What's the typical day like for a 11B vs 11C?

PVT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 11 May 2021 12:11:36 -0400

Hey guys, i was wondering what the average day to day looks like for 11B's and 11C's. I ship out to Fort benning, in a month and i know i don't find out if im 11B or 11C till like halfway through basic training... but after basic training whats the average day to day look like if your an 11B or 11C? I heard if your stateside all you do is stuff like cutting grasses and FTX's. But what do you really do for both the 11B/11C? And how does it differ if your deployed (both combat and non combat deployment)

Response by SP5 Peter Keane made May 11 at 2021 12:15 PM

SP5 Peter Keane — Tue, 11 May 2021 12:15:20 -0400

A Charlie is a Bravo that knows a little math.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2021 12:18 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 11 May 2021 12:18:17 -0400

PVT Private RallyPoint Member Below is a previous post. Search on "11B" and then click on "Answers. Then search on "11C", clicking on "Answers" to find out additional information.
https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/what-s-the-difference-in-11b-and-11c-which-is-better

What's the difference in 11b and 11c? Which is better? | RallyPoint

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2021 12:44 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 11 May 2021 12:44:45 -0400

Besides the in branch, brotherly love fighting of Bs and Cs. The only day to day difference really comes down to maintenance. A lot of the difference in your day to day will be dependent on your unit structure (light/ airborne, Stryker, Mech), your unit's mission at the time, and the quality of your leadership.

I spent my whole active time as an 11C, and deployed twice on active. One of those deployments, for certain reasons, we weren't allowed to take our mortars so I basically served as an 11B.

Both MOSs usually do, and should always, work very well together, especially in line companies. I know this isn't always the case and in some companies they aren't as efficiently blended.

As a SPC in charge of 2 Gun in a line company, with my Section Sergeant away at school I reached out to one of the 11B PSGs and asked if he would like to incorporate my section into his training that day. I'm used to working with Bs and honestly the only weapon system Bs shoot that I haven't is a javelin. Anyway, at the end of the day him and all of his SLs came up to me and thanked me because they never got to see the advantage of a mortar section maneuvering with a dismounted rifle platoon.

At the end of the day, when you get to Sand Hill and find out if you'll be a Bravo or Charlie, take it, learn the most you can from your Drills, and when you get to your unit do the best you can.

Lastly, when it comes to deployment there's a lot of variables. My 3rd deployment 2 years ago (I'm an engineer at this point), I ran across a lot of my old buddies from infantry unit's and they weren't doing the cool guy infantry stuff. They were doing mostly base security for FOBs and COPs

Response by 1SG Daniel Bellina made May 11 at 2021 2:05 PM

1SG Daniel Bellina — Tue, 11 May 2021 14:05:18 -0400

11C has an easier job was both

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2021 2:14 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 11 May 2021 14:14:20 -0400

11B carries a rifle. 11C carries a rifle and a mortar. Your mission is still the same: close with the enemy by means of fire and maneuver to defeat or capture him, or to repel his assault by fire, close combat, and counterattack.

Response by MAJ Matthew Arnold made May 11 at 2021 6:21 PM

MAJ Matthew Arnold — Tue, 11 May 2021 18:21:40 -0400

OK, now that I'm done laughing, if you have to ask, you probably don't want to go there. (I was airborne infantry for 5 years, 82nd Abn Div, before I went to flight School. Just incase you were looking at my picture.) Except when you are mowing lawns and picking up cigaret butts you will be in the field. If your light infantry you will be humping 80 to 100 pounds to the company AA, and humping 40 to 60 pounds all day as you train to fight. You'll be sleeping in the swamp with the cottonmouths, or in the desert sand with the rattlesnakes. You'll always be too hot, too cold, or too wet. If that does not appeal to you then go aviation, that's what I did after 5 years in the infantry.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2021 7:20 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 11 May 2021 19:20:17 -0400

Pew pew vs boom boom

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2021 9:22 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 11 May 2021 21:22:16 -0400

So, day to day as a Joe will include.
0600?-0730? PT
0730-0900 hygiene/chow
0900-1200 menial tasks/cleaning/details/ random stuff/classes
12-1300 chow
1300-? Refer to first half of the day
You’ll get off when you’re off. Should be around 1700 but it varys

Remember man, you’re the low man on the totem pole. You’re going to get stuck doing some pretty crap tasks and details. Don’t let that get you down

Typically for the infantry the only time we can really do our job is in the field. That being said find a good NCO and latch on to him and learn literally everything. Even your worst leaders you can use as a learning tool on how not to be.

Use your chain on command, really you should never talk directly to your Squad leader. That’s one thing that aggravates me is when a soldier comes directly to me when it’s a team leader issue. Plus it allows the TL to learn to do his job.

