Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Leave for Army basic Monday morning.

Well, I'm off. Basic training and forward observer AIT in Fort Sill, OK (8 weeks and 6 weeks, respectively), then jump school in Fort Benning, GA for two weeks, and then on to Ranger Indoctrination for 3 weeks. Make it that far, and I'll have the spot in a Ranger Battalion that I want. Am planning to ask for a posting to the Ranger Bat at Fort Lewis, WA, so I can still maybe get some deer and chukar hunting in in Idaho over the years.
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<br>Darn near backed out at the last minute and didn't go, but weighed it all out, decided for good, and now I'm pretty fired up.
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<br>Will keep you all posted on how a 34 year old does at a 20 year old's game. I think what I'm going to do is this:
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<br>I'll teach my mom how to log on to the Campfire, probably with a log-on name like "JustinsMom" or some such. I'll have her type in the letters and stuff that I write home and post them here. She'll also print out the responses here in a letter format and mail them to me, maybe. That way I can still feel some of the heat from the Campfire wihile at basic.
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<br>Thanks to all of you here for the encouragement, discouragement, and overall help that you've given me. Will do us proud down there. Justin

Justin,
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<br>Wishing you the very best of luck,in your pursuits. I hope you are able to go in the direction of your choosing.
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<br>If/when time allows,chime in via "Mom",with updates regarding your training/deployment. You got brass ones.
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<br>Congratulations.................

Best of luck. Keep us posted. Ina few weeks you may find an opportunity to log on yourself, we'll be here listening. Go get 'em.

God bless.
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<br>Rick

Good luck and remember, do not volunteer for ANYTHING. If the drill sgt doesn't know your name after several weeks, things will go alot easier.
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<br>It will be a long time before you have time to be on the internet, unless things have changed alot since I went through basic and AIT. Receiving mail was the highlight of the day for us, so get as many people to write as possible.
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<br>If you can, let us know when you are in jump school. There is a good chance I will be at Ft Benning this summer.

Good luck Justin. Get some. The one advantage you will have is you know how to pace your self.
<br>BCR

Speaking of "not voluntering for anything" watch out when getting assigned to the mess hall duty.
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<br>I'm not sure you can completely avoid it, unless your some sort or squad leader, but here's a bit of advice.
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<br>Don't get stuck with "pots and pans"!!!!
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<br>Do any other detail mentioned, like serving or cleaning up the dining area.
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<br>Those darn cooks never stop cooking. There's no breaks when your doin' "pots and pans." I know, I got stuck with that one.
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<br>Let's see, it's been 18 years, but I may remember af couple more...
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<br>Don't forget, when in the gas chamber, it's "deep breath, then take off mask and recite SSN, etc", not the other way around (take off mask, then deep breath ) Guess how I know??? I recall standing in formation a couple hundred yards away from the gas chamber, and everyone seemed to be sniffing and coughing. All of a sudden we realized why!
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<br>It's been my experience, that the Army has a funny way of insuring every gas chamber exit has a large tree right outside. I think the DI's really enjoy watching half-blind, snot-slinging trainees running full-bore into those trees.
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<br>When running in formation, be the road guard guy. That's if ya can run okay. To be honest, most of the running was barely above the "airborne shuffle" speed, so you should have no problem. The road guards don't get stuck in the middle of the formation, trying to stay in step and sing cadance.
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<br>Perhaps there's more words of wisdom from the others here?
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<br>Good luck, watch the knees, and look out for shin splints!

Go Redlegs!
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<br>I was in FA for 3 years. Did a rotation as a M109 platoon leader and then battery XO. Also did the jumpschool thing at Benning. That is a lot of fun--you'll enjoy that. Good luck to you--just don't take anything personal and you'll get through it just fine!

Good luck man. I wish you the best and respect and appreciate you for doing it, even if I think you are craxy.

