I am a Navy Reservist that got Mob'd and have gone through NMPS and have reported to my command. I am going to be doing a 5-6 month rotation in Afghanistan and will be at Bagram. I am scheduled for NIACT at Fort Jackson in Feb and will go directly to Afghanistan (via Kuwait, I believe) from NIACT. I am looking for advice on what to pack for NIACT and the follow on to Bagram. I have a Pelican case and was wondering if I should take this to NIACT or have it shipped to me once I arrive in Bagram? Should I bring my laptop to NIACT? My husband was going to see me off from Fort Jackson so I could swap out dirty clothes for clean. Wear civilian clothes to NIACT check-in? Need some guidance of these logistics.
Mary

The short answer is as little as possible. One set of civvies and two sets of work out clothes, two weeks of underclothes, and the best boot socks money can buy (like Thorlo or equivalent). You'll want your laptop for the entire time. Bagram has a fully stocked exchange, lots of fast food, plenty of small shops, regular mail service, etc. Far, far better to have little things mailed to you than to have to schlep them in. Is the pelican case for your laptop or weapon?

Thanks for the info. The Pelican case is a large non-destructable case that I can lock. I used it some years back for deployment and it was great. Did you recently do the 3 week course? Couple of further questions: Were you able to leave things comfortable out like computers and electronics without fear of someone taking it at NIACT? How did the transition to the flights into theatre work? Will I be able to invite my husband down to see me off? I'm thinking that I could switch out dirty clothes for fresh ones before I left. Was there any free time? Any free weekends?

I did NIACT at FT Jackson in 2008. All of your valuables should be secured. Open-bay berthing with 30 of your closest friends. We had about six hours of liberty on one day about two weeks into the course. Free time was from 2000 to 2200 on most nights. Consider yourself already deployed once you report. There are washing machines in berthing, so no need to switch out dirty clothes. Seriously--you'll be doing laundry frequently to clean your ACUs. You'll either sweat a puddle or have to crawl through a puddle. Our weather was such that I got to do both (September class). The transition to flights into theater is typical military grin and bear it. We left in the middle of the night from a dual use airport after spending a few hours in a hangar with chairs. I can't imagine your husband being able to see you off unless he is an Army E-8 assigned to Ft Jackson. As far as the Pelican goes, you'll be issued a few seabags worth of equipment/gear and you will have to carry all of your own bags at various points and transitions. You will have a locker that you can lock (and you should bring padlocks, for sure, as you will have to secure your weapon during showers and PT, so long as a battle buddy is present to keep an eye on the locker).

Anyone on here gone more recently who can say if things have changed?

I am heading to the HOA and orders state I go through NMPS Then NIACT. 1st Time as a reservist going through this training. I have been reading. But not really getting a feel on expectations there and routine. Just a few questions on gear and schedule, pt, trainings, stuff like that. In my orders I get outfitted at nmps, on the NIACT site they say just bring 1 pair of clothes. I will be bring 2 if not 3 seabagse from NMPS???