Anybody been to FT Lewis for their pre-deployment IA/GSA training?

[bunk22]

Very nice ... very nice.

Fuck me ... except for the florescents it looks like boot camp in the '60's minus the M-1 rifle rack running down the middle of the bunks ...

And I see they still have the community "sink" in pix #3 ...

Oh, bunk ... what HAVE you done to yourself ... ???

I think it's only for 3 to 4 weeks maximum. I bet my living arrangements are better in Iraq. I get mixed stories, some say it's easy training, others say it's easy but time consuming, etc. So let me get this straight, Chiefs and O-5's get smaller rooms but O-4's and below get the barracks? In Osan, we all lived in one huge open bay barracks and then later on moved into small two room, disgustingly dirty barracks.

 

[The Renegade]

If your there for just 3 to 4 weeks, then you must be going combat skills training. Its not hard… you’ll get thrown around by some Army Sgt in hand-to-hand combat training, get sprayed by OC (Oleoresin Capsicum) spray, learn to drive a hummer Army style, do some land navigation, get gassed in the gas chamber, and sit through hours of powerpoints.
Since your only going for combat skills, you’re probably in some small unit like detainee review board or something like that, so you’ll most likely will be training with either a larger Navy detainee ops unit (130+ strong) or an Air Force IA unit. Only thing is… no liberty, no civilian clothing (just uniform and PT gear), no going off base, no visitors, no drinking alcohol… think of it as boot camp with out the yelling.

 

[MasterBates]

Dumb random IA question:

Do we treat Army and AF officers like OCS Candidates when they come to play with the USN?

So what is the "point" of being a LCDR in "Boot Camp"

My IA suckometer just maxed out.. This sounds like the Army version of "practicing 5th fleet liberty.. In Ft. Lauderdale".

 

[QuagmireMcGuire]

More importantly, will we have Starbucks?

I hope they have the good grace to treat you to some real coffee.

Fuck Starbucks and the runs it gives.

 

[Uncle Fester]

NCRC/NIACT isn't like a boot camp at all. The instructors are Drill Sergeants, but other than wearing the Smoky Bear hats, they don't do anything DI-ish. No hoop-and-holler, drop-and-gimme-50 BS, just instruction. The first day, they told us, "We're not here to indoctrinate you, we're here to teach you."

 

[ea6bflyr]

Fester is right on. The Army Sergeant Instructors were VERY professional and conducted themselves with aplomb. I can't say the same for the NAVY staff at NIACT.

Open bay barracks: Bring your EARPLUGS!! Too many SNORING people. We had one guy in our barracks that had a "Death Rattle" while sleeping. I swear he died at least 2-3 times per night due to sleep apnea. Pick a rack FAR from the HEAD, you'll thank me later.

Welcome to the Army SGT Bunk. BTW, it gets a little better in country.

-ea6bflyr

 

[bubblehead]

Attached is a power point we gave at Fort Lewis to the senior leadership of the groups. I was one of the Liaison Officers at Ft Lewis from Sept 2007 to March 2008, along with a Chief, and a LCDR. ECRC latter sent me and the LCDR to Fort Dix to stand that det up and we were replaced with a PS1 and a CDR (I believe they are still out there… I left ECRC in August). I still have all of my files from both forts (manuals, power points, instructions, etc), so let me know if you have any questions about the process....

-PS2(AW)

Here is a PDF version too.

 

[bunk22]

If your there for just 3 to 4 weeks, then you must be going combat skills training. Its not hard… you’ll get thrown around by some Army Sgt in hand-to-hand combat training, get sprayed by OC (Oleoresin Capsicum) spray, learn to drive a hummer Army style, do some land navigation, get gassed in the gas chamber, and sit through hours of powerpoints.
Since your only going for combat skills, you’re probably in some small unit like detainee review board or something like that, so you’ll most likely will be training with either a larger Navy detainee ops unit (130+ strong) or an Air Force IA unit. Only thing is… no liberty, no civilian clothing (just uniform and PT gear), no going off base, no visitors, no drinking alcohol… think of it as boot camp with out the yelling.

Yeah, thats what I'm doing. So we learn hand-to-hand? A little grappling? I'm a BJJ guy, right up my alley. The rest of it, eh, whatever. I hear different things about the liberty, some guys get it, some don't.

