Well I enlisted in the Army last week and I will be leaving for Basic on Oct 7. My MOS is 13F. What kind of PT should I be doing to get ready for Basic and AIT?
Also, some questions for any FISTers on here. What am I getting myself into? Is it a fun MOS? What do you do while stationed on base? When deployed are you in the field a lot, or does that depend on what you are attached to?

Edit/update: Well I took a PFT yesterday, I scored a 230ish. I will be going to Basic as an E-2 since I got a referral, did some online classes. and passed the PFT. I am extremely excited to go. Thank you guys for all the suggestions and help. If you guys have anything else to say, it would be greatly appreciated

run.. run some more... keep running. Push ups... run.... then run some more. Sleep all that you can, because you will never sleep again.

get that hair down and get some sun on your head

Yep lots of running will help. Good thing you are not going to basic now in the middle of summer like I did lol. 13F IIRC is an arty forward observer so thats basically a light infantry mos with comms to the arty, so get ready for lots of rucking. Good luck

Also pullups, basic strength training, lots of 'core' stuff.  Can also save some time and trouble by learning in advance General Orders, ranks, insignia.

As a 13F you can be assigned anywhere in a variety of jobs from echelons above reality down to being an FO/RTO in an IN platoon.  

If going active, you need to volunteer for airborne or ranger while you are going through school.  This may increase your chances at being somewhere closer to the pointy end of the spear throughout your career as branch managers start managing by P or V SQIs.

ETA:  and to your original question, just work on your overall level of fitness for basic/AIT.  If you want to specialize, lean towards strengthening your trunk, back, shoulders, and legs as light FISTers tend to stroll around in the woods with heavy loads.

As others have said, you'll want your push ups, sit ups, run to be as high as possible.  Other than that, learn the general orders, soldiers creed, army values, you'll have to learn them when you get there anyways.  

Other than that just enjoy freedom while you can.  

As far as what a 13F will do once you get to your unit, I can only really speak for the ones attached to Infantry platoons.  You don't really do anything different than the infantry in the rear, you sit around the COF all day and wait to go home.  You might do some fister training here and there that is different.  But you'll go to the field with the infantry and do what they do for the most part.  

deployed right now and our FO and FO NCO do the same stuff us infantry guys do.  Since there isn't any calling for fire, they are just filling in infantry spots.

Gradually start walking with some weight on your back. Start easy, like 20-25ish lbs, then go no more than 35lbs and gradually work up from 4, 6, 8 miles. The rucking we did really fucked my feet up at first, so if you have problems that get worse, don't try to push through it yourself. Get a doc to check you out. I ended up buying athletic tape to cover my known hot-spots, which I successfully did my entire time in.

Most of the fisters had it pretty easy and worked in small groups,  but depending where you end up, you'll probably end up in a tiny group that gets whored out a lot. I spent all of my time in battalion mortars, so we worked with FO's across the bn.  You guys have it pretty easy most of the time in the field, but you are likely going to either be in an HQ platoon or HHC in an infantry BN, so once again, while the line guys spent all day playing xbox in their rooms, HQ platoons and HHC ended up getting fucked into lots of misc taskings while everyone else was hiding in their barracks.

If your recruiter is worth a fuck, they will have some sort of organized PT a couple of times a week. Go to as many as you can. It will help you get some DNC started, and it will give you an idea of how army PT works. Definitely start doing pushups/situps/running/pullups. Measure your progress, but don't hurt yourself.

Get your creeds down. I honestly wouldn't kill yourself trying to learn the 13F skillsets yet, because you'll have time for it later and you'll need to focus on getting so many other things figured out.

Regarding basic, ID the assholes early, stay away from them, and stay out of trouble. You'll probably get an hour-ish most nights to do whatever you have to, use that time to go get in the shower, get your stuff squared away and rest before lights out. Definitely volunteer for Airborne/Ranger if you get the opportunity.

