He is doing basic in Ft Jackson and the AIT in Ft Meade. The job he picked is Combat Production something or other. Sorry I don’t have time to post more but things are kinda crazy right now.
13 days to go…
Combat Documentation and Production Specialist. So he will basically be doing A/V type work or working with Combat Camera and stuff like that. He could possibly get a a nice job with AFN or something.
As Army jobs go, it’s got to be one of the safest jobs I can think of! So don’t be too scared of the danger and stuff. He’ll be fine. I really it’s an awesome thing he has done and it will really be a much better life for both of you–once he gets through his basic and AIT of course.
Does he know where his first Duty Station is going to be?? You know, one of the best things about his job is that he can go pretty much ANYWHERE the Army has personnel. Come to Europe!!!
Oh, one more thing. One of my pet peeves about recruiters is all they ever talk about is money for college and those types of benefits. Did he ever sit you down and explain how much money your husband will be making?
I think people are VERY surprised to learn exactly how much money one makes in the Army. The media is full of stuff talking about how underpaid Soldiers are and stuff like that. You will never here me complain!
We finally got the recruiter to give us actual numbers but it took some tooth pulling
OK, OP’s mom checking in! There’s great advice in this thread.
As far as her having a pet, I’m the only approval she really needs, since her father and I own the building! Also, I’ll be here for her, just down the hall/around the corner/downstairs (depending on which apartment she ends up with), and while I’m sure she’ll miss her husband, I’ll be here for her.
As far as (someone upthread mentioned) sending ‘brandied peaches’ as a way of sending alcohol, well, her husband isn’t much of a drinker (though Basic may change that! 
) but I’ve been told that plain ol’ whisky/bourbon is the exact same color as original Listerine. So. . .if you send a bottle of Listerine in a care package, well, you know. Not only can this ‘help’ if the soldier you’re sending it to likes a little tipple now and again, but it can also help him make friends among the other trainees! Just a little ‘something helpful to know’!
I would not do this. The penalties if he were caught could be very very severe. Seriously if he can’t get though basic sans booze, then there are some serious problems that need to addressed.
If you are doing this as a lark, what are you going to say if the bottle is given the sniff test by the DI? Trust me you are not the first person to think of this, and the DIs have seen it all. Twice. At the very minimum he will get more extra duty than you can shake a stick at, at the max, it would not surprise me if he could get tossed from basic.
While your heart is in the right place, think of the downside before you do this, and then DON’T DO THIS.
If he was caught with alcoholic beverages at Basic, he would likely be given an entry level seperation and sent packing. Do not do this. Also, keep in mind that a couple weeks of giving up alcohol is nothing compared to the 12-15 months he will have to refrain on a deployment.
Soldiers are not allowed to consume alcohol on deployments. At all. For the entire year+.
He better get used to doing without it.
Oh, believe me, it’s not that he can’t get through basic without booze! And no, I wouldn’t do this, I certainly wouldn’t do anything to risk his potential career! Chances are good I heard this (about the Listerine) more in referral to sending care packages to soldiers who are already through basic and have been deployed. I have a BIL in Afghanistan right now.
Thanks for the clarifications and warnings, guys. I certainly would not want to get anyone in trouble, or be responsible for someone else doing something that got someone in trouble.
I hereby officially rescind any remarks made about sending alcohol, and do not advocate, condone or recommend it! Mea culpa.
Yikes! Yet another example of the dysfunction I get into when I listen to my Mother! LOL!
Sorry about that.
Here’s wishing him the best of success! And you too! Believe me, it’ll be over faster than you think.
A few repeats and notes:
-Ditto on the ‘don’t volunteer’. In the real Army, it looks good, but in training it will be a brand on your head for the rest of the training cycle. Stay quiet, don’t complain and do what you’re told. This advice was given to me by a former drill sergeant and now 1SG, so he knew of what he spoke before I went to basic. On the second to last day of basic training, my name came up on the KP roster. The Drill SGT called me to his office. When I reported to him, he looked at me and said “are you in my platoon?”. He hadn’t really noticed me for the entire time. But the last day of Basic, I was his bitch for the day.
-Another vote *against *the alcohol. This is just a big troublemaker for all involved. And depending upon what his progress in training is at that point, could include a discharge.
-Again with the letters. People love to get mail. He’s going to be entering a totally new environment in Basic and contact with friends and family will definitely give him support. Just keep it non-whiny and non-lonely. Be encouraging.
