What is the best TDY you ever had?

CH (MAJ) William Beaver — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 08:00:35 -0400

Considering the mission, the training, the timing, the teammates, the costs, and the location - what is the best TDY you have ever had? Why?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 2 at 2015 8:19 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 08:19:05 -0400

I went TDY to Sturgis about two weeks before the big bike rally. I loved it. I got to meet Emmet the donkey at Full Throttle Saloon and even met the owner. I went to Deadwood and to Mt. Rushmore. It was a pretty amazing trip.

Response by SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. made Sep 2 at 2015 9:02 AM

SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 09:02:57 -0400

Jump School!

Response by SSgt Charles Edwards made Sep 2 at 2015 9:17 AM

SSgt Charles Edwards — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 09:17:32 -0400

Security Forces 7-Level school. It was basically a two week, paid vacation courtesy of Uncle Sam.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Sep 2 at 2015 9:37 AM

LTC Stephen F. — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 09:37:59 -0400

My best TDY was NBC officer's training at Vilseck, Germany in 1982 where I had fun driving back to Graf at night with lights out in my Dodge Omni which slid through the waves as M-88s Tank Recovery vehicles and M60A3 Tanks passed in the opposite direction in the soupy mud of the main tank trail.
Second best was CAS3 at Fort Leavenworth in the fall of 1986.
COL Mikel J. Burroughs, LTC Stephen C., CW5 Charlie Poulton, SFC James Sczymanski, SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4", SGT Robert Hawks, SGT Randal Groover, SGT Forrest Stewart, SP6 Clifford Ward. SPC Private RallyPoint Member

Response by SGT Dave Tracy made Sep 2 at 2015 9:58 AM

SGT Dave Tracy — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 09:58:45 -0400

5 weeks at Aberdeen Proving Ground, 2 months fresh out of OSUT (AKA Basic Training), testing new commo/SA equipment. Per Diem plus regular pay; apartment style hotel with kitchen, private rooms, living room; post ammenities nearby such as bowling, gym, commessary, library; surprisingly good training; swimming & fishing in the nearby Chesapeake; free Toby Keith concert (not a huge country fan, but Toby is cool and you can't beat "free"!) within stumbling..er, "walking" distance! ;-)

Response by LTC Vincent Moore made Sep 2 at 2015 10:14 AM

LTC Vincent Moore — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 10:14:47 -0400

The most personally and professionally reward TDY for me was 9 weeks at the Navy Diving and Salvage Training Center in Panama City , FL, for the Diving Medical Officer course. Beyond that, I love to travel so there have been innumerable TDY assignments over the years that have provided mini vacation opportunities with some interspersed work including Rio de Janeiro, Key West, Puerto Rico, Korea, Egypt and Kaiserlautern.

Response by CMSgt James Nolan made Sep 2 at 2015 10:33 AM

CMSgt James Nolan — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 10:33:22 -0400

Lakenheath AB, England. Have been several times, for 2-3 weeks at a crack. I should probably get sent again to ensure that everything is still good to go. Would not want anyone else to be sent and have the area be substandard. Love England, London, the Tubes (mind the gap), the pubs (photo is of the Nutshell, smallest pub in the world-yes, we have a dollar bill on the wall!).

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Sep 2 at 2015 10:33 AM

Capt Seid Waddell — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 10:33:47 -0400

MacDill Air Force Base Fla. for training. Great area.

Response by LTC Kevin B. made Sep 2 at 2015 11:01 AM

LTC Kevin B. — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 11:01:36 -0400

Tough call here. It was one of three trips:
1. Week in Hawaii trying to help get someone into a Ph.D. program, combined with marketing visits to local health organizations.
2. Week in Germany speaking at, and attending, a conference in Garmisch.
3. Week in Japan doing an exchange with the Japanese military.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 2 at 2015 11:02 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 11:02:25 -0400

FEMA HQ IV Conference in Las Vegas, NV

Response by LCDR Jamie Galus made Sep 2 at 2015 11:54 AM

LCDR Jamie Galus — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 11:54:25 -0400

This one is easy. While assigned to JTF-6, now JTF-North, I was sent not once but twice to the US Virgin Island to conduct intelligence assessments.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 2 at 2015 12:32 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 12:32:31 -0400

Going to SOC in AZ for 2 and half months is amazing. You're in civilians the entire time you almost forget you're in the Army

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Sep 2 at 2015 12:37 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 12:37:58 -0400

Ft McClellan, now you know why I am jaded.

