What is the smallest unit, remotist location, long term hardship military assignement?

2014-04-27T01:36:08-04:00

DEW line? Mountaintops in far away places? Underground bunkers? Keyword: Ice breakers? AGB-5 for example.

Response by SSG Matt Murphy made Apr 27 at 2014 1:40 AM

2014-04-27T01:40:10-04:00

http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-most-remote-american-outposts-in-the-world.php

Top 10 Most Remote American Outposts in the World - Toptenz.net

To pick where a military base goes has to be an easy job. Putting a military base in a place where there’s fighting is a no-brainer. But sometimes you fi

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 27 at 2014 1:56 AM

2014-04-27T01:56:44-04:00

I don't know about today, but Con Thien Firebase on the DMZ was pretty bad.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb1R7rZbFRQ

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 27 at 2014 5:15 AM

2014-04-27T05:15:36-04:00

Patrol Base Luke in Kandahar, We had 2 PLTs of Romanians a dozen contractors and a dozen american service-members. we were only a few klicks north of KAF, and probably had one of the best views of it. the whole thing was there for the observation balloon.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Apr 27 at 2014 5:34 PM

2014-04-27T17:34:50-04:00

Most Remote tour would probably have been Naval Security Group Adak, AK. Smallest Command would probably have been Naval Security Group Detachment Sugar Grove, WV. I would say that the Smaller the Command the Better I Did and the better the sense of Team. In both Sugar Grove and COMSPAWARSYSCOM 6211 where I had numerous titles and diverse duties I seem to have shinned. I liked being my own boss. In larger Commands I seem to have butted heads quite often with my Seniors.

Response by SSgt James Stanley made Apr 29 at 2014 12:12 AM

2014-04-29T00:12:58-04:00

The smallest unit where I had the pleasure of serving and the longest assignment (but no hardship)was Birkenfeld Air Base in Germany 1955-1958. This Base no longer exists.

Response by SSG Clint Browning made Apr 29 at 2014 7:11 AM

2014-04-29T07:11:49-04:00

5 American personnel assigned to 507th Foward Logistical Element. Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan, Apr-Jul 02. In support of a Jordanian Field Hospital at the bombed out airport. Lived in GP Medium, 5 showers for the whole camp, 2 washing machines, no mess hall. Ate MRE's unless we could raid the Mess SGT in K2, then we grilled it all because we had no fridge.

Response by CMC Robert Young made Apr 29 at 2014 7:45 AM

2014-04-29T07:45:55-04:00

For the Coast Guard , it was LorSta Attu in Alaska. One year tours with a very small group of folks whose only function was to keep the Loran working. I was told the upside was 30 extra days leave once you completed your tour.

Never had enough of whatever it took to ask for an assignment quite that remote.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 29 at 2014 10:32 AM

2014-04-29T10:32:10-04:00

My bunk-mate from AIT was assigned to Diego-Garcia for his first Duty Station.

Response by MAJ Jim Woods made Apr 29 at 2014 5:13 PM

2014-04-29T17:13:45-04:00

EASY..... any SF/LRRP patrol camp on the Cambodian/Laotian border. Sometimes no radio/air/artillery/re-supply support. Just us and the Indians.

Response by SSG Trevor S. made Apr 29 at 2014 5:25 PM

2014-04-29T17:25:21-04:00

The International Space Station
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doN4t5NKW-k

Departing Space Station Commander Provides Tour of Orbital Laboratory

In her final days as Commander of the International Space Station, Sunita Williams of NASA recorded an extensive tour of the orbital laboratory and downlinke...

Response by SGT James Elphick made Apr 29 at 2014 5:40 PM

2014-04-29T17:40:23-04:00

In 2003 Firebase Shkin was a pretty small, pretty remote place to be. Geraldo even called it the "most dangerous place held by Americans" (that was before Fallujah a few months later). Platoon and a half plus a couple sections of gun trucks and an arty section was all we had. 8 clicks from Pakistan, lots of action. I hear it's much bigger now. I think there were COP's that were even smaller later on though.