Also give yourself tons of time before you leave to go get your shit in order at home so the last few days you can just relax. Those four months are going to zip by, and you don't want to be packing boxes or moving furniture the night before the final trip to MEPs. Also have a copy of your direct deposit info, $40ish in cash, some money on a debit card, a calling card and get a credit card as well. If you have decent looking running shoes (white/black) that you have broken in, wear them to the airport, as you might have the opportunity to get into your personal shit at some point and get them, in case the ones they are going to make you buy at reception bother your feet.

Reception will be lame. The civilians are assholes. You'll be ready and excited to get to your unit, but just expect to walk into a soul crushing environment for the first month or so as the (new guy). Play the game, you'll start to relax as you get into the routine.

Good luck with everything, you'll be fine.

thank you everyone for the tips. I was able to get airborne school on my contract and I am really excited for it. How will being airborne change my experience in the Army?

Under FY14 MTOEs, the FIST within most BCTs got pulled back to the FA battalion, so now there are 170+ FIST in the HHB of an FA battalion and they only go to their supported maneuver for the field, deployment, training, rehearsals, etc.

It will open some doors to you as far as being managed by the "P" SQI you receive after finishing airborne school.  You'll have a high probability of being stationed in the 82nd, 173rd, or 4/25 for your first tour.  A vast majority of 13F1P will go there.  Having a "P" also may prevent you from being assigned to echelons above reality jobs until you are much older in your career(if you stay that long).  

If you choose to reclass later down the road, being airborne qualified(or able to become airborne qualified) is a pre-req for a few jobs.

Plenty of exercise as the others have suggested. A good workout plan is the selection prep from military athlete.

Going into the artillery field  it won't hurt to work on your math either.

Good luck!

Thank you, and welcome to arfcom!

So being a 13F there is a chance I could be stuck at a desk? I don't know much of these acronyms and slang yet

That chance exists with all MOSs.

haha
Fort Sill
you will love it. Lawton OK!
It might sound stupid but this works trust me. 1,2,3.
100 push ups
200 situps
3 mile run.
once a day
It works the basics for a P.T. test
It works. When I was running my Companies remedial  PT. I had the fatties and the soliders who failed the APFT doing 1,2,3's. Within  a month most not only passed but scored 250 and up.
Oh, and start rucking. When I was at Sill We did a lot of Rucking. Make sure you visit Geronimo's  grave.
Good luck!

As far as airborne, means you will either go to 82nd(Ft Bragg), 173rd(Italy) or 25th(fort Richardson, Alaska).  82nd being the most likely I would say.  

To maintain your airborne status you have to jump once every 3 months.  If your in the 82nd you'll probably jump once a month, basically all of which will be combat(rucksack, weapon) jumps.

Don't forget Ranger Bats if he is high speed.

well that's good, those are my top 3 bases I want to go to.

Are you single?  If so go to Italy.  

I have heard great things about Alaska, even from people from southern states that dreaded going there.  

And Bragg........well...........if you go there and ever need anything just send me a PM.

I had heard of that possibility before I left. I'm sure the FO's are happy as hell to be out of the infantry bn setting.

You'll get conditioned in. Basic. Right now you should be fucking and drinking and get it out of your system.

It is basically a return to the pre-BCT construct, but instead of assigning a platoon per habitually aligned firing battery, the FIST are held at HHB swelling that one battery to over 250 PAX.  

There have been some(a lot) growing pains and feeling things out, but generally speaking the FIST will benefit both in MOS knowledge/standardization and general schooling(things like JM and AA).  

I've been stationed at all 3, although my Italy time was pre-173.  Concur on the hot Italian and European chicks.  I would rather be in AK than Bragg, but Bragg is a damn good place to learn how the Army works....everything else is tainted after growing up at Bragg.

Not married, but I am in a long term relationship that I don't plan on screwing up anytime soon. Alaska is actually where I want to get stationed, but if I were to be stationed in either of the other 2 I would still be really happy.


I am not a drinker, but I am working on getting the fucking out of my system

"I am not a drinker, but I am working on getting the fucking out of my system."

