Posted on Apr 2, 2014
SFC James Baber
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Would be an interesting thing to see not only the locations, but a generational perspective on how changes to those locations may be for each and if it even exists anymore. Also have you ever returned to the location either as a duty station or just to see what is was like for memories and changes that may have taken place. I will lead off, Ft McClellan, AL: D10-1983. I did OSUT there so I started in '83 and finished AIT in '84 I went back in 1992 for another school, but haven't been back since it shuttered it's doors to AIT in '99, have been to Leonardwood for few other schools and checked out their facilities, big difference to what we had at McClellan back in the day though. Would love to go back to McClellan today and see what the base looks like and what bldgs. still exist or training areas are there.
Edited >1 y ago
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SFC Founder
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First enlistment...Fort Knox, KY (August-October 1986)

 

Second enlistment...Fort Jackson, SC (OSUT/November 2002-March 2003).  Been back several times for school and ALC and going back next month for SLC.

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SGT Jeremy Schlueter
SGT Jeremy Schlueter
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Sand Hill, Fort Benning, Georgia. 2009 Nope, never been back.
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SGT Thomas Lucken
SGT Thomas Lucken
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SSG Lorenzo, see your at Yongsan!  Been 14 years since my last time, ready to make a trip back.  I do know the dollar is not worth much over there anymore.
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LTC Army Rotc Instructor
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Reception Station:  World War 2 Barracks, - Fort Leonard Wood, MO.  They're completely gone. 

 

Alpha Company, 4th Training Bn, 2nd Training Bde, 12B10 OSUT, 11 JUL 1980 - 13 OCT 1980, Fort Leonard Wood, MO. 

 

Brick barracks, then into the 'tin shacks' .  I saw both of them when I went back to:

 

A Co. 554th Engr Bn, 26 MAR 1994 - 16 AUG 1994, for Engr Officer Advanced Course.

 

 

 

 

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SGT Thomas Lucken
SGT Thomas Lucken
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FT Knox was the same in 82, still used the WWII barracks, the ones in the movie Stripes!  In the mid-80s at FT Riley they were still in use at Camp Forsyth, 86 QuarterCav moved into them next to the NCO Academy.
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1LT Shawn McCarthy
1LT Shawn McCarthy
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Those WWII barracks were still there when I had Basic in 2000. We spent 20 days in reception in those damn barracks.
(They kept moving the OSUT combat engineers and 88Ms on, left us 'support personnel' there to rot right along with the old barracks.)
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CW5 Sam R. Baker
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Fort McClellan, Alabama, OSUT training, B/787th MPs, the last QUAD before the ranges besides the FAT FARM that was next door. I went back for the regimental NCO of the year competition and also the Special Reaction Team course with a team from MDW. All my visits to Fort McClellan were before warrant service (1992), so all were before it closed in 99. I can honestly say after 26 years in the Army, that it was a blessing for Soldiers to leave that part of Alabama. It was the most ill-will friendly place I have ever lived during my service. I was not served in restaurants, charged extra for rent, treated like a second or third class citizen the entire time I was there. Glad it is gone, all the recent news about the chemical school there and my daughter being born with disabilities has me concerned even more!
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SFC James Baber
SFC James Baber
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Chief,


Not sure if you are aware, there is a Ft McClellan registry that has been started by veterans that is getting many bills started in Congress to get the VA to acknowledge and treat SMs and their related illnesses associated with exposures to the PCBs and Toxins from all the abuse from Montesaro all those years ago and for many decades before discovered, the strange and fishy thing that occurred during the lawsuit brought by the town of Anniston back in the 90s is that the military was excluded from participating in the suit or the settlement, the theory and mentality at the time was that the military and VA would take care of the Soldiers later down the line, we know how that will go or has gone, can anyone say Agent Orange and Vietnam vets.

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SFC Michael Hasbun
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Boot Camp was Parris Island. AIT was Redstone Arsenal. I have yet to go back to either, but I'm not opposed to it. I remember PI having a beautiful museum..
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SFC Retired 20+ Years
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Boot Camp- MCRD Paris Island 1995 (class 2025); 2146 M1A1 Tank school Fort knox, KY 95'-96';    AIT (63H) Edgewood APG, MD 2000


I have not been back to either Paris Island or Edgewood as there was nothing to really miss there although, I did return to APG for BNCOC in 2005. 

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SFC Michael Hasbun
SFC Michael Hasbun
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2nd BN! 2064 m'self...
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SFC Retired 20+ Years
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SSG Hasbun,


It is a small world!! I can say that (to my knowledge) I have never ran across another individual from 2025 since I left Camp Lejeune...to include social media. Thanks

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1SG Frank Boynton
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Fort Leanord Wood, Aug - Oct 1972, and have never returned.  Although after doing my Drill Sergeant duty at Ft. Dix, NJ (the absolute worst duty station in CONUS), I would have loved the opportunity to go back and do Trail time at Leanord Wood
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SSG General Services Technician And State Vehicle Inspector
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Great question and idea. I went to basic in September 1991 at Fort Leonard Wood, MO then went to Fort Lee, VA for AIT in November 1991 graduating in February 1992. Haven't been back to FLW but would love to visit some time. Was stationed at Lee in 2010 and it has changed tremendously. The changes in 2008 when I was there in 2008 for BNCOC (yes, I'm calling it that instead of ALC since that is what it was called when I went through) were pretty vast.
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SGT Thomas Lucken
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Edited >1 y ago
OSUT (One Station Unit Training), Cavalry Scout, FT Knox, KY. 1982......

OSUT the Army started around 1980 for combat MOS', otherwise you did your basic and AIT together. Non-combat go one place for 8 weeks of basic, then another for what ever their MOS school was at.  1987, went back for 3 weeks for the D3 (M3 Bradley Training)
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SFC James Baber
SFC James Baber
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Joe,


Not sure if you know it or not but Kelly was shut down not long after 9/11, a result of BRAC, I think parts of it are used for storage and some type of training, at least that is what a friend of mine told me a few years back, I was stationed @ Sam until end of '01 and got to see plenty of the shifting of assets at the time. Still love SA though, might move there some day for inal retirement phase.

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LTC Joseph Gross
LTC Joseph Gross
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Not sure where you heard that but my son enlisted in June 2001 and served in 3d on Kelley Hill until 2008. He still has friends serving there. The 29th, which was a training unit on Kelley Hill, was recently closed but 3/3 is still there. 
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SFC James Baber
SFC James Baber
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Sir,


Not sure where Kelley Hill is located at, but we are referring to Kelly AFB in San Antonio, TX which shuttered operations in '02/'03 timeframe due to BRAC.

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SSG Platoon Sergeant
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Fort Jackson for both Basic and AIT May to Oct 1998. Yes I was stationed there in 2005 to 2007 at the Drill Sergeant School.
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SGT Bryon Sergent
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Edited >1 y ago
I went through Ft Benning, Ga. Harmony Church, 4th Plt, B co, 1/38 Infantry Training Battalion. Dec 1, 1988 - Mar 89. Airborne School Til April. D co I think 1/501st. "Rock Of the Marne". Was at 30th Reception for Thanksgiving, That was areal treat. Told us to bring 2 days of clothes, and they had a 4 day weekend!! I was OSUT so AIT was switching from turtle shell to soft caps. I was told that Harmony Church has been bulldozed, So no Haven't been Back!
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LTC Infantryman
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1973 Fort Lost in the Woods in the state of Misery. I returned in 2003 to help mobilizing Guard/Reserve units for Iraqi Freedom. Much different the second time around.
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