Photo By Robert Timmons | Pvt. Nebue Abebe places a backpack over his shoulder as he prepares to check in for...... read more read more
Subscribe
The holiday season has always been a time to spend with family and friends.
For Soldiers going through Initial Entry Training in December it means being part of a unique Army experience of going home during training.
Roughly 8,000 trainees departed Fort Jackson Dec. 18-19 for Victory Block Leave, also known as holiday block leave or exodus. It allows trainees and cadre alike to take a breather from training and head home to be with their families.
For those going home it’s also a cause for excitement.
“Some may say, ‘Wow, it’s block leave. It’s Christmas time. I’m so excited to go back home and tell the story of what it’s like going through (Basic Combat Training),’ and they are so excited to go home,” said Maj. Gen. Daryl Hood, Army Training Center and Fort Jackson commander.
It is also special for drill sergeants to see the trainee’s excitement while heading home.
“It’s rewarding because you get to see the product of your work, and then they get to share that with their Families during holidays,” said Sgt. 1st Class Rashard Neal, with Company B, 1st Battalion, 61st Infantry Regiment.
For Pvt. Yadiel Castro, one of the first trainees to depart Fort Jackson, it’s a time for him to rest and refresh.
“It feels amazing,” he said as he waited to board a bus for the Columbia Amtrak Station. “I feel like it helps us get some more energy and come back stronger and finish training.”
Castro’s unit, Company A, 3rd Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment, is in the sixth week of a 10-week training cycle.
Pvt. Nebue Abebe said he was “looking forward to spending time with friends and family” and possibly buying junk food.
Pvt. Tate Pritz, a recent graduate of 1st Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment, was yearning for special food too.
Other than seeing my Family, Pritz said, “I’m most excited about eating some Buffalo Chicken Dip, I’ve been craving the dip.”
While it may be tempting to overeat during the holidays, trainees must remember they will start training again once they return in early January.
"When they leave and take the two-week break, we want them to continue to exercise, enjoy mom and grandmom's cooking, try to do it in portion size, but don't just stay there for the whole time and do nothing because when you come back, we are going to continue back with our physical regime,” Hood said.
Pvt. Joslyn Robinson, another 1st Bn. 34th Inf. Regt. grad said, “It’s been a long 10 weeks of training, and I’m excited about rekindling with family and friends before my training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.” Robinson will be heading there after leave to start Advanced Individual Training as a 13U – Field Artillery Recruit.
While VBL is good for trainees, cadre and leaders benefit from it too.
“For those on permanent party, much like myself, we’re excited to go see our Family and friends and spend time with them,” said Hood.
Staff Sgt. Brittney Echols, a drill sergeant who was at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport in Columbia, South Carolina, helping trainees to get on their flights agreed.
It’s time for doing things with “Family that we don’t get to usually do when on the trail,” she said.
Drill sergeants can work long hours with few breaks, so block leave is a welcomed respite.
“Like I said the hours are very long,” Echols said. “So just taking our Family out, you know, and doing things that makes them happy makes us happy. So, we can kind of reset for the next job.”
(Editor’s note: Veran Hill contributed to this article.)
| Date Taken: | 12.18.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.19.2024 13:58 |
| Story ID: | 487984 |
| Location: | FORT JACKSON, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 30 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Jackson Soldiers head home for the holidays, by Robert Timmons, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
