Basic Q's from a parent

[Team Sergeant]

Originally Posted by Go For Broke

Ahem...I believe that the fridge is on the ground floor, to your right as you enter your team room door..., unless they have moved it to the second floor since I left. I recommend Henry Weinhart.

LOLOLOLOL damn how'd I miss that!

[18C Dad]

Originally Posted by 3dfxMM

.........He and a dozen other guys are being moved to Ft. Lewis to attend language school. The movers picked up his belongings today and he and his wife leave tomorrow to drive to Ft. Lewis.

I can't recommend an area for your son and wife to live during their time in Washington as I've never lived in that part of Western Washington. That being said, if it were me, I would probably look south of Fort Lewis - perhaps the Lacey or Olympia area. I don't think I would look in Tacoma. My son lives in University Place and it seems to be a pretty decent area. Be prepared for high rental rates compared to many areas of the U.S. On the plus side it's a beautiful state with many outdoor activities and some of the most diverse geography in the U.S. Everything from Pacific Ocean coastline, rain forest of the Olympic Peninsula, Puget Sound, the Cascade Mountains, the desert of the Tri-Cities, orchards and other crops of Central Washington and pine forests of Eastern Washington. You're also real close to British Columbia and that's a nice weekend trip. Let me know if you make it over here for a visit. We'll figure out a way to get together.

18C Dad

[3dfxMM]

Thanks for the info. They aren't too set on any one place just yet. Of course, they are getting some conflicting information but that always happens when you ask a lot of people where the best place to live is. They are both looking forward to being there. He will hopefully find out when he can get into a class shortly after he gets settled and checks in.

[LongWire]

Originally Posted by 3dfxMM

He may be setting a record for longest pipeline for a non-18D, though.

Doubtful............Very Doubtful!!!!!!!!


Oh I'll take a Henry's, I miss the Hell Outta Lewis!!!!!!!!!!

[3dfxMM]

Now I am curious. Does anyone here know what the longest stay in the pipeline has been? I guess I should amend my earlier statement to point out that I was including the 18X pre-pipeline portion as well so calling it the pipeline was incorrect.

[Surgicalcric]

Originally Posted by 3dfxMM

Now I am curious. Does anyone here know what the longest stay in the pipeline has been? I guess I should amend my earlier statement to point out that I was including the 18X pre-pipeline portion as well so calling it the pipeline was incorrect.

Before TR, TS, NDD or any of the other guys chime in, it isnt me. lol

I recall a story, from a meeting at the GB club a few months back, of a guy who had been in the SFQC something like 9 years. I dont so much think he was trying to graduate as he was trying to sham.

Other than that I know of one guy whose a Delta who it took nearly 4 years and he wasnt an 18X.

Maybe one of the QP's know of someone else...

On another note, best of luck to your son. I know of a Delta who is headed out to Ft Lewis in a few weeks for the same thing, then he will be back for Sage.

Crip

[x SF med]

Jeez- 9 yrs? even 4 yrs? Back when the earth was young, even as a Delta a long stay was 2 yrs - average, I think was 6-9 months. There must have been a lot added to the course. QRQ, may I borrow your avatar, I feel very Pleioscene at the moment, get me my cane, or a walker....

[Go For Broke]

Originally Posted by 3dfxMM

Thanks for the info. They aren't too set on any one place just yet. Of course, they are getting some conflicting information but that always happens when you ask a lot of people where the best place to live is. They are both looking forward to being there. He will hopefully find out when he can get into a class shortly after he gets settled and checks in.

Gentlemen,

FWIW, I think that he / they would be able to adjust to almost any place out there. South to North - Olympia, Lacey, DuPont, Yelm, Stillicum, Tacoma (certain sections), Puyallup, and even Federal Way are all good places from what I remember / last saw in Jun '06. The only place I would NOT recommend is Tillicum, while it is cheap and convenient to post (and the hospital)...it is not...the safest place to live. Really IMHO, it comes down to what they enjoy - "city" life, "suburban" life, or "country" life and the respective amenities / hassles associated with each. I know of people who even live further out ( ~ 45 min) in the Orting / Graham / Kapowsin area. Olympia / Lacey / Tacoma are more of the "city" life. DuPont, Stillicum, Fed Way are more "suburban". Puyallup seems to cross the two. Yelm, Orting, KPOW, and Graham are more "rural" but even they have at least one Starbucks shop (not to mention the plethora of coffee shops in that region).

I am assuming that he is PCSing there, make sure that he gets his 10-days Permissive TDY, so he can find a good place. While they are fairly lenient WRT breaking leases, you need to have orders in hand reassigning you to a new post / conventional deployment. It would be a shame for him to get into a 1-year lease in a dump.

Hope some of this helped.

V/R,

[3dfxMM]

That should help some. He definitely plans to take his Permissive TDY time so they can find a place. Thanks.

[3dfxMM]

Thanks, everyone, for the information. I don't know to what extent any of it was weighed when decision time came, but it was nice for them to have some info. My son and his wife are safely landed in Olympia. Their HHG arrived yesterday. My son has completed his in-processing for Ft. Lewis, 1st Group, and language school. He has a few light days and then starts language school next week. He is also already scheduled for a jump. They both love the area. Thanks again for the help.

[3dfxMM]

I'm back for another update. My son has a couple of months left of language school which is going well. He went before the E-5 board in early December and just found out he made the March list which I believe means that in a couple of weeks he will be an E-5. There were four of the guys in his language class that went for it and made it. We are quite happy for him.

[Gypsy]

Congrats to your son!

[Hipshot]

Congrats on your son making Sergeant.

[Genghis_Don]

Congrats to your son! Have you told him that it doesn't really count till he makes E-5 the second time? lol.

Not speaking from personal experience but with 16 years in Big Army I daresay that SF and Ranger Bat are the last true bastions of the NCO Corp in the Army. Everywhere else it has become quite watered down.

My hat's off to him and here's to a long and illustrious career

[3dfxMM]

My son took the DLPT on Friday and passed it with a 2/2+. He gets on a plane tomorrow to go to Ft. Bragg for Robin Sage. Inching ever closer.