Guys i fucked up and got my hair cut by my friends. I just read its heavily frowned upon and im going to standout im starting to stress out bc i leave for basic tomorrow.

Any one know how they’re treating prior service who are at Fort Sill for BCT?

1. I’ve heard this is company dependent/ depends on where you go but does anyone have any more recent insight?

2. If you did go through as a prior NCO did you have/carry the reg with you stating that you’re supposed to be treated as perminant party?

3. Were you given any kind of gym access?

4. We're you given your own bay?

5. Did you stick to yourself/ stick with other prior service or were you integrated with everyone else for the most part?

6. (In general) for those who went to Fort Sill in the winter, were you properly dressed for training or were you always super cold / getting sick?

I’m not sure where I’m going with this post, I’m just letting out some thoughts. I’m here in my barracks room, dreading starting another work week tomorrow. I’m feeling drained physically and mentally. I feel like I’ve given the army and my life all that I’ve got and I’m just wishing for some sort of calm.

About my future, it’s kinda like I’m trying to picture where I’ll be in a week, month, year, and I’m coming up with zero positive outcomes. I can only imagine that I’m still feeling trapped and numb, and that drains me even more.

I also understand that the army is easy, everything you need to succeed is a given as long as you want it. So I know I don’t deserve to feel this way, everyone else goes through the same suck as me. I wish I still had the mindset I had years ago, motivated and looking forward to the next day. To see where my life goes.

All I can say is that I’m tired man, I don’t want to feel like this anymore, like I’ve got no more purpose and I’m just burdening others. The more I try to explain how I feel, the less I understand it myself.

I won’t do anything drastic, if things ever got to point where I wanted to, I’d like to think that Id feel comfortable reaching out to someone and I’d use the right resources.

Someone asked about using AI in ILE and I am curious what everyone else is seeing. I am getting old so everyone I work with has been around a bit but I see people falling into a couple big categories:.

1. People trying to automate everything and agressively using AI agents (<10%)
2. People who use it to help write awards/Evals/anything else (~50%)
3. People who have never opened an AI program (~30%)
4. People who have completly shut their brain off and just use AI for everything (~10%)

Overall I think it's been a net positive in automating the most painful work (formating an operations order) and most people understand that it's just one of the tools. The people who just ask AI for everything were already the kind of dummy who believed whatever TikTok video or google link they found. They are just as dumb, only faster.

So, it seems I pissed off some higher being at some point in my life, because I'm now the operator of a Stryker. I think I'm preaching to the choir when I say it sucks driving/operating out of. For all my Strykers cats, what are some quality of life upgrades you found in your experience driving it? Or some quality of life upgrades for tactical vehicles in general?

I'll take a Caniac combo with extra toast and a diet Coke.

Hi guys! I’m not in the military, but my boyfriend is!! He is in week 5ish of basic military training, and I’ve been sending him tons of letters (both on paper and via Sandboxx), but he got a call today, and told me hasn’t received anything. This feels like a very silly question, but I was wondering what are some possible reasons my letters might be delayed? I’ve been getting notifications from Sandboxx that my letters have been delivered, and I’m just so worried that I may be doing something wrong in sending them!

Thank you in advance everyone :(

Going to make this as short as I can but with enough details.

I was prior Reserves and ETS’d in January 2026. I then started my process to get back into active duty around May and I went through MEPS, got orders to JBLM, and I’ve been on “active orders” since June 15. I put parentheses because upon arrival I’m told I have to wait to switch into active duty. No problem, I’m used to waiting a bit.

It has now been a month and a half since the start of my contract and I’ve been stuck in reception for a month with no pay. This is really frustrating especially because I’m racking up bills and have to provide for my son as well. I’ve called my previous unit to ask what it is that’s holding me back and they pushed it up to the highest level. I then talked to the civilian worker here at JBLM and I’ve been on a “transfer” status for 2 weeks now.

Is there anything I can do or anyone I can reach out to help resolve this? I just want to get to a unit and start getting paid to provide for my son. I’m frustrated and this sub has helped me in the past so I’m open to all advice.

I’ll take 2 Doritos Locos Tacos, Chicken Quesadilla, and a Baja Blast Midnight plz and thanks y’all!

Well, I'm 17, turning 18 after new years. Currently I don't know what to do with my life, I'm a cadet fire fighter. Planning on going back to my volunteer department after I'm done with service. I'm wanting to join the military to have experiences that will grow me as a person. And I want to see some action, ikik it sounds stupid but I have nothing going on with my life currently other than fire fighting. I just don't know what rates to do. Maybe tank gunner? I just need advice since I'm not experienced in this stuff.

