Deployment first timer

8,800 Views | 47 Replies | Last: 5 yr ago by bufrilla
Green2Maroon
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3:04a, 3/10/19
AG
I'm an OIF 1 veteran, 2003-2004, so my experience may not be totally relevant to today. I was 18 when I deployed to Iraq and 20 when I came back.

If I were to advise my 18 y/o self at 34, the number one thing is take it seriously. You are a soldier in a combat zone. More than 4,000 US troops have died in Iraq as of now, 2019. You may be young but you have far more responsibility than the average dip**** your age back in the states. Show your seniors, peers, and subordinates who you are. Be a man. If responsibility and professionalism ever counts, the time is now.

It has been almost 15 years since I left Iraq, and I could go on and on about those days, I went on to leave active duty as a 22 year old E-5, but I should have been more mature and responsible.
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GAC06
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In reply to Green2Maroon • 4:58p, 3/13/19
AG
Good advice but I don't think she will be a man
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Green2Maroon
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In reply to GAC06 • 12:55a, 3/20/19
AG
Whoops, I was not aware of Pirate04's gender.
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Seven Costanza
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In reply to Green2Maroon • 8:28p, 3/20/19
AG
She's also like 32-33 years old.
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Green2Maroon
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In reply to Seven Costanza • 11:45a, 3/21/19
AG
Probably more prepared than I was then. I would be a lot better off deploying in my thirties than I was at eighteen.
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tamc1956ag
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In reply to GAC06 • 2:01p, 4/10/19
S
Neither did bruce jenner
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bigtruckguy3500
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In reply to Seven Costanza • 3:02p, 4/13/19
Seven Costanza said:
She's also like 32-33 years old.
You don't say... Op and I are the same age...


Also, this thread has been helpful. Thank you for all the advice. I'm slated to "deploy" to Okinawa later this year. If anyone has an Oki specific advice I'd love to hear it. Gotta make sure I get me an Aggie flag for sure.
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Pirate04
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8:51p, 4/13/19
AG
Hey friends! I haven't checked this forum in a while and just saw all the awesome comments. I actually move out within the next 48 hours and I couldn't be more ready. Mobilization has been...well, Mob. Anyone who has been to NFH or Sill will understand.

I have a flag in my foot locker to be shipped over and I'll get it up ASAP! I can't wait to get my picture in front of one of the aircraft to send in. Interesting comment on the baked goods, I was really looking forward to my grandma's oatmeal cookies. Got the hard drive, 2TB that's about half full. Currently downloading the Netflix Punisher series to my iPad for the flight over.

A little update, I will not be going to Iraq anymore. My platoon location changed a couple months ago but won't disclose.

Thank y'all again!

And yes, I'm a real girl. Lol
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JABQ04
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In reply to Pirate04 • 8:54p, 4/13/19
AG
At least you followed OPSEC. Meanwhile one of your Joes has posted yalls end destination dates and times on FB. I always loved dealing with that *****
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Pirate04
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In reply to JABQ04 • 9:00p, 4/13/19
AG
Haha, our BDE and ARAC love posting all about our deployment. It's not just the joe's. I personally deactivated my FB.
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bigtruckguy3500
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In reply to Pirate04 • 7:36p, 4/14/19
Yup, definitely about the same age.

Question: Do y'all have to do the helo dunker that Navy/USMC pilots have to do?
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Pirate04
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In reply to bigtruckguy3500 • 9:26p, 4/14/19
AG
Yes I had to do it while in flight school but they recently took it out because of budget cuts. Go figure.

It's now placed at the unit level if you're around open bodies of water. So since I fly out of Clearwater, I have to recertify every 3 or 5 years, can't rememeber.
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Seven Costanza
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3:57p, 6/23/19
AG
How's this going?
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bufrilla
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8:06p, 6/23/19
AG
Pirate04,
I'm a little before most of the individuals on here(USMC), but spent many overseas Combat tours in SEAsia.
My one regret from my first 13 Month tour, as a platoon commander and then forward observer for
3/3 Marine, in 1968-69 was not keeping a dairy. I do have the letters my wife saved, been married
to that jewel for 51 years, but couldn't write some of the stuff to her(she'd worry that much more). Departed 2 weeks after wedding for Vietnam. It was a tour filled with action and even the Command Chronologies/After action reports don't do it justice, because many were written by people in the "rear with the gear." Keep a diary.
I went to flight school and was back in SEAsia in a 1 1/2 flying combat missions in the F4 Phantom, then to Task Force Delta, to A Carrier Air Wing for 15 months, and finally, four 7 months non combat deployment to Asia. That doesn't count the endless stateside deployment/TADs(Top Gun, Command Course at PG School, College Dart,
AF Aggressor Squadron). Flying keeps the mind sharpe, Have well over 3K hours in the Phantom and over 4K total and wouldn't change a thing except wish I had a written records of key events for my memory. As my company commander from Vietnam stated at one of our reunions, "the stories tonight you will not recognize, because they will have been embellished so much from the years of passage."

Here's thanks to the Medivacs, I was taken to the Hospital Ship Sanctuary in early 69. Got a quick "patch and go"
and back to my company.

Enjoy your tour and fly safe when possible
Semper Fi and Gig'em
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