My Boy

[wingcmdr]

Greetings one and all.

Gushing parent on.


May I just say that my boy is about to graduate from intake No 391 Flt 10 on the 23rd September 2008.

I will be unable to attend the graduation parade at RAF Halton due to the fact that my better half has broken her leg.

I would just like to say...Well done my boy I am very proud of you and God bless in all your endeavours.

To Red 1, who is doing the fly past, please keep it low and hard.

Goddamn I am one proud retired git.

Gushing parent off.

Thank you one and all for indulging a disappointed Dad.

A special thanks to the officers and staff of the Recruit Training Squadron RAF Halton.



Cheers

[Pontius Navigator]

Congratulations

[Chugalug2]

Well done your boy! Hope someone can video the day's events for you and your wife, wingcmdr, so that you may stop it mid frame, point to an indistinguishable blur in the parade and proudly proclaim to one and all, "That's my boy!".

[Chris Kebab]

What a great post - best of luck to him.:ok:

[exscribbler]

Well done, lad; your Mum and Dad are rightly proud of you. :ok: :ok: :ok:

wngcmdr: don't do what I did and have tears running down your face - silly old bugg*r. On second thoughts, why not? Do it anyway, you'll not be the only one... :ok:

[Tiger_mate]

a) Congratulations

b) Be there. Broken leg or not, there are times when you must go the extra mile, and your son needs you there to see the conclusion of weeks of pain and torture. (Not literally of course) I would be there even if I arrived by Ambulance. You will not get a second chance. It is HIS day, and nothing on this planet should stop you from going.

[glad rag]

+1 There is a moment on that parade when the young men have a brief pause in drill that allows them to scan the guests for their parents/guardians.

Do not disappoint.

[Seaking93]

Got to agree with the above posts, when my eldest passed out some years ago it was indeed a day to remember, if you really can't make it get hold of a copy of the video(sorry must be a DVD now) that is taken of the event. It was a very proud moment for myself and Mrs Seaking to stand with our son for a photo in front of the Phantom on the parade ground.

[BFPO]

Not meaning to add to the guilt trip, but standing on the parade square seeing your family there looking on and beaming away really did make it something special. He has spent weeks bashing the square having it drilled into him that he does not want to let he guests down with sloppy drill etc, so being there will be all the more important to him. Besides, after the parade, everyone around him will be rushing to the family and friends, don’t leave him there on his own!

[mr fish]

my lad was 5 years last week, still get a kick when asked in the pub etc, and say sod off to his hippy ex mates:ok:

[barnstormer1968]

Please go and watch the parade, at any cost, or any amount of effort.
My parents missed my passing out parade, and it is something I have never forgotten.
I have achieved many things in my life, but it still rankles me to this day that they never saw me in one of my finest hours.

Oh and best of luck to your boy (whom I believe is now a man, and more mature than many of his peer generation due to our wonderful military system):ok:

[alpha whisky]

you must try to make it you will probably regret it for the rest of your life if you dont.
i have had two boys graduate over the last 5 years, one from officer training at cranwell in the pilot branch and one from halton as a pti.

both graduation days were totally different and so individually special.
both mum and i would not have missed it for the world and we often review both dvds to re-live a very special time in all of our lives.
WHAT A PROUD DAY FOR US ALL!!

incidentally imagine my feelings when we were invited to see the Queen present the new colours to the RAF at Fairford this year,one boy was on the parade ground and his brother was piloting one of the aircraft in the flypast.
GREAT DAY,GREAT BOYS a tear or two was shed.

[exscribbler]

Yes, get there!

#2 son nearly missed what 1SL had asked him because he was scanning the ramps for his Mum, Dad, Bro, Sis and GF! Proud was hardly the word - from us to him and from him to us. It was truly a day to remember.

What ever else you do - get there and surprise him. :ok:

[draughtsman99]

My first post on here just to say, whatever it costs in pain or money -BE THERE for the boy who is now a man. Take out a bank loan, hire a car, call in a favour, do what it takes to be there.

[Zoom]

I agree with everyone here who says 'Do it, man'; you've got two days to sort the wife out. My folks came from West Africa for my graduation (no broken limbs to contend with, mind you). However, they missed the wings ceremony the night before because I didn't realise how much they wanted to see it and so I didn't organise things properly. In truth, I hadn't realised how proud of me they were at all - we were that sort of family. They are long gone now but my c*ck-up still hurts me very much 39 years on.

:{

I have just tried to read this to my wife and I have come over all unnecessary, so there you go!

:{:{

[aviate1138]

Am I correct in thinking your 'Boy' is not you better half's? Pay for someone to keep the BH happy and go and see your son graduate! Only happens once and he will be so chuffed to see
His wingco there.

If the above is correct will your 'ex' be there? That is why the current SWMBO is demanding attention! :rolleyes: Been there, seen the movie.........

