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bobsmith123 · 04-14-2016, 08:30

First, thank you all for all your own great advice. I read this thread in its entirety before going and it was all a tremendous help. Thank you too to the custodians Professional Soldier. You have a superb website and have a created a resource of tremendous value to all those in the USASOC community.

I am an officer and was selected in one of this year’s (2016) SFAS classes. I wrote up all my advice below. Making life at SFAS as easy as possible under the circumstances was a focus of my prep. You have limited time and energy (emotional and physical), and I found taking care of a lot of the little things below was key.

I’ve divided my advice into sections (“Equipment to Bring,” “Prepare Yourself Mentally…,” etc.) and posted them separately so each one isn’t too long.

GOOD LUCK!

EQUIPMENT YOU CAN BRING – There seemed to be no limit of how much authorized stuff you can take

A Really Good Book – There is a surprising amount of time hanging out in the barracks trying to stay awake, so bringing a book that will inspire or take your mind off things is critical. I brought Into Thin Air about the tragic climb up Mount Everest and it was the perfect book…highly recommended.
- http://www.amazon.com/Into-Thin-Air-...ilpage_o05_s00

An Inspirational Photo and Quote – I brought a photo of the trails where would ruck three times a week to remind me of how hard I had worked to get there. I also brought a laminated quotation by Tony Robbins about hard work. I looked at these several times a day and always before a big event. They did a lot to focus and reassure me of what I had to do. I kept them in my book so to keep them out of sight.

3 or 4 Combination Padlocks – one for each bag and one for the wall locker/s.

Sleep System – I brought mine, but CIF can issue you a complete one as well when you get there. However, if you have one, I would take it.

A Woobie Converted into a Sleeping Bag – I always loved doing this with my woobie. By folding your woobie in half and sewing a sleeping-bag replacement zipper along two sides of it, you can convert your woobie into a lightweight sleeping bag. Brigade Quartermaster used to sell a kit, but I think they stopped. I made mine by order a sleeping-bag zipper online and then sewing it on myself. Here’s a site to get a general idea of what a converted woobie would look like: http://www.survivaloutdoorskills.com/poncho_liners.htm.

Sheets and Pillows – You can bring your own sheets and a pillow and those who did slept like kings. I would recommend bringing at least a fitted sheet for a twin/full bed and your favorite pillow.

Canteen Cleaner – It’s up to you, but the canteens you are issued were used by 100 other Soldiers before you, so something like hydrogen peroxide or other sterilizing solution can help make it a little cleaner.

Gloves – A light pair of gloves for general stuff (walking during LandNav) and the heavy leather work gloves for team week are great. They also issued us the white repelling gloves at CIF, which will work as well.

Two+ Sets of Eye Pro – Set yourself up or success with a fresh pair of eye pro when you start the Star. It’s hard enough to see at night.

Glasses Defogger – If there’s a product that will keep eye pro from fogging up, I would get it. Once I started sweating, by eye pro fogged up and I couldn’t see anything.

Two+ Headlamps – Losing your one-and-only headlamp can be really bad, so bring two. If you can find one that has both Red and Blue lights, that would be the best as different colors can help show off different features of the map and especially anything marked with a highlighter.

Highlighters for the Map – You can bring map markers, but I would definitely bring a five-color pack of highlighters for marking boundaries, draws, and points of interest on your map; you can mark the map anyway you want.

Pen Light – I always felt best with more, so I took two AAA pen lights (one Blue, one Red) as backups for my two headlamps.

Liquid Detergent – You will be doing any washing in a big sink, and I found liquid detergent worked best. A scrub brush is also handy.

One Nice Taped Uniform – After you are selected, you will be in a lot of briefings, so it’s good to either keep one of your four taped uniforms relatively clean or have a fifth one ready to go. I had nothing but trashed uniforms and it was kinda embarrassing.

Extra Stuff for Others – Being generous and supportive of those around you is a great way to bond (and get future high peers). I brought a 1,000’ role of 550 cord, hung it on the end of my bunk, and encouraged everyone to help themselves. I also hung a bottle of sunscreen and a muscle roller there for people to use. It worked very well.

Clear 2” Packing Tape – A roll of this, the same width as 100 mph tape, is great for making quick laminations. After writing your roster number on the 100 mph tape, cover it with the clear tape and it will never fade.

MOLLE Web Dominators with Elastic String for Holding your Canteen Straw – Another little bit of equipment that made life so much easier for me was putting two of these on the sternum straps of my ruck and using them to retain the two hoses of my 2-quart straws.
- http://www.amazon.com/BCP-MOLLE-Domi...ilpage_o01_s01

Two 2-Quart Straws, One for Each 2-Quart Canteen – Can’t imagine life without them…a must-have.
- http://www.amazon.com/Rothco-602-Can...rch_detailpage

Camelbak Hydrolink Hydration Conversion Kit Bite Valve for 2-Quart Straws – The ones that come with the straws are very bad.
- http://www.amazon.com/CamelBak-90512...7_a_it&sr=8-17

Band-Aids and Hand Sanitizer – Just good to have for cleaning and protecting any cuts. Things don’t heal well out there.