You don't drink and you say you want to be a paratrooper? That is impossible.

The problem we are having being an ABCT is BFV gunnery for the BFIST crews.  The knowledge base isn't there in the FA BN.  They do their first BFV gunnery alone this coming March.  The crews that did participate this year with the recon squadron didn't do to hot.

The leadership doesn't know what they are getting in to with it.  Nobody has asked me and I have told them they need to prepare and visit other gunneries and pick my brain.  Hilarity will ensure I'm sure

No habla treadhead.

What most people don't realize is that that gun and track is simply a taxi and a secondary weapon system for these guys.  They have to qualify on it/participate in gunnery simply because their vehicle has the weapon.  Same concept as a light guy having an M4.  He needs to be qualified, but if you've got your FIST primarily running and gunning with direct fire, you may not be using them properly.    

I completely agree their gun is secondary.  That FS3 is their "weapon" along with that host of shit in the back.  So you aren't a fan of them being with the line units?  Out of my own desire to learn another perspective, why?  They've always been with the CAB's and Recon squadron, now they are going back home so to speak.  I see pros and cons with both ways

Run run run, Ruck/hike, Push ups, and sit ups in tell your muscles burn

Saturdays max out push ups, sit ups and 2 mile run as fast as you

Rest on Sundays and start over

There are pros and cons with each way.  Assigned to FA..FIST better prepared to support maneuver, more schooling, less cohesion.  Assigned to maneuver...better cohesion, less schooling, FIST less prepared to support maneuver.  Their job is to plan and facilitate fire support for their supported maneuver unit.  

Minus some separate brigades, the FIST were assigned to the FA battalion until the BCT concept came out aprox 10 years ago.  Ranger battalions still maintain their organic FIST as they are not a BCT.  It's one of the more technical jobs that hang out where people can shoot at them.  Being assigned to maneuver their success/lack of has become entirely personality dependent.  Assigned to FA that changes to more systems/less personality.  While FS(13F) capabilities have dramatically increased, their lower proficiency levels has been noticed throughout the Army.  Add to this that JFO quals, certification, and currency is now a USR reporting requirement.  

They should be assigned to the FA in garrison and attached to their supported maneuver in training/deployment.  This gives the FA TRA/TRO over them which brings in the knowledge, resources, standardization, and standards of precision.  Note that this is slightly less effective in separate BCTs due to the lack a pool of knowledge or less potential for larger consolidated training events.  Also less effective for geographically dispersed BCTs such as the 173rd as the FIST will likely just stay in their supported company(maybe pulled/pooled at Bn HHC).  

There is really no break down in planning as the FSO/FSNCO hang out in two places in garrison(FA Bn/supported maneuver).  Calendars are shared and appropriate people attend appropriate maneuver/FA tng meetings.  All synced separately amongst the FS on a separate meeting.

OP glad to see that you made it in and found an MOS you liked. I was the Recruiter you were PM'ing w/questions. You picked a good MOS. if you have other questions about getting ready for BCT lemme know. I ran a very successful Future Soldier Training Program at our Center. Take this time now to enjoy life, have fun with family and friends, and get in damn good shape. BCT can be fun if you're in good shape when you arrive. Otherwise it can suck if you show up flabby and unprepared. Good luck.

Thank you for helping me with all my questions.

I just calculated my APFT score and I got a 226. That wasn't doing everything consecutively though. I did the push ups and sit ups yesterday and I did a run today. Still, that's not too bad of a starting point. My goal is to get a 250 before basic.

when you meet Mr. Anderson at AIT tell him his bike sucks...( served with him)

DONT. let them send you to B fist.. you want to be in LIGHT Infantry.

and say this over and over..
-OT Direction
-Danger Close
-Trajectory
-Method of Fire
-Distribution
-Projectile
-Fuze
-Volume
-Deviation Correction
-Range Correction
-Height of Burst Correction
-Target Description
-Mission Type and/or Method of Control
-Splash
-Repeat

your 15 Subsquent corrections. ...  knowing these NOW.. will save you later.. when you learn what they mean.

http://quizlet.com/5655101/fist-knowledge-flash-cards/
print this off.. keep it with you.. read it and learn it now.. its not like you have anything else to do while you wait so its best to come squared away.

and welcome to becoming the Demon of War..
and remember NEVER tell the father of your date your a FiSTer...