Response by WO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 2 at 2015 2:23 PM

WO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 14:23:46 -0400

Go to the Army Ten-Miler in DC, run for an hour, spend a week in D.C. checking out the monuments.

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 2 at 2015 4:41 PM

CW5 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 16:41:19 -0400

Spending time as a Guest Observer-Controller/Trainer at NTC and JRTC.
Since I was from FORSCOM HQ, I went under a different funding umbrella than all the other Guest OC/Ts in that I stayed in the hotel on post, had a rental car, and ate on my own.
The creature comforts weren't what made the TDY the best though. (The hours were very long and I was always on call with a radio at my hip). It was the opportunity to teach, coach and mentor signal leaders in the box while not having to stay at Ft. Irwin or Fort Polk longer than that rotation. I had the privilege of doing this twice at NTC and once at JRTC.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Sep 2 at 2015 9:57 PM

SFC Mark Merino — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 21:57:30 -0400

My best TDY trip has been classified by those that were there with me until 2085. What happens TDY, stays TDY.

Response by SGT Zila Winstead made Sep 3 at 2015 11:47 AM

SGT Zila Winstead — Thu, 03 Sep 2015 11:47:07 -0400

When I was a PFC as a 92A for D Co., 1-52nd Aviation we were given 48 days of TDY to assist an Aviation BN from Schofield Barracks, HI who was currently deployed in Iraq. We worked short shifts and enjoyed our weekends in Hawaii. It was amazing! Not to mention the $100 per day per diem. I was receiving my monthly paycheck and made $4,800 as a single PFC, let's just say it was nice way to purchase my vehicle and pay for my insurance. ;)

Response by SFC George Rosenbaum made Sep 3 at 2015 4:32 PM

SFC George Rosenbaum — Thu, 03 Sep 2015 16:32:34 -0400

Last 3 years on Active Duty at Ft. Lee, Va. I spent 17 months TDY traveling to different stateside installations conducting a supply course. When at home station was an instructor for mostly officers/civilians.

Response by SGT Jerrold Pesz made Sep 3 at 2015 4:36 PM

SGT Jerrold Pesz — Thu, 03 Sep 2015 16:36:06 -0400

I did a lot of TDY my last few months of active duty. Often the assignment sucked but I got to do lots of traveling and see lots of interesting places. Often my orders gave me a week or two to complete a one or two day job and I spent the rest of the time being a tourist.

Response by Sgt Jay Jones made Oct 23 at 2015 5:52 PM

Sgt Jay Jones — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 17:52:07 -0400

In 1972 the Marine Corps was trying to solve racial tensions. They contracted with a civilian who developed a Human Relations Instructor's Course. The intent was to have a team of instructors in each unit to conduct training one Human Relations and racial understandings.

I was selected as one of two instructors from my unit in Kansas City, MO.

I departed Kansas City on January 5, 1959 and the temperature was 5 Degrees Fahrenheit. Three hours later we landed in San Diego, California. When I got off of the plane the temperature was 59 Degrees Fahrenheit. \

I attending training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California. I was a Sergeant at the time. Needless to say a Sergeant at MCRD who is not a Drill Instructor is one of the best duties you will ever have. To this day I say San Diego is one of the best secrets in America. I HAD A BLAST!

Response by SSG Carlos Madden made Oct 26 at 2016 11:01 AM

SSG Carlos Madden — Wed, 26 Oct 2016 11:01:58 -0400

I thought what happened on TDY stayed on TDY...

Response by Capt Brandon Charters made Oct 26 at 2016 11:24 AM

Capt Brandon Charters — Wed, 26 Oct 2016 11:24:52 -0400

Building & launching rockets from C-17s in Kauai was a pretty great TDY.