Guys, thanks for the good words. Three days and counting...
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<br>Will keep the eyes/ears open and mouth shut. Won't be volunteering for anything. Will definitely avoid "pots & pans" and pursue the road guard position in the formation runs. Am also going to do whatever I have to do to get my hands on some ibuprofen to ward off the shin splints and soreness. And I'll be looking for the tree outside of the gas chamber. Thanks Brian.
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<br>Kodiak, my mom will be posting here as "JustinsMom" or something like that, and it would definitely be great to meet you down at Benning. Between now and then we should be able to work out a way to get in contact.
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<br>Thanks again guys. I've got three days left, so, if you think of anything else, post it here and I'll use it. Justin

Justin - best wishes. As far as it being a "young mans game" don't believe it. Some of the toughest hombres out there are in their mid/late 30's. I hope you've been real active going into this though, as the youngsters will recover much faster than you will. You should have an edge when it comes to endurance though. Snag that Ibuprophen ASAP. Have your mom send us an address as well.
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<br>Take care,
<br>Scott

Justin, best of luck to you.
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<br>It won't seem like it, but keep in mind those drill seargents have your best interest in mind. They'll ride your butt, and call you fun names like maggot ([bleep] was a favorite), but their job is to turn you into a soldier. That is exactly what they're doing. Don't take anything personal. Keep your stuff together, do your best, and you'll be fine. Show respect..
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<br>Try to take a calling card along. I spent a small fortune on collect calls home. But don't count on being near a phone either. Luck of the draw I guess. I was a newly wed at the time so...
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<br>I think the best advice I can give is this. Approach everything with a positive attitude. Try to make the best of everything. Years from now you'll look back on this and smile. Be proud of yourself. There aint a whole lot of people with the guts to go through this at twenty,let alone thirty, so hold your head high.
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<br>Once you get to AIT, it'll slack off some. You'll still have to be on your best behaviour, but there will be more freedom. Check out what Ft Sill has to offer. I went through basic there, but never got to look around. It was a nice post, from the little I saw of it. Maybe that's because I was across the road from the golf course!
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<br>I'll be praying for you. Take care and keep us up to date.
<br>7mm
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I doubt you will have any time for fun, but if you do, there is a small mountain range about 20miles west (I think) of Lawton. It is flat everywhere but this one little spot with a couple of mountains sticking up. You can drive up into the mountains and see elk, bison, and deer everywhere. It has been 8 or 9 years since I was at Ft Sill, but I can remember how nice it was to escape the base and go in to those mountains.

Way to go Justin!
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<br>Definitely have your Mother keep us up to date! I would love to come visit you at Benning. May be able to shoot a service rifle match some weekend together while your there I can scratch up a rifle and ammo for you!
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<br>Same goes for you KodiakIsland!! Y'all let us know ahead of time! Probably coerce Littlebit and badger to tag along and have lunch sometime
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<br>Mike

Howdy, guys. One thing I can tell you for sure...
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<br>I WILL MISS THE CAMPFIRE, BIG TIME.
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<br>You are a terrific bunch of guys, and I look forward to meeting all of you someday. I've thought it many times but never typed it. I could have met Pumpgun here in the last month or so, but have been back & forth to Chicago and didn't get it done. I wish I had.
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<br>Thanks for the tips, especially about the hills west of Lawton. I think I have two days to myself between basic and AIT. If I do, I'll be heading for those hills if I can get there.
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<br>ROR and Kodiak: my mom will be posting here periodically, and hopefully by the time I get to Benning I'll have access to the 'net and to the Campfire. I'd definitely like to get together and will keep you posted as to when I get there. I think I figured out that I'll get to jump school at Benning in July, finish that, and then head right into Ranger Indoctrination in August. After that, I would imagine I'll have a little bit of time to myself when we can get together. Let's definitely do it. If it's possible to meet before, I'll certainly try to make contact with you.
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<br>CaptE: not to worry...I've been running 4 or 5 miles every other day for about two months so, hopefully, I'll be able to hang with the young guys. Like you said, I'll be looking for that Ibuprofen at the first opportunity, though.
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<br>7mm: Thanks for the good advice. I have a calling card that I'm taking. And when the DI has his boots so far up my rear end that their stuck, I'll try to look at the bright side of the situation. No matter what, I did this so I could have the experience to look back upon, good or bad. I expect that, as many of you have said here, it will be what I make of it. So I'll try to be the best soldier I can and walk away in three years with something I'd not have had otherwise...the knowledge of what it means to be a soldier.
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<br>Thanks, you guys. You're great guys. Justin

It'll be great!! Most Army guys I know will set around and tell Basic training stories like it was Summer camp!! Once it's over you'll look back and think it was actually fun
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<br>Jump school is nice because once released in the Evening you're free to do what you want unless you're on the duty roster..Just be back in good shape for morning formation..
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<br>Mike

Bye, guys. Will write when I can. Take care of yourselves, and good luck this fall in your hunting. And thanks again for everything. JustinH

Remember, talk little, say much!! Good Luck. -- no

Hello Justins mom! Welcome to the Campfire!
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<br>Bye for now Justin, hope you find your challenge!