First duty station

[xmikex]

Hey guys/gals quick question, I know that your first duty station and most of your duty stations you don't really get to choose where you go it's assigned by the needs of the army. Right now I'm still in ait and focusing on completing that and airborne school before I even get to a duty station. I was wondering though if you guys had any secrets or tips on how to have a higher chance of getting a duty station that you want. I have been told that you can go on AKO and put in preferences in the ASK section, but I have a feeling it's going to be where ever they want/need me to go.

I really want to be stationed at for Richardson in anchorage and I know that they have a satcom unit up there along with the 25th ID airborne division.

[zacksahi]

It can't hurt to update your ASK select JBER as your first OCONUS location and check the box for an active Airborne unit. I'm not sure your MOS or if 4/25 is MTOE'd anyone in your MOS in the brigade. If they are there aren't a whole bunch of commo slots since there is no signal BN in 4/25 but it's worth a shot. There's a leg signal BN up here that you may have a better chance going to its 59th signal BN. I would update your ASK and try calling your branch manager but I'm not sure how willing they will be to work with you since it's your first assignment. There's nothing like jumping out the door and seeing the northern lights over your canopy and freezing on the drop zone later.

[xmikex]

You sound like you have some experience in this. Were you stationed at jber? I'm at 25s (satcom) and want to be there, My sister is stationed there in the AF.

So since there is potentially no signal BN with the 25th I would have to be a leg in a normal signal BN to be stationed there? The 25th which is airborne wouldn't need a signal guy in their unit? Sorry for my ignorance I am still new to the army and how things work.

[Mr.Caketown]

if its the 25th ID at JBER that im thinking of , then you will have to be airborne to even be in that unit , the only exception to this is that if a deployment is around the corner ... then they will stock up on MOS. I was never airborne but was stuck in the 82nd for a few years because of the above deployment angle. ASK is just a psychological tool ... it only really works if you want to volunteer for Airborne which lands you at Ft.Bragg or if you want to volunteer for Korea. In my experience Branch wont help you on your first assignment or you are in AIT. Try contacting the Satcom unit and asking them politely to see if they have an open slot for you , ive seen people get sponsored like this (usually medics) but the thought is the same.


P.S if you value your knees , back or Saturday mornings ... never go airborne. Pre-manifest , manifest and final manifest all suck donkey ballz. Then you are hanging out in a humid pac shed for hours just sitting down with a chute strapped to your back.

[evidens83]

I put in my top 3 and I actually got what I wanted. Here at JBLM we got 1st SFGA and 1/60th SOAR both high speed Airborne units to be a part of.

[Porter707]

AKO wishlist did **** for me. I had 173rd (Italy) all through Airborne school, the day I graduated I got orders for the 82nd (back in '06 for the surge in Iraq).

Spent all 6 1/2 years at Bragg.

[Mr.Caketown]

AKO wishlist did **** for me. I had 173rd (Italy) all through Airborne school, the day I graduated I got orders for the 82nd (back in '06 for the surge in Iraq).

Spent all 6 1/2 years at Bragg.

The only way to leave Bragg is to ETS ... They are a "fenced in" Division

[xmikex]

How would one go about contacting the unit at jber? I already have airborne in my contract that is why I was hoping to get attached to them but if there is a better chance to get into the satcom unit that's not airborne then I will take airborne unit preference off my ASK page...if that even matters

[evidens83]

How would one go about contacting the unit at jber? I already have airborne in my contract that is why I was hoping to get attached to them but if there is a better chance to get into the satcom unit that's not airborne then I will take airborne unit preference off my ASK page...if that even matters

Might be a long shot but try contacting your HRC branch manager to discuss what's available to you.

[laabstract]

Might be a long shot but try contacting your HRC branch manager to discuss what's available to you.

This

[BarrettM99]

^^This

They will then nicely tell you to go F yourself in a very nice and professional way.

[xmikex]

Thanks guys I kind of figured they would tell me to go kick rocks but didn't know if you seasoned vets had any secrets to share. Thank you all for the info

[Che762x39]

When I was in the Marines, you did a "dream sheet" and if you finished first in your class you got your first pick. I was 1st Marine so I got Japan. Have fun I loved military life, everything else pales in comparison.

[Porter707]

The only way to leave Bragg is to ETS ... They are a "fenced in" Division

Not true. My dumbass re-enlisted with stabilization in Bragg, it was a self inflicted wound.

[xmikex]

I'm starting to get the feeling that Bragg isn't the best duty station. Anyone care to fill me in? I wanted to be with the 82nd if I couldn't get my other posts I want.