What Army installation are close to Massachusetts?

SPC Dakota Irvine — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 21:13:44 -0400

Does anyone know of an Army installation I could reenlist for that is close to Massachusetts? I'm coming close to my reenlistment window and Id love to get closer to home.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 15 at 2019 9:23 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 21:23:00 -0400

There is FT Devens that is IN Massachusetts, but i's more of a USAR place now. There may be slots available for Active Duty medic.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 15 at 2019 9:35 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 21:35:47 -0400

I don’t think Ft Devens has any military medical facilities. Maybe Ft Dix ? Walter Reed ?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 15 at 2019 9:46 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 21:46:15 -0400

There are a few laboratories and things like that, but as an non ASI 68W1 the only option that will be open to you is Fort Drum

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 16 at 2019 8:09 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 08:09:25 -0400

Fort Meade, MD could be another option for you. Good luck!

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 16 at 2019 1:13 PM

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 13:13:40 -0400

There's the Chicopee MEPS, Natick, USCG Academy, West Point, King's Point, Plum Island, Ft Devens.
Now what's open for a 68W1.....who knows. Try the position search tool on the Army Career Tracker.
Close-ish, being the northeast you've got Carlisle Barracks, Drum, Meade, Aberdeen, Dover, Hamilton (it's literally in Brooklyn), and more MEPS stations. Search ACT and the Rallypoint pages for all of the suggestions coming here. Keep in mind sometimes there's positions at non-Army installations.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 17 at 2019 4:19 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 04:19:18 -0400

Your best bet is probably Fort Drum NY

Response by SSG Dave Johnston made Oct 21 at 2019 9:53 PM

SSG Dave Johnston — Mon, 21 Oct 2019 21:53:10 -0400

Why close to home??? You have the opportunity to travel with Uncle Sam footing the bill, there's the MFO, Egypt; Europe; Korea; Alaska; Hawaii. You could have retention scratch their heads and ask for Guam, American Samoa, US Virgin Islands, virtually anywhere there's an American presence. Reenlisting to be close to home; bleh... when I first joined, I had no desire to return close to home until I earned the "Gray" ID card, and now that my parents are in a "Sunshine" state,,, I just swing by and visit the parents and call it good.

All those friends I grew up with, went to school with; well some moved away and very few understand what we in uniform endure,,, even the 'boys in blue' have no clue unless; and those are few who've served; besides; there's always social media and they can come to you.

Response by CPT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 21 at 2019 10:47 PM

CPT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 21 Oct 2019 22:47:31 -0400

Fort Drum is likely your only option.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Oct 21 at 2019 11:09 PM

LTC Jason Mackay — Mon, 21 Oct 2019 23:09:24 -0400

- Aberdeen Proving Ground still has an MTF. I know an NCO there. 8-9 hours driving to he South Shore.
-Ft Meade unclear what slots you could fill. 10+ hrs from the South Shore.
- Ft Hamilton NY is recruiting and US Army Corps Of Engineers Atlantic Division HQ, otherwise Reserve Component. 5 hours away from the South Shore. It's a self licking ice cream cone and have no idea why it still exists. There is a large VA treatment facility there, don't know if they do any military treatment there.
- Picatinny Arsenal NJ is a non-option unless you spontaneously become an EOD NCO, Acquistion, are a chaplain's assistant, or do Food/Commissary Inspections (1 slot, but you travel everyday). 6 hours from the South Shore. There are only 110 military there. The only 68W we had was my CSM and she was slotted as a 00Z
-West Point, NY.
- FT Drum NY, close only in the cosmic sense. You're closer to Canada than Massachusetts, especially the coast. Google says 6 hrs Drum to Logan International, but that route may be seasonal

- Don't know if MEPS have any 68W slots. Most MEPS people are 42 or 79.

I am from Quincy, I feel your pain. The only times I was even close was at my Basic Course at Aberdeen Provng Ground; during command at Picatinny Arsenal; and an hour away when I went to ILE at the Naval War College, Newport RI.

I would put a pin in this and try to go somewhere fun. You're only really going to get an assignment where there's is a slot and a vacancy.

recommend you wait and try and work an assignment as a more senior NCO your options will open up:
- AC/RC duty
- Recruiting, don't know if they still do this, but they used to put you near your HOR
- ROTC
- Regional Defense Coordination Office (they work with state JHQ and FEMA)

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 27 at 2019 3:44 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 27 Dec 2019 15:44:38 -0500

Are you NG/reserve or active? If you’re active there isn’t much for you in MA since almost all the posts there are reserve component. If you are reserve/NG then you have your pick of everything there - Devens, Camp Edwards, Curtis Guild all have units nearby. I came from the 399th CSH which is in Taunton now.

Ft Drum and Ft Dix are you two closest large installations with active duty components.