FoxRiver Socks – I’m not a sock guy, but I tried them and I will probably never go back to the regular Army ones. They are nicely padded, offer foot support, function well when wet, and dry fast. This is just what I used…there are some other good ones out there too.
- https://www.foxsox.com/catalog/produ...ctedstyle=6036

Nice Kit Bag – To make life as easy as possible and thus maximize my emotional and physical energy at SFAS, I treated myself to the best kit bag I could find: a jumbo zippered kit bag with multiple compartments and wheels called the Sandpiper of California Rolling Loadout Luggage X-Large Bag. You will move several times at SFAS and you will be constantly diving in and out of your bag for stuff with often little time to find it. This kit bag made life easy and was the envy of many Soldiers there. For overflow equipment that I never used, I stored them in an Army-issue top-loading duffel and kept it under my bunk. If you don’t want to shell out the bucks for the fancy kit bag, the giant zippered duffel below is an adequate alternative. I actually took that as well, in case they said “no” to the wheeled kit bag…but they didn’t. – NOTE: I would only travel with military bags when absolutely necessary…it’s not safe these days to spotlight yourself as a Serviceman.
- Sandpiper Kit Bag: http://www.amazon.com/Sandpiper-Cali...ilpage_o07_s00
- Giant Duffle: http://www.amazon.com/Rothco-Canvas-...ilpage_o06_s00

Trash Bags – Take a couple…can make a good waterproof bag if needed.

Storage bags – I used several of the large oversized bags with the one-way valves for storing uniforms in my kit bag. Made things easier to find.

Two gallon bags – I would take at least 5 of them.

100 MPH Tape – Take some…you will need it. I also took a piece of cardboard and wrapped about 5 feet of tape around it and kept in in my pocket. It was great as I often needed a piece in the field.

Two Sets of Flip Flops – A tiny pair you leave in your ruck, and another you leave out for heading to the latrine.

Extra Fleece Caps and Neck Gators – I took three of each…nothing’s sadder than losing your fleece cap (or gator), especially in the chilly evenings.

Lots of Socks – I took twenty pairs and could have taken more. Once they get dirty/salty, they won’t treat your feet as well and washing them can be a pain.

Bring a Little Extra Engineer Tape – You can’t have a lot of it, but there will be someone who needs it for their uniform and will be glad you have it. Plus, you will need about a foot of it for putting your number on the road guard vest.

