Army Life: AIT - What the Recruiter Doesn't Tell You

 AIT.  When I first thought about AIT I imagined Ryan away at college.  I knew he could have his phone.  I knew he'd be in class.  But really, that's about all I knew.  Turns out, there was a ton I didn't know:

1. Delays.  This was the biggest surprise.  Ryan transferred over to this AIT unit the same day he graduated from Basic since they're at the same post.  We all figured he'd start class on Monday.  He was told he would start class on Monday.  He walked into class on Monday only to be told he wasn't on the roster.  After that, each week for three weeks we hoped and were disappointed to find he had yet to start class.  First there weren't enough students.  Then once more students showed up there weren't enough instructors.  This was frustrating for everyone involved.  Because Ryan wasn't in classes he had detail duty all day = cleaning.  The same spot.  Over and over.  Let's just say his morale got pretty low.  On top of this he was injured, which brings me to my next surprise.

2. Phases.  At least in Ryan's AIT, you start out at Phase 0.  Phase 0 means you pretty much are cleaning whenever you aren't sleeping or in class.  Including all weekend, except during church.  So, for those first few weeks he cleaned a lot.  I got to talk to him maybe 30 minutes, probably less, each evening.  For his AIT, in order to phase up you need to carry a certain GPA and pass your PT tests.  Since he was injured and on a profile, they wouldn't let him test.  I think altogether he was in Phase 0 for about 7 weeks.

3. Profile.  A soldier is put on profile any time they are injured badly enough that they need to limit what is required of them physically.  Ryan ended up getting a pelvic stress fracture in the last couple of weeks of Basic and disclosed it once he started AIT.  He was immediately placed on crutches and a profile.  Because of his profile he couldn't take a PT test and without a PT test he couldn't phase.  His injury was serious enough that in the beginning we were just concerned with him healing enough to pass his PT test for graduation.  He knew soldiers that couldn't graduate and move onto their next unit because of an injury.  Luckily, at this point it's all healed and he's Phase 2+ but it took a long time to get there and it was really hard those first weeks with no privileges and very little physical activity. 
 It was so hard as his wife being away from him when he was sad and in pain.  

4. Wifi.  There is none!  Ryan's computer is pretty much an expensive DVD player.  He has an iPad but has to use 3G data and his cell phone is always running on 3G.  It's not a huge deal in the long run but it was definitely a surprise.  Using his computer for emails would have been nice since he's no longer writing letters.

5. Battle buddies.  Don't leave home (or your room) without one.  Anytime he wants to go anywhere it has to be with someone.  It gets inconvenient at times.  I wasn't able to visit Ryan during AIT but if I had, a battle buddy would have had to accompany us everywhere. 

6. No overnight passes.  I know this varies but it was a huge bummer finding out that he was never allowed to stay overnight.  We had originally thought I'd bring Chloe out to visit halfway through AIT but any privilege is so tentative anyway and without overnight privileges, we thought it'd be better to save our money.  It would have been so nice to see him for a fully weekend during this long process. 

I think those were probably the biggest surprises.  Mainly it boils down to a lot less freedom then what we had expected and of course a longer timeline for being apart.   At this point he's been with his AIT unit for 18 weeks and by graduation he will have been with them for 25 weeks, 5 more than we had originally planned for. 

I can't wait to see him in a few weeks for HBL.  It'll be the first time we get to spend uninterrupted time together since early May (over 7 months!).  After being together for almost 12 years, this separation has been a new experience for both of us (and we're ready for it to be over!).

~Laura

Fitness: 5-4-3-2-1 Workout

Last night I took one of my many pins under my Pinterest Fitness category and decided to give it a whirl.

Let's just say, it was a little tougher than it looks!  Starting off with knee highs was a killer and then I totally wimped out on 1 min of mountain climbers.  And, for honesty's sake, I only did the circuit once, but I was sore this morning felt pretty good.  I wouldn't say it is a workout I'd do regularly but squeezing it in on a busy day, like the original blogger said, is a great idea.  I definitely got my heart rate up and felt like I deserved the shower that followed.

~Laura

Living Simply: Homemade Laundry Detergent

I've been on a slight "natural" jag lately.  It's mainly due to trying to cut our household expenses but I also like the idea of learning to do make things on my own.  You never know . . . the zombies may show up one day. :)

As always, Pinterest has been a huge inspiration.  That's where I first came across the idea: homemade laundry detergent.   

I was pretty excited.  The average cost based on other bloggers was approx $20/year (or $0.02-$0.04/load).  Plus, I love trying something new.  However, I'm living with my in-laws and they buy the laundry detergent so why would I spend money (and create additional stuff to eventually pack) when I didn't have to?  I told myself I'd hang onto the Fels Naptha bar my grandmother had given me and patiently wait until I NEEDED detergent.

However . . .  my curiosity got the better of me so I eventually gave into the temptation (and I'm so glad I did!).

Here's the recipe I used:

1 cup Borax

1 cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (not baking soda)

1/2 cup OxiClean (I have a two-year-old - it's not a necessary part of the recipe)

1 bar of Fels Neptha 

I used a simple parmesan grater because I didn't feel like digging out my MIL's blender and then cleaning up the mess.  The hand grater worked well but I'll probably use a food processor or blender when I have my own place again to get all of the pieces uniform. 

I've now been using my own detergent for about 2 months and I love it!

