So I was back in College Station for a few days last week and on the last day I visited the memorial. I snapped a few pictures and walked the site.
IMHO, it is a pretty nice layout, wish I would have visited at night, too. I actually walked it backwards from the layout, as I parked on the north side and walked over the hill/berm around the site rather than walk in from the designed entryway. I also forgot how hot it gets in the summer as I walked around the site with my camera.
More than anything, it just brought back a flood of old memories from my days as a random/crew chief/deadpot. I saw lots of new students/visitors walking around and I don't think new kids realize what effect this place has on old farts like myself.
I remembered sitting on the top of fourth stack after the mid-6 shift with the JRP on duty and sharing the after work dip of Copenhagen watching the sunrise. I remembered working the tagline during rebuild in 94 and being amazed at all the old, really old, deads that came in from far away to help out. I remembered the joy of hearing "last log" at load and knowing we were finally going to leave cut after being there since around 6 am (In hindsight, sometimes that First In, Last Out thing really sucked), with the anticipation of unload and stack still to come. Mostly, I remembered all my brothers and friends made during those years and I hope that the new Student Bonfire can reach out and get the support to continue to develop such bonds.
Just my 2¢
IMHO, it is a pretty nice layout, wish I would have visited at night, too. I actually walked it backwards from the layout, as I parked on the north side and walked over the hill/berm around the site rather than walk in from the designed entryway. I also forgot how hot it gets in the summer as I walked around the site with my camera.
More than anything, it just brought back a flood of old memories from my days as a random/crew chief/deadpot. I saw lots of new students/visitors walking around and I don't think new kids realize what effect this place has on old farts like myself.
I remembered sitting on the top of fourth stack after the mid-6 shift with the JRP on duty and sharing the after work dip of Copenhagen watching the sunrise. I remembered working the tagline during rebuild in 94 and being amazed at all the old, really old, deads that came in from far away to help out. I remembered the joy of hearing "last log" at load and knowing we were finally going to leave cut after being there since around 6 am (In hindsight, sometimes that First In, Last Out thing really sucked), with the anticipation of unload and stack still to come. Mostly, I remembered all my brothers and friends made during those years and I hope that the new Student Bonfire can reach out and get the support to continue to develop such bonds.
Just my 2¢