Posted: 2/5/2005 2:09:42 AM EDT
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Any thoughts from folks that have "De-Mobed", or redeployed? My initial plan is for my wife, and wife only to meet me at the AFB when I return(Apprx. 350 miles from our residence), spend the night together at a good hotel or resort, then drive home and pick-up the kids...after that I go back to the de-mob site for a week or so and then get released to go back to the house..we'll have a BBQ for family and friends at that time. Any thoughts? Personal experiances? Anything that flat did NOT work? |
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We're "promised" a 72 hour pass upon arrival at our APOD. I have NO reason to beleive anything less. If "they" decide we should not re-unite with friends or family,,well,,,,,guess I'll be AWOL. I'd like to see 'em persue that one. FUCK 'EM. What are they gonna do? Kick me out? Send me back? I have about 135 troops behind me that feel the same way,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, |
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Here's the kicker. Where you demob will dictate what hoops your unit will jump thru. Sound abserd? NAW! Thats the Army!. I demobed from Ft. lewis. My mob station was lost in the woods. (normaly you mob/ demob thru the same station) 2 totaly different philosifies about what was about to transpire. Lost in the woods said we wood be in lock down / 2 weeks off to civilian life. Lewis said as long as no BII/ TA50 crap as an issue we just had to be there everyday. Nights were are own. Process would be normal. What you gotta remember is there are some seriously troubled people comming back to the stateside life. Some very disturbing statistics are evident. Politics will most likely come into play. Just remember. All you gotta do stateside is play their game. You will no longer be forced to do the imposible. So what if demob take a month? After that your on terminal leave. Your buying coors at the local stop and rob. Pizza is a phone call and a 30 minute wait. Shit! Your on easy street buddy! JohnM at Home |
Lot to be said here.The Army is busting their ass to keep you guys from becoming this generation's equivilant of Deranged baby killing Vietnam Veterans. Picture this scenario: a 19 YO religious kid that's just taken life repeatedly, against all he's been taught.Another kid that's been covered in raspberry Jello, only it ain't Jello. It's his best friend's brains. for some,there's a lot to be reconciled here and it is dfferent for every individal. What goes into a soul has to come out, and the exit process is different for every person. In my day,(I hate saying that "in my day' in a serious context, but I feel I have to here) you DEROS'd on a Monday and ETS'd on a tuesday. Home Tuesday evening. They threw you to the wolves, so to speak. You adjusted on your own. Tango Sierra. Be patient, ESPECIALLY if you saw actual combat. A couple days unwinding with your buds can save us ALL a lot later. Trust me on this one. |
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Good news about FT lewis, that's our mob/de-mob site. They way I'm understanding this is that our CoC will be responsible for ensuring that we all to and from the de-Mob/SRP site and that there will be billeting, but I does not sound that we are going to be required to stay there, it sounds as if we'll simply be required to make the formations. (I'm sure the Active duty handles this differently, but in the 'Guard, we usually get just enough rope...) I actually HAVE to go to my house...I have some Fed CIF items there I didn't take with me. John and piccolo- You guys are absolutely right, we have more than a few 19 yr olds who have seen more than they can handle on their own...the briefings have already begun ranging from "Don't slap your old lady around because she bought chunky peanut butter and you like creamy" to where to get help, how to get help, how to recognize PTSD and such. They made these mandatory, and also gave us the same brief when before we went on mid-tour leave. Overall sounds as if there won't be a whole bunch of Mickey Mouse BS, and the process should be fairly painless. |
I'm assuming you are a little older and are at least a corporal, USMC or Sgt USA, or maybe a junior officer. Your responsibility to these youg men is not over yet and may not be for quite a few years to come. I know of at least 2 Viet aged former marines that to this day 'check in' with their former Corpsman before they go in for a checkup with a real doctor. It's a friendly formality, but it's a special bond the 3 have. One of them told me that he owes a lot more to "doc' for things he's done over the years since they got out! Doc was about 21, and they were 19 yo kids in Vietnam. It was Doc that diagnosed his PTSD and got him help. The other guy told me that Doc also helped him through a cancer scare a few years ago. Assuming you to being an NCO or maybe a junior officer, some of these men may need you. They served under you overseas, now it's your turn to serve them and let them help you if you need it. The relationship may change, but it's still there. They owe you, and you owe them! PLEASE DO NOT take this lightly! Pic, Out. |
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Piccolo- Sorry, but I'm just a Spec 4 with 10 years invested, Active Duty and NG...My responsibility to these guys is make sure their weapons systems go "bang" everytime, but that's about all. Most of the NCO's in this unit are competent, capable leaders and I think they have a pretty good handle on their guys....more than half of our leadership has 4+ years Active Duty time, roughly 1/3 have spent time overseas or deployed before. I've had a few of "the kids" swing by and talk to me, some of 'em are a little chewed up, but by and large, as long as they keep talking to someone, they will be "OK." |
You are what we call an "Old Salt" in my line of work. Just keep your ear to the ground! IMHO, you are one of the guys they look up to! I understand NG (read:State politics) and KNOW why there are a lot of Sp/4s over 10 there. Politics. Often in the NG, making rank is a POLITICAL thing. Do NOT sell yourself short, Kiddo. There's a LOT you can do for these people! |
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Thanks Pic, I know where I stand with the whole deal, right now it's Ht/Wt and doing some PT that's in my way, and truth be told, I'm not motivated to change any of that....not here, not now. Once I DEROS to the big PX, I hope I can correct that, but I'll worry about it then. Dedsled- that's a pretty big concern with us, and the leadership. They're pretty concerned about guys doing things in moderation, and not losing control because no one is shooting at them anymore. It would REALLY suck to lose some 20 year old kid 3 days after redeployment because he's a DUI fatality. 20-some out of ranks? That's like a short Platoon!  |