Hooah!! Welcome back for your Week TEN Training Update – and CONGRATULATIONS!

The moment you’ve been waiting for is finally here—your Soldier has made it! After ten weeks of sweat, sacrifice, and pure determination, your loved one has successfully conquered the challenges of Basic Combat Training (BCT)! They’ve built a rock-solid foundation that will serve them for the rest of their Army career. They are now stronger, sharper, and more resilient than ever before—ready to face any mission or challenge that comes their way. This is a massive achievement, and you should feel bursting with pride because your Soldier has earned their place among the best!

Week Ten Expectations: Graduation Week

This week, your Soldier will experience a new level of independence as they prepare for their big day. They’ll spend their final days at Fort Jackson cleaning equipment, polishing their barracks, squaring away their uniforms, and perfecting their drill and ceremonies for the graduation ceremony. It’s all about attention to detail and showing off the discipline they’ve built over the past ten weeks. Before you know it, you’ll be there in person, cheering them on as they march across the parade field with pride and confidence!

Family Day – A Day to Remember

Get ready—this is a moment you and your Soldier will treasure forever! The celebrations kick off with Family Day, the day before graduation—and it’s a day you’ll never forget! Both Family Day and Graduation will take place on Hilton Field. Make sure to head out early—Fort Jackson will be buzzing with excitement and packed with thousands of proud families, just like yours. The morning ceremony lasts about an hour, and then your Soldier will be released to spend the day with you on post. While they can’t leave the base, they’ll be thrilled just to be by your side, sharing stories, laughter, and pride from everything they’ve accomplished. They normally will have to be back in the barracks by 1900 hours, or 7:00 p.m.

There’s so much excitement waiting for you and your Soldier on Family Day! One of the very first places your Soldier will want to visit is the Post Exchange (PX)—think of it as the ultimate one-stop shop! From clothes, shoes, and electronics to perfume, snacks, and toys, the PX has it all. It’s a tradition for Soldiers to visit the PX with their families, so soak up every moment—you’ll be seeing their pride shine with every step! After hitting the PX, be sure to explore the sights around Fort Jackson. Check out the Basic Combat Training Museum to walk through the history your Soldier is now a part of, catch a movie at the on-post theater, or even have some fun at the bowling alley. There’s so much to experience, and it all adds to the magic of celebrating this huge milestone together! For more ideas, check out the Fort Jackson website to plan your perfect Family Day.

Graduation

Grab your tissues now because there won’t be a dry eye in the stands when you watch your Soldier march onto that field. The graduation ceremony usually kicks off around 0900 hours (9:00 AM) and lasts about an hour—make sure you plan to arrive early because the excitement (and the traffic) will be off the charts!

After the ceremony, get ready to celebrate—your Soldier will be granted an off-post pass to spend the day with you out on the town! Whether they’re craving their favorite food or just a few quiet hours relaxing on a comfy couch, they have earned every minute of it. Before the day winds down, just double-check with their leadership what time they need to be back in the barracks—they’ll be gearing up to head off to Advanced Individual Training (AIT) soon! The adventure continues, and the pride only grows from here. Hooah!

The Making of Your Sodlier

On behalf of the entire Sandboxx team, a huge and heartfelt congratulations to you and your Soldier! We are truly honored to have been part of your journey and are beyond excited to officially welcome you into the incredible military community. Watching your Soldier transform, persevere, and succeed has been nothing short of inspiring—and we are so proud to stand beside you in celebrating this amazing accomplishment!

Thank you for letting us be part of your journey—and welcome to the Army Family!

Remember, I’m always just a message away—whether through the chat feature in the Sandboxx app or by emailing happiness@sandboxx.us. Ask for Kris and another teammate, or I will reply soon. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need anything as the journey continues to AIT.

Hooah!

SGM Kris Broadus, U.S. Army (Ret)