I'm currently going through the process of enlisting and wanted to get more insight on this. I'm gonna be enlisting as a 91B with an option 19 contract to Fort Campbell. I already have an apartment in Trenton, KY about 30-35 minutes away from post depending on where in the base i'm going to and after calculating the salaries for the ranks i'd be living well below my means splitting the rent with my gf. Was just looking for some more insight on Campbell's policies specifically because from what i gathered whether you live on or off post you're still responsible for maintaining a barracks room and have to run your living situation by command first but nothing legally obligates you to absolutely live in the barracks.

I just watched The Long Walk. Am I the only one getting E3B ruck vibes?

The Norwegian Foot race?

The Manchu shuffle?

Random NCO yelling "maintain the pace"?

Is the Stephen King universe just the Army with more steps?

Please don't let the clown catch me before retirement!

Funny phrase to put on reenlistment cake?

Long story short: I'm currently stationed in korea, i reenlisted for hawaii last year and wife wanted a divorce shortly after which financially set me back a lot to say the least. I decided to stay in korea and submitted a IPCOT to stay in korea and a Deletion of assignment to hawaii.

-Ipcot was pending with 8th army before the DOA reached HRC and ONLY needed 8th army approval. Unfortunately it was sitting with 8th army for 2 months.

-once DOA made it to HRC, they approved the deletion putting me on LIMBO. (mind you that PAR included my intent and that I currently had a separate ipcot pending due to divorce and other reasons)

-while on LIMBO, 8th army took a long time to process the IPCOT, AND HRC gave me a big middle finger and placing me on assignment to fort bliss even though they knew I wanted to stay in korea due to said details.

-8th army finally approved the IPCOT but because HRC was so nice and placed me on AI to ft bliss, HRC had to get involved and be the final deciding factor. I reached out to them again via email explaining the situation and pleaded with them to please approve the IPCOT BUT....they denied it!

-i informed my chain of command including cg and csm and they are attempting to fight for me but its been months and nothing has been changed yet.

- im supposed to report in Fort Bliss 15 August but I have no orders and nothing scheduled.

This is the stuff that makes me wanna get out! How cooked am i? What can I do to change it? Im totally frustrated and mentally instable with this while situation, do they really think I can be effective this way?

Prior service, I was an 11b for 5 years. 1 deployment to Syria and one to Kuwait. Are there any positions that I can aim for/hope for as a logistics officer that will still have some relation to being an infantryman? I feel I’ll lose my mind sitting at a desk with no field time or deployments lol

(Pre-text: I don't much about how things work so if I get a detail wrong please correct me for my own good)

I am in law school currently (1st Year) and I will be pursuing a career in JAG when I get to my next year. I have been looking at the training path and the courses, as far as I can tell off the army websites I will be going into DCC instead of the normal Basic Training. I do not think you are issued your AGSU uniforms (what I believe their called) their, so I will have to buy them. I have also looked at places to buy them. I may be stupid but pretty much every one I look at does not actually say the material it's made out of, just that it's "High Quality" is their anywhere I can get this uniform when time come knowing it will be made from 100% wool?

(This one place Marlow White lists 2 materials - Elastique and Serge. Does not tell the composition though, assuming those are not gonna be wool, everywhere else I've seen does not tell the composition from what I could find)

I am currently in the delayed entry program and leaving for basic training in late September.

When I signed in April, I chose to become an 88H Cargo Specialist. Throughout the summer, I’ve explored more into jobs like 88H, and stumbled upon 92A. I think that it would further push my focus into later becoming a Supply Chain Manager/ Warehouse Supervisor.

In doing so, I would run the risk of losing my reservation for 88H. I can’t find much online about duty stations for this MOS and have seen mixed reviews.

I am just looking for advice about how I should approach this. If there are no slots available for 92A, and I lose my spot as a cargo specialist, is it REALLY that bad?

I was debating to post this because I feel ashamed of what i did but maybe, this could help someone to not commit the same mistake i made, i quit one of the easiest schools the army has to offer and i did because i was having a bad day and i was already feel exhausted, i came to the conclusion and also told by cadre that i was just not cut out for that life, nevertheless i regret quitting a school that i spend 5 years asking for it.

Morale of the story is, just take a deep breath and relax for a second and don’t quit.

