Posted on Oct 20, 2020
I am going to armorer school at Fort Devans, MA. What can I expect?
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Posted in these groups: 
WT: Weapons TechnicianArmorer School
Unit Armorer CourseArmorer
DRFTA/Fort Devens
WT: Weapons TechnicianArmorer School Unit Armorer CourseArmorer DRFTA/Fort Devens
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 7
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One of the easiest schools in the Army. I took it and passed easily with little studying. The real difficulty is staying awake. In regards to the Armorer job itself. You have to establish a professional working relationship with your unit 1SG. He will act as your whip against reluctant NCO's that want to sham vs doing their job in regards to weapons cleaning supervision. Use the whip of the 1SG with discretion and don't get power hungry. The very first thing I did was ask for the past Arms Room Policy.........there wasn't one. So if that is the case at your unit you need to write one using Army standards as to what the responsiblity is of the NCO and what the responsiblity of the enlisted troop is (even if you think it should be obvious put it on paper). Put the policy in front of the 1SG and get him to review and approve it. Then use him as a whip to enforce. Now on the flip side of this, you need to know when to relax, if the Company is returning from a FTX and is extremely tired or stressed.......you don't want to be a jerk and say nobody goes home until the weapons are spotless. In those circumstances you rendevous with the 1SG first and ask if you can be more lienient with initial weapons turn-in and then have a touch-up the next day or the day after if the NCO Corps agrees. So do the above and that will keep you out of getting a reputation of being an Arms Room dickhead and you will not take too much of a beating from the troops and they will respect you.
My biggest shock when I took the job were the number of NCO's that would back away from supervision of weapons cleaning once they became tired. So if I had an enlisted troop that kept insisting his weapon was clean and it looked like garbage, I would first ask him to come back with his NCO. If his NCO stated it was clean and it was garbage.......on the phone to the 1SG.
My biggest shock when I took the job were the number of NCO's that would back away from supervision of weapons cleaning once they became tired. So if I had an enlisted troop that kept insisting his weapon was clean and it looked like garbage, I would first ask him to come back with his NCO. If his NCO stated it was clean and it was garbage.......on the phone to the 1SG.
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SFC Arthur Morgan
SPC Guenther...
You and I would have met early on upon assignment to your unit as an experienced TC(Tank Commander) or after promotion Platoon Sergeant, after pleasantries were aside; would have asked pretty much what you have so eloquently laid out. Armed with it I would be better prepared to take any tank with assigned crewmen, with a good idea what to expect from you in regard to expectations. And would probably depart with, "You have any problems my crew/platoon; direct problems to me before 'Top'. I'll get them fixed." For you see, I was schooled by the 'old' standard'. SGTs, 'where tracks meet the trail.' As a platoon sergeant, harder on the noncoms & specialists than the privates. Way I learned.
You and I would have met early on upon assignment to your unit as an experienced TC(Tank Commander) or after promotion Platoon Sergeant, after pleasantries were aside; would have asked pretty much what you have so eloquently laid out. Armed with it I would be better prepared to take any tank with assigned crewmen, with a good idea what to expect from you in regard to expectations. And would probably depart with, "You have any problems my crew/platoon; direct problems to me before 'Top'. I'll get them fixed." For you see, I was schooled by the 'old' standard'. SGTs, 'where tracks meet the trail.' As a platoon sergeant, harder on the noncoms & specialists than the privates. Way I learned.
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SPC Erich Guenther
SFC Arthur Morgan - Thats fine too, what I learned very early on in my Army enlistment. You have to have the expectations written out on paper in policy format. Otherwise your always arguing with the barrack lawyers group plus the 1SG generally will not back you up unless he feels your consistent and reasonable to the troops.
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SFC Arthur Morgan
SPC Erich Guenther Reason why I provided 'overwatch' to your statements, because you were precisely correct. In mid-career as SSG I was taggeg by unit CO to take over supply room (from an award winning SGT/ as 76Y was secondary MOS, though had no training, experience, nada!) Was told in effect, "Go by the book & OJT." Did as instructed & found out quickly, repeatedly things just weren't adding up right. Finally found myself in bad place of having to tell our CO he was in debt to the Army...for tens of thousands$! Needless said, he wasn't thrilled. Even less when had my figures checked by S4, only to learn it was worse than I'd reported. They reported to Sqdn CO & he had everybody checked, only to learn others were bad, too. Subsequent regimental check found all units were in debt, going back multiple changes in command. Only legsl solution was a DA 'one time right off' for entire regiment. All because one NCO that didn't know anything, followed 'the book' and was honest. Much same happened at unit level in Korea with two exceptions. I'd learned a lot from previous experience & was only for a few months. Any rate, you do what's right. Only way.
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If you're doing it right, you can expect long hours, plenty of tedious paperwork, an unending list of daily tasks, annoyance toward the -30 shop, and plenty anger sent your way from every single individual who stores their equipment within the walls of your cage.
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SGT Joseph Gunderson
LTC Greg Henning I was an armorer for approximately four months before I drew the ire of the SCO, SXO, CSM, the S3, and the OPS SGM. I was called in on Thanksgiving because the alarm was tripped by something. And between monthly inventories and the persistent rotation of equipment through the -30 for either periodic servicing or legitimate maintenance, I was constantly swinging in paperwork.
I enjoyed the job, but there's no denying it isn't the easiest position. I was a PFC when I took the job, too.
I enjoyed the job, but there's no denying it isn't the easiest position. I was a PFC when I took the job, too.
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SGT Joseph Gunderson
SGT (Join to see) oh, super easy! You'll have to become familiar with a few regulations, but nothing is too outlandish that you won't get a firm grasp of it. If I remember correctly, most of the tests were open note. A big part of the course is familiarization with the weapon systems--all tests are times for clearing, disassemble, reassemble, and function check--and most allow for plenty of time. I beat every record at Fort Hood but one, the 9mm, and I tied that one.
I wouldn't worry about the course too much.
I wouldn't worry about the course too much.
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Ft devens is a very small reserve post about 45 minutes west of Boston. It does have a clothing and sales and a class 6. Not many amenities near by. I would be sure to get a rental of you can get it on your orders. WiFi and comfortable billets are also key take aways.
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