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Families return to basic combat training graduations at Fort Sill

By James BrabenecMay 24, 2021

Pvt. Zyair Smith, D Battery 1st Battalion, 19th Field Artillery, receives her family’s affections following her basic combat training graduation May 21, 2021, at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Arriving from New Orleans, the Smith family was one of many families from across the nation who were welcomed to Fort Sill for basic combat training graduation since the global pandemic began in spring 2020.
1 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Pvt. Zyair Smith, D Battery 1st Battalion, 19th Field Artillery, receives her family’s affections following her basic combat training graduation May 21, 2021, at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Arriving from New Orleans, the Smith family was one of many families from across the nation who were welcomed to Fort Sill for basic combat training graduation since the global pandemic began in spring 2020. (Photo Credit: James Brabenec) VIEW ORIGINAL
Warrant Officer Richard Townes, 77th Army Band commander, conducts ceremonial music as part of the standing room only crowd of families observe the basic combat training graduation. The May 21, 2021, ceremony was the first that families were welcome to attend since March 2020 when the global pandemic began here.
2 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Warrant Officer Richard Townes, 77th Army Band commander, conducts ceremonial music as part of the standing room only crowd of families observe the basic combat training graduation. The May 21, 2021, ceremony was the first that families were welcome to attend since March 2020 when the global pandemic began here. (Photo Credit: James Brabenec) VIEW ORIGINAL
Pvt. Trish Le enjoys the attention of her family from Boston as well as Wichita, Kansas. Le will attend advanced individual training at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas, to become a 68X Mental Health Specialist.
3 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Pvt. Trish Le enjoys the attention of her family from Boston as well as Wichita, Kansas. Le will attend advanced individual training at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas, to become a 68X Mental Health Specialist. (Photo Credit: James Brabenec) VIEW ORIGINAL
Spc. Manjinder Sandhu’s family may have travelled the furthest for his basic combat training graduation at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, as they are from Puyallup, Washington. Sandhu has a full plate of military training next as he will first go to the Defense Language School in Monterey, California, before heading to Fort Huachuca, Arizona, to become a 35M Human Intelligence Collector.
4 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Spc. Manjinder Sandhu’s family may have travelled the furthest for his basic combat training graduation at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, as they are from Puyallup, Washington. Sandhu has a full plate of military training next as he will first go to the Defense Language School in Monterey, California, before heading to Fort Huachuca, Arizona, to become a 35M Human Intelligence Collector.
(Photo Credit: James Brabenec) VIEW ORIGINAL
Pvt. Cody Stroup stayed at home for basic combat training. The native of Bokoshe, Oklahoma, will also remain at Fort Sill for advanced individual training to learn the skills of a 13M Multiple Launch Rocket System specialist.
5 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Pvt. Cody Stroup stayed at home for basic combat training. The native of Bokoshe, Oklahoma, will also remain at Fort Sill for advanced individual training to learn the skills of a 13M Multiple Launch Rocket System specialist. (Photo Credit: James Brabenec) VIEW ORIGINAL
Families of basic combat training graduates stand as the colors are retired at the end of the graduation ceremony May 21, 2021, at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
6 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Families of basic combat training graduates stand as the colors are retired at the end of the graduation ceremony May 21, 2021, at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. (Photo Credit: James Brabenec) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT SILL, Oklahoma (May 24, 2021) – Army families were invited to attend a basic combat training graduation ceremony May 21, for the first time since to global pandemic put a halt to public gatherings here in March 2020.

The ceremony honored the Army’s newest Soldiers from D Battery, 1st Battalion, 19th Field Artillery and A Battery, 1st Battalion, 31st Field Artillery.

Families began arriving early, their vehicle license plates from Wyoming and Colorado, to Massachusetts and Florida, and many states in between.

The ceremony featured all the trimmings of the usual basic combat training graduation, but really the day was about the return of families. All bleachers and individual chairs were filled leaving standing-room-only viewing for many family members. Still, no one seemed perturbed judging by the end of the ceremony. At first, Soldiers tentatively walked off the parade field to embrace their families, but then with a swell of joy, all rushed together with laughter, tears, and a lot of affection.

For Leanne Lor of Austin, Texas, she was happy to make the five-hour drive because she couldn’t come to her nephew’s graduation ceremony a month earlier. “Family wasn’t invited so I was expecting the same thing,” she said.

Having also graduated herself with a master’s degree in social work at the University of Texas, she was ready to celebrate with her husband, Pvt. Dalan Davenport, A/1-31st FA.

“It was awesome to spend time with her on Family Day, and seeing her here today reminds me of why I’m here and why I’m going through this difficult training,” said Davenport, who will move on to Fort Eustis, Virginia, to train to become an 88H Cargo Specialist.

Retired Army Sgt. Reginald Fowler traveled with his family from New Orleans to see his granddaughter, Pvt. Zyair Smith, D/1-19th FA. Like her grandfather, Smith will next learn her trade as an 88m Motor Transport Operator Specialist.

Although Smith claimed she wasn’t surprised her family was there, she said, “It was a relief and made going through 10 weeks of hard work worth it.”

Pvt. Trish Le is headed to advanced individual training (AIT) at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas, to become a 68X Mental Health Specialist. Her family journeyed from Wichita, Kansas, and Boston to see her graduate.

“It feels really special like I was actually lucky to be here and celebrate with my family. It does mean a lot because support from my family has been the No. 1 thing for me,” she said.

Spc. Sandhu Manjinder, became his first family member to become a member of the U.S. military, though he had relatives who were in the military in India.

The native of Puyallup, Washington, will become a 35M Human Intelligence Collector after he attends the Defense Language School in Monterey, California. He said he appreciated his family’s love and support during basic training, And, speaking like a new Soldier whose menu has been somewhat restricted, he enjoyed his family buying him lunch on Family Day.

Pvt. Cody Stroup’s family probably had as short a drive as any family. They drove over from Bokoshe, Oklahoma. Stroup military service isn’t likely to take him far for a while as he will stay at Fort Sill for AIT to become a 13M Multiple Launch Rocket System specialist.

“It’s nice to have family here and makes me feel a little more comfortable not getting to see them for 10 weeks,” he said.

His mother, Robin Grizzle, spoke of being very proud of her son, while his father, John Stroup, said the Army was getting a good man.

Families were invited to stay after the ceremony and order lunch from food trucks parked along Polo Field. Some families dined under covered pavilions while several went off in small groups to be alone and reconnect with those they love.

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