Future Soldier's view on Army Values!

The Seven Army Values: Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity and Personal Courage. Loyalty to me means that I will stand by my family no matter what battles we are going through; I WILL always be there for my family. Duty to me means that whatever job or task I have to do, it’s my duty to complete the task and to make sure I fulfill whatever duty I may have 100%.  Respect is a big one for me, in parts of my life, respect was really hard to come by because I would doubt myself in certain areas and allow myself to be taken advantage of. However, I was able to bounce back and be stronger than ever and earn the respect that I deserve.  You have to respect yourself before others will respect you.  I am big on selfless service; the kids I work with call me superwoman becuase I always do more than what I'm asked to d – it’s just who I AM.  Honor was the day I enlisted.  I stand proud to say that when I tell my peers, family and friends my next journey they are proud of me. Integrity means that you are true to your views; you stay consistent about who you are and don’t change for anyone. My favorite one is personal courage. Before I enlisted, I had a weight issue and I knew before I could join I had to drop a lot of weight. I knew I had to get the courage to do this and I had no problem making my recruiter aware of this.  But, I also had people who doubted me saying “Naaaa, you’re not going to join.” Yet, with the help of the best recruting office and my Future Solider peers, I enlisted and accomplished my dream of being Army Strong!   

Army Future Soldier

Sonya Short

A Drill Sergeant Cavalry Scout Army Story

Hi my name is Kevin Jones. This is just some information about me while I was enlisted in the US Army.

First of all, there were a lot of good times and a lot of bad times in the Army; I guess that’s the same with everything.  I only remember some of the bad times, but I remember most of the good times.  As far as bad times are concerned, they mostly consist of being out in the weather; there were some people I didn’t care too much for and I think I have done a great job of forgetting them…lol.  There were times that I was so cold that I thought I was going to literally become a Popsicle.  I learned one thing about the cold - it is everywhere.  No matter where you go, there will be a cold season; yes, even in Iraq.  The good news is Scouts will always find a way to keep warm.  There were times when I was soaking wet even with all the gear the Army gives you to keep dry.  No matter what you have on, if you are out in the rain long enough, you will get soaked.

I joined the Army for four years as a 19D Cavalry Scout which has basic training and AIT together (OSUT).  Basic training was a blast; back then 19D OSUT was just 13 weeks, now it is 16.  You got to meet people from all over the country from all walks of life.  It is amazing what you will learn from them.  Believe it or not, there are people out there who have never met an Asian, Latino or a Black person in their life; some even think that the ethnic people on TV were actors made up to look that way.  True story…lol.

 Anyway, my Drill Sergeant was a great instructor but he didn’t PT us like I expected him to, it was always the assistant Drill that would skin us up or a Drill Sergeant from one of the other platoons.  The bottom line was we did a lot of PT.  We did PT in the morning, PT between classes, PT before showers and lights out.  I was a sprinter in high school, but the Army introduced me to long distance running.  I never developed a love for running long distance but I did well enough to score between 70 and 90 on every PT test.  I think my favorite part of basic training was going to the dining facility (DFAC).  That breakfast (scrambled eggs, home fried potatoes and bacon, orange juice and milk) was an awesome start to the day.  I’m getting hungry just thinking about it; I think I know what I’m going to have when I get home this evening...lol.  I can still remember standing in front of the entrance to the DFAC in formation with our headgear off.  “ORDER OF CHOW” yelled the Drill Sergeant.  This meant for us to yell back the order that the ranks of the platoon would march into the DFAC.  “ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR DRILL SERGEANT, ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR…DOOR MMAAANNNN”.  At this point, the Drill Sergeant would wave his arms from left to right, back and forth, up and down.  Whichever way his arms went, that is the direction we would lean our bodies while continuing to yell at the top of our lungs the last part of door man.  We would continue to yell that until he would drop his arms to his side.  Once his arms went down we would yell some crazy saying that the Drill Sergeant had us come up with, then file into the DFAC in order. 