Response by SGT James Elphick made Apr 29 at 2014 7:49 PM

2014-04-29T19:49:06-04:00

What was the name of the camp in Korea that A/1-506 occupied on the DMZ? It was across the bridge from the rest of the battalion and as I understood it they had 5 minutes to get across the bridge in case of an attack before it was blown. Basically they were "operation speed bump"

Response by PO2 Rocky Kleeger made Apr 29 at 2014 8:22 PM

2014-04-29T20:22:49-04:00

Diego Garcia

Response by SGT Thomas Lucken made Apr 30 at 2014 11:54 AM

2014-04-30T11:54:48-04:00

4-7 Cav, Yong Ju Gol, Korea with numerous trips across Freedom Bridge to the more dicier fun!

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 30 at 2014 4:57 PM

2014-04-30T16:57:15-04:00

The smallest and most remote that I have ever seen outside a combat zone is the 83rd OD BN's Pier 6 in Kure, Japan. 2.5 acres of leased Japanese Navy pier, it consisted of the barracks, the admin building we all worked in, the smallest commissary in the world (no exaggeration, there is an official AAFES plaque on the wall), a warehouse, racketball court, basketball and tennis courts. I had 20 Soldiers at the most and 3 by the time we inactivated. You could literally throw a football across the "base." It was a 1.5 hour ride to the nearest Marine base (MCAS Iwakuni) to see the doc or go to the BX. Even though it was technically considered a harship tour, it was still a great assignment in my opinion and one of the Army's hidden gems. Highest BAH in the Army at the time too!

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made May 1 at 2014 3:33 AM

2014-05-01T03:33:55-04:00

Pirinclik Air Station / Diyarbakir Air Station - Turkey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmgDxf4xpDI

Tiny base monitoring Soviet ICBM launch telemetry.

Diyarbakir Air Station - Turkey

Remembrances and Pictures of a tour of duty with the USAF/AFCS at the Diyarbakir Air Station missile tracking base in Turkey during 1968-1969, deep in the mi...

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 1 at 2014 11:55 PM

2014-05-01T23:55:24-04:00

In my current unit we have:
1-AF Col
1-Army MAJ
1-AF SMSgt
1-Army SFC (me)

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made May 2 at 2014 1:36 AM

2014-05-02T01:36:48-04:00

USCG Naval Engineering Suport Unit Seattle (NESU), Detachment Kodiak, AK.
We are a small unit consisting of only three people that do a 3 or 4 year tour. An MKC (E-7), EM1 (E-6), and myself MK1 (E-6). Three people to take care of a 378ft high endurance cutter, a 282ft medium endurance cutter, and a 225ft buoy tender that are all home ported here. Along with various other cutters and ships (Navy and Army) that visit or AOR, and assisting other local shore based units. It's a very rewarding job that I would highly recommend. The job requires us to be technicians along with all the administrative work and collateral jobs with come with running any other unit.

Response by PO3 Bill Engel made May 2 at 2014 8:53 AM

2014-05-02T08:53:42-04:00

LORSTA Attu Island, AK was never stationed there, but did maintenance out of ISC Ketchikan

Response by SrA Mike Huff made May 2 at 2014 1:47 PM

2014-05-02T13:47:59-04:00

Never been there but Eareckson As, Shemya Alaska....When planes actually blew off runway....that's harsh.

Response by CSM Michael Campbell made May 2 at 2014 2:16 PM

2014-05-02T14:16:35-04:00

Fort Irwin, Cali......very remote....

Response by 1SG Patrick G. made May 2 at 2014 2:25 PM

2014-05-02T14:25:31-04:00

The most remote AND smallest unit location I've ever been assigned to was our 7-man team at Katamaya Air Base, working directly with the Egyptian Air Force. We were assigned to the 1st SWTG(A)USAJFKSWC (Bragg), with duty from the Office of Military Cooperation / Aviation (OMC/AV), US Embassy, Cairo, Egypt. The location is about halfway between Cairo and Suez City. The entire compound was a fuzz bigger than one acre! (see pic) This was my duty location for 15-months! We were carrying Diplomatic passports and running Diplomatic plates on our NIJ III protected vehicles. The State Department classified the driving hazard as one of it's Top 5 most hazardous postings in the world!

Response by SSG Jeffrey Spencer made May 2 at 2014 9:09 PM

2014-05-02T21:09:42-04:00

Although stateside, I spent 2 tours at FHL. Ft. Hunter Liggett had a moniker: 30 miles from water. 2 feet from hell.

The most remote I've seen is Ft. Irwin. I delivered tank engines down there from Ft. Ord. After driving all day, the billboard said "Welcome to Ft. Irwin." The garrison was 35 miles after that sign. And at 35mph max speed limit, that is one God-forsaken place.

