What can I expect at 12N AIT?

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 10 May 2020 03:31:41 -0400

I am a prior service Marine and my 12N mos was gained from a national guard armory while in the reserves.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made May 10 at 2020 11:11 AM

LTC Jason Mackay — Sun, 10 May 2020 11:11:32 -0400

SSG Private RallyPoint Member Don't think your tag for AIT for 35F is going to be particularly helpful. Recommend tagging 12N.

How you gained 12N is confusing in your original post.
- Did you simply join the Army Reserve in a 12N slot? Are you being sent to a Reserve Component AIT? (At an ARNG facility).
- Or did you somehow gain it OJT through a Guard unit? Doesn't sound like that as you are being sent to an AIT.
-Is your Reserve Center just co-located with a Guard Armory?

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 10 at 2020 4:28 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 10 May 2020 16:28:09 -0400

SSG Private RallyPoint Member I went to Fort Leonard Wood to reclass to 12N in 2018. I was an 11C prior to and needed to reclass since I am now a reservist. I went through the 140th RTI (Regimental Training Institute I believe it's called), a training unit from the Missouri National Guard. The training itself isn't as long as its active duty counterpart, but only knowing mainly infantry tactics and nothing about engineering, I left that course confident in my abilities to at least understand the equipment they train you own.

They told us from the start their job isn't to make us proficient operators. It's a basic introduction to the machinery and they do a damned good job of it. From the newest instructor to the branch chief, a MSG who brings a lot of real world military and civilian experience, they can answer basically any questions. The support cadre are also pretty good I'm still in contact with them.

As for day to day, we works basically every day, and had a day or two off between phases. It was about 4 weeks in total. They break you up into groups and you spend like 3 days on each piece of equipment.

As far as being prior service goes, maybe because I was one of three sergeants in the class and/or prior infantry they often deferred to me to make sure students kept they WWII style barracks in order and kept any issues to a minimum. They did shoot the shit with me a little more than some other students, but they told me up front that for the most part rank didn't matter I'm a student like the junior enlisted.

In the barracks they came through every morning to check that we kept it to standard but after the first week it was more of a good morning see you in class, just checking that none of you are dead type deal.

Your prior service experience will help in certain ways but if you weren't the equivalent MOS in the Marines, just know how to lock it up and soak up as much information as you can. Even your fellow students can teach you a thing or two.

There are other places you can go to reclass, I'm not sure how they are. I heard Devils Lake, ND is pretty chill. My buddy went there for their ALC course.

Response by SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2020 10:10 AM

SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 12 May 2020 10:10:55 -0400

Heavy equipment operator. I choosed this MOS and finished AIT without having prior knowledge about any of these vehicles so i think you'll do great regardless if you are familiar or not. The AIT is conducted by classes and goes over basic operation of the Grader, Dump Truck, Ihmee, Dozer, Scraper and Loader.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made May 14 at 2020 2:27 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 14 May 2020 14:27:09 -0400

You’ll spend a week on each piece of equipment, for a total of 8 weeks. We had prior service in my class, but they were army not from other branches. They showed up for formations, PT, and class then got to do whatever the hell they wanted after. They also stayed in the same barracks as the marines due to lack of space. I went in 2017, and the barracks were so overcrowded they got a new building to just house the holdovers. I graduated in December and cycles were filled until May. Not sure if it’s still like that tho.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 14 at 2020 11:11 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 14 May 2020 23:11:32 -0400

Your be in alpha or delta company for 554. Your have your phone and get to do normal stuff and wear civilians when your done for the day. Unlike the rest of the company. Your just needed for PT, and courses. Just bare in mind, at least in Delta if your platoon does dumb stuff the DS will bring you out of your separate barracks to enjoy some corrective exercises. I actually had a former Marine who was in our platoon. But anyways here’s a run down of classes. Week 1 land surveys and soils 2 open book tests, 1 field test. Week 2 dumps, 2 field tests. Week 3 loaders, 2 field tests. Week 4 BHL, 1 hard test cause it’s measured and someone always gets recycled in BHL usually for safety, But as long as you listen to your instructor and not violate any safety it’s not hard. Week 5 excavators 2 field tests. Week 6 dozers, 2 field tests, make sure you study cause odds are the weather will suck and your have a written exam. Week 7 scrappers 3 field tests (1 is just using a dozer to push scrapper) week 8 is dozers, 2 field tests. All of these are easy to pass if you listen and be calm with a smooth hand. Make sure you study cause if it rains then your taking a written test and there’s no more open books. Your do as many practice runs as you want, but it’s best to test out once you have the steps memorized and a feel for the equipment. They are not expecting it to be perfect, they are expecting you to know how to do it and do a good enough job with only a few days of experience. Also if one person doesn’t test out then the whole platoon has to do a written test. So get out there and test out. Good luck, and enjoy yourself. 12n is a really fun MOS and the instructors are great.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 18 at 2020 10:30 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 18 Aug 2020 10:30:12 -0400

Lots of stick time an playing in the dirt

Response by SFC Robert Goyer made Nov 24 at 2020 10:54 AM

SFC Robert Goyer — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 10:54:35 -0500

A lot of dirt pushing ;)