By Mike Weland
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Derrick Alonzo-Alt
(second from right), places his mouth guard as
he prepares for pugil-stick training during Air
Force Basic Training at Lackland Air Force Base,
Texas. |
Derrick Alonzo-Alt, a 2010 graduate of Bonners Ferry
High School, is nearing the end of a rigorous 8 ½ weeks
of Air Force basic training at Lackland Air Force Base,
Texas.
According to his grandmother, Linda
Alt, Derrick is doing well and on pace to graduate with
honors. In two weeks, Linda, Derrick’s dad Russ Alt and
grandpa John will travel to San
Antonio,
Texas, for his flight’s graduation,
scheduled March 17 and 18, and for a few day’s visit of
the cultural and historical sites in the region.
Derrick will learn where the next
phase of his Air Force training will take him in about a
week, but he’s hoping to spend the next 72-weeks of his
Air Force career at Keesler Air Force Base,
Mississippi, to become an air
traffic controller.
According to Linda, you can see
more photos of Derrick, including his baby photo, by
looking up “AF Wingmoms”* on Facebook.
Click on photos, and an array of
young children will appear. Not so long ago our babies,
now grown and training to serve and protect our country.
Derrick is the young Airman propped up against a big stuffed bunny. Not to
embarrass her grandson, she’s not asking that anyone
votes for him, but she’d sure appreciate it if you’d
click on his photo and make a comment.
Not that she’s proud of him or
anything.
* In irreverent enlisted military
parlance, Air Force airmen don’t like to be called
soldiers or sailors, but “Airmen.” Those in other
branches of the service often referred to them as
“wingnuts.”
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