Response by 1SG David Niles made May 2 at 2014 9:40 PM

2014-05-02T21:40:43-04:00

Ft. Greely Alaska, 100 miles from Fairbanks. Best duty I every did. Second Smallest was Munster Germany, Nato Site 111.

Response by PO2 Edward Stosal made May 3 at 2014 12:24 AM

2014-05-03T00:24:39-04:00

I didn't finish it but I would have to say attending Navy Nuclear Power Training Command... you cannot get anymore intense with a 13, 16, or 24 week course your first phase, 26 weeks your second, 26 your third phase, and then be put to the test and be very rigid and elite in the Fleet... I made it through the first phase (mine was 16 weeks), but come the second phase, my health got to me - service connected migraines; made me a big risk to the program... During that second phase, you are doing 2 college courses every two weeks (complete courses, mind you)... Actual duty station wise, I'd say recruiting is probably one of the toughest (I didn't forget what SEALs go through or anything). You have a 3 year assignment in areas in the states to meet recruiting efforts - Philadelphia's recruiting district is probably one of the worst and toughest.

Response by SGT Craig Northacker made May 3 at 2014 10:39 AM

2014-05-03T10:39:22-04:00

Being on the other side of the Iron Curtain.

Response by SGT Craig Northacker made May 3 at 2014 10:47 AM

2014-05-03T10:47:14-04:00

A grunt in the rear?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 4 at 2014 2:47 PM

2014-05-04T14:47:49-04:00

2nd Place (both tied): Somewhere in the middle of nowhere in Bosnia and Later in Kosovo. Special OPS Comms for SF, etc. 12hr drive one way to or from any other American soldiers... occasionally I did see a helicopter that landed near or tents.

1st Place: Somewhere like "Area 51"...no contact with nobody...despite satellite setup and ground radar, electric fences, cameras everywhere.

Response by Cpl Tim Harris made May 5 at 2014 1:15 PM

2014-05-05T13:15:54-04:00

29 palms was terrible

Response by Sgt Larry Stone made May 5 at 2014 3:22 PM

2014-05-05T15:22:57-04:00

TDY to Shemya AFS in the Aleutians!

Response by CPO Scott Hastings made May 5 at 2014 9:05 PM

2014-05-05T21:05:43-04:00

Fiver Finger Lighthouse SE Alaska. A 4 man unit in the interior passage. Caught rainwater for household use. Got a logistics run every 2 weeks, weather dependent, via air drop, mail, NMPX 16mm movies, and fresh food, 110 miles from anyone!

Response by PO3 Sean Chapman made May 5 at 2014 9:14 PM

2014-05-05T21:14:18-04:00

Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory.

Response by 2d Lt Patrick Conahey made May 5 at 2014 9:31 PM

2014-05-05T21:31:27-04:00

For all the hype about Goose Bay, Labrador being the worse assignment in the Air Force it was a piece of cake. That is until some local lumberjack killed a Mountie and the town became off-limits. Then again, how much really happens in a village named "Happy Valley"??

Response by PO1 Rick Graham made May 5 at 2014 10:24 PM

2014-05-05T22:24:05-04:00

Winter over South Pole

Response by PO2 Marty Compton made May 5 at 2014 10:26 PM

2014-05-05T22:26:55-04:00

diego garcia middle of nowhere

Response by Cpl Paul Sousa made May 5 at 2014 10:40 PM

2014-05-05T22:40:41-04:00

Guam......15 Months in 80's.

Response by Cpl Paul Sousa made May 5 at 2014 11:42 PM

2014-05-05T23:42:24-04:00

Agreed, nothing ever going on in Guam.

Response by PO2 James Oliphant made May 5 at 2014 11:52 PM

2014-05-05T23:52:48-04:00

NavSta Adak, Alaska

Response by PO2 James Ansell made May 6 at 2014 12:37 AM

2014-05-06T00:37:55-04:00

NCS Diego Garcia. I was there when they were enlarging the island to be able to land C-5s and before they started sending women there. Spent a long 362 days there.

Response by SFC Gabriel Gonzalez made May 6 at 2014 12:46 AM

2014-05-06T00:46:18-04:00

First assignment Shemya, AK one of the last Islands in the Aleutian chain. We had the first radio and TV station this side of tomorrow. We sent guys to Attu for R&R. Shemya was a flat rock. 2 mile wide by 4 miles long with an average year round temperature of 18 degrees. It was a one year tour with a girl behind every tree. Hint: how many trees grow in Tundra!

