I leave for Fort Benning as an Infantry recruit May 20th. I am just curious what my chances are of going to Iraq. I got the feeling I'll probably be going for sure if things dont cool down in the next couple months. Also, Im not that worried about going I just want my time off after basic and (osut). Is there a good chance I will get that time off or will I most likely be shipped away right after training?

Thanks,

Private Randall

In recent history I don't think the Army has reassigned soldiers to deployed units. What will most likely happen is after basic and IAT you'll have some PCS leave (before your first assignment). After you report to your new unit there's a chance that you'll deploy with them.

HEY THERE AJ.... WHEN YOU GRADUATE YOU'LL GET SOME TIME OFF. THEN YOU'LL REPORT TO YOUR UNIT. JUST REMEMBER WHEN YOU GET THERE IF YOU DEPLOY SOON LISTEN TO WHAT YOUR FELLOW SOLDIERS AND NCO'S HAVE TO SAY....IT WILL HELP OUT ALOT. IVE BEEN IN THE ARMY FOR 10 YEARS AND JUST RETURNED FROM 9 MONTHS IN AFGHANISTAN, LISTEN AND STAY ALERT!!! AND GOOD LUCK TO YOU.

[quote:6af6361011="ajrandall2001"]Also, Im not that worried about going [/quote:6af6361011]

Yes, you are and that's GOOD. No sane person ever wants to be shot at, live in squalor, breathe 3rd world air for a year, eat chow not fit for a..."local", or watch folks get zapped, wasted, greased, smeared, plugged or any one of a 100 other verbs, that describe a person cessating all breathing and brainwave functions.

You Will get time off, enroute your PDA(Permenant Duty Assignment), most likely just short of 30 days in all. Enjoy it, and come back ready to start learning, because you don't kitnow yet, but the real education starts at your unit, and will NEVER stop.

[quote:f63b5e442b]In recent history I don't think the Army has reassigned soldiers to deployed units.[/quote:f63b5e442b]
Soldiers do get assigned to deployed units right out of training. I'm at a TRADOC assignment right now, and I see it happen - not "all the time", but often enough to not be a rarity. And they usually deploy to meet up with their unit very shortly after inprocessing. As far as PCS leave goes, for the soldiers in that situation, the report date on their orders usually restricts them to no more than 2 weeks leave. Occasionally more, but that tends to be the rule in the ones that I've seen personally.

Interestingly enough I recently saw a few examples of it. My old infantry company deployed before I ETSed and came back with several people I didn't know. I don't think any of them reported straight out of AIT but nowadays it wouldn't suprise me.