Biggest thing though, because it always happens. When you get to your unit. DO NOT FALL INTO THE NEGATIVITY. You’ll meet some dudes in your peer group (E1-E4) who will do nothing but talk trash on the unit/post. Figure it out for yourself. 9/10 it’s trash because that’s how they make it. If you wind up at hood look me up.

Response by SPC Erich Guenther made May 12 at 2021 12:12 AM

SPC Erich Guenther — Wed, 12 May 2021 00:12:17 -0400

Just so you know and I am sure it has not changed since long ago when I was in. The details in regards to picking up litter or cutting grass, post guard duty, etc are rotational for every unit on post. You might see that like once a quarter for like a week at a time. It does not happen a lot. You do have a lot of down time and most of the year is spent outside your barracks vs living in the barracks. I think it was 6-8 months in the barracks and the rest in the field and that was without deployments. Some deployments are in barracks and some are not, some are mixed. It's typically an 11-12 hour day. Up at 5 or 6. Off at 5 or 6 if your CONUS and light Infantry. Add one to two hours if your Mech Infantry and your in charge of a vehicle as you have to add in time to maintain and check on the vehicle. Vehicles are stored outside and believe it or not have to be started in cold weather every 4 hours to keep from freezing up........thats always fun in the winter.

Response by SPC Joseph Kopac made May 12 at 2021 5:54 AM

SPC Joseph Kopac — Wed, 12 May 2021 05:54:44 -0400

I had a primary MOS of 11c and a secondary MOS of 11b back in the day. When I got to Nam, my first 4 months in the bush were spent as a rifleman. After I got some seniority in, the rest of my tour was on a firebase with a mortar. But we still went out on patrol and mine sweeping duties.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2021 9:15 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 12 May 2021 21:15:54 -0400

Well, I was 11-B, and also the FDC for the 81mm mortars, 82nd ABN and 2nd Inf. Div.

* On post with the 82nd ABN at Bragg, there was alot of training, post support, including the guard duties, and maintenance for your equipment. See picture

* Off post, Non-Combat, alot of combat training without the shooting at other people, but alot of shooting. See picture

* Deployed Combat, it's a deferent feeling all around, the talk, environment, people and how things are done, or how to get done. The brotherhood, and the caring for each other, and the closeness you get with your weapon. See picture

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 16 at 2021 8:42 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 16 May 2021 08:42:34 -0400

Our 11Cs here are in a smaller platoon, wanna say like 10 dudes for our company. Rather than 3 platoons of 11Bravos of 40-50, yes we are slightly undermanned but from the looks of it a lot of other companies are similar here at the 82nd. The chucks seem to have a little more relaxed life here but everything has its perks I guess. I’m an 11B so can’t speak for them but got a couple buddies who are mortars. Also you’ll find out your first day of basic what your mos is. When you’re at 30th AG probably your last day they’ll tell you what you are. You’ll also know because if you have any guys there that are national guard that are shipping with you to basic(same company) if they are already 11Bs or 11Cs that’s what you’ll be. Because they already have their MOS guaranteed. Just how the guard does it. But as an active duty guy with no guard guys I found out my last day at 30th AG. They said 11Bravos ship this date and so on and so forth.... then if they say your roster number. That’s what you are. Also if you don’t know by the time you leave 30th, you will surely know when you get to basic, your drill sergeants will tell you guys.

Response by SPC Robert Dunlap made May 16 at 2021 11:54 PM

SPC Robert Dunlap — Sun, 16 May 2021 23:54:37 -0400

As an 11B you will walk everywhere carrying shit for the 11Cs.

Response by SFC Richard Bensen made May 21 at 2021 6:25 PM

SFC Richard Bensen — Fri, 21 May 2021 18:25:49 -0400

Served all my time as a grunt. Although it was somewhat grueling there is special comraderies' between true grunts.

Response by PV2 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 23 at 2021 7:51 AM

PV2 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 23 Jun 2021 07:51:33 -0400

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Response by PV2 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 23 at 2021 7:51 AM

PV2 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 23 Jun 2021 07:51:38 -0400

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Response by SSG Watis Ekthuvapranee made Jul 16 at 2021 12:07 PM

SSG Watis Ekthuvapranee — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 12:07:58 -0400

Peachy! Like a vacation or a camping trip. See the world (the part where no one wants to see). Meet interesting people (and you get to shoot them at times). Be all that you can be (from shit burner all the way to Middle of Honor recipient). Get to play a video game all the time (Bradley/Stryker crew qualification). Free parashoot jump every month. Repelling of a tower, cliff-face, helicopter now and then. Playing laser tag all the time. Sampling MRE almost every day (each pack is about $75 - $125 on the market). Oh! Did I mention about the best pension out there and free college education? And if you don't use it, you can give it to your dependent(s). And you can't forget about a free funeral service, plus, burial plot for life! You can't beat this deal.