Response by PFC Victor Berkey made May 6 at 2014 12:54 AM

2014-05-06T00:54:44-04:00

Tanana Valley Alaska......DEW line in the winter....Can't see your hand, or anything else in front of your face on a cloudy, starless night and get lost very quickly.

Response by CMSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 6 at 2014 1:52 PM

2014-05-06T13:52:43-04:00

I only had one remote assignment. I was stationed at Araxos Air Base, Greece in 1981-82. If you had to go on a remote, there were certainly a lot of worse places. We had our own beach right outside the back gate, and a tourist hotel less than a half mile away that allowed us to use their pool. The base itself was a pit, and there wasn't much in the immediate area. But we were allowed to take military vans on MWR trips on our days off, so we got to see a lot of historic sites in Greece.

Response by MSgt Richard Lutz made May 6 at 2014 2:09 PM

2014-05-06T14:09:36-04:00

'77 through '79 I spent at Indian Springs AAF, now Creech AFB. 50 miles from town, 100 miles from water and 6 inches from hell. if you remember triangulation you can get right there

Response by CWO3 Richard Brine made May 6 at 2014 3:43 PM

2014-05-06T15:43:51-04:00

LORAN Station Sitkinak Island Alaska

Response by 1stSgt Ken Zgak made May 6 at 2014 5:24 PM

2014-05-06T17:24:42-04:00

Kunsan AB. ROK. The time I was there the bowling alley was down for renivation's leaving the NCO club as about the only place on base to go. You could not walk to town you had to bus or taxi, and after hours take the "Kimchi" cabs back to base where you did the death march back to barracks from the main gate. More than one poor soul froze to death in winter passing out and falling into the binjo ditch after drinking to much jungle juice.

Response by PO2 Doug Pekelder made May 6 at 2014 6:54 PM

2014-05-06T18:54:53-04:00

On a detachment outside of Quang Tri City April 69 to Dec 69 with MCB 4

Response by PO1 Daylin Titus made May 6 at 2014 11:38 PM

2014-05-06T23:38:26-04:00

Grindavik Iceland. Navy transmitter site (1973-1974).

Response by MSgt John H. Lomax made May 7 at 2014 6:15 AM

2014-05-07T06:15:43-04:00

Shemya, AK

Response by SSG Kevin Hale made May 7 at 2014 10:17 AM

2014-05-07T10:17:27-04:00

Hardheim, Germany... Better known as Hardtime.

Response by SPC Dean J. Thompson made May 7 at 2014 12:07 PM

2014-05-07T12:07:00-04:00

Mine was South Korea from 1979 to 1980. Two rotations to DMZ made me feel a little on edge.

Response by MSgt Richard Crothers made May 7 at 2014 12:09 PM

2014-05-07T12:09:15-04:00

Shemya AFB, Alaska. Was there when the Russians shot down the Korean Airline. Shemya is the second to the last island in the chain. Got married six days before the remote. The lack of trees and a the Blue Foxes will drive you crazy in just a few months. You either drank alot or stayed in the gym. Did both

Response by LCpl Howard Husted made May 7 at 2014 12:20 PM

2014-05-07T12:20:37-04:00

Iceland.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made May 7 at 2014 12:32 PM

2014-05-07T12:32:22-04:00

If I am fully understanding the question, then basically any "hard to pronounce" rural camp/location in Afghanistan.

Response by PO1 Walter Cook made May 7 at 2014 9:00 PM

2014-05-07T21:00:57-04:00

Deployment on a fast attack boat. No cell phones, e_mails or mail for months while underwater.

Response by PO1 John McCabe made May 7 at 2014 9:48 PM

2014-05-07T21:48:15-04:00

Submarine Duty - Northern Run or GI-UK Gap....90 days at a time...

Response by SFC Daniel Alcivar made May 7 at 2014 11:24 PM

2014-05-07T23:24:20-04:00

On the other side of Camp David. Can't go any further great duty

Response by SPC Boyd McFail made May 8 at 2014 1:37 AM

2014-05-08T01:37:37-04:00

Though I was stationed at Ft Wainwright in Fairbanks AK. I have worked at all of the remote Dewline sites, Attu Lorain Station, All of the sites on the chain, ect. as a civilian.

