I AM an American Soldier

[CybrSlydr]

Howdy strangers.

Well, today is the day. After 10 weeks of training, ai graduate. Just got my phone back, so this won't be a tell-all. Just a little hey and update.

I head out to Fort Sill on Friday for AIT for 6 weeks.

I've lost about 35lbs, shot Sharpshooter with my M16 (32/40), took my 2mile time from 17:42 to 13:20 and can now pack the contents of a Wal-Mart into a Ziploc bag.

So nice to FINALLY have my cell back. I'll be back for more after the ceremony today.

PFC Jordan Sampson
A Co 1/34th "Leyte Dragons"
Soon to be
Bat D 1/78th Field Artillery

[Penzoil3]

Thank you. We are proud of you here at SOH.
Sue

[Crusader]

Congrats Jordan , It is quite an accomplishment that you will remember the rest of your life . We are all proud of your service to your country . Please , check in here as often as you can and keep us updated .

Rich :salute:

[Navy Chief]

Congratulations!

You have made the transition. You should be rightfully proud of yourself!

NC
Good luck!

[CADFather]

I remember with pride the day I graduated Basic/AIT OSUT (That's One Station Unit Training for you civilians, :icon_lol:). It really is a great feeling, isn't it? I was Infantry and AIT was actually tougher than Basic, the runs were longer, the PT more intense and the core training got harder. I'm sure that yours won't be that way though, I've heard from several friends that Arty School is mostly spent busting rust with some training thrown in.

Run times look good, what are the max requirements for your age bracket now? I maxed out in AIT when the 2 mile run time was 12:50, the push-up 72 in 2 minutes and sit-ups were also 72 in 2 (IIRC, it has been awhile) and that went along way toward earning my EIB (Expert Infantry Badge). I know that there is not a badge for that in Arty, but it does carry a lot of weight at promotion time.

Congratulations on achieving what some only dream about, the road ahead is long and the way is rocky, but keep you head down, your eyes up and your powder dry and you'll be fine. Hooah?

CAD
(Formally SSG Wilson
B Co. 3/187 Inf, 101st ABN Div
Ft. Campbell, KY)

[jmig]

Congratulations Soldier!

You literally follow in the footsteps of many many men and now woman who have gone before you. We all know you will make us, your fellow veterans proud.

Keep up the good work!

[HouseHobbit]

Bravo...
I also remember my BCT and AIT training..
As all here have said it will be a part of your life forever..

And Combat arms too.. BRAVO..
Develop good brothers in arms and keep yourself safe..

I still have my Belt and barrel man (Bear) from my M-60 days in my life..
We have always remained close friends..
37 years later he is still my closest friend..

A Big :salute: from another vet..

God Bless you and may Our Lord guard over you during these days..

[Bone]

I'm no Soldier, but I've flown thousands of them around...even into Lawton, OK where you're headed. I always say "HooAhh" when they file out the door. So, "HooAhh"!!

[wombat666]

Well done Private.
Check box marked A.
Next 6 weeks will be more interesting.
:ernae:
It took three years for me to graduate from Duntroon!

[Daveroo]

FAN BLOODY TASTIC ...and im not being sarcastic ...this is what youve wanted for awhile and you did it...congrats..and great job on the wieght loss...hard way to do it...BUT was it a fun way i ask?...thank you PFC Sampson for being in the new class of young men and women to serve the world in our quest toward piece....

[Madman]

Nice job Cybr, congrats!!!!! :applause:

[Willy]

Congratulations! I was thinking yesterday that it was about time for you to finish basic.

[txnetcop]

Well done private Jordan!!!
Ted

[Roadburner440]

Congratulations on completing basic training! Welcome to the armed forces. Be sure you are motivated and hit the ground running and you will be sucessful.

[NWarty]

Yeehaw!!! Another gun bunny amongst us :D

-NWarty (Northwest Artillery)

[TeaSea]

Most excellent....

Welcome to the brotherhood.

[rayrey10]

Congratulations! Now the fun begins. Enjoy your career however long it may be.

[Jagdflieger]

Hoo ahh and congratulations!

Will you train on the M-109 Paladin, MLRS or something else? With all the new technology coming to fruition in the field artillery these days, it should be an interesting time for you.

As Teasea said, welcome to the brotherhood.

[Panther_99FS]

Congratulations Cybr!
Job well done! :medals:

[Bjoern]

It's a nice feeling not being a worthless recruit anymore, isn't it?


At least that's what I thought when my basic training was over.

[n4gix]

Well done! As has been stated by others, welcome to the fraternity.

I have fond memories of my days back in '67 when I finished basic. I was trim and slim, and had developed my stamina and endurance significantly.

I was however quite unprepared for the 22 weeks of AIT at Signal School in Ft. Gordon, GA. Nice new quarters (four to a room), relaxed PT, and most of my day spent in a classroom and/or laboratory. By the end of AIT I'd regained most of my lost weight. The only upside was that I'd achieved Honor Graduate and a promotion to Spec 5. The upper third of the class made Spec 4, and the lower 2/3's remained PFC's.

