As an infantryman, how long and often can I expect to be in the field? Is it dependent on the unit I'm with, or same across the board?

I'll share this with you: in one of my first units we had a CSM who would continuously look at the blotter report and when the members of the BN began to show up more often we would head to the field. Normally our field problems would last two to three weeks, on some occasions our field training lasted a couple months. Overall I would say that it is not uncommon to spend over 200 days a year in the field. Some units optempo are higher than others if you are in a rapid deployment unit you can expect a great amount of field time. Remember though, this is the lifestyle and demand of a Grunt train train train because when you go to the show you should be ready to dance.

SGT Sesar's said it best. What you need to do is train your wife. You must be thinking WTF, but what I advise will save your marriage and career. The first thing is how to budjet your pay. I taught my wife how to handle the bills and who the unit's wives coordinator was. The military wives will help your wife on issues as they occur. It will be hard making things work on a private's pay. I had a break in service and came back in as a PV2, BCT, AIT and unit assignment as a PFC. We cut out all vour vices and my wife learned to cook and buy things we needed cheap with the help of other military wives we lived near. Train her to be self sufficient if she is not already that way. Sometimes it is better to wait a while separated which is what I did until I had the pay grade to support my wife and child. Be all you can be and Soldier Hard! I hope you consider some of my advise.

All depend on the unit and your leadership in that unit. You will have long periods of time where you are either in the field or packing to go into the field. Make the best of it. That’s where you will make friends for life.