Air Force Appreciation and Humor -- Back In The Day

In January of 1966 our family left Moses Lake, Washington (Larsen Air Force Base) where we had lived for four years and moved to Biloxi, Mississippi (Keesler Air Force Base) where Dad attended Communications-Electronics course in advance of our move to Germany.  He had made a job change and the learning curve was pretty steep.  He moved into our vacation trailer for most of the day and evening where he did little but study. He had to work really hard to succeed but he finally made it to the end of the 36 week course.  When I came across this, I initially thought it was his certificate of completion.  I love the fact that Mom got her own!  It is apparent that this was a pretty steep learning curve for all of the men who were sent there -- at least if the tenor of this recognition that was probably given to all spouses is any indication.  It's nice to know that the command recognized that whole families were being uprooted for the 3/5ths of a year long course and that the enormous hours of study were wearing on all family members.  

It probably isn't easy to read in this blog format, so I'll copy the wording below.  She received this note of appreciation on the 23rd of September 1966, Dad graduated  on the 28th and on the 29th we headed off for a month long journey to Oregon.  We drove east and then up the East Coast.  We visited USS Alabama in Mobile, Stone Mountain in Georgia, Smokey Mountain National Park in Tennessee, Washington DC (apparently we visited the White House but I don't remember that),  We then spent the next couple of weeks visiting friends and relatives and crossed the entire US finally getting to Portland, Oregon to Grandma Tangen's house.  Mom and us kids stayed there (enrolled again in school finally) and Dad headed off to find a place for us to live in Germany.  We moved to Wiesbaden Germany in January of 1967.

Mom's recognition ~

"Let it be known that Bernadine Weber has assisted her husband through academic anguish, fulfilled the duties of homemaking, quieted the fledglings outbursts, graciously attended to her social obligations, suffered through the New Developments Trip, AGOS Tour, Beer and Shrimp, and untold other demanding tactical and strategic situations, and through her material and moral support, has contributed to the well being of her family and husband during his attendance of the Communications Electronics Staff Officer Course." 

It is so very true that not only does a soldier, airman or sailor serve, but their families serve as well.  Usually without much recognition.  Mom was a pretty amazing woman -- putting  up with all those moves and making lemonade out of all those life lemons that came along.   As John Milton stated, "They also serve who stand and wait."  Or in mom's case, wait, move, and wait some more.