04-14-2016, 08:30	#122
bobsmith123 Asset Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 6	My Advice First, thank you all for all your own great advice. I read this thread in its entirety before going and it was all a tremendous help. Thank you too to the custodians Professional Soldier. You have a superb website and have a created a resource of tremendous value to all those in the USASOC community. I am an officer and was selected in one of this year’s (2016) SFAS classes. I wrote up all my advice below. Making life at SFAS as easy as possible under the circumstances was a focus of my prep. You have limited time and energy (emotional and physical), and I found taking care of a lot of the little things below was key. I’ve divided my advice into sections (“Equipment to Bring,” “Prepare Yourself Mentally…,” etc.) and posted them separately so each one isn’t too long. GOOD LUCK! EQUIPMENT YOU CAN BRING – There seemed to be no limit of how much authorized stuff you can take A Really Good Book – There is a surprising amount of time hanging out in the barracks trying to stay awake, so bringing a book that will inspire or take your mind off things is critical. I brought Into Thin Air about the tragic climb up Mount Everest and it was the perfect book…highly recommended. - http://www.amazon.com/Into-Thin-Air-...ilpage_o05_s00 An Inspirational Photo and Quote – I brought a photo of the trails where would ruck three times a week to remind me of how hard I had worked to get there. I also brought a laminated quotation by Tony Robbins about hard work. I looked at these several times a day and always before a big event. They did a lot to focus and reassure me of what I had to do. I kept them in my book so to keep them out of sight. 3 or 4 Combination Padlocks – one for each bag and one for the wall locker/s. Sleep System – I brought mine, but CIF can issue you a complete one as well when you get there. However, if you have one, I would take it. A Woobie Converted into a Sleeping Bag – I always loved doing this with my woobie. By folding your woobie in half and sewing a sleeping-bag replacement zipper along two sides of it, you can convert your woobie into a lightweight sleeping bag. Brigade Quartermaster used to sell a kit, but I think they stopped. I made mine by order a sleeping-bag zipper online and then sewing it on myself. Here’s a site to get a general idea of what a converted woobie would look like: http://www.survivaloutdoorskills.com/poncho_liners.htm. Sheets and Pillows – You can bring your own sheets and a pillow and those who did slept like kings. I would recommend bringing at least a fitted sheet for a twin/full bed and your favorite pillow. Canteen Cleaner – It’s up to you, but the canteens you are issued were used by 100 other Soldiers before you, so something like hydrogen peroxide or other sterilizing solution can help make it a little cleaner. Gloves – A light pair of gloves for general stuff (walking during LandNav) and the heavy leather work gloves for team week are great. They also issued us the white repelling gloves at CIF, which will work as well. Two+ Sets of Eye Pro – Set yourself up or success with a fresh pair of eye pro when you start the Star. It’s hard enough to see at night. Glasses Defogger – If there’s a product that will keep eye pro from fogging up, I would get it. Once I started sweating, by eye pro fogged up and I couldn’t see anything. Two+ Headlamps – Losing your one-and-only headlamp can be really bad, so bring two. If you can find one that has both Red and Blue lights, that would be the best as different colors can help show off different features of the map and especially anything marked with a highlighter. Highlighters for the Map – You can bring map markers, but I would definitely bring a five-color pack of highlighters for marking boundaries, draws, and points of interest on your map; you can mark the map anyway you want. Pen Light – I always felt best with more, so I took two AAA pen lights (one Blue, one Red) as backups for my two headlamps. Liquid Detergent – You will be doing any washing in a big sink, and I found liquid detergent worked best. A scrub brush is also handy. One Nice Taped Uniform – After you are selected, you will be in a lot of briefings, so it’s good to either keep one of your four taped uniforms relatively clean or have a fifth one ready to go. I had nothing but trashed uniforms and it was kinda embarrassing. Extra Stuff for Others – Being generous and supportive of those around you is a great way to bond (and get future high peers). I brought a 1,000’ role of 550 cord, hung it on the end of my bunk, and encouraged everyone to help themselves. I also hung a bottle of sunscreen and a muscle roller there for people to use. It worked very well. Clear 2” Packing Tape – A roll of this, the same width as 100 mph tape, is great for making quick laminations. After writing your roster number on the 100 mph tape, cover it with the clear tape and it will never fade. MOLLE Web Dominators with Elastic String for Holding your Canteen Straw – Another little bit of equipment that made life so much easier for me was putting two of these on the sternum straps of my ruck and using them to retain the two hoses of my 2-quart straws. - http://www.amazon.com/BCP-MOLLE-Domi...ilpage_o01_s01 Two 2-Quart Straws, One for Each 2-Quart Canteen – Can’t imagine life without them…a must-have. - http://www.amazon.com/Rothco-602-Can...rch_detailpage Camelbak Hydrolink Hydration Conversion Kit Bite Valve for 2-Quart Straws – The ones that come with the straws are very bad. - http://www.amazon.com/CamelBak-90512...7_a_it&sr=8-17 Band-Aids and Hand Sanitizer – Just good to have for cleaning and protecting any cuts. Things don’t heal well out there. FoxRiver Socks – I’m not a sock guy, but I tried them and I will probably never go back to the regular Army ones. They are nicely padded, offer foot support, function well when wet, and dry fast. This is just what I used…there are some other good ones out there too. - https://www.foxsox.com/catalog/produ...ctedstyle=6036 Nice Kit Bag – To make life as easy as possible and thus maximize my emotional and physical energy at SFAS, I treated myself to the best kit bag I could find: a jumbo zippered kit bag with multiple compartments and wheels called the Sandpiper of California Rolling Loadout Luggage X-Large Bag. You will move several times at SFAS and you will be constantly diving in and out of your bag for stuff with often little time to find it. This kit bag made life easy and was the envy of many Soldiers there. For overflow equipment that I never used, I stored them in an Army-issue top-loading duffel and kept it under my bunk. If you don’t want to shell out the bucks for the fancy kit bag, the giant zippered duffel below is an adequate alternative. I actually took that as well, in case they said “no” to the wheeled kit bag…but they didn’t. – NOTE: I would only travel with military bags when absolutely necessary…it’s not safe these days to spotlight yourself as a Serviceman. - Sandpiper Kit Bag: http://www.amazon.com/Sandpiper-Cali...ilpage_o07_s00 - Giant Duffle: http://www.amazon.com/Rothco-Canvas-...ilpage_o06_s00 Trash Bags – Take a couple…can make a good waterproof bag if needed. Storage bags – I used several of the large oversized bags with the one-way valves for storing uniforms in my kit bag. Made things easier to find. Two gallon bags – I would take at least 5 of them. 100 MPH Tape – Take some…you will need it. I also took a piece of cardboard and wrapped about 5 feet of tape around it and kept in in my pocket. It was great as I often needed a piece in the field. Two Sets of Flip Flops – A tiny pair you leave in your ruck, and another you leave out for heading to the latrine. Extra Fleece Caps and Neck Gators – I took three of each…nothing’s sadder than losing your fleece cap (or gator), especially in the chilly evenings. Lots of Socks – I took twenty pairs and could have taken more. Once they get dirty/salty, they won’t treat your feet as well and washing them can be a pain. Bring a Little Extra Engineer Tape – You can’t have a lot of it, but there will be someone who needs it for their uniform and will be glad you have it. Plus, you will need about a foot of it for putting your number on the road guard vest.
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