The arrival of the trainees for the Coin Ceremony and Retreat.
Rudy's Military Training Instructor (MTI) awarding Rudy his coin which he now must carry with him as long as he is enlisted. It denotes the progression of the trainee into an airman meaning Rudy is no longer a trainee, but officially an airman. He gained the first strip on his uniform. While the MTI's were passing out the coins the load speakers were belting out a very touching version of "God Bless America".
Rudy was glad we got a candid shot of his MTI since if we had asked for a picture with him Rudy would immediately be asked to drop and give him 20 pushups.
Following the Coin Ceremony the new airmen were asked to recite the airman's creed and to sing the Air Force theme song, "Up and away to the wide blue yonder......", then the flag was lowered in the Retreat Ceremony to be guarded until the next morning when it would be flown again on graduation day. That flag will then be retired in comemoration of this graduating class. The national anthem was also played.
The newest airman of the Air Force!! Hip, Hip, Horray!!
Rudy qualified for a special coin, and ribbon, as well, since he graduated with honors, in the top 10% of the trainees. He will now wear 4 ribbons. One for honor graduate, one for expert marksman with a M-16, one for airman, and another we don't remember.
After leaving Rudy to report to his dorm by 19:30 as Dee was driving back to the motel, Lisa and Ashlee were reading the tourist books and came on an ad for "Nine Lives Bookstore". We HAD to go and check it out. Rescued cats are housed in the bookstore until they are adopted by customers. It was actually very clean and all the employees were definately cat people.
We will add more tomorrow.
Good night.
1 comment:
thanks for helping keep us current! Rudy looks good in his uniform!
how funny that a bookstore made the tourist book...
keep having fun!
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