1st time pre-deployment advice

[jjpryor]

I don't know if I'm on the right sight, but here it goes.
I was asked by numerous PAARNG soldiers set to deploy for the first time what they should do & if it's OK that they're scared.
Yes, you will be scared s***less it's natural.
My advice is follow your NCO's. If you can't SEE your NCO look to your junior officers, they WILL have your NCO in sight. If neither is in sight, fall back on what you've learned in Boot Camp, your DI's aren't flapping their gums for the hell of it.
Everything you learn will be due to a common experience (war). I was told by a former female DI that WW1 was the only time that the Corps considered BC to be a failure, after the vets came back from Europe they were made new DI's & were given free reign to train recruits how they felt best served the Corps. With very few exceptions that still holds true.
Lastly, relax, you've been trained in the finest military institution in the world by the finest instructors on the planet.
Semper Fidelis.

[Sgt Petzold]

What? what makes you think the junior officer knows anything? if it's yellow and a bar, stick to enlisted... you know what, don't talk to your officer at all... you have NCO's for that... and trust me I don't even like it when I have to do that.

[ianmusto]

yeah, i'd definately go to a senior lance before a boot officer.

[egbutler1]

Well I was lucky to have all my butter bars be mustangs that were all 03's before, but a lot had changed since their enlisted time, I would take NCO's advice over a a butter bar any day. We NCO's know are ****, if i didn't know something i went to my section leader a SGT if he didn't know he went and found out himself he hated and despised the headshed. Soon i learned that off him and did the same. For the most part SNCO's and Junior Officers are good for making sure there is toilet paper in the barracks and training to get done.

[Cequel]

I see nothing wrong with junior mustang officers, especially if they were prior NCO's. However, the junior officers straight out of college or ROTC can f*** off.