Posted on Aug 11, 2022
What is it like to be deployed in Djibouti right now?
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Any infantrymen currently/very recently deployed to Djibouti, what is it like right now?
Deployment
Djibouti
Infantry
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 4
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It's been a minute, but I remember DJ as the singularly worst smelling place I have ever been -- I'm sure it has changed -- Good Luck
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MSgt Steven Holt, NRP, CCEMT-P
Absolutely CSM! DJ may not be the armpit of the world but you can definitely smell it from there.
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Djibouti is not great but it you have some control how terrible your experience is or is not. The first thing you're going to want to do is show up with realistic expectations. Operating under the assumption that you're part of the TF I think you're a part of there are a couple of mission sets, none of them are that great, and tower guard is probably not the worst. Your pay as single E4 should be Base Pay + BAH (for your HOR) + BAS + $100 hardship duty pay + $125 IDP. You won't owe any taxes, but they are going to take them on the 15th and repay you on the 1st, so the difference between your two checks a month will be noticeable. Here are some thoughts in no particular order:
If you're in Djibouti the weather is going to be hot, so very very hot from April through November expect 100 degree plus days with infinity percent humidity. If you end up in Somalia or Kenya the weather is much more pleasant, seriously.
The amenities are much better at Lemonade than the outstations, but I would 1000% prefer to be away from there, what the best location is probably depends a lot on the individual, I could honestly see arguments for Djibouti being better.
In Djibouti as an E4 you will either be in a two man CLU room, or a 4 man actual building. Most of my Joes were glad to be in the CLUs as you're a quarter to half mile closer to everything, that distance can really add up over a day.
The internet in Djibouti is atrocious, you will spend way too much money for dial-up speeds, it will go out often, and the company will not care, and the Navy will care even less. A lot of people will suggest getting a puck, I didn't find it necessary, between all the MWR Wi-Fi spots and getting the passwords to a lot of people's routers I was able to patch together coverage for my phone over the majority of the base.
Unless you're going to be heading directly to an outstation within 48 hrs of being BOG you don't need a lot of hygiene type items, the USO has a ton of that stuff for free, your unit will get care packages from the states with all kinds of that stuff, and there is a decent size NEX available. Assuming you're part of the SECFOR TF rotating through the NEX will be very crowded the fist week that you're there and will likely sell out of routers and stuff to set up your room. Before you leave MOB station join the swap shop group on facebook and get what you need there for less. You're life will be easier if you have Venmo, Paypal, and Cashapp downloaded.
Download a good VPN before you leave the US.
If you have Verizon download their Message+ app before you leave CONUS, I don't know if other carriers have similar apps, but this will allow you to text while you're deployed (if you keep your service active during deployment). You should also download Signal and WhatsApp.
There are 2 Gyms, the Clamshell and the New Gym. The Clamshell is better, it just is.
If you want to play Basketball (indoors) you're going to need brand new non-marking shoes to be used for ONLY the court at the New Gym, the people who run the place are militant about this.
If you get disoriented in your first few weeks, just look for the water tower it will get you to the Galley and you can adjust course from there. If you want to familiarize yourself with the base before hand google maps is a pretty good resource.
The food at the Galley sucks (especially taco Tuesday), but it's not an MRE, don't blow a ton of money going to Pizza Hut and Subway. Speaking of Subway, if you want a sandwich, just go and make one for free at the grab and go, Galley, or Combat Cafe. Honestly the food was better if you weren't in Djibouti.
Any chance you get to go to the range complex, take it! These things tend to turn into a beach day after you run through your ammo allocation.
The most danger you will be in is driving on the roads of Djibouti, that place is the thunderdome.
Start doing PT early and often, it's really easy to settle into a rut of just sitting on your butt and racking up the calorie count.
If you get eggs to order go with the scramble, they undercook all the vegetables in the omelets.
Call home as much as you can.
Don't buy a scooter, the exercise is good for you.
If you have any ambitions of one day trying to go SF, you can take the DLAB there.
For places to blow your money you have: The NEX, Subway, Pizza Hut, 11D (the Thirsty Camel), Green Beans (x2), and Planet Smoothie. As an aside you can get Ben and Jerry's at Pizza Hut and most people don't realize this.
The Army Combat shirts are not that great, and the combat pants they give you aren't great either. Get some IHWCUs, this is the most comfortable you will be able to get in uniform in the HOA. If you want to get theme sewn, it's $8 at the mini-NEX (across from the clamshell) it usually takes 48-72 hrs.
The #1 thing that will get you hemmed up is alcohol, be careful, and under no circumstances should you get into or on anything with wheels if you've had anything at all to drink, the MAs (Navy MPs) have absolutely nothing to do but pull people over for speeding and DUIs.
If you're in Djibouti the weather is going to be hot, so very very hot from April through November expect 100 degree plus days with infinity percent humidity. If you end up in Somalia or Kenya the weather is much more pleasant, seriously.
The amenities are much better at Lemonade than the outstations, but I would 1000% prefer to be away from there, what the best location is probably depends a lot on the individual, I could honestly see arguments for Djibouti being better.
