Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Introducing Lieutenant Coelho

After a grueling 10 weeks of Officer Candidates School, Josh is FINALLY a Marine Corps officer!! Lieutenant Coelho to be exact. The whole 10 weeks was tough for me given the fact that we couldn't talk at all for the first 3 weeks and then for only about an hour on the weekends after that. But I can't complain at all because as tough as it was for me, I know it SOOO much more intense for Josh both physically and mentally. I'm so thankful it's over and I know Josh is relieved. Now he can finally get more than 3 hours of sleep a night.

My parents, his parents and his cousins all came out for his graduation and commissioning. I have been waiting for this day for a long time and have been counting down the days since before he left. On the morning of his graduation it was in the 40s and POURING rain!! We are talking buckets! And of course the graduation was outside and we were all dressed to impress. Luckily they had big military tarps for us to huddle underneath. I was soaked, I couldn't feel my fingers or toes, but I was so happy and I couldn't stop smiling! All the awful weather was a very fitting end to the crazy, intense, blizzardy weather they had to endure during their entire time at OCS. Of all winters and all times of the year, Josh had to be on the east coast doing intense outdoor training during "the blizzard of 2010" (that is literally what they called it on the east coast and in DC).
Graduation (cold and rainy; or as one Marine said "Welcome to Marine Corps weather 101")


After graduation, Josh had his commissioning (where he officially became an officer) at the Marine Corps Museum. They all took the oath and I got to pin on his bars afterwards. I have never been more proud or more happy!! And typical me, I was all emotional and tearing up. Just to think about how far he has come and how much he has accomplished just makes me so happy. My dad spent a lot of time reminiscing about his own Marine Corps graduation from OCS. He never thought that he'd be on the same field 25 years later to watch his daughter's boyfriend graduate. Josh is even staying in the same hall for TBS that my dad stayed in 25 years ago... who would have thought. The entire weekend we got to spend with him and his family was so much fun! After commissioning we all went out to celebrate and then drove up to D.C. to visit the sights and the museums (see more about this later).


Pinning on Josh's officer bars (which tell what rank you are)
FYI: I don't think that smile ever left my face or Josh's face for the entire day



The Josh Coelho Fan Club (aka his family)


First Salute


Now that OCS is done, Josh has to go to TBS (The Basic School) to get more training and schooling. However, it won't be as intense as OCS and at least we'll be able to talk on the phone everyday and he may even be able to visit me on the weekends. TBS will last about 6 months and from there Josh will go to MOS school for whichever specialty he chooses. But the hard part is over.. thank goodness!
Outside Josh's new hall for TBS (the same one my dad was in)
You can't really see it but Dad is definitely all Marine Corps pride with his Marine Corps tie... gotta love it!

Semper Fi!

1 comment:

  1. Great photo's Sasha... love the one of Josh in front of Making Marines!

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