I'm deploying

[MP_Steve]

Some of you may remember a thread with a similar title I posted back a long time ago in '06. I never actually saw a copy of those orders and they were "cancalled" without explanation.

Well after four years of being on a volunteer list and a drilling reservist, 8 months ago I took my name off and transferred into the inactive reserve because I moved "beyond a reasonable commuting distance" from an MP unit.

Two days ago while on vacation, I got [real, on paper] orders to mobilize in support of OIF. Don't want to get into specifics but the orders are for over one year and I have to report to my mob station very, very soon. I just wish that I could have had a little more notice! :rolleyes:

Well, I've been waiting for this for quite some time. I just wish it could've happened sooner. I finally got my life together, have a great job, and am on a great path to the future (I'm only 22). I enlisted in '04 so I knew this was going to happen eventually. I've got mixed emotions but I'm overall very excited.

Wish me luck.

[Jennifer]

Good luck and be safe!!!

[mcsap]

Congrats ? . Tell us what you can , when you can.

[retdetsgt]

Our hearts are with you, my young friend! Good luck and stay low! (Didn't sumbody ever tell you not to volunteer?!?:eek

[MP_Steve]

Our hearts are with you, my young friend! Good luck and stay low! (Didn't sumbody ever tell you not to volunteer?!?:eek

That's the thing. I'm didn't volunteer for this, but when I was volunteering I could never manage to go anywhere. Now that I'm not, the army cuts me orders! :rolleyes:

They must figure people must be crazy to volunteer so in turn don't send the ones who do! :p

Thanks everybody for the support!

[retdetsgt]

That's the thing. I'm didn't volunteer for this, but when I was volunteering I could never manage to go anywhere. Now that I'm not, the army cuts me orders! :rolleyes:

They must figure people must be crazy to volunteer so in turn don't send the ones who do! :p

The Army is stranger than most people know. In the 60's, I found out by accident that it was a civilian woman in the Pentagon that decided who went to Vietnam and who didn't. I've long since forgotten her name, but I tried to get a short deferment ( a couple of weeks) and made some calls to DC. Nice older woman, but sure as hell, it was her, not some high ranking officer that you had to convince.:confused:

[highwayman]

Good luck and Happy trails ;)

[MP_Steve]

The Army is stranger than most people know. In the 60's, I found out by accident that it was a civilian woman in the Pentagon that decided who went to Vietnam and who didn't. I've long since forgotten her name, but I tried to get a short deferment ( a couple of weeks) and made some calls to DC. Nice older woman, but sure as hell, it was her, not some high ranking officer that you had to convince.:confused:

In my experience, at least in the reserve, I've found that civilians have the majority of control over everything. Every level of command, from company all the way up, had a civilian running the show. It seems that our civilian unit administrator, a GS-7, had more control over the unit in peacetime than the company commander did.

Quite strange indeed. ;)

[noelchabanel]

good luck, stay safe!

[Cris1102]

Good luck to you MP and stay safe out there!

[retdetsgt]

In my experience, at least in the reserve, I've found that civilians have the majority of control over everything. Every level of command, from company all the way up, had a civilian running the show. It seems that our civilian unit administrator, a GS-7, had more control over the unit in peacetime than the company commander did.

Quite strange indeed. ;)

They've definitely improved it, at least the Nat'l Guard. When I first became a cop, some of the guys talked me into joining the Guard. I served 6 years active so I had no reserve time to do and the Guard had a "try one" program where you could enlist for only a year. I thought, "why not", maybe coast for long enough to build up another retirement and it shouldn't be that hard to get promoted with my experience and active record.

One of the scariest years of my life. I was petrified that the unit might be activated. If they had, I think I'd have seriously considered deserting. It consisted mostly of draft dodgers and people who had never done any real active duty beyond basic and maybe a school or two. The field grade officers were nice guys, but really knew nothing, and I mean nothing about military operations. They weren't qualified to lead a Boy Scout troop. Most had only gone active long enough to attend their branch schools and maybe pick up a short school here and there. No real experience at all.

I was the XO of a infantry headquarters company so there was a lot of brass around. I asked a colonel once what some of his ribbons were for, most of them I'd never seen before. Apparently the Guard has it's own ribbons for perfect drill attendance, etc.:rolleyes: It was truly the best I could do to keep a straight face as he pointed them out. I only had my GCM (from when I was enlisted), a Bronze Star with a V, Vietnam Service ribbons, longivity ribbon and my CIB. (Oh yeah, the National Service Ribbon that everybody got) But nothing compared to his four rows of ribbons!:D

I don't know if the one summer camp I went to was a nightmare or a comedy club. I guess it depended on the point of view. I just remember spending a lot of time with my face in my hands.....

I was so glad when my year was up and I was able to get out. That unit was at least a years worth of intensive training before they could have run a day care center.

[pafindr]

Take care out there MP and thanks for stepping up.

p.s. If you happen to be in Kuwait and see my sis tell her I said hi.

[Norm357]

Good hunting and watch your six, Brother.

[MP_Steve]

That unit was at least a years worth of intensive training before they could have run a day care center.

Bwahahahahaha! :D

That's one of the good things that's came from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Army, especially the reserve components, are the most experienced now than they have ever been at almost any other point in it's history.

When I was a drilling reservist not too long ago, I'd like to have thought that my unit was pretty squared away, but at that point I had no real active service or deployments to compare it to.

I'm really hoping for some good, solid experience from this. I look back a few years now wishing that I had gone active for the veterans preference but at least that's one thing which I will gain from this deployment.

I'm gonna be pissed if for some reason this gets cancalled, but I can't see how it would. I'm assigned a unit that I will deploy with and there is no middle man since I'm in the IRR. These orders came straight from Human Resources Command.

Can't wait to get it over with.

[suzanne1020U.S.]

Hugs and prayers, angelface.

God bless you.


......Run, Forest, run!