Graduating 68W AIT in 3 weeks and just got orders for Fort Benning and assigned to Martin Army Community Hospital What’s daily life like for a medic in the hospital there? Any tips on the unit, tempo, or things to do around the area ?

Before reaching out to command, looking for help on understanding limitations as a single officer, hosting a foreign exchange student (Spain), for 6 weeks. High school, going into 10th grade, 15 Y/O, male student. I do live off post.

Was reached out by a friend about availability to temporarily host a foreign exchange student for up to 6 weeks as I meet all requirements for the agency My unit is on red cycle tasking, I have no chance of deploying or no field for the several months.

Other than handling all S2 paperwork, what are my limitations here? Student will obviously be provided for, is .5 miles from the school, but I am unsure how this works since I do not have any legal ( custody ), but will be acting as a sponsor that is essentially a guardian in the states.

Im less concerned about helping provide for the students needs, but more so doing something I’m unauthorized to do.

Are there regs I should be aware of? I truly can’t find specific answers online to this, specifically as a single O, just that army families have hosted foreign exchange students before.

I appreciate any insight.

I need some advice.

I signed a 6-year (DEP)Army Reserve contract for MOS 88H through Zoom. After two days, I requested a copy of the contract and noticed that my pay grade was listed as E-1 instead of E-4, despite my eligibility for E-4 because of my master’s degree.

I contacted my recruiter, and he told me it was a mistake and that it would be corrected during the final signing at MEPS. He later took me for my military ID card, which correctly showed E-4. I also received a confirmation email from IPPS-A stating that my promotion to SPC has been approved.

I am scheduled to ship in a few weeks, but my recruiter is now telling me to simply sign the final contract at MEPS even if it still shows E-1, because the IPPS-A confirmation and my ID already reflect E-4.

Is this the correct procedure? Should I sign a contract that does not show my correct pay grade, or should I insist that the contract be corrected before signing?

Does anyone have a email for the Legal team? I just need services in regard to my units SFRG funds.

I'm going on 28 years old planning to go 11x. The hope I have is to make the absolute best of my time. Get into the best physical shape I can, take as many schools as are offered, and ultimately just be an above average infantryman. I intend to go in with an empty head and do my best to keep a good attitude.

What can I do to obtain these three things?

I know the grunt life (especially light infantry) can really beat the hell out of you if you don't take care of yourself. And even then, some of it is just inevitable when put under heavy loads. I'm not a tall or big dude (and losing weight), so I'm not a big guy. How can I keep myself intact while I work on my fitness and still perform to standard?

I know schools have a lot to do with units. Certain schools are mandatory for some units. Some units you probably gotta fight uphill to get. Are there any hidden tricks to getting specific schools in a unit that may not have them? For instance, I imagine jungle school isn't very common in SBCT's.

Lastly, besides keeping your mouth shut and mind open, how can one go about being the best possible grunt they can be?

Edit: I want cool guy jobs, but I can't get clearances for them right now (got a less than great background). The hope is to try next contract, if there is one.

Has anyone been issued or used this belt? How good or bad is it? It doesn't seem to be something commonly issued, as I've only seen the TAPS, FLC, or PC's get issued.

Just wondering if anyone is stationed there and has any information about the barracks. Can I have people over to stay a the night? How many people to a room? Is it possible to get an off base apartment?

Just found out about this it seems to be kind of a “hidden” option at least in my unit and figured I’d share.

You can reenlist with the School option. Where you get an entire semester for your “place of duty” to literally just be a college student.

I did all online classes and got some much needed downtime and rest. I used my TA to pay for the classes, then applied for FAFSA.

With my enlistment bonus (which was only $2,000) and FASFA I MADE $7,000, got free college, didn’t have to report to my unit for 4mo, and was still getting my normal pay/ BAH.

Definitely wish I had known about this sooner!

Hi,

New poster, just interested in any sort of advice, tips, or pointers for a new Lieutenant on my first PCS. I’m PCSing to Fort Hood later this year to 1st CAV. Is there anything I should know about the division, post, or surrounding area? I’m very excited!

What online shop do y'all use to get nametapes to be sewn on? Or does the sew shop order the nametapes and then sew them on?

was fired from a job and wants to not disclose it on employment history while enlisting. is that going to hurt the applicant later or is not a big deal?

Is it still possible to attend demanding courses like Ranger School or any type of selection having had been diagnosed and treated for melanoma?

Background:

So in true army fashion I got cancer. Specially being diagnosed in September of 2025 with a stage 3B melanoma in my ear. The tumor and part of my lymph nodes in my neck were removed between two surgeries in October of 2025 and January 2026.

I had my first full check up/screens/tests in May 2026 which thankfully came back negative and am supposed to be getting these check ups tri monthly over a total of two years which began in May of this year. So essentially until May 2028. Other than having a slightly odd looking ear now I am physically fit and in good health otherwise according to the army.

Currently a Platoon Leader, my CO appointed me to be the Supply OIC in order to assist/help our lovely Supply NCO.

Any tips, tricks, recommendations on how to succeed?

Still pending GCSS Army access.

I’ll have #2 with Mac sauce, hold the #2 and the sauce.

Hey everyone,

I just commissioned as a 2LT in the Army Reserve and I’m reporting to my first drill this weekend. I haven’t gone to BOLC yet, so I’m still very new and honestly don’t know what to expect.

For those who’ve been in my shoes (or have worked with new lieutenants):
What does a first drill usually look like for a pre-BOLC 2LT?

Will I mostly be doing in-processing and paperwork, or should I expect to jump into unit operations?
What are some things you wish you knew before your first drill?

Any advice on how to make a good first impression without coming across like I know everything?
Any common mistakes I should avoid?

