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New Member |
My son is in his 3rd week of AIT at Fort Gordon. He left leonard wood a proud soldier in the making. Fort Gordon has shot that down in just 3 weeks! No leadership, no respect... his phone and playstation were stolen this week, but fortunately recovered, but his mental state has deteriorated to the point of depression and questioning why he joined the army. any suggestions?
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what company and battalion is he?
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D CO 551st.
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New Member |
Tell him to "drive on".
If he joined the Army expecting to get respect... well... hahahaha. He is in AIT. It sucks. I know because I'm I'm here, too (551st, different company). It's more like basic training than it is the operation Army as far as the relationship privates have with NCO's and their leadership. If he can't learn to operate with bad leadership, he's in the wrong place. You can't control what leadership you're placed under. There are good NCOs and bad NCOs. There are good officers and bad officers. The only thing he can control is how he reacts to it. If you ask anyone who's been in the Army for a while, they'll tell you the same thing. Somtimes it's great, sometimes it sucks. Your Army experience is entirely based on how you handle it. So far though, it's the easiest job I've ever had. If his mental state really has "deteriorated to the point of depression", than he must be a very sensitive individual. The Army isn't a feel-good summer camp. It requires a little bit of tolerance for ********. Tell him to drive on, eventually he'll get to his unit in the operational Army and things might get better. |
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yeah I know D/551, unfortunately it is known as one of the worst companies there! I know some of the platoon Sgt's/squad leaders (cadre) and their hands are tied by the upper chain of command on what they can and cant do, they are frustrated too. but he is a 25Q most likely so he will not be there for a very long time, he needs to just try and keep a positive attitude and look forward to the day he leaves Fort Gordon and moves onto bigger and better things!
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I am very interested in this discussion, my son is 25Q and will be going to Gordon at the end of August. Do any of the people in charge ever read or hear of these discussions? It's very disappointing. |
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New Member |
to 5.9, thanks for at least acknowledging the problems with d/551. now if i just knew what resources were available to him. He's just totally lost his motivation. He asked for a unit value sheet to list his belongings when he got there, they didn't have any and he needed to come back; when he reported that he'd been robbed, they replied "sucks for you" and when you're living amongst thieves, it kinda makes you wonder what you've signed up for and what happened to that brotherhood creed in just 3 weeks. If someone is falling behind and struggling, you just leave them? these are leaders and people you hope you can count on in dire situations, yet you can't count on them now... I can understand how he's feeling. And i've read speaking to a chaplain isn't any help either; or getting in to see a doctor, etc. so "suck it up" is not an answer. He must have resources availabe to him. What are they? how does he go about getting help?
and to sv6er he's not an overly sensitive individual. and he knew he wasn't signing up for camp. But if the leadership doesn't care about the men and women they are supposedly "leading" then it's joke. They're leading them to be unmotivated and messing with their morale. And you hear "just get thru basic, it gets better" then you hear just get thru AIT it gets better" how pathetic that it's all about 'just get thru it' when you're putting you life on the line and you can't trust the people around you. I'd be depressed too. I understand the mental state part of it. I keep trying to say just do your thing, ignore the rest and keep on moving on. it's not exactly rosey out here either these days. But i'm seeing the situation getting worse for him and just want to make sure he knows what resources are available to him. I'm trying to at least motivate him to see someone if for no other reason than to get this documented. So thanks every one for any suggestions and recommendations. |
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New Member |
The silence is deafening.
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New Member |
Tell him to lock his property up when not using them. That's the first thing, because you can't trust all of those crazy privates over there. Then he needs to do what he needs to do to boost his confidence in the Army. He needs to become a PT stud and be able to score 250+ and get a good night sleep early so he won't feel like crap in the morning. I know this can be complicated, because in a bay of 60 people, people will be partying until lights out, which may not happen until 2300. Even after lights out, there might be these nutcases flirting with their girlfriends on the phone - I mean is that what you want to be hearing when you're supposed to be sleeping and getting ready for the next day? "No I love you more. No I love you more. You hang up first. No I won't hang up until you hang up." It's some crazy ********, I swear - but if you look at it in a different light, it's funny as hell.
