[Grevlin]

Well, my nephew just turned 18. He is going to join the NC National Guard and do basic training and then advanced training starting next month. He will come back and start college in January and duel participate in the Guard and ROTC.


Any words of wisdom, prep tips for him from current/retired military?


Thanks

 

[Combat Goldfish]

Download skype before he goes to afghanistan :thumb:

 

[Grevlin]

Download skype before he goes to afghanistan :thumb:

lol - he is timing it so that he will contract with ROTC before being able to be shipped out (before college)

 

[Herd Sniper]

Tell him to carry a pocket knife, sheath knife and a hatchet when he goes on field maneuvers. Oh and some extra matches too.

 

[Combat Goldfish]

Oh... We tell him to get in better shape. Lots of hills to climb on after he finishes college and goes to afghanistan.

Keep learning, more pt, drink water, buy your own m4 to practice more, cross train on anything he cancer his hands on, don't sleep with army chicks unless he wants the herP, always look busy even if you're not.

 

[Grevlin]

Tell him to carry a pocket knife, sheath knife and a hatchet when he goes on field maneuvers. Oh and some extra matches too.

What sort of gear does he need to take to basic/or do they issue everything?

 

[Grevlin]

Oh... We tell him to get in better shape. Lots of hills to climb on after he finishes college and goes to afghanistan.

Keep learning, more pt, drink water, buy your own m4 to practice more, cross train on anything he cancer his hands on, don't sleep with army chicks unless he wants the herP, always look busy even if you're not.

He's been hitting the gym and has a pretty good head start on the PT requirements.

I'm teaching him 9mm handgun and AR-15 starting tomorrow, maybe a littel 12 gauge for giggles.

...I'll let him know about the rest. :

 

[Doc_Shane]

My advice study, train hard and push to be the best at whatever he is tasked to do.


Is he going to be in the SMP program?

 

[home in oz]

Very hoo-ah!

Be proud of him.

 

[Grevlin]

My advice study, train hard and push to be the best at whatever he is tasked to do.


Is he going to be in the SMP program?

SMP? ...so many acronyms! : :

Very hoo-ah!

Be proud of him.

I really am proud...and a little nervous- you know, family member in harms way (eventually) and all that. Mostly proud though.

 

[Doc_Shane]

Simultaneous Membership Program- where an enlisted soldier is in a unit and an ROTC Cadet as well, they pay them as Sergeants but task them with the responsibilities of 2LT so it's like OJT for them.

I'd have him check into if they are still running that program, it was a great training to tool for future junior officers.

 

[9111315]

What sort of gear does he need to take to basic/or do they issue everything?

Have him take a Shaving bag and two clean pair of Skivvies.

 

[Hungry]

Good on him. :thumb:

Tell him to be motivated in everything he does while in basic. Pay attention to detail and don't volunteer for anything, ever!

Where is he going to basic at? What's his MOS (job)?

 

[Grevlin]

Simultaneous Membership Program- where an enlisted soldier is in a unit and an ROTC Cadet as well, they pay them as Sergeants but task them with the responsibilities of 2LT so it's like OJT for them.

I'd have him check into if they are still running that program, it was a great training to tool for future junior officers.

Yup, that's what he's going for

He has 25 college credits transferring from High School (5 away from Sophomore) and with the credits from Basic and Advanced, he might start in the Spring of his Freshman year as, technically, a Sophomore

He's pretty excited, just seems a little stunned about what he is about to sign up for...but I think he is 100% devoted.

 

[Hungry]

What sort of gear does he need to take to basic/or do they issue everything?

They'll tell him what to bring and the type of clothing he should be wearing when arrives. Anything extra that he shows up with will be considered contraband and will be confiscated.

I was in the Army before joining the Navy and I remember a guy showing up with two cartons of cigarettes and asking the Drill Sergeant where he should keep his smokes. :rofl:

 

[9111315]

He also need to look at basic training as an extended job interview. The D.I. will send you home if you are a dirt bag.

The Extended Job Interview approach may also help him deal with the stupid stuff thay will have him do. . . . Like some of the stupid questions idiots in H.R. ask like "If you were a color, what color would you be?

Just be ready for "Green Sargent! - - Army Green Sergeant!!"

 

[Grevlin]

Good on him. :thumb:

Tell him to be motivated in everything he does while in basic. Pay attention to detail and don't volunteer for anything, ever!

Where is he going to basic at? What's his MOS (job)?

I also told him to not finish last or 1st (but close to 1st) - as to not attract "unwanted attention"

MOS - I thing Combat? Combat Arms? - they were talking about big guns, missiles, or forward observers...
(He has a limited selection because he wants to get both basic and advanced done before January so he can start up in college and ROTC.)

For ROTC, he is thinking about degrees in Foreign Studies or maybe Political Science and then maybe Military Intelligence...

I think Basic and Advanced would be pretty close by here to Charlotte

 

[recklessdriver]

my advise to anyone ....bring less..... really you can see who brought to much crap... laptops... game systems books... its all extra stuff you can't have anyways for Basic.... AIT maybe....but not basic... so why lug it around for a few days when you can go light. small backpack with your under roos...shaving kit and bar of soap.... (note to self.. your hair will be cut so damn short you won't need shampoo) few pairs of socks. Why their is achance you can get stuck in resepection for a few days if you go before a holiday or something retarded like we got stuck with..... Trust me nothing sucks worse then sitting in respection with Nothing to do and no gear.

 

[schutzen1]

1) Everything he needs for basic will be furnished. If he takes additional items, he will be lucky if the Army stores them for him.

2) Study very hard in college and get good grades. If you make 2 semesters of academic probation, you receive orders for the nearest Replacement Depot. I made 1 semester of academic probation and received a nice speech that included visual aids. One was an order to the university paying my tuition for the next semester and the other was a set of orders to report the 20th Replacement Depot, Bien Wah Viet Nam. I had a 3.7 GPA the next semester. Just a word to the wise.

3) Your GPA and your course of study affect your commissioning. Good grades in a good major means a Regular Army Commission most likely in the branch of your choice.

4) If he has a scholarship, he will have to take the Graduate Records Exam at graduation. If he does very well on this exam, the Army can offer him an additional scholarship for graduate school. While he is in graduate school he will draw his full pay and allowances as an officer. One trick with this is to go on active duty for 2 years and then go to grad school. Depending on the current time in grade for promotions, you will attend grad school as a 1LT or CPT.

4) If he has the option to attend any military schooling during the summer months, TAKE IT! Some of the past offerings have been Airborne School, Air Assault School, and in lieu of ROTC Advanced Camp; Ranger School. All of these are very good options. The NG may also have additional options for schooling depending on his MOS. Pathfinder was one my son tried for. He actually got slotted for the school, but his unit deployed to Iraq before he got the school. My son chose to deploy with his NG unit, but usually the ROTC cadets are non-deployable.

5) Even if he chooses to not make the Army a career, the leadership training he receives in ROTC and the Army will help him throughout life.

PS Just noticed a later post about MI. This is a difficult branch to get and it limits the schools you may attend. Try to take the Airborne/Ranger in-lieu of ROTC Advanced Camp option. Wings and a Tab are respected by all, even on a non-combat arms type (you get just a little bit of slack when you join a new unit and need to prove yourself to all).

 

[Combat_Vet]

Seriously

Someone else said it, but don't bang army chicks. Seriously.





Seriously.