THE BASICS:

            Hello again, faithful readers (at least those who are left after my hiatus).  The first thing I want to get off my chest is that I have not forgotten about the blog, and am in the process of catching it up to date with all the gory details of DCC so far.

            I’m forgoing a post about JAOBC graduation day as there wasn’t much to it.  Families come and you have roughly an hour long ceremony in ASUs, which begins around 10am.  You’ll have a speaker, receive a nifty diploma, and honor grads/airborne/air assault personnel will all be recognized in a hurried fashion as you shuffle across the stage.  You’re released once it’s done, and you’re on a pass until your DCC report date (we graduated on a Wednesday, and reported by 1500 the following Sunday).

            One thing I want to make clear (which has been mentioned in other blogs): DCC and Ft. Benning is a far cry from C-Ville.  For starters, you’re in a barracks unit.  Not a hotel, not TJAGLCS hotel-style accommodations, and not some fancy basic officer quarters.  The one thing the lodging does have going for it is that it is not, I repeat it is not open bay barracks.  For those of you who understand what I’m talking about, you’ll know that’s a big blessing.

(Lovely manicured lawns, magnificent trees, and fantastic accomodations await thee.)

            Unfortunately, unlike OBC, you will have at least one roommate, and in many cases two of them.  Just about every female in our class has two roommates, and the rooms aren’t necessarily any larger because of that.  You can expect sparse accommodations.  You’ll have two very basic standard Army twin beds with plastic mattresses, two wall lockers that have enough space to stow most of your uniforms, a little bit of gear, as well as some toiletries.  I have uniforms (PTs and ACUs), 3 sets of civilian clothes, my paperwork, and a few other things in there.  There may also be 2 chairs in your room, but that’s it.

(The Army's version of the Ritz.)

            Before you freak out and refuse to leave C-Ville, it’s not terrible.  The rooms are sparse and small, so I absolutely recommend dumping off as much of your personal belongings as possible BEFORE you get here.  Temporary storage is NOT available on post, and it seems to be a huge pain in the rear to coordinate storing anything off-post (no one in our class has done this). 

Aside from that, you share bathrooms (females are all on the 2^nd floor and share one bathroom, and have access to a 2^nd bathroom in a separate building across the central formation area).  Males are all on the 3^rd floor, and have 2 bathrooms with a total of 6 or 7 shower stalls.

The barracks are Vietnam-era, so they’re by no means the modern style units.  In terms of their location, it’s about a mile from the Airborne School, and situated next to one of the segments of the 75^th Ranger Regiment, so you Infantry FLEPs should feel right at home.  It’s also fairly close to a lot of the training areas (right down the street from some of the major rifle ranges, the central issue facility, and PT field).

            There is wireless internet available for $40/month in the barracks, but it stinks.  It’s frequently slow, way overpriced, and completely unreliable.  Do yourself a favor and save the cash and buy a hammer to hit yourself in the head in-it’ll be the same experience as operating the internet here anyhow.  There is internet available in the post library (about a 5-minute drive from the barracks), but it’s crowded as hell in there most of the time (just remember that this is a major training base, so you’ll be fighting for computer time against 235,123,557 junior enlisted soldiers who want to watch hours of youtube videos).

            You will not receive any per diem for meals here.  Instead, you’ll have free access to the closest dining facility (DFAC) on-post, which is about a 5-minute walk from the barracks.  The food isn’t 5-star, but it isn’t terrible.  The dinner hours stink, though.  It closes at 1800 (6:00p.m.).  You generally won’t have a problem during the other two meals, though.  When you aren’t eating there, there are a number of close dining options, including a Subway by the Airborne School (about a 3-4-minute drive), PX Mini-Mall by the post library, which has a small food court in it (5-minute drive), and the main PX and commissary (15-minute drive from the barracks).

            If you’re gawking at the length of the drive to the PX, it can be chalked up to a couple factors: (1) DCC barracks are buried inside the post, and it takes about 15 or so minutes to get there (given the 25mph speed limit down the main stretch); (2) the entire post is under massive construction.  That means the main artery through post is currently a 2-lane road, which is clogged at all the times you want to get around.  Factor in the school zone speed limit, and you get the picture.

In the interest of making these initial posts readable, I’m cutting this one here.  Check in for Part II soon.