Prior Service in AIT?

2020-06-24T04:15:25-04:00

Hey everyone, just a question that no one has given me a clear answer to. I am prior service (did 5 years in the Marine Corps), I got out and enlisted in the Army right after and just got to my Fort Leonardwood for 74D CBRN AIT. How different will it be for me being prior? Do I get to use my POV? Do we stay in a separate barracks? Are the off post/ weekend liberty the same as brand new privates from BCT?
I heard a lot of conflicting info ranging from “you can do whatever as long as you show up to PT and Class” to “doesn’t matter your rank and time, you’ll be with all the IET guys with no phone and nothing else”?

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2020 4:44 AM

2020-06-24T04:44:42-04:00

My experience...prior service were in a separate company and barracks, only with us for class. They did not PT with us.
I don't have the specifics of what they could and could not do...but it was definitely not AIT land over there. I got invited to come by once or twice and I was petrified to get "caught" over there. I doubt you'll be with the IET guys as they usually don't want priors to ruin their fresh, young minds.

Response by SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2020 7:48 AM

2020-06-24T07:48:00-04:00

It honestly depends on the TRADOC unit you are under, Ft. Lee we were put under a different system where we just had to show up for accountability and class/training and the rest was up to us, you could have your POV, you could go off post, you could contact your DS or NCO through phone...was pretty chill...but I have heard stories where some units treated MOS-T(what you will be) as IET guys with certain benefits

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2020 8:21 AM

2020-06-24T08:21:20-04:00

From my experience all the prior service guys and MOS-T got to use their vehicles and slept in separate barracks. They just did PT and went to class. After class they were left to do their own thing until the next morning.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2020 10:38 AM

2020-06-24T10:38:43-04:00

Having been Prior Service AIT twice in my life, the answer is dictated by the Cadre. What I can attest to from personal experience:

1) If you have a POV, you can use it as long as the Cadre are good with it. Chances are, they aren't going to care, but be sure to get their guidance first. My first time was at FLT for 12B. There was a CPL that was reclassing with us. He had his POV and he was able to use it. At FT Sam, many reclass had their own POVs and used them without issue.
2) For the barracks, this will depend on space availability. At FLW, we had to stay in the same barracks just had to be way way way down the hall from the IETs. The second time at Ft Sam, we were housed in separate barracks.
3) Weekend liberties/phones: the Cadre for me at FLW and FT Sam was only different in the case where we had to let the Drill Sergeant on CQ duty know where we were going and when we will be back. The ones at FT Sam, they never checked on us so we came and went as we pleased just so long as we were in formation come Monday morning. And you should be fine with a phone as long as you aren't on it during class time.
4) You will probably be told that you can't interact with IETs for any reason except during PRT/POI time.

Chances are, you are going to be given more relaxed freedoms than the IETs will get. But again, this will all depend on the Cadre.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2020 11:09 AM

2020-06-24T11:09:24-04:00

Your answers can be found in TRADOC Reg 350-6, Chapter 4-15. BLUF: You should be treated and be given the same privileges as Permanent Party. The Commander will decide on what those privileges are and how separate you will be from the rest of the IET population. Here at DLI, all prior service are given separate billets and additional privileges/responsibilities such as driving a POV and act as a Squad Leader. Again, CDRs and your Cadre will dictate what is is you can/can’t do and what you will/won’t do. No matter what, you are still under the TRADOC umbrella so don’t expect too much and remain flexible. I hope this helps. Stay safe. Stay healthy. Stay vigilant.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2020 12:39 PM

2020-06-24T12:39:07-04:00

It’s up to the policy of the School house and the commander. When I was a reclass there were six companies of 68W. Mine kept the prior service separated. We only had to show up for pt and class. After work we went to the river and tubed and people had vehicles.
Another company kept all their people together and they loved to waste peoples time with games and smoke sessions.
Most places will enforce a strict separation due to fraternization concerns. Fraternization of any kind between IET and PS is an automatic UCMJ at every TRADOC post I’ve ever been to.

Response by SSG Brian G. made Jun 24 at 2020 3:28 PM

2020-06-24T15:28:22-04:00

Ok, bear in mind there is no cut and dry answer. No one and I mean no one here can give you a "take it to the bank" answer that you are looking for. The reason(s) being? A lot of that is how the cadre choose to treat you, how big the class size is, how many classes are going on at the time, the length of said course and then of course there is how you present and come off to the cadre.

What generally happens, is that prior service folks got to sleep in separate barracks, OR when that could not be done, they were in separate rooms or a room with another prior service. They could have their vehicle there and use it, they had weekends and after duty hours to themselves. There is no standard across the board, not even with PT because some allow that prior service do not have to do PT. As long as they pass their APFT coming in and the one or two required during the course and pass tape and of course show up to class, participate and pass it.

