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I just secured my 68w reclass date and I was given 3 options to pick from for duty station for after. I only had seconds and panicked and chose Irwin out of my 3 options. I’m coming from the guard onto active so it’s my first duty station. Any idea if I’m going to love it or hate it? I’m married with kids as well
Fort Irwin
PCS
68W: Healthcare Specialist (Combat Medic)
Posted 5 y ago
Responses: 8
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It is going to be what you make of it and what you find to do when off duty. Army tried for ten years to get me to FT Bliss and I fought is all the way. I have been to Germany, Korea, Hawaii, Afghanistan, and all three posts in Texas. Off duty activities, Bliss is my #2 assignment and has been way better than Hawaii. It is because I get out and make my home a home and a good place to be.
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MAJ (Join to see)
Loved Bliss, WBAMC, and EP for the most part. Lots of stuff to do, great friends, good food, good people.
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As a medic stationed at NTC you will most likely be assigned to 1/11 or 2/11 ACR. From my experience there, you will not receive more real words and medical scenario training then anywhere else. The OPTEMO is high, you will be busy month after month but also receive a 3day and 4day each month to compensate. Trips to Los Angeles area from NTC are 2.5 hours, San Diego 3-3.5 hours and Las Vegas 3 hours. So being in the middle of nowhere has some be idiots of being in the middle of a lot of places. I can provide further details if you stay with Fort Irwin. Just know it’s not the end of the world going to that installation. I have never been around more hard working and dedicated medics then there was while I was at NTC.
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Don't know if you like California but,,, "Lost Wages" excuse me Las Vegas, NV. is about 2 hours away... If assigned to MEDAC, routine hospital shifts.... if assigned to 11th ACR... rotations out to the maneuver box about every 4 to 6 weeks training deploying units to the Middle-east sandbox... You might even see members of your old unit as they come through...
A lot of your Love it/Hate it attitude to your assignment will always depend on what you make of it... One tiny bit of advice.... AVOID LA... if you do want to see the ocean, go to San Luis Obispo/Morro Bay area, less crowded. more scenic.
A lot of your Love it/Hate it attitude to your assignment will always depend on what you make of it... One tiny bit of advice.... AVOID LA... if you do want to see the ocean, go to San Luis Obispo/Morro Bay area, less crowded. more scenic.
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You can expect desert. Chances are you'll get a good amount of real world experience since Irwin is where NTC is located and there's always training accidents that occur
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SPC (Join to see)
Roger SSG that was my thinking, it just has been seeming everywhere I look or ask, that it was a big mistake to pick.
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SSG (Join to see)
SPC (Join to see) it's not much around. You'll hear Vegas is a few hours away but that's a ghost town right now. I've only been to Irwin once for a rotation. From what I remember the main post is pretty small but the barracks are nice
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Ft Irwin isn't bad. It is what you make of it. I was a machinist 44E stationed there in 95-96 and it wasn't bad. If you are assigned to 11th ACR, you will see plenty of field time but it isn't bad. Being stationed there is not as bad as being there for a training rotation. Even though I was in 557th Maint. Co. NTC support battalion, I still went to the field quite a bit in support of OPS GROUP OC's.
And yes you will see a lot of accidents and get good real world hands on training as a medic. There will be a lot of head injuries. While I was there, medics had to deal with at lest 2-3 people knocking themselves out by the tracked vehicle hatch they were in because they forgot to latch it properly.
And yes you will see a lot of accidents and get good real world hands on training as a medic. There will be a lot of head injuries. While I was there, medics had to deal with at lest 2-3 people knocking themselves out by the tracked vehicle hatch they were in because they forgot to latch it properly.
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When I went from guard to active in 1999 I picked ft Irwin I had been there for a rotation in 1997 and I love it learned a lot housing was great best home we ever had with wife and 3 kids, a lot of things to do on and off post with in a few hours drive. If you want more information PM me
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If I remember correctly from when I went to NTC it was over an hour bus ride from the airport to Irwin. So you’re pretty much in the middle of a desert with nothing around.
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CPT Lawrence Cable
Depends on what airport they brought you in on. Barstow is about 1 1/2 to 2 hours from LA and the Ocean, using Long Beach as a starting point, then it's a good 45 minute drive from Barstow to Ft. Irwin.
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SGT Christopher Hayden
SPC (Join to see) - Hmmm, well you dodged a bullet by not picking Polk. But I probably would have went with Campbell over Irwin, as I've never really heard much good about it from anyone I knew that was stationed there. But really, any place is what you make of it. (Except Hood, that place is a hellhole)
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SPC (Join to see)
Is it possible for me to call to switch to Campbell since I haven’t even came down on orders yet or is usually set in stone?
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SPC (Join to see)
Roger that, thank you both! I only have a week until my report date for AIT so I will see if I can make something happen.
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MAJ (Join to see)
SPC (Join to see) yes try that. When I was enlisted as 68C, Campbell was by far my favorite assignment.
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