It's Official

This is E3 Peter Frome posing for his mother to take photos of his awesomeness about an hour after he graduated from Naval Recruit Training Center, Great Lakes, IL. It was an fabulous event of tradition and pagentry complete with ship's bell signaling, bosun's pipe and cannon fire. Admirals gave speeches, awards were presented. There were drum cadences and marching and standing for a really long time at parade rest. There was an excellent redition of "Anchors Away" with appropriate enthusiasm of the relieved, proud, exhausted, obedient recruits.

Then, we got to hang out with him for about eight hours. He had to be back in his "ship" by 20:00 so that he'd be packed and ready to leave the next morning bright and early. He was headed off to Groton, CT, to submarine school, which seems to be another, more specific, boot camp experience. Hmmm...but I'm confident he'll succeed with flying colors there, too. His goal: sonar school. So eight more weeks of learning hard stuff in arduous conditions and then he'll be on his way to living a life of intrigue, under the sea. (cue Little Mermaid music?)

Seriously: we're SO proud. He did so well; he is so enthused; we had a great 30 hour trip and all's well.