Response by SSG Michael Carlo made May 8 at 2014 7:12 AM

2014-05-08T07:12:03-04:00

25th USAFAD. 42 Americans in the middle of northern Germany. Great times!

Response by SFC Larry Bell made May 8 at 2014 5:49 PM

2014-05-08T17:49:23-04:00

SFC Larry C. Bell, Goldsboro, NC

United States Army Field Station Sinop, Sinop, Turkey. Not a bad assignment and the best facilities in Turkey at the time. Very rewarding upon pcsing. I was admin support for 98J's at the USS Hippodrome.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made May 9 at 2014 1:02 AM

2014-05-09T01:02:36-04:00

Diwanya, Iraq small FOB supporting the Dominican Army 04/05 less than 20 American Soldiers on the FOB

Response by GySgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 9 at 2014 1:21 AM

2014-05-09T01:21:10-04:00

submariners, I imagine thats small, always remote, and long term

Response by CPT Ed Bailey made May 10 at 2014 11:12 AM

2014-05-10T11:12:44-04:00

LB Seitz

Response by PO1 Floyd Clark made May 10 at 2014 1:10 PM

2014-05-10T13:10:46-04:00

Adak Alaska towards the tip of the Aleutian Island chain. The "National Forest" there consisted of about 8 trees in 198?

Response by SFC David Tynan made May 10 at 2014 3:04 PM

2014-05-10T15:04:20-04:00

Ft Greely, AK

Response by PO2 Rocky Kleeger made May 10 at 2014 3:52 PM

2014-05-10T15:52:34-04:00

USS Any Ship, in the middle of nowhere for 6-8 months

Response by Sgt Will Johnson made May 10 at 2014 5:35 PM

2014-05-10T17:35:48-04:00

Marine Security Guard Detachments at the American Embassy Republic of Upper Volta or Conacry, New Guinea. These two places are pure hell-holes!

Infested with disease and famine. Not to mention insurgents.

Not many people know of these two West African nations. But I can assure you.....it would be very difficult to find any place on earth with such horrid conditions.

As the company commander vehemently explained to all Marines departing for this region of West Africa. "If you have sex with an African whore in this region, you will die of Aids!"

Response by SFC Tom Welgos made May 10 at 2014 5:44 PM

2014-05-10T17:44:06-04:00

Yuma Proving Grounds AZ small post and a long way from town.

Response by SSG Aaron Staeven made May 10 at 2014 8:30 PM

2014-05-10T20:30:19-04:00

Diego Garcia and Adak Alaska during navy part of my career.

Response by Cpl John Becker made May 10 at 2014 8:47 PM

2014-05-10T20:47:50-04:00

Guantanamo Bay

Response by SGT Curtis Nazelrod made May 11 at 2014 12:49 AM

2014-05-11T00:49:45-04:00

Flying The DMZ 38th Paralell Korea

Response by SGT Michael Roberts made May 11 at 2014 7:35 AM

2014-05-11T07:35:10-04:00

Jungle training in Panama

Response by LCDR Brent Falla made May 11 at 2014 10:41 AM

2014-05-11T10:41:15-04:00

Wintering over at McMurdo Station Antarctica. Operation Deep Freeze.

Response by MSG Jim Gawne made May 11 at 2014 6:22 PM

2014-05-11T18:22:05-04:00

Not too remote, pretty small, but one fantastic assignment - NATO Missile Firing Installation, Chania, Crete. About a 15 minute taxi ride into town, or 15 minutes the other way to Souda Bay Naval Support Activity. A gem of a place in the 70's, have never been back, but it is still operational.
http://www.namfi.gr/

Response by CPL Michael Jardine made May 12 at 2014 12:08 PM

2014-05-12T12:08:49-04:00

Hohenfels in the dead of a harsher than normal German Winter. So cold there, it froze MILSPEC oil inside the block of an M88 TRV.

Response by SPC David Golden made May 12 at 2014 4:25 PM

2014-05-12T16:25:36-04:00

Hill 754 S. Korea. A commo center, maybe had 12 people on it.

Response by Sgt Packy Flickinger made May 12 at 2014 5:02 PM

2014-05-12T17:02:49-04:00

WOW, my smallest was hardly remote, it was in Florida. My most remote was hardly small, Aviano. Does visiting a refugee camp in Slovenia count?