FORT BENNING, Ga., (Jan. 27 2016) -- "We are Soldiers, sir!" a basic training Soldier in dress blues shouted as he saluted.
"Yes, you are," he heard in return to end the ceremony.
And then, a total of 201 Soldiers recited the 'Soldiers Creed' as the trainees graduated from basic combat training.
D Company, 2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment, began training 224 civilians to become U.S. Army Soldiers on Oct. 28 as they walked off the buses and were welcomed by the Soldiers who would be their drill sergeants for the next nine weeks. A total of 201 graduated before Family and friends Jan. 21 inside the National Infantry Museum. One Soldier did not stand among his fellow graduates, but was released early to witness the birth of his twin newborns back home, making the total number of graduates 202.
Among the graduates was one Soldier who was inserted, having started in the summer and was dropped due to a collapsed lung, said Capt. Shinwon Moon, company commander. That Soldier joined D Company and graduated Jan. 21 as well.
"Delta Company, you have a lot to be proud of, but this is not the last challenge that you will face in the Army," said Lt. Col. Duane Patin, 2nd Bn., 47th Inf. Regt. commander. "Take what you've learned here today and keep moving forward. Continue to challenge yourselves and strive for excellence, because today's graduation, while it may seem like the end, it is just the beginning."
"The Soldiers graduating today have grown to accept and live the Army values - loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor and integrity," Patin said. "Those aren't just buzzwords anymore; they are nonnegotiable terms upon which the rest of their lives will be based."
Moon said the graduation was bittersweet after having spent nearly every day of the past nine weeks with the trainees. He said it was great to see the Family members approaching the drill sergeants to express their gratitude.
The success of the graduates was attributed to outstanding drill sergeants and programs that the battalion piloted, such as the Ability Group Physical Training, Moon said. The company began with an average 163 physical training score at the first Army Physical Fitness Test, and by the final test, the company's average was 232, boasting an impressive 69-point increase - the largest increase the battalion has seen to date.
"They met all the Army standards, and we feel fully confident that they'll succeed in (advanced individual training)," Moon said.
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