Get drunk, get laid, and sleep a lot. You will get all the PT you can handle in basic and AIT.

I've seen one 13F destroy the OPFOR at NTC. FISTers can bring down the power of God on the bad guys with a phone call,

Ft Sill: big, vast place much road marching.  More than anything we road marched.  C 1/22 in 2003.   Strap on a back pack and walk as fast as you can at a local park.

DO P.T. SHITBIRD!!!!!

And get used to people calling you shitbird and things like that if you're gonna be a Fister because chances are you're gonna end up in a line unit.


Good luck

work your ass off and volunteer for shit, not at basic, but once you get to your unit, stick out above your peers and LEARN LEARN LEARN, and PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE until you CANNOT get it wrong, that's the mark of a true professional,

pt until you can't pt anymore, and then keep doing PT!!!!

I did FSO/BN FSO work, so from my perspective it's this, focus on learning radio speak and get comfortable with it, I see way too many young FISTers out of AIT not comfy with it

strive for Joint Fire Observer qualification, it will help not just you but the unit IMMENSELY when ya'll are on an OP in the middle of bumble fuck and  they need somebody who can talk to Marine F-18's

check the map, then check the map, then double check the fucking map

Most of your NCO's will know their shit, we've been at war since 2001, and there is absolute massive amounts of knowledge floating around in their heads, ask TONS of questions, its going to improve you and re freshen them

when you get to your Platoon, earn your PL's respect, and most importantly your Platoon Sergeant's respect by knowing your job in and out, this will mean the difference between you calling fire missions or  getting put in stupid fucking jobs because you're untrustworthy with America's treasured ordinances

learn artillery speak, it's "drop five zero" not fucking "drop fifty", that's a fucking infantryism and is butt fucking retarded

The infantry will talk shit about, until their dumbasses are getting kicked, then when you call fire and fuck everything up for them, they're going to worship your ass, until you get home then infantry be like "remember how bad assed we were, fuck the fisters", get used to it, they're memories are short because they're retarded

memorize the mission of the field artillery, the old one and the new one

You, unlike the infantrymen of the same rank, need to know the mission plan more thoroughly at a higher level, know when/what/why the triggers to start/stop fires is, what the TTLODAC is, and what the next step in the operation is, always be thinking one step ahead and how the effects you are delivering are playing a key role in shaping the battlefield for the Infantry and Armor coming next

remember, this all takes time, don't expect to know it all immediately, but if you strive to be the best at it, you will surely succeed since many of your peers will not

I'm really glad MAKAK started off with this.  the most awesome shit I've been able to do in the army was all shit i volunteered for. Yah, you end up volunteering for some lame things, but every once in a while you end up going to something really awesome.
The guys who don't volunteer for anything are the ones that end up all booboo lipped about "not ever doing anything cool" in the army. And they get all butthurt and pouty and generally made fun of.

Also, volunteer for Airborne. If you didn't get it in your contract, they'll offer it at the end of AIT. Just do it. There's nothing else like it in the world. Anyone who says "I'd just rather do HALO instead" hasn't jumped out of ANYTHING.

For BCT, GET IN SHAPE!  Run regularly, if your not a runner start slow, work up to running at least a 7 minute mile sustained for 3-4 miles.  Work your upper body and core muscles.  If your recruiter runs a pre-basic PT program attend it.  The number one thing soldiers showing up at basic struggle with is PT, the number one thing that causes injuries and results in trainee's washing out is injuries due to a lack of physical fitness.

Once you get to basic, stay out of trouble, do what your told, and pay attention.

Good luck!

It's on my contract
And thank you everyone for the tips and suggestions.

