The Brotherly Post

Stefan’s off to boot camp today as his processing is at the butt crack of dawn tomorrow morning. Mum took him this afternoon up to Maryland where he’ll stay in a hotel overnight. It’s a tough time for the family, Mum in particular, considering that Jake and her are the only two at home at the moment they are having to rely on each other for comfort (Dads away on business and Sam’s back at college). I called and offered my support best I could, and anticipate doing so for the next few days.

I was edgy about calling Stefan, one because I didn’t know if he still had access to his cell phone at this point, but also because I don’t know what to say. I’m proud of the guy, and know that this is something he really wants to do, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to being worried for him considering the times. While he is only a reservist*, and is going to be trained for paramedic duties, I still worry about him being called up for combat. I’m sure a lot of that is my ignorance with the actual situation overseas, as well as my current frame of mind, but the feeling is still there no matter how happy I am for him.

*By ‘only a reservist’ I don’t mean to belittle his position. I simply am trying to distance his position from combat overseas.

In the end I did call, and had a brief conversation. I think that if I didn’t at least make an attempt to wish him well and have that cookie cutter conversation before [he is processed and doesn’t have phone/email access], I’d get really down about it after the fact. I didn’t have much to say, and neither did he (such is the way of our conversations these days unfortunately) but it meant a lot to me, and I’m feeling chocked up now having just hung up. He’ll graduate boot camp in 6 months then he’s off to Texas for paramedic training for another 3-4. Once that’s over with he gets to move home and needs only report for drills every 3 weeks or something of that nature. I think his current plan is to rent a place in Maryland and work at a volunteer firefighter station, which is what he has always wanted to do. I really hope his plans pan out for him.