Do’s and Don’ts for active duty Army soldiers

[@wil7228]

Buy a brand new Corvette right out of boot camp and then get married . You will impress your CO.

[@MPerfect92]

I cannot stress enough how accurate the volunteer part is. Volunteering for stuff is single handedly the biggest thing so far in my career that has helped set me apart from my peers. Being “the guy” can take you really far, and open up A WORLD of opportunities. Don’t listen to the “the more you volunteer, the more they expect of you” soldiers. Those are the soldiers who don’t volunteer, and they won’t get those big opportunities down the line.

[@Adventuregirl96]

My first car was a 2005 Toyota Corolla, that did me well for three years. I would also suggest just getting a bike if you just want something to get around on base. Cheap and helps keep you in shape.

[@lelandgaunt9985]

And having to wear a stupid helmet with reflective belt/vest.

[@infadel885]

PT belt, Helmet, ID card displayed, speed limit, stay off the sidewalk, don’t pass a formation, don’t pass an officer’s car, don’t ride drunk….way too many rules for a nerdy bicycle. Besides. Who is ever in a hurry to get anywhere on post!?

[@infadel885]

Everyone is thinking it; so I’ll be that guy who gets us all a SHARP briefing before the weekend: “You can ride on my handlebars anytime” ;)

[@jthavorn]

DO: binge watch Chris’ videos if you’re shipping out soon. DON’T: have a bunch of babies just cause the army pays for hospital bills

[@germanstudent06]

Amen

[@jonathanrecore2287]

That's true and it's also funnyn

[@bodidley5015]

Don’t fall in with negative people. You’ve got a contract to fulfill whether you decide on a military career or not. Do your best and try to buddy up with positive motivated peers and don’t be afraid to seek mentorship & guidance from those more senior.

[@Lord_drippus]

As me being in the army currently it seems like the more you volunteer the more work they expect you do without being recognized for it it becomes normal to them and the people that don’t do anything seem to get noticed for every small thing

[@wil7228]

I guess it also depends on your CO whether they care about quality or lazy.

[@rmay883]

Yea, cause see a work ethic an that you are willing

[@immortal4471]

You should do the right thing even when no one notices.. its expected you shouldnt need a pat on the back... let shit bags be shit bags.

[@Lord_drippus]

@@immortal4471 right and get that I’m not saying like go around and mess up but it’s annoying ,when the shit bags do one small the small thing and everyone acts like Jesus came back it can be a little frustrating some times

[@Lord_drippus]

@@wil7228that is definitely true to but I feel it’s more about right place and right time . But yeah volunteering for stuff can help

[@alancranford3398]

Number one priority if you decide to join the army is to plan out your career. Plans are a starting point for changes. You may just join the Army in order to pay for college--and that's your career, four years, using your time to CLEP out as much as possible, save money for your education, and keep your nose clean. I have to second the 'volunteer' advice. I first ignored the old school advice "never volunteer" because I intended to work myself into a place where I could volunteer for the good details--and an unexpected benefit was that I was regarded as motivated even though I wasn't the most motivated soldier. When I was made a fire team leader, my "volunteer" plan was to volunteer the entire fireteam for a detail for those many "hey you" details involving multiple Marines or Soldiers and I justified it as turning an annoying but necessary task into a team building exercise that got the details done more rapidly and better. The "hey you" details threw together a few junior troopies that had to shake themselves down and work out who was calling the shots. Detailing the entire fire team already had that shakedown, there was "adult supervision" by the team leader, the team leader got leadership experience, the team practiced working as a team, and the team gained an appreciation for how messed up or how squared away I was as a leader. It worked in an infantry unit I was part of and became SOP. That was forty years ago, so I don't know if it lasted. And it really works for career progression. I failed to treat my time in the military as a career--or part of my scholastic career and post-educational career. Fortunately, I was allowed to remain in uniform long enough to earn a pension and retire. Didn't go above E-6/Staff Sergeant, and today's military is a different world.

[@Donner906]

The issue with all that is, you are one injury or one bad leader from having your career destroyed. I wouldn't plan ahead in the military. You solve problems and take opportunities to learn when they emerge. It looks like you threw your team under the bus for your career. I would know, I have done that.