 

[bunk22]

Dumb random IA question:

Do we treat Army and AF officers like OCS Candidates when they come to play with the USN?

So what is the "point" of being a LCDR in "Boot Camp"

My IA suckometer just maxed out.. This sounds like the Army version of "practicing 5th fleet liberty.. In Ft. Lauderdale".

The whole thing screams half-ass as does the entire IA/GSA bullshit. It doesn't surprise me though. I've come to expect a ton of half-assness after 16 years in the Navy.

 

[bubblehead]

I've come to expect a ton of half-assness after 16 years in the Navy.

Say it ain't so... lol...

 

[bunk22]

Say it ain't so... lol...

Go figure uh? Let's see, start with a knee jerk reaction to something, take a whole lot of time and wasted effort in attempt to fix it and in the end, come up with a half-ass solution. Yep, thats the Navy

 

[The Renegade]

Yeah, thats what I'm doing. So we learn hand-to-hand? A little grappling? I'm a BJJ guy, right up my alley. The rest of it, eh, whatever. I hear different things about the liberty, some guys get it, some don't.

Here’s the thing… IAW General Order 1 (a 3 page memo by some 3 star Army General – you’ll sign it the first day of training stating you understand and will comply) everyone undergoing training is prohibited from all that fun stuff (off base liberty, drinking, etc, etc.) until the day you are validated (training certified as completed). As LNOs looking out for you guys, we tried to get that relaxed (at least for senior officers) but they didn’t budge. Don’t think its different now since there was this big NCIS investigation while I was at Ft Dix. Quick story… We allowed the rank and file to go to the airport the day prior to the unit’s validation and kept members of the senior leadership back to take care of the validation; you know, trying to look out for our Sailors after 2 months of being in the Narmy (Navy/Army). Well, the Sailors that went to the airport started to act like Sailors (drinking in public, fighting, but the biggest was the fraternization and sexual assault between Chiefs and enlisted (main reason for the NCIS investigation). This all went down in July… since then, ECRC tightened up. You’re not even allowed to go to the airport until 3 hours before your flight leaves. It was bad, my LCDR was up 3 days straight dealing with that issue. He was a SWO, and he said he’s used to lack of sleep, but never, never something like that!

 

[bunk22]

Here’s the thing… IAW General Order 1 (a 3 page memo by some 3 star Army General – you’ll sign it the first day of training stating you understand and will comply) everyone undergoing training is prohibited from all that fun stuff (off base liberty, drinking, etc, etc.) until the day you are validated (training certified as completed). As LNOs looking out for you guys, we tried to get that relaxed (at least for senior officers) but they didn’t budge. Don’t think its different now since there was this big NCIS investigation while I was at Ft Dix. Quick story… We allowed the rank and file to go to the airport the day prior to the unit’s validation and kept members of the senior leadership back to take care of the validation; you know, trying to look out for our Sailors after 2 months of being in the Narmy (Navy/Army). Well, the Sailors that went to the airport started to act like Sailors (drinking in public, fighting, but the biggest was the fraternization and sexual assault between Chiefs and enlisted (main reason for the NCIS investigation). This all went down in July… since then, ECRC tightened up. You’re not even allowed to go to the airport until 3 hours before your flight leaves. It was bad, my LCDR was up 3 days straight dealing with that issue. He was a SWO, and he said he’s used to lack of sleep, but never, never something like that!

Sailors drinking and misbehaving? That doesn't sound the Navy at all

 

[Mumbles]

I'm assuming that this General Order #1 applies to any Navy personnel training with the Army to do an IA, regardless of the installation??

 

[The Renegade]

I'm assuming that this General Order #1 applies to any Navy personnel training with the Army to do an IA, regardless of the installation??

Yup, you are correct… All IA Sailors are trained by First Army. A few years back Army guys deploying continued to do the now prohibited things which caused them to not deploy to theater. So, their number 1 boss man came down like a hammer and said the hell with this, and stopped all of it, even for the Navy and AF when we came under their command and control. However, NIACT don’t fall under First Army down in Ft Jackson for some reason… they were given liberty while I was at ECRC; that may have stopped since then, I’m not sure. Attached is General Order 1.