How can I best prepare for 25S school? How will Airborne affect my life once I finish IET?

Be mentally prepared for a very Long AIT, there’s not too much you can do to prepare for the course outside of being confident in basic computer skills and understanding but honestly I’ve seen some people come in and pass knowing nothing. Fort Gordon is a very easy place to get in trouble so I would say stick with the nerdy kids who play video games all day rather than the ones who go out all the time. As far as airborne, you will be at ait for a while, Start running and make sure you’re doing more than the minimum on PT test, you will understand when you get to ait how quickly you will fall out of BCT shape. Number one thing start making sure you can do push-ups and sit-ups now, you’re running will improve at BCT and AIT. My experience was I was already in good shape enough coming in to pass PT test, at Fort Gordon I started to be a shit bag, so when I got to Benning I made sure to not be. BCT is hard but manageable, simply find a way to entertain yourself at Fort Gordon, and Fort Benning as long as you pass PT and don’t miss a formation you’ll be fine.

As far as 25S goes, learn the fundamentals of satcom signal flow. Once you understand what each piece does, it doesn’t matter what type of equipment you’re using. As for airborne, it will open you to airborne assignments such as 82nd, 112 sig bn, or other SOF units but you will mainly do the same job. The equipment will change with the mission

25S AIT is not difficult. Stay awake, pay attention, and have a good attitude. Keep your nose out of trouble and don’t lose your ability to retain security clearance. The equipment you train on slightly varies in the school house, but ultimately it all does the same thing.

Airborne school is also easy. Stay in shape, and everything else in airborne school is “simple-stupid” just follow the instructions and execute.
Your opportunities for airborne as an IET soldier are you WILL go to an airborne assignment, wherever branch needs you estimated by your estimated Airborne school graduation date. After airborne school I served in the 82d in a signal platoon, a Special Forces Group in a signal detachment, a field artillery brigade S6, and now I’m in a Space Detachment. Don’t get caught up on what you can and can’t do on day zero, just do your best and focus on making yourself able to do whatever new goals you set for your future!

Equipment you use caries from unit to unit. It’s highly likely that the only thing you utilize from AIT at your first duty station is the theory of how everything works, while operating equipment that’s not even in a school house.