View Full Version : Process question -- Stuck in Airborne Holdover
My son and a couple dozen of his buddies are currently cooling their heels in holdover at Sand Hill. Some have been there as long as a month. He called today and said that some 50 guys came in yesterday and most shipped out today while the same 25 or so people are still hanging out, mostly training as "Combat Landscapers." Rumor has it that some have been marked as "No-Show" at 1/507th PIR, but there is no confirming that.
There does seem to be some pattern as most of them are either prior service or former ROTC. The E4 mafia has it that 198th IN is using these guys to revamp the landscaping at a chapel. Again, add salt that to taste.
What I do know is that the stuck guys are not slackers -- they include Infantry OSUT honor graduates and prior service Marines. All are either headed for SFAS or RASP. I'm using this channel in hopes someone here might know someone who knows someone, or in hopes somebody might have a suggestion. They have no listed chain of command, or even a mailing address. The only way to get mail to them is though the local UPS store at $5.00 per item.
Son has re-read Catch-22, which may be a good sign or a bad one. Thoughts?
Team Sergeant
10-07-2015, 16:39
Trust me, they are not the first nor will they be the last stuck in some sort of "holdover". And as long as their doing something useful the Army (and 1st Shirt) is happy......
Trust me, they are not the first nor will they be the last stuck in some sort of "holdover". And as long as their doing something useful the Army (and 1st Shirt) is happy......
Team Sarge, you sound remarkably like a Sarge. The big question was whether this is an unusual situation, or one of the to-be-expected annoyances of being a small part of a big machine. Sounds like the latter. Meanwhile, some of his buddies shipped today, he's got some hope. Just sweating that he'll miss the window before the holiday break which would push Jump School out past year-end. :boohoo
Meanwhile,:lifter
Team Sergeant
10-08-2015, 11:17
Team Sarge, you sound remarkably like a Sarge. The big question was whether this is an unusual situation, or one of the to-be-expected annoyances of being a small part of a big machine. Sounds like the latter. Meanwhile, some of his buddies shipped today, he's got some hope. Just sweating that he'll miss the window before the holiday break which would push Jump School out past year-end. :boohoo
Meanwhile,:lifter
Not at all...... "Hurry up and wait" is one of the military's best known mottos......
Now if they're there for 120 days, call your congress critter and get them moving. Otherwise some 1st Sergeant is enjoying their manpower for the time being.
18XP - this sort of thing happens on occasion and for a variety of reasons, ranging from a need to slow the input to the pipeline somewhere along the way because of things going on within the system (restructuring or course changes, accidents and investigations, class delays, budgeting, etc) to delays at someplace like the 1-507th due to on-going billeting space available (they have been in the process of modernizing their billets for awhile now and short 1 training company of the 4 as they rennovate 1 company at a time) or weather delays requiring them to hold an existing class pending completion of their training (a not uncommon issue with the BAC).
Your son and his peers stuck in a hold status may not be happy with it, but they'll one day understand the BIG picture of how things like this happen, and need to just wait it out for the time being and focus on getting ready for the next step when the 'conveyor belt' starts up again.
Good luck.
Richard
My AIT class was held over 30 days because MLK was assassinated the day of our graduation and we were to fill in for the NG in case of earthquakes or fires. I got to flip burgers at the o-club and lead dependent children on trail rides at the stables. :cool:
Pat
My AIT class was held over 30 days because MLK was assassinated the day of our graduation and we were to fill in for the NG in case of earthquakes or fires. I got to flip burgers at the o-club and lead dependent children on trail rides at the stables. :cool:
Pat
You must get emotional every time you hear Garry Owen. :D
CAARNG 68W
10-09-2015, 00:07
Who knows, maybe your son and the other holdovers are simply just well liked by the Top. Maybe they're being selected for a secretive, black-ops type gig. You know, like The Delta Force.
They're being holdover for official reasoning, even if marked as no show, all will be forgiven.
I wish your son good luck. I've been a holdover and a recycle in training companies, and I know it sucks. I took incredible delight in however knowing, that I was, "Sitting around collecting Government checks, and building up my PT through rigorous calisthenics."
Ah Salute to your son.
You must get emotional every time you hear Garry Owen. :D
It's Garryowen. ;) I just wanted the Stetson. :D
Pat
2018commo
10-09-2015, 05:10
Too many years ago I was on simular hold at Ft. Gordon. We arrived at Ft.Benning, did ground and tower week in 7 straight days, enjoyed an incredible Thanksgiving spread, made five jumps in three days jumped into a bus and signed into SF Co that Friday. The machine can move when it wants to.
You sure it's not an American version of "Bacha Bazi"?
UWOA (RIP)
10-09-2015, 08:18
You sure it's not an American version of "Bacha Bazi"?
Sounds like you've been to Frisco ....
.
Sounds normal. An offline QP friend held the same opinions expressed here and pointed out that there is a measure of tough guys can make it through heat, mud, cold and misery, but fall apart in the face of boredom. Just another challenge and an opportunity to keep focus in the face of adversity. On the other hand, he has observed that he's getting paid more per hour of work than any of his friends on the outside.
blue02hd
10-09-2015, 12:10
I had a 45 day hold over before starting my Basic back in 90. Then had a 30 day hold over in RGR school because of,, oh, um, nm that was a recycle.
Finance made me wait an hour once, and then there was the time a red headed woodpecker stopped all training,,,,,,,,,, squelch,,,,,,,,,static,,,,,,,,, <mic dies>
<drops mic> <reaches for beer>
Team Sergeant
10-09-2015, 14:17
I had a 45 day hold over before starting my Basic back in 90. Then had a 30 day hold over in RGR school because of,, oh, um, nm that was a recycle.
Finance made me wait an hour once, and then there was the time a red headed woodpecker stopped all training,,,,,,,,,, squelch,,,,,,,,,static,,,,,,,,, <mic dies>
<drops mic> <reaches for beer>
You mean the "Red-cockaded Woodpecker"...... They're not bad really, taste like Spotted Owl, but you need 12-15 to make a meal. :munchin
It's Garryowen. ;) I just wanted the Stetson. :D
Pat
I checked that spelling before posting and it looked to me like a guy could go either way kind of a YMMV situation. Those were nice hats.
I checked that spelling before posting and it looked to me like a guy could go either way kind of a YMMV situation.
Yeah, but it's Garryowen. ;)
ETA: Riding a horse on the rolling hills of Ft. Ord was awesome! I hope the kids appreciated the experience. I sure did.
Pat
TrapperFrank
10-14-2015, 08:43
My experience was similar, though I was stuck in reception station at Ft. Jackson waiting for and 11C class to fill up. Spent close to 3 weeks there. Tell him to roll with it and enjoy his time there.
Go Devil
10-14-2015, 13:52
Sounds like they need more PT.