I am Mobilizing to Kuwait next month. Any advice?

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 16 May 2016 18:26:13 -0400

I'm Mobilizing to Kuwait next month for 13 months. What's the place like? Any advice for me?

Response by SSG Carlos Madden made May 16 at 2016 6:38 PM

SSG Carlos Madden — Mon, 16 May 2016 18:38:23 -0400

If OPSEC allows, can you say where are you going in Kuwait? RallyPoint has a number of group pages for many of the bases in country. CPT Laurie H.

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made May 16 at 2016 6:55 PM

PO2 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 16 May 2016 18:55:31 -0400

Hydrate hydrate hydrate, you're going in right around Ramadan time and at first the heat will be unbearable. DO NOT I repeat DO NOT sent your cold weather gear home. Although it's hot when you first get there the temperature drops like crazy once it gets to winter time.
Lastly, if they still haven't allowed Liberty off base (I was there in 2008-2009, things might have changed) make sure you try and get yourself into one of the MWR trips off base.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 16 at 2016 7:10 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 16 May 2016 19:10:34 -0400

I've been there twice for 9 months at a time. Expect plenty of sand, nasty hot wind, take some good shoes, and drink plenty of water while there. If you end up at the port for whatever reason, it is ridiculous humid. Everywhere else is alright, they'll have everything that you need, especially arifjan

Response by SSgt Travis Good made May 16 at 2016 7:11 PM

SSgt Travis Good — Mon, 16 May 2016 19:11:15 -0400

And wear your pt belt everywhere!!!! Seriously, even if it is daylight, wear it. If it gets dark outside and some CSM, First Sergeant, or CO, see you without one......well let us just say that you will be posted outside the gym checking to make sure everyone else has theirs. If you get caught multiple times, then you can get paperwork up to an Article 15. I am not joking.

But if you remember that and keep a positive attitude then you will be fine. You cannot take the bootleg DVD's that you buy back home with you so do not go crazy.

Also be careful on the outlets that you use. You do not want to fry your laptop.

But since you are a junior NCO Like myself, I want you to know since you will be supervising troops, that leadership has nothing better to do than walk around and make some people's lives miserable. I am not being a negative Nancy, I am speaking the truth whether they like it or not. So you will have to deal with some really dumb s##t.......even mow dumber than on Post. Good luck bro and if opsec allows it, send your address in a private message and we can send you some care packages.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 16 at 2016 7:13 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 16 May 2016 19:13:21 -0400

If you have new soldiers without a car back in the states, I would highly recommend you talk to them about taking advantage of the car sales exchange place that they have there. It's worth every penny. MWR travel should be opened back up. Good luck on your tour!!

Response by SSG Chris Hammond made May 16 at 2016 8:07 PM

SSG Chris Hammond — Mon, 16 May 2016 20:07:05 -0400

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 16 at 2016 9:41 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 16 May 2016 21:41:00 -0400

I'm here now. The months of May, June, July, and August is the hot months. It not bad. It was sand storm at time

Response by LTC John Shaw made May 16 at 2016 11:52 PM

LTC John Shaw — Mon, 16 May 2016 23:52:20 -0400

Kuwait is just like any garrison that's think's it is driving the war. Too much brass licking not enough focus on the fight. Expect your big challenge is to get your job to actually assist the war effort verses the normal Army admin BS. Make your tour matter, good luck.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made May 17 at 2016 12:45 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 17 May 2016 00:45:11 -0400

I'm guessing you're going one of two places: Arifjan or Buehring.

I've only been to Arifjan once for a few hours. It reminded me of a stateside Air Force Base. I've spent a fair amount of time at Buehring. It wasn't all that much different from a FOB in Iraq, minus the mortar attacks.

I'll have to check my hard drive, I may have some stuff from my deployment I can pass on.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 17 at 2016 4:28 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 17 May 2016 04:28:49 -0400

Do what the locals do...and less

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made May 17 at 2016 7:24 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 17 May 2016 07:24:33 -0400

I was in Arifjan in 2011-2012. It wasn't bad. It depends on your mission; if you are supporting the Kuwaiti Army then your tour will be different than if you are supporting the TSC or one of the tenant units. The gyms on Arifjan are amazing; there is a lot going on regarding MWR activities. If you are going to spend a year away from your friends, family, and home, there are far worse places to go than Kuwait.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 17 at 2016 12:21 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 17 May 2016 12:21:08 -0400

Are you going to Camp Arifjan? If so, it's a nice camp with modern conveniences.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 17 at 2016 12:21 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 17 May 2016 12:21:53 -0400

I was deployed there in March to September 2009.

Response by CPL Randy Bautista made May 17 at 2016 10:36 PM

CPL Randy Bautista — Tue, 17 May 2016 22:36:44 -0400

Hot and windy winter can get brutal once you get used to the heat... MWR has many event check in with them and hydrate... Don't forget PT belt it's worse then in Harrison when it comes to or belts... Your or belt is as important as your cover over then don't get caught without it

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made May 18 at 2016 1:05 AM

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 18 May 2016 01:05:50 -0400

I'm at Buehring now. It's like 3 digit temperatures every day now. Looking at a high of 115 today. If you are going where I am, then hit me up when you get close, and I will tell you all about it.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 18 at 2016 5:34 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 18 May 2016 17:34:56 -0400

First enjoy the cooler weather as soon as the heat hits you will acclimate to the heat at night you will feel cold even when you see the temp is 90-100 degrees so keep a lite jacket handy in the evening . Second watch your surroundings and remember bright colored reptiles are dangerous pink and purple looking snakes in the sand dunes are poisonous and also watch for the desert monitors

Response by Capt Hansel Bumgarner made May 18 at 2016 6:56 PM

Capt Hansel Bumgarner — Wed, 18 May 2016 18:56:30 -0400

Take sun screen.

Response by Col Tom Lytle made May 20 at 2016 10:47 PM

Col Tom Lytle — Fri, 20 May 2016 22:47:11 -0400

Get sunglasses with the flaps around the sides. You can get corneal abrasions from blowing sand during sandstorms. And now it's time to bring War & Peace and all those other books you've been intending to read.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 23 at 2016 12:47 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 23 May 2016 12:47:26 -0400

A lot of rank and saluting. Hot but can get really cold during winter months, especially after you've acclimated. Plenty of things to do when down time is available. 24 hour gyms were implemented and are awesome. I just got back from Kuwait. Feel free to ask more if you would like. This is just some BLUF.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 26 at 2016 12:43 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 26 May 2016 12:43:34 -0400

That place sucks. Drunk fn water....lots of it. It gets ridiculously hot amd the sand storms are aweful. If you're goin to AJ, take swim trunks....sit back, collect that paycheck. Easiest deployment in the world. I was at Buehring....very boring.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 26 at 2016 3:09 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 26 May 2016 15:09:41 -0400

It is very humid and hot there. Depends on where you go. I was at Camp Virgina in 2010 and we had a McDonald's, Aunt Annie's, Charley's, and a nice MWR with a movie theater. I was there half the time and spent majority of my time in Iraq because of my mission.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 2 at 2016 4:10 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 04:10:25 -0400

It's hot, sandy, and serves no purpose. However long you stay will be that many months of wasted time you can't get back. Take college classes online and work out as much as possible. May God have mercy on your soul.