Posted on Nov 14, 2017
What can I expect for an average day in a line unit? What should I get ready for so I can leave a good first impression for my superiors?
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Pv2. Immediatly Came straight into S3 for HHC Brigade and become RTO after Basic Trainng.. Only Infantry Training was in Basic. What can I expect for an average day in a line unit? What should I get ready for so I can leave a good first impression for my superiors?
Posted in these groups: 
Infantry
Infantry
Posted 7 y ago
Responses: 11
As a PV2? The only thing you need to do is show up,. listen, do the best you can at accomplishing every task assigned to the best of your abilities, wither that is cleaning the latrine or emplacing a M240 as an AG ...
Dont ask stupid questions ("are we going to get sweaty at PT tomorrow Sergeant?")
Dont skip asking good questions ("Sergeant, I ripped my PT shorts this morning, can I take off a few min early so I can go get another pair and be ready for PT in the morning?")
Dont question orders that are morale, legal and ethical
Dont be afraid at the appropriate time to ask ...WHY?" HOW?... Not "why do we have to get up so early to do PT?" But "SGT, Why do we loosen the track sprocket bolts before busting track, and not just do it all after the track is off?"
Dont ask stupid questions ("are we going to get sweaty at PT tomorrow Sergeant?")
Dont skip asking good questions ("Sergeant, I ripped my PT shorts this morning, can I take off a few min early so I can go get another pair and be ready for PT in the morning?")
Dont question orders that are morale, legal and ethical
Dont be afraid at the appropriate time to ask ...WHY?" HOW?... Not "why do we have to get up so early to do PT?" But "SGT, Why do we loosen the track sprocket bolts before busting track, and not just do it all after the track is off?"
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SPC (Join to see)
Thank, I appreciate your response. I'm a little nervous about going into a new unit.
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SGM Erik Marquez
SPC (Join to see) - "I'm a little nervous" Good, that means you care.
Dont let that nervousness cause inaction and you will be fine.
Just go and soak it in... you will learn fast those you can trust, those that are full of BS, and those that have choice tidbits but not everything they tell you is reality , fact or not a joke.
Words to the wise...... "Trust But Verify"
Your told in the MP "We never do track pads on Fridays, its against company policy" By the senior crew E4, ok your low guy in the crew, , follow the lead of the senior guy....but when appropriate, ask a more senior leader where the company policy book, wall or board is,,,,when you DONT FIND any such company policy ask meat head with the sham shield where this company policy is about track pads and Fridays.... you wanted to ask the Section Sargent, but figured you'd ask him first.... Said shammer will come clean or not..Trust but verify.
"I heard we are not doing PT in the morning, Im just coming in ACU's" said a fellow PFC...
Ok, thanks, then trust but verify..... "Hey SGT, can I wear ragged ACU's in the morning since we are on work detail and not doing PT?"
You Trusted the fellow SM, but are verifying in away that your not calling that fellow SM out, but asking it in a way that will get the leader to confirm ACU's or ask you WTF your talking about???? telling you "We are doing PT in the morning....."
Dont let that nervousness cause inaction and you will be fine.
Just go and soak it in... you will learn fast those you can trust, those that are full of BS, and those that have choice tidbits but not everything they tell you is reality , fact or not a joke.
Words to the wise...... "Trust But Verify"
Your told in the MP "We never do track pads on Fridays, its against company policy" By the senior crew E4, ok your low guy in the crew, , follow the lead of the senior guy....but when appropriate, ask a more senior leader where the company policy book, wall or board is,,,,when you DONT FIND any such company policy ask meat head with the sham shield where this company policy is about track pads and Fridays.... you wanted to ask the Section Sargent, but figured you'd ask him first.... Said shammer will come clean or not..Trust but verify.
"I heard we are not doing PT in the morning, Im just coming in ACU's" said a fellow PFC...
Ok, thanks, then trust but verify..... "Hey SGT, can I wear ragged ACU's in the morning since we are on work detail and not doing PT?"
You Trusted the fellow SM, but are verifying in away that your not calling that fellow SM out, but asking it in a way that will get the leader to confirm ACU's or ask you WTF your talking about???? telling you "We are doing PT in the morning....."
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Never say "in basic/hhc we did this" you may have had some experience with the military as an RTO for HQ but you're a FNG to the line units. Be prepared to do lots of pushups. You'll be expected to make mistakes, everyone does as long as no one dies they're minor mistakes in an infantry unit, but never make the same mistake twice. Always always always be early. If you're a pv2 you volunteer for everything. When you hit pfc volunteer for almost everything, when you hit spc don't get caught letting anyone with a combat patch volunteer for something you already haven't volunteered. Maintain your professionalism. In a line unit you'll become friendly with some junior ncos, it just happens as peers get promoted and you eventually prove yourself, but never confuse being friendly with being best buds. If you need help, ask for it. Nothing is worse than failing a task because you didn't utilize all your resources. If you can't accomplish a task or hit muscle failure on exercises just keep going half assing pushups isn't great but it's always better than quitting which leads me to my last piece of advice which is never, ever quit. If you fall behind in a ruck March or company run you may be called a shit bag, but if you quit and get on the fallout truck no one will talk to you.
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First things first, listen to the current Service members that are in line units they will be the best resources for your question, as for me a rather ancient member of the Infantry tribe be prepared to walk a lot with unbearable loads on your back and then repeat the next day ,good luck young man,oh and don't even think of quitting.
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