Best thing for you to do is contact the school at Fort Leonardwood and ask. Good luck.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2020 6:18 PM

2020-06-24T18:18:13-04:00

In my experiences you will be under a different set of rules. You will have more liberties than that of a private still in initial training.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2020 7:46 PM

2020-06-24T19:46:03-04:00

So im at Fort Leonard Wood as a 74d and we have two MOS-T. One a SSG and the other a SPC. Neither of them stay in the barracks. They show up to PT and class and that is it. They do whatever on the weekends where as regular AIT soldier's are confined to our room. As a regular AIT we had to earn privileges and go through black phase, which sucked. Gold phase is where we were able to keep our electronics, go to the PT pit whenever and stuff like that. Apparently because of covid Charlie company doesn't do weekend passes.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2020 8:16 PM

2020-06-24T20:16:28-04:00

The most accurate answer can only be answered by the SGL or Cadre at your location. Our answers are based off of our experience at various locations and unfortunately it won’t all be the same. Good luck to you...

Response by PV2 Adar Fulton made Jun 24 at 2020 9:21 PM

2020-06-24T21:21:01-04:00

Anyone know how it is for Fort Jackson AIT as an MOS-T (for 56M)

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 25 at 2020 5:55 AM

2020-06-25T05:55:52-04:00

You will be treated with more privileged and you will be counseled on how to be safe off post. I knew a Airforce prior service guy in 74D while i was there at my 88M AIT, we use the 4th and 5th floor on the same building as CBRN on Cooley Ave, why CBRN uses floor 2&3, the guy had his car, went off post, saw him in civilians sometimes at the DFAC but he wasn’t always in the building, he said he was across the building to us (Specker Barracks) where prior services and Marines resides, just right by Pizza Hut, you also get the 3rd Chem whatever patch not the US Army star patch.

Response by SCPO Jason McLaughlin made Jun 25 at 2020 9:29 AM

2020-06-25T09:29:30-04:00

As a prior Marine you will be required to wear two safety belts....

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jun 25 at 2020 8:46 PM

2020-06-25T20:46:31-04:00

Have you thought of calling the school? That is what I would do.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 26 at 2020 6:12 AM

2020-06-26T06:12:41-04:00

At FLW it will depend on the unit...MPs AIT retreads usually had there own barrack during the Summer as there were many pvts to manage. And as long as they were at the right place at the right time in the right uniform live was good for them. But if they got stupid over at BIG LOUIEs (The Club has been closed) then life sucked for them all as they would en mass lose driving privileges ect. in the winter with smaller classes you might wind up with the privates because you are the only retread. They will also expect you to help keep pvts out of trouble.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 27 at 2020 1:09 PM

2020-06-27T13:09:10-04:00

You should be treated a little differently. My understanding is that you are considered an MOS-T. You should be able to find out more about it in the policy letters for you’d Co and BN

Response by SGT Steven Palma made Jun 29 at 2020 11:27 AM

2020-06-29T11:27:28-04:00

I’ve been to AIT as prior service twice. And definitely different. Stayed in separate barracks both times. You definitely get more privileges as prior service

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 18 at 2020 2:12 PM

2020-09-18T14:12:48-04:00

As the others have said, each situation may be different because the leadership will interpret TRADOC regs differently.

For me, each reclass AIT was different. When I reclassed to 42A, there was a dedicated MOS-T company at Fort Jackson, and we had separate barracks from the IET Soldiers. We did PT in the morning, and went to class at 0900. My particular class was all reclass Soldiers, so classes sometimes ended early, and even the entire course was shortened by two full weeks. When not in class, we were free to do what we wanted within regs. We were allowed our POVs and could leave post whenever we wanted.

When I reclassed to 88L, reclass Soldiers had to sign-in to the IET company, and were owned by the IET company, but we all stayed in the General Smalls Inn (on-post hotel) or in commercial hotels off-post. We did PT with the IET company and went to class at 0900. Other than PT or class, we were free to do what we wanted, within regs. We were allowed our POVs and could leave post whenever we wanted.

In both circumstances, TRADOC regs were "interpreted" differently. At Fort Eustis, for example, we had to wear the same color PT Belts the same way (opposite of normal) that the IET Soldiers did. This led to one of the NCOs in our group being "shark-attacked" by three IET Drill Sergeants (not our company) during Zero Dark Thirty PT. Everyone took to having their ID Cards with them during PT after that. We complained about it, but the "This is how we've always done it" mentality prevailed as usual. So we would bring our green PT belts with us, and when we left the company area, we would swap out our IET belts with our green NCO belts.