Ray80 sends some excellent advice to our DEPs

[Earthpig]

I received a letter from Ray80 today. This one has probably the most advice yet for ours DEPs. You guys who haven't shipped out yet won't get a clearer picture than this. This guy is definately a team player:
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Ranger EarthPig,

Just some OSUT intel for my DEP brothers. Day 1 starts with a "shark attack." The Drill Sergeants' and Cadre's job is to cause stress. They will instruct your company to form up with impossible time hacks, then they smoke the entire company when you fail to meet the strandard.

In order to help your platoon through total control, study the following tasks: First Aid, the Manual of Arms, seal and clear an M40 gas mask. Also familiarize yourself with LCE's, rucks, and practice on breaking down, cleaning, and reassembling the M16. Be able to march, do the Manual of Arms, and you will appear high-speed. Don't worry about PT. Just do what they tell you.

It's tough to deal with the lack of calories. I've lost 10 pounds, in a bad way. I gotta find a way to keep my strength and muscle.

Also be prepared to clean your bay during fireguard. Also, just because first call is at 0400 doesn't mean that you can't wake up earlier. Use the very early morning to square away your shit and read the schedule.

When you get to Reception, familiarize yourself with the "S.O.P" for your duffle bag and laundry bags. You'll save your barracks a lot of smoking and meaningless work. It'll be on a wall, as soon as you get into your bay at Reception.

Use the PX trip to buy extra shit for your wall locker display. It's a sneaky way to be more squared away than your "Drill Private" peers at OSUT.

The smokings are unavoidable. Just smile after you get scuffed up; most of the other guys will show themselves to be quitters. This stuff is pretty cool, just make the most of it and try to get into the front of the formations.

Make sure to memorize NOW before shipping: the Code of Conduct, the Soldier's Creed, the Infantry Creed, and your General Orders. This is not optional.

Hope this helps. I'll try to get out more stuff for the DEPs.

Ray

[Bell]

"The man on the ground" always has the best reports. Ray's doing a great job.

Start studying DEP's. You might not be in the army yet but you can start getting ready.

RLTW
Bell

[Steadfast]

Great post by Ray80. Thanks for Posting it EP.




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[Slowpoke]

This kid is going to be CSM of the Army some day!

[RGR_Dan]

I am thoroughly impressed.

[Bugsy]

Now that's what I call a decent SITREP, looks like Ray80 is gettin closer to his goal and doing it with some Fortitude to boot. He's a stud that's for sure.

[NoMoreRegrets]

Use the PX trip to buy extra shit for your wall locker display. It's a sneaky way to be more squared away than your "Drill Private" peers at OSUT.

I figure the best advice is good advice followed, but I don't really know what this means. Wall locker display? I've done a search and not come up with any clue as to what he's talking about. I'd appreciate some enlightment. Thanks in advance.

[FireFinder]

Use the PX trip to buy extra shit for your wall locker display. It's a sneaky way to be more squared away than your "Drill Private" peers at OSUT.

I figure the best advice is good advice followed, but I don't really know what this means. Wall locker display? I've done a search and not come up with any clue as to what he's talking about. I'd appreciate some enlightment. Thanks in advance.

Usually all your stuff, i.e. uniforms, TA-50, etc. have to be arranged in a certain way in your wall locker. Socks rolled a certain way, underwear folded a certain way, t-shirts, etc. A brass card with your name-plate, unit crest, branch insignia, qualification badges, etc.

It would help to have the extra items so you never have to redo your display items. In some cases, the extra items may not be permissible.

[JohnKerrySucks]

When we got to reception we had a seargent tell us to buy extra items like socks, underwere, and t-shirts. But when we got "downrange" they did a health and wealfare inspection and made us throw everything extra away. So any DEP's here might not want to buy anything like that, and you can pretty much disregard any packing list you were given because they made us buy everything again, and the less you have when you get to reception the easier it is on yourself. But then again I'm sure it's different for everybody, also our barracks standards were completely different than the ones posted on the walls at reception. Once again though I'm sure every DS does things different. Definetly do your homework before you go though, it will save you some smoke. Getting smoked is for your own good though PT for free!

[Brat Attack]

If any Depper is afraid of weight loss. No worries. Just eat everything and anything you can. Take peoples chow they don't want. Hell I ate from the trash when the DS's weren't looking. I gained 28lbs in OSUT. Just be sure to do PT at night because you don't get PT'd enough! PT PT and more PT. The rest is a breeze.....
-Matt

[Phulano]

We never got a health and welfare.

Army issue socks work great for me. I stopped wearing underwear after like day 3 OSUT. You dont need that extra shit from the PX - thats why the Drill SGT's take it away. Just buy an extra toothbrush and kiwi.

I agree that you shouldent bring anything either. You dont need extra clothes or any of that crap. Bring a shaving kit and nothing else. After you get to 30th AG you wont see any of that shit until the night before graduation. You CAN bring shit, but you dont need it and its just more crap to carry. You will have to carry your shit so pack accordingly.

[Saxon 32]

Wow like a lot of the Rangers here have been saying in previous threads, these SITREPs are really cool. Ray80 keep up the good work! Thanks a lot Ranger EarthPig for posting it.

[Ray80]

If any Depper is afraid of weight loss. No worries. Just eat everything and anything you can. Take peoples chow they don't want. Hell I ate from the trash when the DS's weren't looking. I gained 28lbs in OSUT. Just be sure to do PT at night because you don't get PT'd enough! PT PT and more PT. The rest is a breeze.....
-Matt

Oh man. So true about the chow, Paratrooper ArmyBrat. I was about to reccommend the exact same advice, but held off because I would be telling our brothers to eat out of the trash. Plus, you should have seen how sick I got when using the trash as a class I resupply AND an approved food source. The best was when you work duty squad and hold open the trash bags for the rest of the company.... waiting to snag two more trays of chow and a piece of cake. Oh yeah, volunteering to clean the chow hall on Sundays is always a great way to get the D-Fac workers to hook you up. :D The only other way is to become a chow thief, which is a violation of a couple of Army values.

Extra PT like you said has been the only way to go. There is basically no strength work in OSUT. It has been all endurance work. Since Exodus, I've brought myself back up to my fighting weight and feel a helluva lot stronger.

-Ray

[Earthpig]

Good to hear from you, Ray! I hope you are enjoying the break. It sounds like you are still focused, which is fantastic. Happy New Year, Little Brother! Let me know when you go back.
RLTW
EP

[Bell]

I'm impressed with your dedication and drive Ray80. However, that's exactly what you need. Drive on.

RLTW
Bell