What should i expect and bring on my first deployment?

Question

i am deploying to Iraq for a year with my national guard cav unit next april. it will be my first deployment and i am just wondering what should i expect, what are some items i should purchase or bring. id love any advice i can get from veterans that have been over to the sandbox. thanks guys.

Answer 1

Baby wipes, sunscreen, and Gatorade. You'll probably want to take playing card and something to read.

Answer 2

Body armor! ??

Answer 3

Thanks for serving our country.

Answer 4

laptop and phonecard

You can buy a laptop there..my husband did on his first tour. The computer is the best link I have to him right now.

You can buy a phone card and your family can fill it up for ya if you tell them the numbers. The problem is the lines are long and the connection is bad. My advice..do like we do, when you first answer say I love you and anything important. The phone tends to cut out and then you feel bad for not saying love ya and bye.

The rest of the stuff he gets there...gatorade is handed out free. I do send him Starbucks and tim Horton's coffee though.

Good luck soldier, keep your head down.

one last thing..take some A&D ointment, actually diaper rash cream works the best. Its hot and you wear a lot of uniform, I have sent like 7 tubes of cream for the inside of soldiers legs and under arms. All the places that rub..they get rashed and it hurts.

Answer 5

I will say if you want to stay connected to people here at home bring a laptop.  Either make sure you keep it with you or have it shipped as soon as you get an APO, DO NOT put it in anything that is not in your possession.  Try to get as many USO phone cards as you can, go to every USO you can before you leave, lol.  It depends on what you are going to do as to what you REALLY need.  My husband was told to bring a lot of gear that he never used, but others did so make sure to stick to you packing list.  He is an engineer unit and for the first six months of the tour they ran convoys because no one up top realized they were engineers.  lol You can really get almost anything you need there in country depending on where you are.  A well established camp can be betterequipt than some of the dutystationss stateside.  It is an interesting ride to say the least.  Give my love to your family and stay safe buddy.  

Answer 6

A clear head and perhaps a tank-spotters guide to armies and their tanks so you don't shoot any British Friendlies.

Other than that, yourself!

Answer 7

baby wipes - always important,

drop bag - If you can't get one from supply,  a h**l of a lot easier to retain you're spent magazines.

ipod - **** can get boring there at times,

good pair of gloves,

personal supply of 550 cord

100mph tape

electircal tape - Try to get some from your battalion supply.

tampons - great for packing wounds

silly string - used this to check rooms for trip wires

I'm sure there's more I just can't remember right now.  

I taped loops of 550 cord to bottom of my magazines. I found it made them easier to get out of my LBE and it's always good to have some to **** with people when you're bored. ;-)

If you're going to modify your gear in anyway ,like where you place you magazines or add anything, take the time to practice getting to your gear or dropping a mag in you drop bag.  Muscle memory is your friend when things get stressful. IA drills can be annoying, but there life savers.