A question for any Forward Observers(or anyone who knows the answer) reading this thread. What is 13f life like when you are not deployed?

That's going to depend entirely if you are in an Infantry unit or an Artillery unit.

Even in the infantry side, you're going to be in an HHC, and sometimes the 'soft skill' (even though 13F is a combat MOS, it's still a support job in the HHC) guys get tasked out to do a lot of bullshit.

Here's my experience as a FISTer in the 101st DivArty during peacetime:

In the large sense, your calendar is broken down into three cycles, each lasting about 6 weeks, or so.

One cycle is a training cycle, where you are frequently in the field. Depending on where you're stationed, and the unit (light vs heavy), this could involve twice annual rotations to either JRTC (Joint Readiness Training Center, Ft. Polk, LA), NTC (National Training Center, Ft. Irwin, CA), or CMTC (Combined Maneuver Training Center, Grafenwohr and Hohenfels, Germany). Those rotations usually last 30 days, with the first ten days being spent getting your vehicles off the trains, planning, staging, etc., the second ten days spent "in the box" actually fighting the OPFOR, and the last ten days doing recovery (After Action Reviews(AAR's), cleaning the training area of the crap you left out there, washing vehicles, packing gear, loading the trains, going home). When you're not at a large training center, you're usually in a local training area, doing whatever training is scheduled.

The next cycle is for post support. That's the time when you get sent to do shitty little details. Some examples are manning the welcome desk at the post museum, picking trash up off the side of roads around post, tasked out to provide support to any schools which might be located on your post, or, more specifically for FIST NCO's, staffing the GUARDFIST-which is a room with a big screen and a computer system on which troops practice call for fire. It's also a great time for soldiers to get sent to whatever schools the Army feels is necessary for their careers-WLC, SLC, ALC, etc. Quite frequently, my old unit would get tasked with providing funeral details, which consisted of the firing party, pall bearers, flag folders, and NCOIC/OIC to present the flag.

The third cycle was the time allotted for things like block leave and taking college classes.

As to the actual day-to-day of garrison life, it pretty much sucked ass. Here's a basic schedule for you:

Monday
0630-0730 PT
0730-0900 Personal recovery time (shower, breakfast, whatever you needed to do to get ready for work)
0900-1300 Command maintenance (your ass better be in the motor pool, going over your vehicle, fixing the 87 things that broke on it since last Monday), lunch is supposed to involve everyone in the section rotating out. DON'T let the 1SG catch you anywhere else, or you'll belong to him for the rest of the day and it won't be pleasant.
1300-1630 Training meetings, classes, weapons maintenance, and whatever make-work your NCO's can find to keep you busy and away from the 1SG
1630-1700 Waiting for the 1SG and BC (Battery Commander) to come to formation to actually release you for the day

Tuesday
0630-0700 PT
0730-0900 Recovery
0900-1130 Whatever is on the training schedule, or whatever detail you've been tasked to complete
1130-1300 lunch (The hour and a half is meant to allow troops to rotate to chow without much impact on the unit. In reality, it's usually taken in it's entirety and is used to either run errands, have a long, relaxing meal, play XBOX/PS, or take a nap.)
1300-1630 Meetings, classes, details
1630 Release formation

Wednesday - Tuesday's Groundhog Day

Thursday
0630-0730 PT
0730-0900 Recovery
0900-1300 Sergeant's Time Training - Intended as a time when junior NCO's (Section Chief's / Squad Leaders) can take their subordinates off and conduct the training they feel is necessary for their section. It could be basic soldier tasks, such as reading a map, to MOS-specific things, such as crater analysis. It's frequently micromanaged, though, and 1SG's and CSM's want training plans submitted weeks in advance, the sctions must be easily located, and the 1SG will often walk around, checking on everyone, to ensure soldiers aren't shamming or off running errands. Posts usually do not allow things like dental or medical appointmnets, or visits to finance during SGT's Time Training (because it would take both the soldier seeking help and the soldier helping them away from training).
1300-1630 Meetings, classes, details.
1630 Release formation