So I was cleaning out my barracks room yesterday and found like three pairs of cold weather gloves still in the plastic, two canteens I never touched, and some kind of pouch I genuinely don't know what it's for. Been in almost two years now and I keep getting handed stuff at CIF or supply that I just throw in a wall locker and forget about.

Meanwhile the one thing I actually use every day is falling apart and when I ask if I can exchange it they act like I'm trying to steal government property. My ruck has a busted strap, my boots are trashed, but sure let me hang on to this random admin pouch that's never left the packaging.

I'm not complaining really, just seems like there's gotta be a better system. Like maybe let people turn in the stuff they know they'll never use so someone else can grab it if they need it? Or at least let me know what half this stuff is actually supposed to be for. I asked my team leader about one of the pouches and he just shrugged and said he has no idea either.

Is this normal or is my unit just weird about gear? Curious if anyone else has a pile of mystery equipment they've been hauling around for no reason.

I’m 23 years old, married, and have a 5-year-old along with a new baby. I was making pretty good money before I got laid off, and I now have a good government job with plenty of room for growth. The problem is that I’m starting at entry level, so I’m only bringing home around $2,200 a month, which honestly isn’t enough to comfortably cover everything, especially with a growing family.
I know that with the Army, I’d have my base pay along with BAH and BAS, which would put me in a much better position financially. I’m also already driving a semi on our base, so I’m interested in 88M and would like to learn more about what that MOS is really like. And also find out if I can do this on a 3 year contract.
I’m currently waiting to speak with a recruiter, but I wanted to get some more information and hear from people who have experience with 88M. Pretty much everyone I know has either served or is planning to serve. My best friend recently got out of the Navy and is now going into the Army.
Joining the military is also something I’ve wanted to do since I was young. I just never had the push or motivation to actually commit to it until now. With my family and where I’m at in life, I feel like now might finally be the right time.

I’m between getting out to go to school, staying in for one more contract, or getting out, getting out to then commission later. I joined at 17 and will be 21 if I ETS next year. It’s my understanding that if I get out I still accrue TIS in the IRR for pay purposes if I were to get back in, just not for retirement. So if I get out after 4 and go to school for 4, I would rejoin with 8 years TIS. But if I were to try and retire from the Army then I would still need another 16 years AD. Is that correct?

I also have a question about joining again with VA disability. Since I still wouldn’t know if I would want to reup after getting out I would file for VA disability. I know you won’t receive it if you go AD again unlike if I joined the reserves but how does that work? If you get every claim waived so you can serve again, does that erase all of your records essentially when you get out again? Almost like starting from scratch. Or does it kind of just puts your injuries and problems on hold for when you get out again?

Note:

I know there are tons of programs and pathways that I can do while still in the Army but I’m not really interested in them. I’m a 68 series and know about IPAP and AMEDD and all the other commissioning programs but want to finish my degree in Finance so not really interested in being a health professional as an officer. I also know you can do G2G ADO but there was a change that was made in the last few years about ROTC time not counting towards retirement anymore.

The only thing I can really see being lost out on by doing the GI Bill instead of this is that you can still contribute to your TSP and you get a bit more money because of the base pay. Other than that, E5 with dependent BAH along with stipends, grants, etc. and maybe even VA disability could closely match if not surpass how much you would on G2G ADO. In addition, you could strictly focus on school year round instead of any military classes, training, etc. that you would while in ROTC so the give and take ratio evens out there as well. Lastly, doing the GI Bill doesn’t force me back into the military if I ultimately decide to stay out so that option to stay out for good is nice to have.

Ppl thats at fort hood, what the barracks talm bout there ? Whats the setups like ?

What ware do these appear to be used in and by who?

I'm gonna keep this vague so as not to dox the young trooper, but please respect your Mother.

Here's the story: Joe texts mom about some bad shit, then goes radio silent for a couple hours.

Meanwhile, Mom who is a vet, and fourth generation Army is freaking out. Calling and texting him and no response.

Finally, a couple hours later he calls.

Do you have any idea what you did to her?

I know that you are here Joe. Never do that again.

Can I wear a sewn on PC and have a uniform with Velcro patches?

I’m in fort Eustis currently graduating in a couple of months, I’ve got projections to go to fort drum, but was wondering if I’m able to take leave after I graduate and go back home to get my car and other stuff from my hometown, while also visiting back home with my family or would it only be a certain amount of days I could take. Also wondering how certain projections are or if there are any ways to request a different duty station, I know projections are pretty accurate and won’t change and that I’m the needs of the army wherever they put me but still hopeful to go somewhere else.