Keep gushing! :)

[im from uranus]

Congratulations all round!!!:D:D

For whatever reason you can't be there is up to you, it is a personal matter after all. My dad missed my passing out from Swinderby and my bro's from Cranwell only weeks apart due to being in Egypt working for RR. He was gutted, but soon made up for it on his return with all that hard earned moolah, treating us like never before. He's still gutted but he's an immensely proud father, 23+ years later. Oh, and he's 72 today.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD.:D:D

Top bloke. Love you loads.:ok:

A very fortunate son.

[MadsDad]

MadsLads IOT graduation was a bit of a problem for the family because it was only 9 days before his sister's wedding (graduation on the Thursday, wedding Saturday a week later) and there was a lot of organising for that going on but neither I, his Mum or his Sister would have missed it for the world. Possibly second proudest moment ever (watching him get his Wings at Valley was the one that maybe beat it).

And a friend of my wife's from work (who she doen't sdee much these days since she retired) got in touch after her son's graduation at Halton recently to say what a proud moment it was for her watching the graduation - she was surprised at how it made her feel.

Advice is get there whatever.

[Boy_From_Brazil]

Wingcmdr

As almost everyone here has said, you and your missus must attend! I flew from Brazil to my sons Wings parade with 4 broken ribs and a fractured collar bone. The journey was awful but it was such a fantastic experience and the culmination of what my son had wanted to achieve since he was 10 years old.

It was the proudest moment of my life and I wouldnt have missed it for anything.

BfB

[The Helpful Stacker]

I must agree with the comments already made, its (usually) a once in a lifetime event and you will kick yourself if you don't go and more importantly it will make him feel great.

My mother had flu (and not the man flu variety) the week I passed out and she still turned up with my dad on a freezing cold day in December which made me feel as proud as punch, especially as I was picking up an award (best Regiment phase recruit) too.

Seeing my parents in the crowd gave me a real spring to my step and watching me pass off another parade square made my mother cry once again.:ok:

[airborne_artist]

My Dad couldn't be there when I passed out as he was in the South Atlantic - and both of us were pretty sad about that.

Send the other half to her mother/sister/friends and be there. You know you want to. If you need a bed 45 mins drive from Halton then let me know by PM.

[Winco]

Wingcmdr

From one (retired) Winco to another, just do whatever it takes, but, whatever you do - DO NOT MISS IT!!

Congratulations BTW

The (original) Winco!!

[Wessex Boy]

There is a moment on that parade when the young men have a brief pause in drill that allows them to scan the guests for their parents/guardians.


Yes, I saw that my Dad had his back to the parade, watching the 2 Lightnings holding waiting to do their flypast! (Swinderby May '88)

[Tiger_mate]

Yes, I saw that my Dad had his back to the parade, watching the 2 Lightnings holding waiting to do their flypast! (Swinderby May '88)

Harsh but fair:

At least he was there

[exscribbler]

Wingcmdr: Will you be there tomorrow?

Do not miss it!

[Zoom]

wingcmdr

We'll be expecting a debrief with photos on Wednesday morning so you had better get your story straight.

[chiglet]

I went to my lads Passout [RAF Hereford] Hired a VHS Video Recorder, and cried whilst doing the commentry...one of the proudest moments of my life.
DO try to be there

[wingcmdr]

Fellow PPRuNer's

I would like to thank you for your thoughts and advice.

And here comes the big HOWEVER..... I will not be able to attend.

I can offer you no excuse that does not sound inadequate in so many ways.

There is light at the end of the tunnel .......I WILL be at his graduation from NCAITC at RAFC Cranwell even if I have to crawl there.

I have spoken to my boy and we are getting together in Glasgow in a couple of days time for a full debrief and beer session.

I remain devastated but immensely proud of my boys achievements to date......he has achieved his dream despite adversity and repeated disappointment.

I am satisfied that his mum and girlfriend's presence at his parade will ensure that he has family close to him on his special day.

Does this make me feel better about not being there....Like hell it does!


Thank you once again for your indulgence.


Good luck to all on parade tomorrow....hold your heads high and stare them straight in the eye.

Cheers

[Clockwork Mouse]

wingcmdr

I feel that the overenthusiasm of some well meaning Pruners is starting to invade your privacy to an uncomfortable degree. You do not need to provide any excuses. Your pride in your son is evident and I'm sure he well knows how you feel. Good luck to you all and especially to him.

[effortless]

My pa missed all my graduations but I did understand why. I just wish that he was able to express his regret. The miserable old b*std thought that I should just get on with it. His pa never got to his but then, that was the war. You are obviousely a proud and loving father and you are able to express this. Well done, there are many who can't.

[Zoom]

.......I WILL be at his graduation from NCAITC at RAFC Cranwell even if I have to crawl there.

Fair enough, you're off the hook this time but we'll have the photos from Cranwell instead. Good for him, BTW. :ok: