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“Hooah” from Fort Benning
By Brandy Lewis
It was hard on us in the beginning, but we supported Cade every step of
the way. He had received a college scholarship but it was clear his
mind was made up. Army Infantry Airborne, or as I put it, jumping
out of planes with a gun is what he had chosen. We had two months
after graduation to spend as much time as we could with him before his
room sat empty.
Lots of family time was spent in those months but the day still came.
We went out for breakfast because I wasn't going to send my son off
hungry. We drove him to the recruiters office who was going to
transport him to Columbus. We would meet him there the following day to
swear in.
Four a.m. wake up call and we scrambled out of the house. I wanted to be early and see him as much as I could.
We found him right away and I didn't want to leave his side. The
inevitable was coming. His group was the last to swear in and our eyes
filled with tears of joy and proud hearts of the choice Cade had just
made. He now belonged to the U.S. government and wasn't my little boy
anymore, he was now Private Cade Carter United States Army.
We all met at the airport where his plane had a long delay. His twin
twelve year old sisters rough housed with him for what may be the last
time ever. We watched them all be kids and say their own good
byes.
I was a good mom. All the raw emotion that had built up inside of
me, I held it until we left. His dad and I could have lost it at
any moment.
Once we arrived home, I went into his room and all the gut wrenching
emotion flowed out. No more communication with him. No loud
obnoxious music from the stereo. Just too much quiet and an empty
heart, I felt lost.
We had been told when he reached Georgia we would get a phone call to
know he made it there safe. That call came at 1:36 in the
morning, hours after he was supposed to be there. My sleepy hands
fumbled with the phone and missed the call.
Never had I felt like a worse parent. Later, I would find out how
much he was already missing me and how badly he wanted me to answer
that phone.
It was a long week of silence not knowing what he was going through but
imagining the worst. They call it reception and it is about as bad as
it gets. Finally, a letter comes and I couldn't wait to open it.
I would find no joy in this letter.
Cade wrote, “I should have never gone into the military...I could
be home safe and
sound.”
He told us over and over again how much he missed us but did say he
would call that Thursday, so I had something to look forward to.
From the day he entered reception until he went to basic training was
nine days and he wrote us every single day. The letters were getting
better. He even drew a picture of his bald burnt head from the sun. He
was slowly acquiring pieces of his uniform and was excited to get his
boots and finally the last piece, his dog tags.
Then one day he called. Nothing could prepare me for what was to
come. He cried the whole time and told me how much he loved us
and how much he missed us. Then he had to go. It was nice to hear
his voice but heartbreaking to hear him cry.
The next day was my worst military experience yet.
We received our scripted phone call. I had no warning what a
scripted phone call was so I wasn't prepared. He called and talked as
fast as he could while crying so hard I couldn't understand a word he
had said. Then click, he was gone and I didn't have time to say a
word. I know it meant he was at basic training safe but that
didn't make it easier.
He had written a letter to us that day also. He had enjoyed the
conversation the day before with me and all of the encouraging words I
had too say.
First day at basic and he says, “I feel like I'm truly holding my own
now. It really gave me the extra confidence today to hear the
encouraging words you gave me. I love you!”
It was a long nine days for us as a family, but he had made it in and
is preparing to conquer this journey that has been laid before
him. #ARMYSTRONG
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