Bradley's Winging

You know how when you get really, really, really busy and you think to yourself, "something's gotta give!". Yeah....so that has been us over the past 3 months and unfortunately that thing that had to 'give' was keeping up with our blog. As most of you know, we have now moved cross country after a very unexpected report date (and unexpected duty station!) and we're finally starting to get settled into our new normal! I promise I will update a TON on all our new adventures (because it is awesome out here!) but before I do that, there is a very, very, VERY special event that took place while we were still in Florida that I do not want anything to overshadow - Bradley's winging!

Bradley has wanted to be an aviator his entire life. While we were dating, he got his private pilot's license (where he can fly small Cessna civilian planes) but then chose to attend the Naval Academy and was selected to serve this country as a Naval Flight Officer (NFO).

Just for some background information: Once you complete all 4 (grueling) years at the academy and graduate with your 4-year degree, you are then commissioned as a Naval Officer into whatever service selection you are picked for. Depending on what your new job is, you have different requirements as far as further schooling, more training, deployments, etc. For Bradley, once he was commissioned, he reported to flight school. For an NFO, flight school is about 1 1/2 - 2 years long. During this time, you fly trainer jets (the T-6A Texan, T-39 Sabreliner and T-45 Goshawk), have simulator activities, go to many classes and have long, hard days. Since I witnessed first hand what it is like to have a husband go through this - it is challenging. Boy, those 5am flight sure do stink! Once you get at the end of your flights, you find out what plane you will be flying and where you will be stationed (this is the part where our world got a little rocked ;-) ). On your very last flight, you get your 'soft wings'. This is a big deal because you officially become a 'somebody'. They finally stop treating you like you know absolutely nothing and start treating you like you actually DID just spend 1 1/2 years actually learning something. :-) I kid, I kid. :-) Then it's finally time for the big day - Winging day, that is!

The instructors they flew with that day ripping off their old name patches and putting on their new ones - with wings!

Oh boy...the soaking begins!

The boys taught me how to spray the champagne before they landed. Unfortunately I sucked at it and ended up with just as much on me as was on Bradley.

Bradley's class!

Complete!

So excited! :-)

A winging ceremony is where a pilot or NFO student receives their 'wings of gold' signifying that they are finished with flight school and are ready to begin flying the fleet aircraft that they are selected for. There is still some training left once they are placed in their new aircraft squadron called the FRS (fleet replacement squadron) where they actually have to learn about the new aircraft that they will be flying in the fleet, but once you receive your wings, you are no longer flying in a trainer jet - only the real deal from here on out, folks! :-)

Before the ceremony.

In front of the T-45 - the last trainer jet Bradley flew.

Millie was SO excited for her Uncle Brah!

Pinning on his wings!

I had no idea I got a spouse award...I was in shock!

AND my own pair of wings?! I had no idea they did this but I wore them the whole day!

She loved rubbing his wings. It's like she knew all he had accomplished, too! All those nights she was at the house messing up his charts just as fast as he could put them away must have meant something to her. :-)

Outside the museum - where the ceremony took place.

Typical.

His stein!

Right in the bullseye! :-)

My cake I got for Bradley's little party we had at our favorite local restaurant.

At his party.

His picture that my brother and sister-in-law got him. He loves it!

Bradley's winging ceremony was incredible. As I sat there and watched all 10 of them receive their wings, I couldn't help but have huge tears in my eyes the whole time. I have seen first hand what these boys went through every single day to work towards this dream that they all have had for so very long. I know Bradley had days where he felt like receiving those wings was just a mirage off in the distance and it was going to take forever to get to them - but walking up to him that day with those wings in my hand and having the honor of pinning those on him was a dream come true for me, too.

I wake up every single day completely in awe of my husband. Not because I think he's better than anyone else, but because I am completely humbled by his dedication and sacrifice for this country. I couldn't do it. There is no way I could make it one day in the military (the first time someone told me an order, I would go redneck). But Bradley does it, so very selflessly.

The whole day Bradley and I just kept looking at each other and smiling, but different than we usually do. It was one of those unspoken ways of communication where nothing needed to be said - just the looks on our faces showed how thankful and happy we were to share those moments together.

That day was a very, very special day.

“‘Difficulties’ is the name given to things

which it is our business to overcome.”

Fleet Admiral Ernest J. King, Class of

1901, addresses the graduating class of

the U.S.Naval Academy, 19 June 1942