I'm shipping to Ft Knox on the 25th, gunna be in an Abrams tank.

Anyone who'se been an Abrams tank Crewman have some helpful advice or maybe a story to tell?

I really have no idea what this MOS is about so anythings much appreciated.

I was a 19K for 4 years.

Listen to your drill instructors, learn all you can. Volunteer for everything that you can.

Your military career will be what YOU make of it, not what the military makes of it. Keep your attitude high, listen to those above you and never ever ever stop trying to learn more about your job.

As with all jobs, work your azz off while you are working and play as hard as you can when not. Get overseas as soon as possible and travel everywhere you can if you are posted in a foreign country.

Try not to stay in the barracks during off times, get out and see what is around you.

For me, I was happiest when in the field. I used to volunteer to stay in the field longer than anyone else if given the choice. During a hurricaine in Louisianna they evacuated all the soldiers from the training area and left me and two others to guard the gear, that was a blast. On railhead duty I always volunteered to guard the train the night before departure. It will be fun, if you make it that way.

Remember, the Drill Sergeants can't kill you or eat you, so listen to them, laugh about the experience when you can and enjoy tanking, it is a blast.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJ2fWZcSJLc

Watch that... Thats what a platoon on tankers did for 15 months...

And after you leave Basic never say "well that is/is not what my DS told me..." And no one likes the new guy, dont take it personally.

There is NO SUCH THING as

Squelch oil
A box of Grid Squares
Chem Light FLuid
Travel Lock Keys
PRIC-E7 Radios

and the turret does not, I say DOES NOT unscrew itself if you rotate it too many times in one direction

Don't forget about the roll of firing line that every good tanker should have.

Make sure you ask to go to a Stryker brigade. Then you will never ever touch a M1 tank. So they can slap you in a LAV with a main gun on it that has more malfunctions than the Iraqi Army.

One of the best ones we pulled on a FNG was giving him a ball peen hammer and a piece of soapstone and telling him to look for soft spots in the armor. Our M1A1's were soooo pretty and brand new in Germany when the company commander came to the motor pool and found one of the tanks COVERED in little white X marks he was not amused.

On another note. I know this will set you apart from your buddies and you will get ribbed and laughed at, but please, buy your self some cheap safety glasses and wear them whenever you are doing track maintenance. It will keep the mud and grit out of your eyes, but more importantly it will keep the metal shards from taking your eye out. I had a buddy lose an eye when he was banging end connectors on with a ball peen hammer and a sliver sheared off the hammer and sliced through his eye to the optic nerve.

WEAR YOUR SAFETY GLASSES!!!!!!

And to set the record straight, the one I fell for when I got to my first unit. The reticule for the main gun sight doesn't drop out. Just turn up the brightness at the commander's station.

Try not to fall asleep in the Driver's hole,That whine/vibration can be quite peaceful,lol

Got that right.

quote:

Originally posted by EchoTangoSuitcase:
Make sure you ask to go to a Stryker brigade. Then you will never ever touch a M1 tank. So they can slap you in a LAV with a main gun on it that has more malfunctions than the Iraqi Army.

pull back on the reigns hi speed make sure you know what your talking about. i'm the most experienced mgs platoon sergeant in the army and that statement you made is not even close. that vehicle has fired more rounds than any tank in the last 1 1/2 yrs