My first duty station was the most fun; I was 19, out on my own with my own money, my own car and nobody telling me what time to be home.  We would spend our work days either in the motor pool working on our vehicles (M113, we didn’t have the Bradley yet) or in some out of sight out of mind location learning something about our job from our first line supervisor.  Once 16:45 came, (4:45 for you civilian minded people out there) we would have our close of business formation.  Our First Sergeant loved to talk so he would keep us standing out there for 45 minutes or more listening to him attempting to be funny while informing us about things that are going on and telling us how to stay out of trouble.  He was a very good First Sergeant looking back on it. After formation, I would go to the dining facility, order pizza or go out on the town for something to eat.  Now-a-days things are pretty much the same, except there is probably more ordering out because soldiers want to stay in and play video games.  Video games weren’t very big back when I first came in. 

I’m going to skip a whole bunch here and get to the ending because there is so much to talk about and so little time and I can get carried away with it.  As I mentioned in the beginning of this somewhere, I initially came in the Army for four years but I ended up doing 22 years.  At about 12 months out from the end of my first enlistment, I had to make a decision:  Did I want to go back home and hang out with those same old people and continue working in that wonderful grocery warehouse?...or, Did I want to continue seeing the world, meeting new people, experiencing things I never thought of and being respected and rewarded for the effort and hard work I put in?…hmm, let me think…ok I’ll re-enlist.  I re-enlisted several times and after 22 years of service. I can honestly say I made the best decision by joining and staying in.  I have gained leadership skills (which I attribute not only to joining the Army, but also to the MOS I chose) that I wouldn’t have learned anywhere else. (kj)

EVENTS THAT LEAD TO A GRADUATION

I had just enlisted into the US Army after my 21^st birthday.  I had decided to join the US Army to do something with my life.  My life was not going anywhere after High School, and I realized that without any college under my belt, I had to do something with my life, if I wanted to be someone in this life.  So, joining the US Army seemed to be the thing to do. 

I had the greatest experiences of my life during OSUT (One Site Unit Training) in Anniston, Alabama.   I enlisted as a 95B at that time, which was MP (Military Police).   I, a girl, fresh out of High School, that rarely wanted to take orders even from my STEP-Mother, was now going to enter into the world of the US Army, and be told what to do, from the time I woke up in the morning, to the time I went to bed.  Oh, and even while I slept, the US Army told me what to do.   What an adventure, I thought.  

My adventure began, that one cold day in January 1991, when I was told to “GET off the BUS”.  Basic Training was the greatest time.  I met a lot of nice people from all over the country.  All these people were coming to the same place to learn and experience the same things that I was about to experience.  Learning the ins and outs of the US Army was exciting, and demanding at the same time.   If we put our minds to something that we want bad enough, we can experience the WORLD.  

Light Anti-Tank Weapon (LAW) Training

Graduation day was coming, and I knew my family was going to come down to see me all dressed up and see me at my best.   We as a group had just been through a lot in the last weeks leading up to Graduation.  There were classes to pass, and things to do to prepare our uniform for the “Big Day”.    The “Big Day” finally arrived, and I think I was just as nervous to Graduate, as I was to start training on that first day.

All of us MP’s were now a group of individuals that had grown together, and had experienced things in our lives that we never thought that we would to make it to this Graduation Day.   As we entered the open Bay of our platform where we were to line up and to dress right dress, just as we all had for the past few months, there was a sign of relief.   We are all graduating, and our families are here and are very proud.   We were all proud as well.  

As we walked passed all of the families that were there to show their support, and show off their offspring, the cheers of the crowd were unbelievable.  To walk across a stage full of higher ups, that had been there to help us get to this point was even more exciting.   

