AFROTC Field Training Preperation

[Startingover]

This is a big year for me. Second year ROTC cadet and im going into the Field training class of 2010. Maxwell, is going to be an interesting experience.

Does anyone else specifically know what will go on at Maxwell during the ROTC Field training excercizes? Im excited to think that im already this close.

[dirty.bird]

It is kind of a very broad spectrum of things that go on there. Did you have anything in particular you have questions about?

[Startingover]

Well most particularly what kind of a structure is there going to be when I go. I know little about the acutal what we are going to be doing but how should i start to prepare obviously outside of ROTC.

[dirty.bird]

What to do to get prepared...

Let's start off with the common sense basics.

1. Know dorm maintenance like the back of your hand. When you get there, you will come across cadets that don't know any of it and will need to help them out. You don't want to be flipping through your FTM while unpacking all of your belongings as you may not have time to do so.

In order to get prepared for this I would recommend obviously reading and memorizing your FTM. To make this easier, what I did is I organized my drawers the same way, and set up half my closet to the exact specifications that were required at FT. I folded all my shirts, socks, shorts and towels just how they would need to be done at FT as well. So once I got there, I simply had to do what I had been doing for the past few months without a second thought.

2. Know the D&C manual better than the back of your hand. If you are chosen to be flight commander, especially in the first few days your flight is going to get into some awkward positions and the more you know of your D&C manual the more weapons you will have in your arsenal to correct the situation. If your flight has to continually raise their hands to tell you what you need to do next, the CTA's and FTO's will see that you are not effectively running your flight and you will not last long before being fired.

I was always told prior to field training that I would get yelled at even if I did everything right. While this may be true at certain times, it generally isn't during transit time. Keep in mind the staff has a schedule that they need to follow so they want you to be as close to on time as possible. If you are a good flight commander you will likely be held up by the flight in front of you and your CTA's and FTO's will give you props for having your act together while they flight in front of you gets a good butt chewing.

3. Dining hall procedures... You do this three times a day. Every day. Save yourself a lot of grief and commit this to memory, it really isn't hard and if you don't get it correct you will collect a lot of 341's here.

I'm not sure if your FTM will have a diagram of the dining facility but the last one did, try to get a look at one of them and have one of your POC explain it if you don't understand. Know the verbiage, seat numbers and which seat does what task. Also, know where to park your flights and what to do while you are inside waiting to process through the line.

****
Now on to what I think you really wanted to know... In the last field training manual, it has towards the back a sample schedule of what you might see. It is VERY similar to that every single day. You are busy from the time you wake up to the time you go to bed. You will get in a rhythm of where to go fairly quickly as you move from place to place very often. Activities at Maxwell include things such as PT in the morning, Chow, briefings, drill events, dorm maintenance, flight time and the list goes on and on. The point is you will constantly be busy and doing something and sometimes, it's even fun!

Field training is what you make of it. I dreaded it going in and I had a lot of fun once I got there. Know the FTM and D&C manual, the rest will take care of itself.

Hint: Volunteer to be flight commander as much as possible this year, you want to get stressed out as much as possible now so it isn't a shock when you get there. I asked my POC to yell at me and get in my face pretty good when I made mistakes and when I got to FT it didn't phase me.

[ClubSandwich]

Do drill sergeants yell at you like they do in BMT?

[dirty.bird]

Yeah they (CTA's) yell from time to time but that's not really what they are there to do. More often what they will do is get 3-5 of them in your face all talking loudly at you trying to get you flustered while you are trying to make a decision. The yelling is really not too intense after around TD-5. That doesn't mean to slack off because they can still turn it right back on at any time.

[cyclonecadet]

I would also suggest you know Counter March. I have heard that it is a life saver.

Do you have any questions about JFTC?

[Airbourne Infantry]

"Mandatory fun with designated friends", that what I've always heard of it. Any military training is all about attitude though. Do anything and everything you can before then, you never can be too prepared. Good luck.

[Sandbagger]

WOW, looks like a lot of stuff to pick up!