Friday
0630-0730 PT
0730-0900 Recovery
0900-1130 Meetings, training, details
1130-1300 lunch
1300-1630 Meetings, training, details
1630 Release formation - The Friday release formation, or the last formation before an extended (3- or 4-day) weekend, will always involve a safety briefing from the commander. In it, every soldier will get reminded not to beat your wife/kids/dog, drink and drive, do drugs, get arrested, drink and boat, and whatever is the cause de jour. You'll also get told to wear proper protective equipment when riding a motorcycle, boating, or fucking. If somebody on post has done something fantastically stupid recently, you can rest assured that you will be reminded not to do likewise. You'll be reminded about the potential for UCMJ punishment, discharge from the Army, civilian incarceration, the dishonor that'll be brought down upon your family, etc. Of course, if the Division CSM gets stopped by the Clarksville PD for DUI, there'll be no mention of it and he'll be allowed to quietly retire, upon which time he'll open a MAACO store downtown. If a soldier goes sells his TA-50 to a pawn shop, goes AWOL, and kills himself and hurts several others in a car crash, he'll be made into a hero, given a memorial service, and a funeral detail will be sent to Chicago to bury him with full military honors, regardless of the number of safety briefings in which you're told doing things such as he did are bad.

Saturday / Sunday - Enjoy your weekend, if you can possibly getaway from the dog-and-pony-show / fuck-fuck games that are the peacetime Army.

There are a couple of other fun things which might also occupy your time: CQ (Charge of Quarters) and Staff Duty. They are both 24-hour duties which involve answering the phone, running errands for the 1SG/CSM, ensuring there are no fires/crimes/accidents/major events at the unit during the off-duty hours. If a soldier locks himself out of his room, it's the Staff Duty's job to unlock his door. If a soldier threatens suicide, he gets to sleep on a cot next to the CQ or SDNCO, who'll make sure he doesn't harm himself. If soldier wants to bring a guest into the barracks, it's the CQ who signs them in and ensures they leave at the appropriate time. If Joe blasts his music too loud, it's the CQ's job to tell him to turn it down. If the unit has a 'Phantom Shitter,' it's the CQ's job to routinely watch the laundry room, in order to prevent it/catch the fucker. The good news is, CQ and SD run 0900-0900 and you (usually) get the next day off from duty. This is awesome if you have CQ on the Wednesday before a 4-day weekend, as it means you're off Thursday through Monday. The bad news is, during the CQ/SD's duty day, most units only allow them to read Army manuals, such as TM's and FM's. There's no TV, no video games, and no Facebook on your phone. Some units, depending on how anal the CSM can be, will also prohibit those things after the duty day.

If you have any other questions, or need something clarified, ask away.

Thank you for the in depth reply!

I may print this off and use it for our Future Soldiers... Mostly because I have exactly 5 working days as a Recruiter left before I head to OCS; so my give a fuck level is kinda low. But hey they ought to know what they're getting into... ;)

Oh and McMuffin; have fun at BCT/AIT. Glad I could help out with some answers. And hopefully you get to a real Cav unit as a 13F; mostly because I think we're better than any other Branch!

Maybe the airborne CAV.  The heck with all the spur and cowboy hat wearing homos in the mech cavalry.

If going to be a FISTer in the Cav, he needs to go to a light Cav, and then to C Troop.

What ever you do, LISTEN to these guys.

This post really took me back.

Went to Ft. Leonard Wood in mid November 1962 (got out in 1984)

Froze my ass off and nearly died of coal dust inhalation.

Seriously get every thing you can before you go.

If you get a lot of the rank structure and anything else you can grab,
you will be better able to cope with the physical part.

Missed some meals 'cause mistook a SSG for an SFC.

Very first thing the Army taught me was how dumb an 18 year old kid out of western Nebraska was.

Mr Mac

Which means he might as well not be in the Cav

QFT

 

again, QFT