What was the most effective pre-deployment training you received that saved your life and how?

MSgt Ryan Tanner — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 06:11:31 -0500

Response by CW4 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 22 at 2016 6:34 AM

CW4 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 06:34:39 -0500

Don't drink the non-potable water.

Response by Maj Kevin "Mac" McLaughlin made Feb 22 at 2016 8:27 AM

Maj Kevin "Mac" McLaughlin — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 08:27:16 -0500

Hard to say what saved my life as nothing specific put me face to face with a life and death situation. However, the Air Advisor Academy training I received at McGuire AFB was outstanding. It came with both the cultural/language training along with Combat Arms Training (Self Protection, advanced tactics, convoy, ambush, navigation, combat lifesaver, and then some). I highly recommend becoming an Air Advisor if you get the chance.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 22 at 2016 9:26 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 09:26:04 -0500

Contact drills, contact drills, contact drills.
As realistic and complex as you can make them.
Teaches Soldiers their role in the first moments of contact, so that they react and get in position and establish fire superiority, and the leader can assess and direct fires and maneuver.
Those moments you save are the moments the ambushing enemy has the initiative.

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 22 at 2016 10:32 AM

TSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 10:32:50 -0500

I never had to use any training when deployed (SABC). But, I have had to use the training in my civilian world. There have been a couple of auto accidents, accidents to myself, and my wifes stroke. The biggest thing I noticed was the lack of internal fear, the ability to focus, how everything shifted into an automatic mode, knowing the need to prioritize, never ever showing fear to those around me, and taking control of those situations.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 22 at 2016 11:09 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 11:09:27 -0500

We received training from a group called range masters. It was amazing because it came from operators and SWAT Law enforcement members that helped to not only home our shooting skills but also prepared us mentally for the task!

Response by SPC Heidi Goodnature made Feb 22 at 2016 11:58 AM

SPC Heidi Goodnature — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 11:58:52 -0500

Never shake their left hand

Response by CW4 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 22 at 2016 12:02 PM

CW4 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 12:02:17 -0500

A little bag of bacon may save your life.

Response by Capt Tom Brown made Feb 22 at 2016 12:06 PM

Capt Tom Brown — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 12:06:19 -0500

In retrospect I wish they had mentioned this in pre deployment training: "Don't buy food from street vendors no matter how yummie it may look or how hungry you are; you will be sorry if you do."

Response by MSgt John Grollimund made Feb 22 at 2016 1:22 PM

MSgt John Grollimund — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 13:22:37 -0500

Nothing in the Air Force.. 3 month Army Training at Ft Riley before a year BOG in Iraq as MNSCT-I. Great folks, great training.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 22 at 2016 8:49 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 20:49:43 -0500

All of it. I remember when I was deployed we had two alarm reds. Training and instinct took over and everything worked out well.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 22 at 2016 10:53 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 22:53:59 -0500

The hard, and often repetitive battle drills we did in 1-21 IN. When sh** hit the fan, muscle memory takes it. We had great Leaders who knew what we needed to do.

Response by MSgt Kurt Woodward made Feb 22 at 2016 11:26 PM

MSgt Kurt Woodward — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 23:26:46 -0500

When I was in a Mobile Radar Squadron, Ground TACS; it was the quarterly deployments I would have to say helped me the most when I was deployed to Desert Shield/Storm 100KM's from the Iraqi, Saudi Arabian, and Kuwaiti border. Also, when I was deployed to Peru in 1992 to conduct Counter Drug missions. The constant exercise deployments I went through prior to these real world Operations kept us focused on our mission; and returning home safely. The comments about the local food and water are also spot on. When I was in Peru, I caught an intestinal bug that didn't affect me until 6 weeks after I returned from the deployment. After a week in the hospital and a month of medication that I swear were the size of horse pills; definitely avoid any local food/water from any untrusted sources. Good luck with your deployment; and keep your powder dry and your head down as well as stay "Frosty"!

Response by Maj Mike Sciales made Feb 23 at 2016 6:57 AM

Maj Mike Sciales — Tue, 23 Feb 2016 06:57:36 -0500

Getting to know the locals, especially little kids under 10. The boys know who everybody is, who are the bad guys, what's going on. The little girls are completely ignored, they make excellent translators & are very loyal. Best HUMINT collectors. You pay them in kindness, candy, paper & pens

Response by SMSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 23 at 2016 2:34 PM

SMSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 23 Feb 2016 14:34:32 -0500

Medical brief, we lost someone to Malaria who was not taking his pills.

Response by Sgt Bruce Campbell made Feb 23 at 2016 7:32 PM

Sgt Bruce Campbell — Tue, 23 Feb 2016 19:32:42 -0500

Combat Survival School at Ft. Sill. Used some of firearm training and how to lay down a field of fire while at 439L site near Qui Nhon, Vietnam. We manned two perimeter bunkers and were responsible for field of fire during times when we were hit. Hit several times by B40 rockets and small arms fir from ridge above us. Not our part of the perimeter

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 23 at 2016 8:56 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 23 Feb 2016 20:56:41 -0500

ARMY in lieu of training the Air Force training is bogged down with too much intellectual briefs and not enough field time to learn your deployment group and how they respond. With that for training JBLM was the worst field training location for desert tactics, little to zero maneuverability for vehicle tactics required and being taught, real tasks were not taught long enough like radios, BFT so on the perishable skills were taught and forgot by most without prior experience prior to arriving in country However this is for a ACTUAL COMBAT deployment,

Otherwise the 2 week shit training is a waste of breath just send them to their actual TDY base, would be the best use of funding overall, airmen are taught how to sit in a DFP at tech and do the same thing at homestation sitting in a red box in a truck.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 24 at 2016 1:02 AM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 01:02:50 -0500

The most effective training was at Fort Dix-McGuire. I went through a Field Craft CENTCOM course that teaches Combat Life Saver skills and tactical driving. It will teach you that everything SABC has wanted you to believe over the years is BS. They will teach you the correct way of doing things and when/where you should/should not use them.

Response by TSgt Alan Richard "Rick" Thomas made Feb 27 at 2016 10:26 PM

TSgt Alan Richard "Rick" Thomas — Sat, 27 Feb 2016 22:26:29 -0500

In 20 years (71-92) I never deployed. I had a short tour to Thailand and a long to Germany.

Response by TSgt Robert Digby made Mar 1 at 2016 3:49 AM

TSgt Robert Digby — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 03:49:42 -0500

Never fry bacon naked

Response by SGT George Stephens made Aug 22 at 2020 8:10 PM

SGT George Stephens — Sat, 22 Aug 2020 20:10:13 -0400

CLS and how to do an IV.

CLS didn't save my life per say but when i came home, i witnessed a severely bad wreck in front of me.

The skills taught to me helped saved four people that day.

The IV part helped me on deployment when we had a guy go down from the heat.