I’m getting stationed at Fort Hood. Will they send me home to get personal belongings? If so, will they make me take my leave days?

You should have something like ten days of leave between your AIT and your report date to Hood. Those are the days that you will be using in order to get everything you need and to move to Fort Hood and be all ready to go. Double check all of your orders and what they say.

Check your orders for your report date. You generally have 10 days to get from AIT to your duty station. Plus you can put in a pass for a long weekend (4days) to go back home to gather personal things that couldn’t make the trip. You don’t ever HAVE to use your leave days unless you’re in a use or lose situation which you don’t have to worry about now since you’re just entering into the Army.

Like he said, check your orders and make sure you get a copy of your leave form (DA FORM 31). Talk to your AIT Plt SGT also

I went from APG to Fort Hood which was my first duty station with what i had with me from AIT and then about 90 days later my car and a few other things my parents brought to me because it was about a days drive from there home to Fort Hood

You will go straight to your unit and from there you can talk to your first line supervisor.

It really depends on what items you want to bring to Fort Hood. Personal belongings is mighty obscure. Barracks rooms are limited in size and restrictions definitely limit your options. Before I reported to my first duty assignment which was Fort Hood. I traveled from Fort Gordon, Georgia; returned to my parents home in Minnesota, at my own out of pocket expense, to get my car, some civilian clothes, a stereo system and a small refrigerator. There was more than adequate room in my barracks room for all that stuff. It was six years before I made enough money to rent an apartment and have enough room for other stuff. So many other items I left at my folks house and gave them away to relatives over the years as there was never going to be room in the barracks for them. Most importantly, they will not send you home. You must pay and make your own way home, if it is allowed on your orders and leave form. I remember my Senior Drill Sergant gave me some assistance with making travel reservations from Georgia to Minnesota. Then I drove my car to Texas. I hope this helps you out some. Good travels.

OK, all below are good thoughts, but it all depends on exactly what your orders say. I didn't get leave time from jump school to Ft Bragg, cause the Army arranged the travel. You won't need any personal things in your new unit for some time. If the orders give you travel/leave time then fine. Just remember billets vary from Post to Post in age, size, condition. Your new unit may not like the idea ( nor your room mate) showing up with a ton of stuff and nowhere to put it. Strongly suggest you go with the flow and recon the new unit/area 1st.

I can't answer your question, but I can tell you that you WILL need a vehicle. This place is HUGE! Save your pennies now and get yourself a beater as soon as you can.

Yeah check your orders cause my brother graduated Thursday and had to report that Monday to check in and he didn’t take leave til like a month later. Then they put him in another unit that went to Germany a month later so he was at his duty station for 2 months then overseas.

Oh he is also station in FT HOOD. So check your orders

If you haven't signed up for the HRAP (Hometown Recruiting Assistance Program), DO IT! And here's why: you get an additional ten days to help out the local Army recruiters, plus the ten days you already accumulated from basic. Now you will have 20 days to be at home. It's a "win-win" situation!