In Djibouti as an E4 you will either be in a two man CLU room, or a 4 man actual building. Most of my Joes were glad to be in the CLUs as you're a quarter to half mile closer to everything, that distance can really add up over a day.
The internet in Djibouti is atrocious, you will spend way too much money for dial-up speeds, it will go out often, and the company will not care, and the Navy will care even less. A lot of people will suggest getting a puck, I didn't find it necessary, between all the MWR Wi-Fi spots and getting the passwords to a lot of people's routers I was able to patch together coverage for my phone over the majority of the base.
Unless you're going to be heading directly to an outstation within 48 hrs of being BOG you don't need a lot of hygiene type items, the USO has a ton of that stuff for free, your unit will get care packages from the states with all kinds of that stuff, and there is a decent size NEX available. Assuming you're part of the SECFOR TF rotating through the NEX will be very crowded the fist week that you're there and will likely sell out of routers and stuff to set up your room. Before you leave MOB station join the swap shop group on facebook and get what you need there for less. You're life will be easier if you have Venmo, Paypal, and Cashapp downloaded.
Download a good VPN before you leave the US.
If you have Verizon download their Message+ app before you leave CONUS, I don't know if other carriers have similar apps, but this will allow you to text while you're deployed (if you keep your service active during deployment). You should also download Signal and WhatsApp.
There are 2 Gyms, the Clamshell and the New Gym. The Clamshell is better, it just is.
If you want to play Basketball (indoors) you're going to need brand new non-marking shoes to be used for ONLY the court at the New Gym, the people who run the place are militant about this.
If you get disoriented in your first few weeks, just look for the water tower it will get you to the Galley and you can adjust course from there. If you want to familiarize yourself with the base before hand google maps is a pretty good resource.
The food at the Galley sucks (especially taco Tuesday), but it's not an MRE, don't blow a ton of money going to Pizza Hut and Subway. Speaking of Subway, if you want a sandwich, just go and make one for free at the grab and go, Galley, or Combat Cafe. Honestly the food was better if you weren't in Djibouti.
Any chance you get to go to the range complex, take it! These things tend to turn into a beach day after you run through your ammo allocation.
The most danger you will be in is driving on the roads of Djibouti, that place is the thunderdome.
Start doing PT early and often, it's really easy to settle into a rut of just sitting on your butt and racking up the calorie count.
If you get eggs to order go with the scramble, they undercook all the vegetables in the omelets.
Call home as much as you can.
Don't buy a scooter, the exercise is good for you.
If you have any ambitions of one day trying to go SF, you can take the DLAB there.
For places to blow your money you have: The NEX, Subway, Pizza Hut, 11D (the Thirsty Camel), Green Beans (x2), and Planet Smoothie. As an aside you can get Ben and Jerry's at Pizza Hut and most people don't realize this.
The Army Combat shirts are not that great, and the combat pants they give you aren't great either. Get some IHWCUs, this is the most comfortable you will be able to get in uniform in the HOA. If you want to get theme sewn, it's $8 at the mini-NEX (across from the clamshell) it usually takes 48-72 hrs.
The #1 thing that will get you hemmed up is alcohol, be careful, and under no circumstances should you get into or on anything with wheels if you've had anything at all to drink, the MAs (Navy MPs) have absolutely nothing to do but pull people over for speeding and DUIs.
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SGT (Join to see)
I spent a third of the time of my deployment in Ethiopia at Camp Gilbert. At first I was extremely resistant to going (but what can you do) but ended up liking it a million times better than DJC. Seems like they have added significantly to Lemonnier since I went. The only plus side at DJC I thought was there was more stuff to do when you got off post passes. That little go cart track they got in the city and the italian pizza place were frequent haunts.
I worked on my run the entire time I was in Africa. I was a dude that hated running but forced myself to do it while there, and would run between 5-10 miles every other day. It was the time I was in the best shape of my life aerobically. But if you don't find something to do physically there is too much down time to get inside your own head.
Lemonnier got better for some of us because there were some other taskings outside the camp we got thrown on that made life a little better but at the time it was supposed to be look the other way and don't talk about it stuff.
I also see that China has built a base in DJ, which could effect what you can and can't do off post. We had them in Ethiopia as well and they kind of ended up making it impossible for us to do anything off post. Not because they were actively messing with us or anything (all the time anyways), but because leadership thought we would eventually have an altercation and it lead to bad PR. At that time though Camp Gilbert was on its deathbed so it didn't really matter.
I worked on my run the entire time I was in Africa. I was a dude that hated running but forced myself to do it while there, and would run between 5-10 miles every other day. It was the time I was in the best shape of my life aerobically. But if you don't find something to do physically there is too much down time to get inside your own head.
Lemonnier got better for some of us because there were some other taskings outside the camp we got thrown on that made life a little better but at the time it was supposed to be look the other way and don't talk about it stuff.
I also see that China has built a base in DJ, which could effect what you can and can't do off post. We had them in Ethiopia as well and they kind of ended up making it impossible for us to do anything off post. Not because they were actively messing with us or anything (all the time anyways), but because leadership thought we would eventually have an altercation and it lead to bad PR. At that time though Camp Gilbert was on its deathbed so it didn't really matter.
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