Of the 731 Airmen who graduated from basic military training here today, nothing unusual happened for 730 of them.

But the day was special for one Airman, two chiefs and a mother.

“There was no decision about him joining the Air Force, it was his decision alone,” said Chief Master Sgt. Jeff Bowes, command chief of the 14th Flying Training Wing, about his son, Airman Basic Lance Bowes. “It was a great opportunity for me to be a part of this ceremony as a father and as a chief. I will always remember this moment.”

“I thought he was here just to watch,” said Airman Bowes, of the 322nd Training Recruit Squadron Flight 235. “I didn’t know he was going to be a part of the review in the stands.”

Chief Bowes and his commander, Col. Steven Wilson, from Columbus Air Force Base, Miss., were on the reviewing stand as the flights passed in review. That was when Airman Bowes realized his father’s participation in the ceremony.

Also at the ceremony was his mother Cheryl Reeder, from Bellefonte, Pa., and stepmother, Chief Master Sgt. Cristi Bowes, Columbus’ 14th Mission Support Group superintendent.

A full team from Columbus helped highlight the special event for the wing's command chief. The wing also provided a composite formation flyover made up of one of each of the aircraft flown at Columbus -- a T-1 Jayhawk, T-37 Tweet and T-38 Talon aircraft.

The ceremony ended when Colonel Wilson welcomed the graduates into the Air Force by administering the oath of enlistment to them.

“It was a wonderful opportunity for my command chief -- to see him bring one of his own into the Air Force family,” Colonel Wilson said. “We wanted to do something special as a base effort for this particular graduation.”

For the basic trainee and their families the ceremony signifies the completion of basic training. It is also a time to say goodbye for mothers and fathers as their sons and daughters embark on their own journey as Airmen.

“This was the proudest moment of my life, a very emotional time for me,” Mrs. Reeder said. “He is the first child to leave home. It’s his dream, and I am glad to see him accomplish it.”

Chief Cristi Bowes said, “It’s a great opportunity for him, I am very proud. He looked great. He has never looked better.”

Next, as a six-year enlistee, Airman Bowes goes to Keesler AFB, Miss., for 24 weeks of communications-computer systems operations training.