Response by SGT Patrick Sullivan made Jul 25 at 2021 4:00 PM

SGT Patrick Sullivan — Sun, 25 Jul 2021 16:00:28 -0400

All I can offer is, ... if you are chosen to be 11c ? Pray ! Pray you are assigned to a 107mm crew. Heavy mortar crews do not walk !
Otherwise..... if you are in a smaller caliber motar ? ......you'll be carrying "That puppy" on your hikes, too !!! WORD !

5 years mechanized, followed by 5 years "Light" Infantry. FTS !
If you're not sworn in, yet.... change your MOS to Air Defense Artillary.
There's probably a bonus in it, to.

Does the military still use ASVAB test scores, for placing candidates ?

Response by SPC Chris Ison made Aug 1 at 2021 2:54 PM

SPC Chris Ison — Sun, 01 Aug 2021 14:54:23 -0400

That cutting grass BS is done, all those types of details have been replaced by contractor's. The "daily life" will be approximately the same. You will be on a training, deployment, recovery cycle. So the first 3-4, months of your cycle will be for training, any local schools will be placed in this block, army wide schools like HALO, Sniper, etc will be done as they availability is open. Most of the training in this block will be done on an individual or unit basis through OJT. You shoudl have "sergeants time, at least once week, usually on a Thursday. You will more than likely have a PT test, rifle quall, etc during this phase. Then you go into deployment phase, if you are not scheduled to actually deploy this will include a rotation at JRTC, NTC, or other Field Training Exercise. Then you come back for recovery phase. This is where all the kinks from the deployment phase get worked out, if you got to the FTX and you were missing someone qualified in X system then that gets sheduled for training phase, etc.

Rinse and repeat.

The things one will practice in training is: the 8 battle drills, any other drill, like the 30 minute drill in a mechanized unit, individual and crew served weapons training including the rifle (M-4), grenade launcher, SAW, M240B, and .50 cal BMG. You will also do gunnery, and this is where the majority of the difference lies. Gunnery as a mortar men is Mortar Fire, and gunnery for a striker is whatever weapon is mounted to their vehicle.

Response by SPC Arthur Lowder made Aug 6 at 2021 7:09 PM

SPC Arthur Lowder — Fri, 06 Aug 2021 19:09:32 -0400

i was a 11C back in 1973 and i train all the TIME, FIELD DUTY.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2021 3:05 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 Aug 2021 03:05:05 -0400

Average about the same. However, You work with a smaller group as an 11c so you can get a lot of tasks done faster(depending on the task). Training wise you are looking at different field training. It can have some pretty good perks being an 11c but also some downsides depending what you are looking to do in your military career.

Response by SGT Jake Ellison made Jan 14 at 2022 2:59 AM

SGT Jake Ellison — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 02:59:48 -0500

Charlie’s do everything with the addition of mortars. The day to day is the same. The deployment life will be the same, the only difference will be when you send off a couple mortar rounds and the bravos don’t. That’s literally it.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jan 21 at 2022 2:50 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Fri, 21 Jan 2022 14:50:14 -0500

I went to Canada to avoid the draft.

Response by MSG Greg Kelly made Jan 21 at 2022 4:09 PM

MSG Greg Kelly — Fri, 21 Jan 2022 16:09:53 -0500

long miserable days when you will hate your life. Every other non-combat MOS will make fun you and call you names. While secretly wishing they had the sack to do what you are and they will go out of their way to emulate you. So when you are feeling crappy and hating your life remember your part of a real brotherhood

Response by MAJ Ronnie Reams made Jun 23 at 2022 10:42 AM

MAJ Ronnie Reams — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 10:42:56 -0400

If the Army still does as they did when I was in the Infantry, as a C you will have the senior, most experienced PL in the company.

Response by SGT Ruben Lozada made Sep 17 at 2022 4:42 PM

SGT Ruben Lozada — Sat, 17 Sep 2022 16:42:22 -0400

Excellent que Private. As far as 11X goes within Benning, there will be a lot of early days and a lot of training to include a 12 mile road march. Now, whatever unit You'll be at You'll either be a Grunt or a Mortar. There will be a lot of early days as an 11B and a lot of training as well. Not sure about cutting grass. Only ones I sqw cutting grass were the base maintenance folks or those that are on restriction. As an 11C there will be a lot of training and field training as well. Also, there will be occasional late days, especially if another Soldier missplaces something or loses something like NODS. Not sure if units still do 25 mile road marches or not. I recall I had to do one and completed the whole thing. During deployments is totally different. There will be a lot of early and late days. And a lot of patrols.

Response by SGT Ruben Lozada made Sep 17 at 2022 4:43 PM

SGT Ruben Lozada — Sat, 17 Sep 2022 16:43:57 -0400

Also, You may be tasked to care a couple of mortar rounds while on patrol as an 11B while deployed.