The Fort Hood Trip

Jeffrey and I once went on a bit of a road trip to Fort Hood, Texas. I was on a trip for my U. S. Army Reserve Unit, and since he didn't have to be in school, I decided to take him with me. We went to the PX, Clothing Sales, and the Burger King, but the thing he liked best were the TANKS!!! He was thrilled with them, all of them, even the ones at the two museums on base. We took a lot of pictures which I put a link to below.

While at the clothing sales I was looking at a new pair of Combat Boots. Jeffrey noticed something about all the boots and decided to ask me about them. Being four years old he hasn't been exposed to much and his curiosity got the better of him. "Daddy," he said, "why are those boots tied together?" Now, I glanced around to make sure that the people that needed to hear my reply were within earshot, and I said.... "Well, that is so that the Infantry guys won't lose one...."

Of course, he has no idea what an "Infantry guy" is, but he accepted my answer as if it were without a doubt the truth, and we went on. Later on in the day we were out walking through the parking lot and two enlisted guys walked by in uniform and properly executed a smart salute and greeted me with a hearty "Good Morning, Sir!" After I saluted them in return I could see that this in it's turn had given Jeffrey another pause for a question. "Why did they do that Daddy?" he asked. I explained to him about enlisted soldiers and officers, about honoring the rank of an individual with a proper military salute, and the courtesy of returning such a salute. It was not easy to explain in terms a four year old can understand, but I did my best, and he seemed to at least grasp the general concept.
 

On the way home that evening, Jeffrey fell asleep in his seat, and looked so peaceful, so innocent. To think of him as a soldier, climbing around on tanks, riding through the countryside, training as I have for a couple of decades, well, it was hard to do. He is so little, so beautiful, that it is hard to imagine how he will be as a grown man. I tried to compare him with his two older brothers, with the two of them in the Navy and all, but it just wouldn't come, it is too far into the future I suppose, and their days as little boys are too far in the past.
 

Here are more pictures from our trip

Fort Hood Pictures Page

 

Here's a link back to the kids page

McKinney Kids Page