[@dougtheeliminator1077]

Cleaning the latrine? Sounds like a shitty situation.

[@Starie78]

I think a lot of these things don't just apply to those that have recently joined the military but to all youngsters who have just got their first job and suddenly have money and a level of freedom they have never before experienced.

[@speedyjago]

As non-military you can still volunteer for things like fire departments and other community/city/county programs. You meet people, can help people and make connections AND a difference.

[@ethansanmiguel2940]

Bruh my recruiter said that they’ll include a black camero in my contract taken out of my monthly check each month

[@maeJoyBwithU-ux3fn]

i appreciate each one of these! particuLarLy the 1st one, "getOut &find cool things around theBase"... keep up the gr8 work &thankYou

[@SGobuck]

That's the dichotomy: "cool things around the base" could translate into one man's garbage is another man's gold" in a matter of seconds. I think what he's trying to say is, regardless of how dumpy you think Ft. _____ might be, there's always something you can find to enjoy your time off duty. Unfortunately, getting drunk is the most popular especially in combat arms. Some things never change...

[@lioncelica5170]

If you're at Ft Polk there is lots of hunting to be had in the state of Louisian

[@lelandgaunt9985]

Soldiers are lazy and entitled, they think all the entertainment should be brought to them.

[@wil7228]

I once got caught for hiding donuts in my foot locker and had to march sucking my thumb with my pants down.

[@lelandgaunt9985]

Check, airborne!

[@FrauWilhelmKlink]

At least you didn’t get a blanket party instead.

[@rosannaburt3048]

Don't think so sounds like the movie full metal so

[@darthkillhoon]

Also use your Tuition Assistance, soldiers are give 4k in assistance a year. Go to an Online College like American Military University and work up to a degree. I'm half way to a bachelor's currently because I always used my TA and took classes in my down time

[@marlonmoncrieffe0728]

I am a reservist trying to get that so I can use it to pay for ROTC this fall.

[@lioncelica5170]

Sounds like a good idea, but is that even a real or accredited university?

[@darthkillhoon]

@@lioncelica5170 yes it is

[@lelandgaunt9985]

Don’t tell your command you are going to college, just do it.

[@lioncelica5170]

@@lelandgaunt9985 Why not tell them though?

[@kevinmoore6640]

I got a car as soon as I got to my unit, but it was a 9k loan with 1k down at 5% over 42 months

[@alex4863]

Honestly literally going to volunteer 4 hrs a day even after work, do a workout right after that. And as long as I get my Harley Davidson Softtail (semi used) I’ll be happy. Main point is to stay busy so I can save my money. Also going to try to detail everyones personal vehicles and hopefully military vehicles if I’ll be allowed too.

[@henderson6476]

i ship to basic tommorow, at the meps hotel right now

[@someweirdassdude5759]

What’s your projected MOS

[@henderson6476]

@@someweirdassdude5759 14g Air and Missle defense system operations

[@someweirdassdude5759]

@@henderson6476 that’s crazy I’m a 14P I work with the avenger I have a lot of buddies that are golfs

[@sofakingj5498]

Good luck 👍🏻, enjoy and pay attention to the small things in basic

[@christopherchaos]

Good luck!!

[@A.Warrior7]

I wish I could join the U.S. Army, I hope I could someday

[@doggocat1942]

Shipping out on June 27 as a 74D to Fort Leonard Wood! Super nervous! Any tips??

[@christopherchaos]

Just go into it expecting everything to suck. This way you expect it to be bad and most likely some of it will suck but some will not be so bad. Work as a team and look after each other. Keep in mind that your experience in basic and AIT are much worse than it will be when you are done with the initial training. So don't think that your experience in basic is what it's like being in the Army. Good luck.

[@doggocat1942]

@@christopherchaos thank you!!

[@lelandgaunt9985]

But extra socks, t shirts and underwear to place in your “personal drawer”. So that after you roll everything to a dollar bill, you don’t have to use the things from your wall locker display. Purchase an extra wool blanket or regular blanket to sleep on top of your bunk with, after you use boot blouses to make your bed tight.

[@C00LI0DUDE]

how did it go, friend?

[@doggocat1942]

@@C00LI0DUDE Great, heading to Ft. Bragg soon!

