Thoughts on Duty Stations

[telecustom]

Everyone,

I have just gotten the list of possible assignments I have to choose from. I have to put my decision tomorrow.

Camp Shelby, MS
FT Dix, NJ
FT Riley, KS
FT Hood, TX
FT Leonard Wood, Mo
FT Wainwright, AK

What do all think?

[Carne Frio]

If you like to hunt and fish, Ft. Wainright is a good choice. The local Army commander
has forbidden concealed carry off base. Can you handle cold weather ? How long is
your tour ? I have no knowledge of those other choices.:D

[kbrdann]

I spent 4 years at Riley. Its a good post K-State is real close.

[Puffy93]

Hunting and fishing would also be good at Ft. Leonard Wood

[Smuckatelli]

What is your MOS and do you plan on making a lateral move?

Do you plan on doing a career or getting out after this enlistment is up?

[Spade]

What is your MOS and do you plan on making a lateral move?

Do you plan on doing a career or getting out after this enlistment is up?

Good questions. I have only been to Ft Wood & Riley. Hunting is good around Wood but the base itself is in my opinion not that great. Riley is ok but I never thought there was that much to do in Kansas. no offence to people from Kansas

[tango-papa]

I was stationed at Riley for exactly 4 years, 2 months and 6 days.
I would not suggest that location to anyone.

From your list, I would pick Alaska.

~tp

[tango-papa]

...there's not a damn thing to do in Kansas...
no offence to people from Kansas

Fixed it for ya.;)

[Spade]

Fixed it for ya.;)

thanks for the assist

[Ttwwaack]

It all depends on your career field and whether you want to stay in or not. FLW has good hunting and fishing but the base is small ad with the addition of the MP and Chemical Schools plus all service training areas are going to get real tight. Bow and gun hunted on and off base without a problem.

The POF range sucked. Shot mostly competitive skeet while I was there. We had to go to Ft Riley annually to shoot 60's, 50's and MK19s because thee were no qual ranges available in 95. That may have changed by now. The surrounding area has grown since I wass there due to the closing of Ft McClellan.

Riley, just went there to shoot the big stuff. Not to much around those parts.

Fort Wainwright, Cold. Was up there six years ago on the AFB for a job. Got our first frost in mid to late August. snow in Sep/Oct through the end of Apr. You can count on 2 weeks of -40 to -50 below each winter, sometimes more. With alittle climatization though, -20 to -30 is no problem. Summers are bueatiful up here. I'm in Anchorage right now working for the season. Don't know much about the base though.

Ft Dix I've heard is alright but I'd pass on Jersey myself.

[Iron-sapper]

Ft Leonard Wood had great shooting opportunities in the '90s. I joined the local ISPC/IDPA club, got the combination to the gate and had like an 8-bay, 270 degree shoot facility with a gaggle of steel and movers at my beck and call, mostly after work a couple of nights a week. Shot the IPSC circuit and had at least one match within 2 hours of FLW on 3 of 4 weekends every month.

Hunting and fishing were also plentiful and varied.

Not sure what your job opportunities would be there but the recreation was first rate.

[dyegator]

Been to Hood, Tx is great about guns. Shelby sucks all in all, but you are only 4 hours from New Orleans. Alaska is awesome if you can deal with the cold from what I have been told. Thats all the info I have.
It also makes a difference what you are going for. Are you active PCS'ing or are you guard going OWT or something like that?

Hope that helps.

[BVickery]

From listening to my friends who have served, nothing nice has been said of Ft. Dix.

Had an Uncle serve at Ft. Hood and loved every minute of it.

[policemedic]

Wainwright- it's bloody cold, but nice country if you don't mind the temps and being far, far away from the rest of the country.
Dix- the nicest thing I can say about Ft. Dix is that McGuire AFB is right next door (and the PX/Commissary is on the USAF side).
Shelby- eeewwww.
I like Texas, personally. Of all the places I was, I liked Ft. Ord and Bragg the best, but FOCA is just a memory now.

Like others have said, your choice will depend largely on your MOS.

[telecustom]

Well, the time has come to tell the Branch Manager what I want.

Just as come back ground:
I am CM CPT that is PCSing.

I have been stationed at FT Bragg and FT Campbell.

For me the Duty Station is less important than the job. The gig at Shelby is a teaching job. (I really love teaching) All the others are staff gigs. (I spent the last 4 yrs on staff and would like someting different)

From what I have seen here, the Leonard Wood gig could be interesting.

[kry226]

Fellow CPT here, formerly at Fort Campbell as well.

To me, the job is always what you make it. Obviously, some jobs are better than others, and staff can be great or downright horrible. Teaching isn't all it's cracked up to be either. Can be awesome or miserable. I am currently in TRADOC and while there ARE rewards stemming from teaching, it's a very tough assignment, particularly with the shortage of instructors. Lots of our instructors are shouldering more than their fair share, and then some. I guess my point is not to go into a job with a pre-disposed opinion about that job. Every job I have had has NOT been what I expected.

Having said all of that, what is important to me first and foremost is family (don't know if you have one): are there good schools, job prospects for the wife, etc?. Second, I am a lunatic when it comes to hunting, and so I pick duty stations that have great hunting or outdoor recreation, read: Fort Campbell is the best I've seen.

The wife wants to go places we haven't been yet. She says we only have a couple of duty stations left prior to retirement, so let's make the best of it.

First duty station was Hood. I grew up in Texas so it was awesome. Heavy units do things a lot dumber than light units, but Hood is right in the middle of Austin, San Antonio, DFW, Houston, with Austin only being an hour south.

Never been stationed at any of your other choices, but I have never heard a bad thing in 14 years about being stationed in Alaska. Camp Shelby would be nice, lots of deer hunting and a chance to get away from "Division" and Big Army life.

Riley - I hear more good things than bad, and since I am a hunter, I would love to be stationed in Kansas. I have a buddy who owns 160 acres there and I would sure like to not have to spend almost $400 for tags.

Leonard Wood - probably right up there with Riley, away from "Division" and probably a slower optempo. Good hunting.

Would fight with all of my being to stay away from posts in the north east. Let's just say my ideologies wouldn't fit in with many of the state governments and local populations up there.

Hope this helps a little. YMMV. Good luck and let us know where you're headed.

[Smuckatelli]

Well, the time has come to tell the Branch Manager what I want.

Just as come back ground:
I am CM CPT that is PCSing.

I have been stationed at FT Bragg and FT Campbell.

For me the Duty Station is less important than the job. The gig at Shelby is a teaching job. (I really love teaching) All the others are staff gigs. (I spent the last 4 yrs on staff and would like someting different)

From what I have seen here, the Leonard Wood gig could be interesting.

Sounds like Shelby would be the best fit for you.

You have your staff time, the job is more important than the duty station. Only other question I have is what would you be teaching?

Almost sounds like you would get more satisfaction out of CGSC.

[telecustom]

Well, the results are in....

I'm going to FT Riley and 1st ID. That works for me. My Mom and Dad are 2-3 hrs away and the Wife is really excited to be that close to home. The only thing closer would be when I get to ILE in a couple years.

kry226: I know what you are saying about the NE states. I'm really glad I did't get stuck up there.

Thanks for all the advice.

[Ridge_Runner_5]

I wouldve picked Texas...free-est state from those picks...