I will never forget the feelings I had, as I accepted a Certificate/Diploma that I earned, and was proud to carry.   (LB)

Sports in the Army

Most people think that as a Soldier you are in uniform 24/7. Even though you live the Army Values 24/7 not all your time will be spent as a Soldier in the Army. You actually have time off to relax and do whatever you like to do such as, go off post to eat, watch movies, hang out with your friends and play sports. The Army has intramural leagues on post for various sports such as volleyball, softball, soccer, boxing and flag football in which you can participate. These are some of the most common. If you are good enough you have the opportunity to compete and try out for the post team. Playing for the post team is actually a lot of fun if you love sports, since you will be playing more often, and if you like to travel. If you make the team you get to play against other Military Installations at a more competitive level. If you are good enough you may even make the All Army Team which is very competitive and a milestone in your Army career. 

While I was enlisted in the Army for my 4 year career, one of the things I enjoyed the most was being able to play volleyball, soccer and softball. Living in the barracks was awesome because you know most of the Soldiers and it makes it easier to gather people to play. Most of the time we played for fun; however, you find out some Soldiers in the Army are very skillful. Some of them are good enough to play at a competitive level. 

All-Army Staff Sgt. Lee Diaz of Fort Meade, Md., drives the ball into the outfield during the 2007 U.S. Armed Forces Men’s Softball Championships at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The tournament was a round-robin with a total of nine games played Sept. 12-14 at Foster Stadium. The All-Army team won the gold medal and the All-Marine Corps squad took the silver. Three-time defending champion All-Air Force finished third. U.S. Air Force photo.

From 2001 to 2005, I was stationed in Ft. Knox, KY. I had the opportunity to play Volleyball and Softball for my troop HHT 1/16 Calvary Regiment. Volleyball was a lot of fun and the league turned out to be great. My troop won most of our games; if I remember correctly we only lost 2 games before heading to the tournament. We made it to the finals, but sadly we lost the final to Charlie Troop.  My Commander even gave us half a day off for placing second in the Volleyball tournament. 

My softball team was opposite of volleyball. Unfortunately, we lost more than half of our games. Probably the only reason we did not lose all was because of Master Sergeant Crisp who before coming to our troop was on the All Army Softball. Every time he went to bat we knew it was either going to be a home run or a long 3 base hit; that is how hard he hit the ball - he was awesome! Sad but true, the Marines team was very competitive and they placed second in the tournament to the MP’s. Playing the Marines felt like a big rivalry, kind of like a big High School rivalry or a pro Football rivalry game such as the Cowboys vs Redskins. If you lost to the Marines, you would hear from other Army units, even though it was all in good fun because we understood we are all part of the same team.

Check out this cool Video for information on the Army Combatives Tournament! 

These are only a few Sports available to you through your Military career. The Army offers many other sports in which you can participate. If you think you have what it takes to be in the All Army Team you can talk to your unit about the possibility of becoming part of the team.  Comment with your favorite sport (or sports) and if you would like to play for the Army in the future.  Feel free to ask any questions about sports you are interested in. (lm)

Typical Day as a Mechanic in the Army

Not all 91B’s will have the same duties day to day. It is based on what kind of Unit you are assigned, where your duty station is, what mission your Unit has going on etc. A typical day as a mechanic:

0600 Wake up:  (Please don’t forget to brush your teeth before PT! Don’t be “THAT” person.

0630-0730 PT: You will usually have formation at your Unit area (unless you have a Battalion or Brigade run.) Your 1SG usually decides if you are going to do Company PT or do PT at squad level. 

0730-0900 Personal time: You will use this time to go back to your barracks/house to shower, change into your uniform and head to the chow hall for breakfast. (Or eat at the house if you are married and live off post.)

0900-1130 Work-Call: Most days you will show up 

at the motor pool at 0900. Some Sergeants will require 

you have a 0900 formation in the motor pool but most 

show up for work call. 

The Sergeant in charge will then give you your duties for the day.

(If it is Monday, you will do Preventative Maintenance Checks and Services, also known as (PMCS). 