Reasons why I love this:

1. Gentle. No more worrying about harsh chemicals or fragrances causing itchy skin.  Plus, I'm really excited that it's gentle enough to use on babies.  I LOVE Dreft but it doesn't come cheap so this will be a great alternative the next time around.

2. Smells good.  I mean, there really is no smell but that's the great point.  It leaves a very faint clean, fresh smell and that's all I need!

3. Works for HE and standard washers.  It's low-sudsing so you can use it on any washer.

4. It's so cost-effective. 1 tbsp for normal loads, 2 tbsp for large or heavily soiled loads.  That's it.

5. Made it myself!  It's so satisfying to make something that helps my family.  Every time I do laundry I'm reminded of how much I love them. 

Oh yeah, and it does a great job cleaning. :)

Happy laundering!

~Laura

Update 3/25/13

After moving I read the OxyClean container and it says to NOT put into the normal dispenser for HE machines.  So, I still use my original laundry recipe (and LOVE it) but I don't add OxyClean unless I need to and then it's added straight to the drum.

Also, I use my food processor with the shredder attachment to shred the soap bar.  So quick! And then I'll switch blades and grind the whole mix up so the particles are nice and fine.  The laundry continues to turn out fresh and clean!

Army Life: Unexpected Costs During BCT and AIT

When Ryan and I were preparing for his departure to BCT, we set a savings goal.  With Chloe and me living with his parents and his little living expenses, we were optimistic we could save a lot.  Well . . . now that AIT is almost over, a few "unexpected" costs have come up that derailed that plan a little.

I thought I'd share what our costs have been to help other families plan:

1. Moving our house into storage.

This was an expense we had anticipated but it was still a large expense.  We had professional movers move our stuff (a whole 3 bedroom + office home) into a storage unit.  And of course now we have a storage fee every month.

2. Trip to Graduation.

This was our first less-thought-out cost.  Even though I shared the cost with my mother-in-law, it still consisted of a plane ticket, a rental car, and 5 nights at a hotel.  Definitely adds up!  It was my first time flying with my daughter and I made the mistake of not buying her a ticket.  She was about 22 months.  Let me just say, that was an extra challenge but at least I did save on her ticket.

3. Ryan's uniform.

You think Army --> uniform --> free.  Not quite.  We had no idea how much it'd cost to maintain his uniform!  There's patches and extra shirts and other uniform pieces.  He also ended up buying his own boots because the issued ones were terribly uncomfortable.  I'm estimating we've spent at least $400 on his uniform since he started AIT.  The Army does provide a clothing allowance but it's only about $300/year for military and you don't see that until after a year of enlistment and I just read it's only about half of that the first year because the soldier's uniform shouldn't wear out that quickly. 

4. Plane tickets.

Being new to the Army, we just assumed the Army would pay for Ryan to get back to us (his family) so that we could all move to our first duty station together.  Not the case.  The Army only pays for him to fly from AIT to his first duty station (FDS) (and for Chloe and me to meet him there if we choose to fly).

Ryan was originally expected to graduate right before Holiday Block Leave (HBL) but since he class was delayed (topic for another day) we're paying for him to fly to Oregon, back to Oklahoma for a couple more weeks, and then back to Oregon again (if all goes as planned).  On top of that we're responsible for his ticket to his FDS minus what it would have cost him to fly from AIT to his FDS.  So, long story short, there's some significant cost here.

5. Shipping our vehicle.

When we PCS it's going to be mid-Jan and we've decided for various reasons (older vehicle, snow, 2-year old who isn't too keen on being locked in a car seat) that we'd rather fly across country and ship our car.  But, my understanding at this point is that shipping our car is completely at our own expense.  A lot of people sell their car and buy another when they get to their next place but we're about a year away from paying it off so we've decided to hang onto it.  Last estimate I got was $1200 to ship from Oregon to NC.

6. Auto repair.

Before Ryan left he did all the car stuff.  Of course once he's gone on top of previously discussed items to fix, the PCU somehow dies.  Let's just say that was a pretty penny. 

7. Eating out at AIT.

Once Ryan started AIT we started receiving Basic Allowance for Substance (BAS) in his paycheck but the Army takes back almost all of it to compensate for eating at the Dining Facility (DFAC).  However, once Ryan phased and had more privileges, he started eating out either because he couldn't find a battle buddy to go with or the time for chow was inconvenient.  Either way, it became a significant part of the food budget per month.  Just something to keep in mind.

8. Mail and shipping costs.

This one is pretty minor but just something to keep in mind.   You're sending lots of letters all through Basic and then once Ryan was in AIT I mailed him clothes and movies and school supplies. 

I think the major cost hurdles are over but I'm hoping that by sharing this I can help others families prepare for what could pop up.

~Laura

Here We Go!

Hello everyone.  My name is Laura.  I'm a 29-year-old mother and wife.  In May our family gave up life as we knew it so my husband, Ryan, could serve in the Army.  Currently he's in AIT in Oklahoma but soon we'll be together again, facing the next adventure of PCSing for the first time.  Our daughter is two and a fun handful. Currently I'm living with Ryan's family while he's away. 

My goal with this blog is two-fold: 1) to share our military experience in order to help other military wives or significant others navigate this very different world, and 2) to share whatever is currently on my mind, from parenting to running a household to fitness tips.

Now, off to write that first post. 

~Laura