Hi everyone!
Here is a post entirely devoted to the workings of Air and Space Basic Course.
So, this is going to be one GINORMUS post. There is so much to cover, even though it's only 6 weeks.
If you are going with your spouse to ASBC, you won't be bored unless you want to be. Yes, it's hot and humid, yes the apartment is kind of small, but you get to see your spouse pretty much every night and weekends instead of spending 6 weeks cuddled next to a pathetic pile of pillows. You know you've done it; I have too. It's woefully inadequate.
First off, you go straight to the hotel and check in. The hotel is at 450 Lemay Plaza. Take the Day street exit off I-65, follow the sign to Maxwell AFB, take a right at the light (Maxwell Blvd), go through the gate, stay on that street (Mitchell Ave) til you hit Ash, go left, then immediate right onto LeMay Plaza, pass the hangars, and the University Inn is on your right. You may or may not have to go to an entirely different building, but most of the housing is just a little farther up LeMay and on your right.
The housing is not bad. It's basically a hotel room - complete with daily housekeeping. There are two different versions, both about the same size. The newer versions don't have a couch (they have a chair though) and they don't have an oven (but there is a stovetop with two burners). Both versions have a queen bed, small TV with cable and DVD player, walk-in closet, bathroom with shower/bath combo, stove, microwave, fridge/freezer and toaster. And a coffeemaker. And a dehumidifier. There are also some pots and a pan, a round baking sheet (like to put a pizza on; no 9x13 casserole pans) some bowls with lids that double as tupperware and sets of bowls, plates, cups, and cutlery. You can't use any kitchen appliances that aren't already provided. Dumb, but they stick to that.
Housekeeping may come before 7:30 in the morning. Be prepared for that. If you lock your door, they come back about an hour later. If you put your "Do Not Disturb" sign out, they usually don't come back. The trashcans are so small, you'll need trash emptied daily. Internet is an ethernet hookup. No wireless. Streaming movies is very tedious and I've never had the patience to wait through a TV episode. My husband watched the Season finale of Lost but it took almost three hours to get through the less-than-two-hour episode. Ugh. Facebook, Gmail, flashgames and blogspot work pretty good though.
You'll usually have a spouse welcome night within the first few days. Definitely a great place to meet your husband's chain of command and meet other spouses. You also get some great contacts for useful places on base: Family Support Center, numbers for childcare (you have a couple hours free childcare a month), as well as local numbers for food and fun. You have a chance to put your email on a contact list which is awesome. Access to an activities calender, emailed updates about excursions into Montgomery and spouse get-togethers are pretty well advertised.
The first week for your spouse is spent "in the field." They are 5 minutes away on base at Blue Thunder, but they are away 24/7 from Monday to Friday. After that, they come back for the "classroom" part of ASBC. They'll usually leave about 7 am for class and then come back for an hour lunchbreak sometime between 10 and 12. Then it's back to class til 3 or 4. Sometimes, they get longer breaks if they do physical activities because they need to shower. And boy do they need it! ;)
Icarus is a really cool game; if you get a chance to go cheer your spouse, then go. They play for a half hour in the morning so it's not too unbearable and it's a pretty interesting mix of dodgeball and military strategy. As a side note, tell your spouse to go into the Ritchey Center to the Athletic Supply and check out some awnings. They're free and it will make your spectating much more comfortable.
The last week is a little tricky. They spend three days and two nights 45 minutes away at Vigilant Warrior: another mock deployment. Then they come back and graduate. WOOHOO!!
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask your cadre wives, your spouses and sweethearts president, or you can probably find me on Facebook under Kadi Bazemore Heath.