-My favorite point: No matter how hard he thinks it is, listen to this. Many other people have passed basic training, so there’s no reason he can’t do it. It’s not impossible. Just keep trying.
hugs I’m here for guys too. I don’t know much about the military, but I know you two can get through this.
Are you the Jeffner I think you are? 
If so, could you get me some donuts?
I just can’t emphasize how much it helps to stay under the radar of the Drills and ‘trainers’. Its just another day at work for them, and the ‘headgames’ are near-constant (and not all that bad, either). Once ‘they’ know a name to holler out, they will call-out more to a ‘known regular’ rather than admit to not knowing a trainee’s name. Don’t admit you know how to spell and/or read - you’ll be filing thousands of worn-out index-cards, or typing -in triplicate- for hours. I almost got caught with the “Who here can spell?” one, but dropped my hand back down real quick (and got the Drill to ‘wink’ at me for catching the ‘con’) :eek: Damn, they’re gooood…
Around second week of my Basic, a guy had someone from ‘town’ bring him/hide in stairwell a 12-pack of beer (Budweiser, of all things). Shit hit the fan solidly - and the walls, roof, everywhere. All wall-lockers got dumped as we waited (and overheard) downstairs at around 1100… BAD day for everyone. The fellow who was the owner of the beer never even got a sip, but the prior two ‘fire-guards’ had helped themselves and got caught. Just sayin’ for those that might even think of ‘smuggling’. Risk -v- reward is pretty low-return.
Accept/respect the term REMF. It’ll be used, I bet, to describe that ‘military job’. I was a REMF, and just loved every moment of it. Rear-Echelon Mo’ Fo’ or similar ‘wordings’, fwiw.
I am 6thing or whatever it is this advice. I managed to make myself my TI’s pet within the first two days. Yeah, don’t be like me. It sucked, a lot.
For you: Hold off on how many times you miss him. Like, say it this way:
"Well, I have to go. I miss you.
Love,
Me"
But don’t keep saying it over and over. It sounds messed up but after a while it gets really annoying.
Oh, and don’t be surprised if you guys get into a fight within a day or two before he leaves. Don’t read too much into it, it happens all the time with couples when one is about to deploy, so I wouldn’t be surprised if it happened here as well. It’s much easier to say goodbye to someone you’re mad at.
I don’t think you run in boots for PT. Too many people hurt their ankles or something. I know we didn’t and I went to basic in '89.
Sounds like he’s either going to be a printer or a photographer…and he’ll most likely end up HERE at Bragg unless he has something else as a duty station in his contract. Let me know if he comes here to fort Bragg, OP, because he’ll most likely end up in 4th Group where I am.
Good advice. The Drill WILL inspect all of that stuff. I’m not a drill sergeant, but I know I would if I were on Drill duty. Its not worth it.Worse he could be recycled through basic (while still getting extra duty for the booze) and miss his class date for AIT. Then the drills will basically use him for slave labor until he gets another class date.
Something to keep in mind is that, if you make a mistake, he will suffer the consequences. Food is contraband; alcohol is very, very bad.
My son the combat medic, who did Basic, AIT, a tour in Iraq and is looking at another “adventure”, recommends -
[ul][li]Letters. Lots and lots of letters. Talk about ordinary stuff. My son got more letters than most others in his unit. This is a Very Good Thing to keep his spirits up.[/li][li]Don’t be hurt if he doesn’t write back very much. They are kept very busy, with little sleep. [/li][li]Basic Sucks. Keep that in mind. [/li][li]Pictures are good. My son loved getting pictures of home and normal things/people. [/li][li]Don’t have a baby if you don’t have one already. Don’t buy a car if you don’t have one already. [/li][li]Tell him you are proud of him.[/li][li]Tell him everyone at home is also proud of him. They do not get sick of having people thank him for his service. [/li][li]Hook up with the Family Support Group. The military is much better than formerly about keeping families supported. [/li][li]It is going to be very difficult not to complain to him. Try hard.[/li][/ul]God be with you.
Regards,
Shodan
Hey everyone, just had a moment to check in. norinew yes jeffner is who you think she is and says donuts don’t ship well. Again, everyone had wonderful advice and I absolutely DO NOT plan on sending him alcohol.
I know they don’t ship well, but I’ll be there in a week and a half! 
As for the alcohol, no, we won’t send him any. We’ll just have to have cocktails on the deck one night in his honor!