I really, really disliked the old "Specialist" ranking though, as even a "hard ranked" Corporal had "authority" over me... :ernae:

[CybrSlydr]

Thanks for the kind words, everyone - it's great to be done and be a Basically Trained Soldier (hehehe - don't you love plays on words? :D).

I'm currently at Atlanta Intl awaiting my 2145 flight to Oklahoma City, which will land around 2300. Then another 1.5hrs or so bus ride to Fort Sill. It's going to suck to have to relearn a base again. I didn't go anywhere on Jackson and it was still a pain in the ass... lol

I'm excited to finally learn my MOS - and have some more freedom!

My company, A Co 1/34, must have been the hated company as we didn't get anything in the way of "treats". Other companies got their cell phones on Sundays, watched movies, etc. Not ours - and my platoon, 3rd Platoon "Snipers" was the hated platoon - we had hardcore Drill Sergeants. Infantry, MP and others. Our one DS, DS Benson, looks like a walking, talking, living, ass-kicking GI Joe with blonde hair and a square jaw.

Drill Sergeants are also some of the funniest/meanest/psychotic/sadistic people on the planet - and I loved 'em. I hated how other recruits would continue to screw around and get us in trouble, but our DS's were hilarious - as long as they weren't yelling at you. There are so many things they said and did that it'd take days for me to even scratch the surface. :D

They took good care of us and I feel that I'm a quality-trained soldier at this point.

[edmoore235]

Congrads!!! Well done..... protect your hearing - most cannon cockers go deaf before they should!!! Hey, way to go.

Ed

[CybrSlydr]

Hoo ahh and congratulations!

Will you train on the M-109 Paladin, MLRS or something else? With all the new technology coming to fruition in the field artillery these days, it should be an interesting time for you.


As Teasea said, welcome to the brotherhood.

Right now I don't know. However, if I had my choice, I'd like the M109. I like the idea of always having a roof over my head and not having to set up the piece to fire. :D

If not, a unit with the M777 would be very, very nice, but I doubt it. I'll probably get an M198 unit.

Also - here's a picture of me sans-35lbs. :)21409

[Jagdflieger]

When you finish up AIT, let us know where your next duty station will be. If you go to a Stryker brigade, you might end up here at Fort Lewis. If so, I'll give you the grand tour when you get in after you process through the replacement det at Waller Hall.

When you get in, just look for this guy.

[NWarty]

Cybr,
I'm lucky that I'm on Paladins, but unfortunately I no longer troop the gunline. Eventually some of us get to become staff pukes. Me...I'm the BN S3.

Our guns just got retrofitted last month to PDFCS v.3.0 (Paladin Digital Fire Control System) which will integrate with Blue Force Tracker next year. Plus, we fired MACS for the first time this year which is a little bit of a headache trying to request ammo in TAMIS. Here's moi (on the right) and my guns at Yakima this past summer. In the middle is COL (R) Jim Palermo who was the Field Artillery School Commander (Basic and AIT) in the mid-2000's, he was also my BN CDR for 1-37 FA before we became Stryker. The finest fire-supporter I ever worked for.

[CybrSlydr]

How much say am I going to have on where I go post-AIT (unit)? Is it performance based and those who do better go where they want (as needed) or just straight random?

[NWarty]

Wherever the Army needs you most bud. All depends on MOS vacancies and who needs that MOS the most.

Wish-lists are great and sometimes you get your pick, sometimes you don't. Fort Lewis was my third choice, after Germany and Stewart, and here's where I ended up.

[CybrSlydr]

Here's a pic of the new me. :)22044

[Jagdflieger]

Looks like you made PFC out of basic. Congrats! That's usually reserved for only the top few graduates.

[Trans_23]

When you finish up AIT, let us know where your next duty station will be. If you go to a Stryker brigade, you might end up here at Fort Lewis. If so, I'll give you the grand tour when you get in after you process through the replacement det at Waller Hall.

When you get in, just look for this guy.
Congrats on your graduation Cybr! Never had a doubt that you would make it through. My son lost quite a bit of weight by the time he was done with basic with the Marines. He just had to get his dress uniformed taken out a little as he has gained some of the weight back. He wasn't overweight to begin with. He said they just didn't give you enough to eat for all the physical activity. He went from around 180 to 150. He is about 6'1" so he looked pretty thin.

My son in law is stationed at Ft. Lewis. Just got back from Iraq a couple months ago. My oldest daughter was also there after AIT then went to Iraq, then PCS'd to Virginia and now in Afghanistan. Both my grandsons were born at Lewis. Barring a PCS or deployment of my son in law, my third grandchild will be born there in May 2011. I went out there after the first was born for a long weekend. Nice country out there. Except for the day I flew out, it didn't rain once. :cool:

[NWarty]

Yep, no more sun for the next 156 days ;)