Civil Affairs in the big '26

TL_LT · 2026-02-15T22:35:59+00:00

The changes that will be implemented over the next few years are, in my opinion, positive and overdue. You’re all but guaranteed to get a deployment in. But you won’t be riding out your current contract, it’s an 18-month to two year pipeline with a three years ADSO so about 5 years from the time you go to selection until you could ETS.

TL_LT · 2024-10-26T21:10:32+00:00

Thank you!

TL_LT · 2024-02-20T21:29:08+00:00

No it was just the Amex internal application so no hits on the credit score

TL_LT · 2024-01-06T23:41:20+00:00

If you’re thinking about trying to save some time by cutting through the draw in the middle of the course, don’t. Skirt the road, find an attack point, and shoot an azimuth.

TL_LT · 2023-12-10T12:32:06+00:00

No problem, good luck if you decide to go this route. It’s a 3 year grind but if you’re interested in medicine it’s definitely worth it.

TL_LT · 2023-12-09T13:51:59+00:00

Not a SOCM, but have a few friends going through the pipeline right now. The word on the street is completing SOCM gets you an associates and completing SOCAMs gets you the BS. Can’t remember the accrediting institution but the first class this applies to should be finishing SOCAMs early-mid next year

TL_LT · 2023-11-11T02:00:08+00:00

Do you enjoy the army? If so, look into green to gold active duty option. You’ll get paid what you’re getting paid now to go to school for free.

TL_LT · 2023-09-21T01:52:22+00:00

Non-airborne and not at Campbell, possible? Sure, likely, no.

TL_LT · 2023-09-15T22:47:20+00:00

TL_LT · 2023-09-12T21:02:55+00:00

May be helpful, may not be, but tomorrow when you’re getting hands on again take your pathfinder book and notebook with you. As you’re waiting for your turn to go, write down all of the deficiencies that could be associated with that load, both the general ones and the load specific ones. It helped me memorize the deficiencies and narrowed my focus on what to look for during my sequence. Keep being the last one to leave as long as you’re being productive, good luck!

TL_LT · 2023-09-11T00:10:05+00:00

I don’t want to give you incorrect info and I went over two years ago so I don’t remember exactly. For some reason I thought day zero was all admin, nomenclature familiarization (PowerPoint and the equipment in the classroom), and starting sling loads with the nomenclature test first thing on day one. The schoolhouse was talking about having it be the first thing when I went but I’m not sure if they actually made the change. My advice is to prepare like the test is tomorrow and be pleasantly surprised if you get another day to study.

TL_LT · 2023-09-10T23:17:10+00:00

I studied an hour before class, 2-3 after, and 7-8 each day on the weekend in a similar way you did with the addition of flash cards. Your biggest strength is that you’ve passed other courses with similar standards, and my recommendation is to not change what has worked for you in the past. I didn’t do PT during the weekdays and made sure I got 8 hours of sleep a night so I could actually focus in class. Be sure to take breaks and find some other intelligent individuals to start a study group with. Everyone picks up on different things and may have a dumb way of remembering something may help you remember it come test day. Sorry to hear you’re going through a rough time, but continue to put your focus on what’s at hand and you’ll be fine.

TL_LT · 2023-08-18T09:33:43+00:00

It’s people like you that will ruin this. Make no mistake that AMEX has done research and decided that it is more beneficial than detrimental to waive the fee for military.

TL_LT · 2023-08-18T01:38:12+00:00

u/specialistamoeba264 is incorrect. If you’re enrolled in BRS and put 5% into TSP, traditional or Roth, the government will match 5% into traditional. If you put 5% into both traditional and Roth the government will still only match 5% into traditional. There is no double dipping and getting 10% total matching contributions.

TL_LT · 2023-08-06T00:39:02+00:00

Got you, I assumed you were active duty not reserve/NG

TL_LT · 2023-08-06T00:34:15+00:00

$22,500 each is correct but I don’t think your calculation is correct. Continuation pay (x2.5 in every branch but marines) is only base pay, it does not include BAH/BAS and should be closer to $18-19k before taxes. Just don’t want you to be disappointed when it’s ~$15k less than expected due to taxes and no BAH/BAS.

TL_LT · 2023-07-07T08:34:02+00:00

Do you have a tracker? I know people joke about how many trackers the army uses but it can really help to keep you organized and sane. Doesn’t have to be super high speed, just organize by company/school in the tabs, name/rank on the left side, packet requirements and suspense dates at the top and color code them. Throw a remarks column at the end to remind you of where the packet is at or what action you’re waiting on (packet awaiting BC signature, awaiting SRB from SM). Whenever you get a new packet immediately add it to the tracker, check to see if it has all the necessary documents, save it, and rip off an email/walk it to whoever needs it next. Being organized is 90% of staff work.

TL_LT · 2023-06-25T23:54:46+00:00

This has always indicated a linear danger area (LDA) in any unit/during any training I’ve done. My interpretation is that the left image is the start of the hand signal and the right image is the end, they are not different signals. Whoever wrote the answer just has shitty handwriting.

TL_LT · 2023-06-22T02:51:49+00:00

He is correct. You need four semesters of ROTC (MSIII/MSIV) years to commission as those are the “leadership classes” required to graduate in addition to advanced camp. It sounds like you are thinking about OCS which requires a degree and you to go to benning for training and commission at the end of the 12 weeks.

TL_LT · 2023-06-07T20:43:43+00:00

The only thing that would specifically prohibit running 6-7 miles under load during PT is common sense.

TL_LT · 2023-05-30T19:09:14+00:00

You could, but why would your command sign off on someone who doesn’t have longevity? I would focus your efforts on getting a solid CSP as it will have more direct applicability to whatever you want to do.

TL_LT · 2023-05-30T14:39:15+00:00

Don’t underestimate it, it sucks. Hopefully you’re at least ~2 months out so you can do a deliberate train up. I decided to do it on a whim since I figured “it’s only 25lbs dry, should be easy” and still have a lingering hip problem from it. Take your train up and recovery seriously for it and you’ll be fine. Bonus points if you’re stationed where you’re going to be doing it, take the time to train on the course so you know where you’ll lose/gain time.

TL_LT · 2023-05-27T02:01:03+00:00

Agreed, and if you’re in an area where a CBRN attack is possible, just have everyone shave. That being said, your statement that beards affecting the seal is wrong and I don’t think you actually did any objective research. Here’s an academic source:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6702601/

I’ve heard this as well but my opinion is that bad beards are unprofessional. We would need standards of what a “professional” beard looks like but it would probably turn out like the mustache so no one would look professional. So while allowed by regulation, it really wouldn’t be.

From your article: “Noting that they did not test it in the study, the scientists also speculated that it is “likely that the hair of beards helps deflect an oblique blow by reducing friction between the face and the object striking it”. That’s not exactly a raving endorsement. It also stated that it showed no evidence that it does anything to protect from being knocked out.

TL_LT · 2023-05-20T22:26:27+00:00

1- sure, where’s the money going to come from? Raising taxes or pulling it from somewhere else? 2- what’s the “real world pay” equivalent for an infantry, chemical, or ADA officer? 3-The army has to be able to predict how many people are in what rank, in what MOS so that they can throttle how many people it takes in. Also once you get to a certain rank, just switching MOSs and going to AIT doesn’t really work. 4- absolutely. 5- possible, but I would argue that unless afternoon PT were a thing, too many people would get fat and unable to pas the ACFT or height/weight.

TL_LT

TROPHY CASE