say that a drill sergeant is the hardest job in the army. I agree.