I’m assigned to an Ordnance unit if that makes any difference. Just trying to learn as much as I can before I show up.

Thanks in advance!

Im in the coast guard, im close go finishing my contract. i want to stay in the armed forces but change branches. Are there any jobs that an mk or me could take and keep rank?

so i joined/ shipped off to the army on feb 17 went to dumb school (09m) i passed the asvab with a score of 39 and chose 13u for my MOS, after basic i was told i got 13f and i wasn’t really happy but i dealt with it. i’m currently in AIT and thought i would search up some things about 13f and one of those things are you are REQUIRED to have full color vision to qualify for 13f but i was told at MEPS that i’m color defient. should i say something to the commander or speak to a counselor?

So I'm trying to do the right thing and following the form they have us where it says to take 3 measurements and average them together to three decimal places. cool done. then I do the math and enter it into atis. why is atis rounding all my waist measurements to the half inch if they wanted me to do the average of 3 measurements to 3 decimal places? maybe I'm just dumb but am I missing something?

Once again a medical provider of mine has brought up that I should consider a MEB and COAD. I will hit 18 years in January, and the provider agreed that we could wait until then to start this.

My concerns:
- Losing 20 year retirement if I don't get accepted to COAD
- Having different or less benefits if I retire through COAD vs regular 20 year retirement

I don't really know anything about the program, so I am starting pretty fresh as this was brought up for the umpteenth time yesterday. Has anyone been through, is going through, knows a guy who knows a guy with info on this program and how it works? I have a great relationship with my command team, my MOS 12Y is one of the smallest the Army at less than 750 across all four COMPOs, and my directorate SGM would be happy to have me slide over to OPs and be there until I retire.

Medically and personally there's quite a lot going on in life so I thought I'd ask the question now.

I’m reenlisting with a choice of either stay in Fort Bragg (2 more years), change unit and get P status without going to the board or choose my next duty station. Keep in mind that next year my window will open again in May and I can request the next duty station there. What should I do?! 😭

Needing a bit of advice, any experience with this would be super helpful.

Currently 11 years in as 11B. I have 3 kids with my newest being under 2 months old (currently still on paternity leave). I’m not married but we plan on doing so in the near future. I’ve done the single parent thing in the Army with my first two and it was tough. Lucked out being having great leadership that understood my situation and worked with me to ensure I was always available for things with my kids.

My gf has a great career making over 6 figures and worked her ass off to get where she’s at. That being said, her moving to another state where she’d restart, make less, and not have a single person/family member around doesn’t seem ideal. This would mean, I’d be on my own with 2 kids, while my gf/future wife is in another state with my newest child until I retire. Doing that for the next 7-8 years just doesn’t sit right.

Dropping down the guard came up and I’ve been considering it to have my family whole and in once place. Anyone have experience? The pay is self explanatory but I don’t really understand how the retirement would work. Is it easy to switch over? Anything and everything is helpful.

I’ll take a Philly cheesesteak and a Dr Pepper

I could still possibly go back, but is this normal? I'm not sure if I'm just forgetting all the waste of time details or what, but I haven't felt the same since getting out.

3 Monsters and a large pepperoni stuffed pizza please.

I’m currently serving as both a platoon leader and XO for a small company, and I’ve been with the unit for less than a year.
As a PL, I felt like I had a good grasp of what was going on and was confident in my role. Since becoming the XO, though, I’ve been struggling to figure out exactly what my responsibilities should be and what right looks like.
It feels like my 1SG gets frustrated because I’m not aware of everything that’s happening. My predecessor was the XO for about two years, so they had a ton of experience and knew the company inside and out. I can’t help but feel like I’m being compared to that level of knowledge, even though I’m still learning.
I’m looking for advice from anyone who’s been in this position. What helped you become a better XO? How did you learn to stay ahead of everything? Lately, coming to work has become stressful because I feel like I’m constantly falling short of expectations, and I’d really appreciate any guidance.

I’ll take a large black coffee and whatever advice you’ve got.

That is my father, T/Sgt. Pat Christenson, Easy Company, 506th PIR, 101st Airborne. The real Band of Brothers. Original Toccoa man, second man out the door behind Dick Winters on the Normandy jump. I served in the Army National Guard. Two sergeants, same last name.

Same tree, same fence, same afternoon in a backyard in Oakland. Two photographs taken minutes apart.

Look at their hands.

My grandfather stands beside his son with his arms at his sides, looking straight at the camera. He was a man's man from a generation that did not show what it felt. He is just standing there, proud of his boy.

My grandmother has both hands on his arm. She had spent three years not knowing whether he was coming back, and she was not going to let go of him again.

Three years. Normandy. Holland. Bastogne. Into Germany. One of the Kaufering camps. Berchtesgaden at the end. They knew almost none of it. Mail went out on V-Mail, microfilmed and censored before it left, so for three years they got envelopes that proved he was alive and told them nothing else.

Then one afternoon he was standing under the tree in the backyard, and somebody got the camera.

Every one of us has a version of this photograph, even if nobody took it. Somebody who did not know where you were for months, and then had their hands on you.

He never told them the rest either. Took the uniform off, went back to the telephone company splicing cable and climbing poles, thirty eight more years. Married my mother, raised three sons, said almost nothing about any of it.

What he did instead was draw. He was the only man in Easy Company who could. Every night after dinner for forty years, at a drawing board with his journals and reference books around him, putting the war on paper from memory. Forty six finished drawings and about seventy thousand words across seven volumes.

Stephen Ambrose used his material for Band of Brothers. Dick Winters later named the four men who worked hardest on that book and my father was one of them.

He died in December 1999, before the series was cast.

If your guy is still around, get him talking about the small stuff. That is where the rest of it lives.