BBQ & Seniors

**This is a repost (originally posted 5/8/11), this was lost when blogger was down last week**
Every semester's end AFROTC goes out to Salt Lick BBQ to celebrate the seniors.
This semester was no different, but it was better!
We had a wonderful private room all to ourselves!
Plenty of room to mingle and an entire fenced off area outside for people to hang out until dinner started.
We started the night by getting our BIG GROUP Picture...

All Seniors in front please!

Finally it was time for the food.
We settled in for a family style meal.
All you can eat of the best brisket, sausage, and my personal favorite RIBS!
Sides included smashed potatoes, beans, and slaw.
While everyone ate, couch stories started.

Couch Stories literally involve a couch, each senior is called up and pictures are flashed up on the screen behind them while friends come and tell stories about them.
With 15 commissionees (one of which being Bud!) we had a lot of good laughs.

We ended the night by honoring Colonel.
He will be moving on to a different assignment as well, in Hawaii (I'm jealous!)
Bud and the other seniors/commissionees brainstormed what kind of going away gift they could shower him with.
I made a suggestions and fortunately, it sparked the idea for the final gift.
He is the biggest baseball fan you could ever meet so the cadets all signed a Home Base Plate.
A friend of the Detachment custom made a display case for the Home Base with a spot for a flag on top.
This flag was flown over the Capital Building here in Austin.
There were 2 plaques that were engraved for the case...
One was the Detachment 825 logo and the other said "Home Base is where the Air Force Sends you".

I think for the first time in history, Colonel was speechless.
You could see it in his face, how genuinely loved he felt.
He will be missed, but I have hopes that the new Colonel will leave as much a memorable mark on the remaining classes as Colonel did for us.

I hope you all had a Blessed Wednesday!