This is where you take the TM (Technical Manual) for the vehicle you are in charge of or assigned to and do a bumper to bumper check.

You will check all fluids, signals, wheels, engine, under the 

vehicle and much more. This will usually last until lunch time.

   

1130-1300 Lunch:  You are free to do as you wish during this break.

1300-1700: You will come back to the motor pool and resume what you were doing before you went to lunch. 

1700-1800: Free time!  Although this is allotted “free time” remember you are a Soldier 24-7! Please behave responsibly. If you find yourself in a bind, call the next person in your Chain of Command.  

(JA)

Leaving My Family for Basic Training: A Soldier’s Perspective

Home on Leave :)

Waiting for my ship date to leave for Basic Training in 

Ft. Sill was very aggravating. From my enlistment until 

ship date I was ready and anxious to leave for BCT; 

however, as my ship date came closer I realized I was

going to be leaving my family behind. These were 

people I was used to seeing on a daily basis. 

It was not as hard for me as it was for my mother, especially since she, at first, did not agree with my enlistment into the Army. My mother was really scared and the fact that I am her only child did not help at all. I never thought about having brothers or sisters until that point when I realized how much easier it could have been if I had a sibling to stay with her. Not knowing exactly how to deal with it, I told my mother what the Army would do for me. I talked to her about all the good the Army would do for me, like providing educational opportunities, learning responsibility and the discipline and leadership the Army offered. Telling my mother and family I would be able to write and call through training seemed to help as well.  

Basic Training road march, awesome! Drills will pop CS gas so be ready. 

I was able to call the second day I arrived at the reception battalion to let my family know I was ok. While I was in basic training I was able to call after completion of red phase, which was about the 4^th week of training. Most of the time when I was able to call I spoke with my mother, who became my biggest support. 

Since I was not able to call often, I had to write most of the time. Being able to call and write through One Station Unit Training (OSUT/ Basic and AIT) made me feel at ease because I could keep up with what my mother and family were doing, and I was able to tell them how I was doing and how training was. I always made sure I included my OSUT graduation date on the letters to make sure they knew when I was graduating so that they could attend my graduation.  I did that not only because I wanted them to attend, but because I knew that it put a smile on my mother’s face when I told her about the Honor I felt to be graduating soon and the importance of having her present at my graduation.

 

Snipers in the Army

As a 20 year Army Sniper myself, I can tell you that Army Snipers are IN-SERVICE Soldiers, NOT newly enlisted so you just don't join and expect to be one; who are typically Infantry, Cavalry Scouts and Special Operations Soldiers (U.S. Army Rangers and U.S. Army Special Forces-the elite “Green Berets”) that request and/or are then selected by their leaders to attend this school, based on their MOS and unit.  At the 5 week school held at Ft. Benning, GA, they are trained on various weapons, skills and tactics to become one of the most deadly shooters in the world, bar none.

Please note that a Sniper's job is not like in the Tom Berenger movie, "Sniper." An Army Sniper is not sent out with a "mission to take out someone." An Army Sniper is a "force multiplier" for the Unit Commander, Sniper's main objective is as a position of security for his unit, intelligence gathering or to engage high value targets of opportunity, be they man or materiel.

He (and a "spotter") will typically remain a significant distance away from the operational target. He will gather as much information as he can about the target objective from a distance. He will make note of where personnel are stationed in the area. He basically will oversee his unit.  He will take a shot only if the safety of his teammates is at stake. So he is usually assigned to the unit to act as a Sniper and fire a shot only if it is absolutely necessary. Army Snipers are not sent out with the sole purpose of assassinating anyone. This is not Hollywood. 

To become An Army Sniper you must be an E-3 and above, be selected by your leaders; 20/20 or correctable to 20/20 vision and normal color vision; score expert with the M16 2 times in a year; have NO Disciplinary history of any kind; be capable of working alone under adverse conditions for extended periods; pass a Psychological Evaluation. (LP)