Preparing for Lift-off

cornelyj · 07-16-2008, 16:23

Its official the process of joining up has begun. I got back from the bank and sold my motorcycle and I am making an ad to sell my road bike along with other items I have collected on my college stint. Just painted the walls with killz and getting ready to move into a cheaper apartment with a 9 month lease.

I was wondering what other people had to sell before they signed and what they kept or regretted keeping. What did you do in your civilian life before you became a soldier? I have read all about don't make any big purchases etc. What I'm really asking is would you share your experiences as to make others experiences easier and not as horrific as they would have been.

Monsoon65 · 07-16-2008, 20:13

I enlisted when I was 17. I went to basic with a change of skivvies and a toothbrush.

ZonieDiver · 07-17-2008, 09:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monsoon65

I enlisted when I was 17. I went to basic with a change of skivvies and a toothbrush.

I took skivvies and a toothbrush when I went to in Basic in Feb 1970, but they made me send them home and get "GI" versions! I had my step-dad sell my '68 Mercury Cougar because the payment was 93.37 and a PV2 made 138.30 (gross). Imagine my surprise in Jul '70 when I saw my lime green machine in the Benning PX parking lot. My step-dad had sold it to some new 2Lt. The 2Lt thought I was nuts, but I could identify every scratch. He did give me a ride back to 45th Co.

Go Devil · 07-17-2008, 10:15

Congrats!

I entered as a 63T with Airborn Option and guaranteed assignment (short on 63T's at that time) to the 101st.
I would later find out upon arrival to my mentioned duty station, that they had no Bradley Fighting Vehicles to work on. The kind lady behind the desk ( who actually was a very good person) said within earshot of my young wife " Honey, what's a Bradley? They ain't no Bradleys on this post. Honey, they lied to you. You gonna' have orders for Korea in six months!" I believe out of compassion for my wife she gave me the option to go to Benning, Ft. Hood, or Korea.

I chose Benning.
Loved every minute of it!

Back to enlisting...

I followed my recruiters instructions and took a change of drawers and a shave kit in the smallest pack I could find.

Others did not and it was very entertaining once we met our Drill Instructors at C Co. 2/46, Ft. Knox.
They took us on a "short" walk to C Co., which LOS was maybe 75 meters from Reception.
We Ranger Filed for the next hour up and down the berm that surrounded the C Co. area with all of our initial issue, what the recruiters told us to bring, plus all of the FTFI stuff.
I walked through numerous busted suitcases that had their contents strewn about and trampled on by the majority of the company.

Follow instructions and take as little as possible, you wont need it for long.

Now I will back up a bit,

Before I enlisted I was a welder/fabricator for a large sign company in Indiana.
When I enlisted I had a wife, child, farm house, two cars, dog, and two cats I intended to keep.

I ended my time in service with two of those items. Can you guess which two?

Have a great time!

GD

lksteve · 07-17-2008, 10:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Go Devil

When I enlisted I had a wife, child, farm house, two cars, dog, and two cats I intended to keep.

I ended my time in service with two of those items. Can you guess which two?

Probably the cats...

**Team Sergeant** · 07-17-2008, 10:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monsoon65

I enlisted when I was 17. I went to basic with a change of skivvies and a toothbrush.

I was also 17 when I joined, but, unlike Monsoon65, I forgot the toothbrush and skivvies.

Ret10Echo · 07-17-2008, 11:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by lksteve

Probably the cats...

I was going to go with the child (It's yours regardless of the geography) and the dog.....

lksteve · 07-17-2008, 11:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ret10Echo

I was going to go with the child (It's yours regardless of the geography) and the dog.....

Your point is well taken...but I am allergic to cats and knowing how my luck runs...

Go Devil · 07-18-2008, 07:19

Quote:

Probably the cats.

You guys are great!

The wife sold the dog while I was in Basic.

For our trip to Benning I packed the largest truck U-Haul rented with the houshold stuff and filled the wifes car with our clothing.
I was towing my Wrangler behind the truck and had the cats in a pet carrier as passengers with me.
The male moaned and growled through Tennesse and Kentucky. Finally I let them out of the carrier he quickly made for the underside of the bench seat and proceeded to piss all over the place. Did I mention he continued his growling and bitching till we made quarters in Benning.
Upon arrival I drug him from his cave, released him into the house and we did not see him for the next 3 months.

I eventually sold the house in Indiana (took a large loss). The male cat finally escaped his new prison, evaded capture, and was never seen again ( He also managed to avoid the snares my daughter and I set for the local squirrels.). We returned the female cat to the family farm. The Wrangler was repossesed. And I eventually returned to Indiana in new vehicles with my family intact.

GD

cornelyj · 07-22-2008, 10:14

good story GD. Thanks all.

I never really liked cats anyways.
But I do have a blonde girlfriend, isn't that kinda like a really big mean cat?

So the moral of the story is sell your stuff so it doesn't get trampled on by the majority of the company.
Thank Uncle Sam for me since we don't get paid 138.30 anymore.

Still prepping for the pay cut around the house... uhh I mean apartment.

greenberetTFS · 07-22-2008, 10:46

I enlisted in 1954 at 17 for the Airborne. I didn't bring anything with me. I left my girl friend.(who I later married after my 2nd discharge in 1958) We will be celabrating our 50th in Feb 2009. I left a job at a company I worked for making $2.00 an hour for the Army making $77.00 a month.The rest is history.....

cornelyj · 07-22-2008, 10:56

Hopefully I'll be making similar history. My girlfriend will probably be in Med. school while I sample the fine culinary arts of the snake.

Gypsy · 07-22-2008, 18:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by cornelyj

But I do have a blonde girlfriend, isn't that kinda like a really big mean cat?

No, that would be a red headed girlfriend.

Best wishes to you, thanks for stepping up to serve.