[@CB-ci5ys]

Don't listen to a lot of these if you are SMART! The rushing into a car thing is stupid. What to do is too get a LOWER INTEREST RATE AND LOWER PAYMENT IS DO IT ON THE FIRST AND 15TH EVERY MONTH! If you chose to do that. DON'T VOLUNTEER FOR EVERYTHING!!!! You will be a brown-noser after a while. At times out of sight out of mind is the best option. The senior leadership will pick you and YOU WILL NOT GET PROMOTED FASTER!

[@xymos7807]

In my experience...the more "willing" Soldiers were always driven into the ground while the more "lazy" Soldiers got a pass because of their unreliability.

[@evok2691]

I'm heading to Fort Riley right after my OSUT!! Any tips or attractions I should check out?

[@darktoadone5068]

I was at Riley also but didn't live in Junction City, I lived in small quiet town about 30 miles away called Abilene, it has a history of being a true cowboy town when the old west was around. I always went to Salina to do things. To me Riley was better than Bragg, uggg I hated that place.

[@allenmiddendorff2068]

A great information from a retired 1SGT.

[@FrauWilhelmKlink]

How's Ft. Bragg? Nice, crappy, meh, what?

[@MamiesMarketplace]

Buy a beater car…. Pay cash in full $5K and 200K miles and save tons of money!

[@chriseckert5423]

Volunteer outside your unit ( nonprofit) it can help

[@lelandgaunt9985]

Ft Polk isn’t bad SM’s can be lazy, and think everything should be catered to them. Marriage: the army has no problem sticking it to you before family court.

[@sofakingj5498]

what does SM means ??

[@CIVICX3]

@@sofakingj5498 service member

[@sofakingj5498]

@@CIVICX3 totally fucking knew that

[@CIVICX3]

@@sofakingj5498 calm down g

[@christopherberardi3220]

When’s your next live stream @christopher chaos ??

[@michaelperez5822]

After a Hard Stressful hard day at work I'd just eat a Twix Bar and a Soda

[@2kgodx586]

Shipping out June 28th to Benning, a little nervous but looking forward to it

[@sofakingj5498]

you’ll be fine

[@christopherchaos]

Good luck!!!

[@SGobuck]

Do everything right the first time. Do you absolute best every time. Pay attention to everything. Be competitive.

[@marlonmoncrieffe0728]

🍑 Enjoy the Peach State!

[@John_C136]

How was it?

[@rongibson1188]

The advice about car buying fit's for anyone.

[@jessekauffman3336]

I bought my car in Virginia and it had a 21% interest. Suffice it to say I got it repoed

[@philquintana]

Great, great advise on each and every point!

[@JadedLilian]

Im going to Fort Riley in september, im "extremely" looking forward to it

[@jcaleca60]

Freeze out plugs glow plugs are for Diesel engines you got great 👍 videos

[@drusmith3480]

This video is basically what your squad leader tells you during performance evaluations. All good advice. 🪖

[@y2roger682]

Now wheres the fun if you don't make these mistakes?

[@nathanhartnell2831]

Actually PCSing to Fort Riley. Stationed at Fort Polk, lol. Fort Polk is as bad people make it out to be. You have Houston a little drive away. And you have New Orleans right there in the state.

[@lelandgaunt9985]

What is bad about it?

[@nathanhartnell2831]

@@lelandgaunt9985 heat for one. And not much to do on the base. But it's what you make of it.

[@lelandgaunt9985]

@@nathanhartnell2831 Plenty of things to do in the area….

[@nathanhartnell2831]

@@lelandgaunt9985 like off base. Yea. Not much on base really

[@jurban611]

Notification platoon

[@princeakpai]

Very educational thanks so much 🙏

[@cespinosa53]

🇺🇸🤙

[@abbigailclark1156]

Can’t believe you are hating on Ft. Riley 😢🤧

[@tomwilson9704]

fort polk summer of 71,man was that fun

[@ivanscottw]

88M : I don't know anything about motor vehicles !

[@SGobuck]

You will....just not your own. 🤣👍

[@PrimeRibb69]

My dad was stationed at FT Polk when I was a kid. I remember going to lake Charles on weekends.