For all reservists, what is your unit doing for AT this year?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 08:50:40 -0400

For all reservists, what is your unit doing for AT this year? Mine is planning to have AT on the first and still doesn't have a location approved. They plan on having us fill out DTS and reserving rooms. This communication is sup bar as expected but I feel like 2days before without approval is an issue.

I definitely don't have the money to reserve a room and then pay the cancellation fee....

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 29 at 2020 8:52 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 08:52:40 -0400

Hybrid style AT based on whether you would have to quarantine upon arrival to site or at home after AT is done.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 29 at 2020 9:38 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 09:38:48 -0400

My unit is doing a HSAT (Home Station AT). Mainly because our CTE was cancelled like everyone else's CTE. The issue.....which REALLY REALLY SUCKS....is the COVID. This thing is causing mass panic and confusion within the ranks of leadership at almost every level.

With units needing ETPs to travel....and if that ETP template keeps getting changed every few days (Yes, I'm looking at you 807th), it makes things harder because it's pushing things back further and further.

The communication piece of this....trust me when I say that your leadership is probably more frustrated than you know. What information you were given probably took your leadership weeks...if not months...to finally get. My BN still has unanswered RFIs that were sent to my BDE.

Sadly, your answer options are the all of the options all of us Reservists...to include unit leadership...has to do. I, as the Detachment Sergeant (Senior Enlisted Adviser to the Detachment Commander)...I have to suck it up...I have to do what I'm told...and I have to hurry up and wait.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 29 at 2020 10:17 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 10:17:00 -0400

From the perspective of someone on full time staff trying to plan a home station AT: we’re very much in reaction mode. We have spent this entire training year planning to be the main effort in a DoD-sponsored all services joint exercise. Scrapped, 45 days prior to execution. So now we’re at home station. We are a brigade HQ and we’re not doing AT at the same time as any of our subordinate units. The joes will get some good training on basic soldier/10 level stuff. The staff...ah who cares. But trust me, we’re frustrated and stressed as hell about this. I owe my soldiers a productive AT and I have almost no time or resources to execute that mission so we’re going back to basics.

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Jul 29 at 2020 11:38 AM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 11:38:23 -0400

Wanna know what's worse? Being on the AC full time staff trying to make all these AT's happen in the face of travel restrictions, SVBA's, constant FRAGo's, base HPCON's, ETP's and mission cancellations.

You just have to show up. Before that, someone has to make all of it happen.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 29 at 2020 11:41 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 11:41:47 -0400

We are still going out to the field. We will be in one man Lifefigther tents outside the entire time and practice social distancing as much as we can. Unfortunately we still need to train and we still need to be proficient in our jobs regardless the enemy, even if it is a virus. We will still be running and completing ranges, rucks, demo, battle drills and missions... just with extra caution. Should be interesting

Response by CSM Eric Biggs made Jul 29 at 2020 11:57 AM

CSM Eric Biggs — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 11:57:45 -0400

SPC Private RallyPoint Member, while I agree with your statement about it being an issue 2 days out without approval, you not being the Commander, simply must do what you’re told, until you are told to do something else. Paying for a room and cancellation fee should not be a problem since your are in the military and should have a Government travel card, and the Government will pay the bill.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 29 at 2020 2:00 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 14:00:38 -0400

We were given the choice between a virtual AT from home via Microsoft Teams and conference calls
OR we could go to the exercise in Korea that required 14 days quarantine upon ENTRY into Korea, 19 days of the exercise and then 14 days once again in quarantine upon entry into the USA.

So folks that needed the money were making BANK because they got BAH as well. Plus, every one of them will get the Korea Defense Medal because 14+19 (the second 14 is in the USA) is greater than 30 consecutive days.

This probably only remotely worked because I imagine the USAR is sitting on a tone of money that isn’t getting spent.

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 29 at 2020 2:48 PM

CW3 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 14:48:06 -0400

Ummm. OPSEC much.

Just kidding. That sounds stressful.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 29 at 2020 4:58 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 16:58:16 -0400

I'm doing CTC rotation in nice cool Fort Irwin. I can't wait.