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I suspect we are going to see a signficant drop in reenlistments in the RC. Ask all those ARNG Infantry ans Armor soldiers we've sent to Germany and Italy over the past two years to guard kasernes (along with contract guards) how they liked their deployments. It is not what they signed up to do, and in one case, when some of them approached the AC commander at one location (I won't name it, but it starts with a "V" and is next to Graf) about the possibility of training and pulling maintenance on the tanks and getting in the simulators there during their off duty time as gate guards, they were told, "no, you are here to guard the gates so my soldiers can train." One team.

Hard to convince folks to stay on as tankers and infantrymen when they get little or no respect from the folks they were there to support, and are doing something that has nothing to do with their primary duty description...and they are away from their homes, jobs and families for almost a year. And, often times are housed for months in places we wouldn't dare put a regular army soldier. Outside latrines, no potable water in the buildings. In the field in Iraq is one thing, but I'm guessing whe could do a better job taking care of these guys.

Are they whining? Perhaps, but they also get to vote when the reenlistment NCO comes around to talk them up about staying...
regards,

Outside latrines, no potable water in the buildings. In the field in Iraq is one thing, but I'm guessing whe could do a better job taking care of these guys.

Come on. How can you say no regular Army soldier would be in these conditions? Outside latrines? Is using a latrine that is not connected to your sleeping quarters really this bad? Some of the best, most memorable craps I have ever taken have been outside.

You are describing acceptable conditions of life in the Army. You might have a skewed perception of it because you saw RA troops with better housing or whatever than you had while you were deployed to whatever mission but it happens. I have endured those same sorts of conditions. The Army issued me a sleeping bag. There's my bed. An E-Tool, hey, I can sh!t where I need to. A poncho? If it aint raining we aint training. Hungry? MRE.

You had to guard the gates at Vilseck? It could've been a lot worse.

Pure and simple, this is the life in a holding company. Guys waiting for reassignment, transportation, reclassification, and courts martial dates. There is no military organization, no extras, no organized training.

Generally there is a 1sg, a CO (in name only), a few clerks and hundreds of troops.

I have been in 1 holding company in my life, and after 3 days of it, I volunteered to work as a prison guard to get out of the company. The MP's treated me as one of their own and it made the 6 weeks go by fast.

In the holding company were AWOLS from Europe (troops that overstayed their leaves and turned themselves in), medical holds and guys like me awaitng orders to new posts. They had 6 formations a day, all work details, and passed out painting assignments, butt calls, and KP assignments. You miss any one of the formations and you could miss your shipping orders.

Is it easy living, no!!!! Is it necessary? probably. After all, if they made it a Holiday Inn, nobody would ever want to ship to their units.

I can't believe that they have no doctors. The military was certainly willing to send troops to the big hospitals that had ample medical personnel.

I suspect that these troops are complaining because they are not getting the medical care THEY THINK they need.

In any case, where is the IG in all of this? He is the troops ultimate go to person for all injustices. Troops get into more trouble talking to reporters than to the IG.