I know when I first got to AIT after Basic, and seeing people with laptops and all of that good stuff, I was like "awesome, we get to do all of that here, this is going to be great." But then I was proven wrong, and I felt really demoralized. But then you also see other Privates taking their electronic devices way too far, creating extremely disruptive environments in the bay. I mean, these people in my bay played their loudspeakers with subwoofers on max - and it wasn't good music either, it was freakin RnB. Right next to my bunk. I had to deal with that for probably half of my 19 weeks spent in AIT. If my sensitive emotional ass could last that long, then so could anyone else. Sure, there will be a lot of things to complain about, but they'll make it through. The only way they won't make it is if they give up in their PT and can't past the test, or they give up in MOS school and don't get qualified - or you do something really crazy and illegal like kill someone. I mean, that **** happens, especially with all of that bullcrap Company Pride - more like Company cockiness. Some idiots take it like they're in a gang war or something. I've seen what I thought was a very respectable person, who happened to be my class's first student leader, turn into a very despicable individual because he gave in to that crap. One of his buddies, whom I felt was that type of soldier very early on, even got beat up by 15 guys in a hotel because of a grudge match, nearly killed. But yeah, if your MOS doesn't require you to spend half a year in that awful place like me, then you'll be out of there soon enough to not have to see TOO much crazy **** happen. |
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New Member |
Great post,Cryora. I will pass this on. forewarned is forearmed. but still, I thought the Army was more disciplined or, rigid in what was tolerated. Anyway, we wont be sending his violin to Fort Gordon.
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New Member |
Thanks Cryora for your description of gordon. Seems to be right in line with what my son says. I think my son is losing faith in the whole thing... he say's there's nothing honorable about this place. I keep trying to support him, but he's now sending messages that he doesn't really like hearing from us. i guess it's hard when you're so miserable and maybe it makes him feel worse to hear about us -- not that we're not struggling along too. i emailed the chaplain and got info for him. you can lead a horse to water... so we'll see how he does. he's telling me now that he's missing PT and formation. that just sounds like he'll start getting in trouble now and will just make it worse. i feel helpless.
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Member |
The Army is NOT civilian life. Regardless of your rank, everything is a learning moment. As bad as anything is, you must remember it's not permanent. Bad leadership gets transferred, retired, demoted, or found out in some other way. problems eventually do get corrected...all one has to do is be patient. But as you rise through the ranks, there will come a time when YOU are giving the orders, and at that time, hopefully you will remember how bad leadership can be, and strive to put into practice the best of those qualities, having earlier endured the worst. |
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"Do it by the numbers." |
Playstation? Yah got to be kidding me. Must be nice to use the ole playstation instead of studying, shining boots, taking care of uniforms, keeping walllockers squared away, pulling guard duty & firewatch. Geeze, those technical schools / Army schools, must be getting easier and easier every year. NC1911 !!! |
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New Member |
the incident was before being classed, they don't shine the boots anymore; they do still do laundry and take care of their uniforms; they do still have inspections, guard duty, and pt, and grunt work. don't think they do the firewatch at ait anymore. and the kids are getting smarter. and it's not the issue of a playstation being stolen, it's the issue of anything being stolen by a "battle buddy."
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EIB, Follow Me! |
It is a shame there is so much theft here. Just don't bring it. If it isn't there, it can't be stolen. If you do bring it, lock it up...everytime. Things are stolen in literally seconds.
Laptops are a big theft item. Every week there are at least 2 or 3 stolen. Still shocking to me they can even bring these things! Other hot items: cell phones, PSPs, Nintendo DS's....basically any electronic item, but especially laptops. They steal them, then sell them for a hundred bucks. They used to reimburse soldiers if they stated the item was secured, but it got so bad they quit paying now. My advice...DONT BRING IT! Make my job easier...and I won't have to b!t(h about it under my breath about how the hell come... people can even bring these things to AIT?? AIT is the worse. There is not nearly as much theft or trouble in the permanent party units. And don't "sneak" your car here either if you ain't suppossed to have it...you will get caught eventually. Stop taking life so seriously, you're not getting out alive anyway. |
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New Member |
Mom, I know its not the point, but I got my son insurance from National Student Services Inc. I also found a parents forum. Go Army Parents.com This problem of theft and the mind set that goes with is rectifiable. If there is a will on the part of upper management. Rudy Giuliani and the broken window theory of law enforcement. The people who commit the little crimes are the people who commit the big crimes. |
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New Member |
The National Student Services policy is a great deal. thanks for sharing that! I'm going to visit my son over the labor day weekend. anybody have any suggestions for close by reasonbly priced destinations near Ft G? i'll be traveling from Colorado to see him.
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New Member |
This may help. http://www.augustaga.gov/index.aspx?NID=54 |
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New Member |
Wow things haven't changed at Gordon.
Your boy needs just lock up his items. That's all you can really do. What? No more FireWatch? I'm shocked. |
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