One More Random IRR Note from Fort Jackson

To any current or future readers who have or will stumble upon this blog, I wanted to invite you to contact me with any questions that you might have about the IRR process, particularly as it applies to the re-classed civil affairs folks.

In the meantime, here are a few tips--but keep in mind that just because this is what training is like during June/July 2007, doesn't mean this is still the deal when guys get called up in 2 years to go invade Syria.

1) Expect to have weekends off. The op-tempo here is pretty relaxed, and the reservists value their time off as much as you will. During my rotation, we had a full weekend off, and they re-worked the rest of the schedule so we'd have a holiday for the 4/5 July as well.

2a) Bring lots of civilian clothes. There isn't a fixed schedule, but our enlisted folks didn't get their uniforms issued until Wednesday afternoon of week 1. We officers bought our uni's on Tuesday, but didn't wear them until the enlisted guys had theirs. So that's what...4 days up front in civilian clothes? Plus weekends and evenings off? Make sure to plan accordingly...

2b) Do NOT bring BDU's. Some of the info out there still mentions BDU's, but you won't need them. Bringing them just creates hassle as you figure out where to stow them.

3) It seems obvious, and it's written all over the place...but really do bring all of the paperwork you can think of. Marriage licenses, birth certificates for your kids, rental agreements leases and mortgages. If you are re-classed Civil Affairs**, and you don't have a security clearance, expect to have to fill out all of that paperwork as well.

4) Bring a car if you dare...but don't expect them to be happy about it. Apparently, the CA folks at Bragg have been giving the cadre at Fort Jackson a hard time about officers driving themselves up there. For the life of me I can't think why they care, but still...know that if you bring your car, you risk being ordered to get rid of it at some point down here at Jackson.


**All of the combat arms enlisted dudes (and MP's) in my class got re-classed to civil affairs, but none of them knew it when they reported. If you've been re-classed, it's on your orders...but can be hard to find. Comb through the orders, and look for "38B"...if you see it, you've probably been re-classed.