Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: JunkyII on October 27, 2009, 05:19:13 AM

Title: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: JunkyII on October 27, 2009, 05:19:13 AM
because thats where im going........10th Mountain baby wOOOOOOOO









so cold :cry
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: Spikes on October 27, 2009, 05:58:18 AM
Pretty cool, my uncle was in 10th Mtn for a while, he's in Louisiana now. I live about an hour south of Watertown (Ft Drum).
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: SunBat on October 27, 2009, 06:56:49 AM
That's cool. Haven't been there exactly but I have been up through the Adirondacks. Most incredibly beautiful scenery I have ever seen when we went up there in the fall.
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: Treize69 on October 27, 2009, 06:57:26 AM
Get a lot of long underwear and snow tires for your car. Trust me.
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: Gaidin on October 27, 2009, 07:15:38 AM
Spent 3 years there, and deployed to Afghan from there.

Be ready for PT in -20 temps.  I had some good times there, had some crappy times there too.  They went through a reorg there after I left, so my unit is no longer active.  Lots of field time, they had a nice mount training facility.

Good skiing not to far from Watertown too.  Good base to be stationed at if you don't mind the cold.

I think the cutoff for PT outdoors was -25 when I was there.  Average temp in the mornings is around -20 in dead of winter.
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: JunkyII on October 27, 2009, 07:28:50 AM
Spent 3 years there, and deployed to Afghan from there.

Be ready for PT in -20 temps.  I had some good times there, had some crappy times there too.  They went through a reorg there after I left, so my unit is no longer active.  Lots of field time, they had a nice mount training facility.

Good skiing not to far from Watertown too.  Good base to be stationed at if you don't mind the cold.

I think the cutoff for PT outdoors was -25 when I was there.  Average temp in the mornings is around -20 in dead of winter.
Someone told me they dont train much in the winter.......I know this is probably false :D
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: Gaidin on October 27, 2009, 07:32:17 AM
Well, you only have 3-4 months of non winter, so they train a good bit in winter :P

I spent an average of 2 weeks a month in the field, or rotational deployments.  Not every month was 2 weeks gone.  Might be gone 3 weeks this month, home a month, gone for 6 weeks, etc.. etc..


Things have changed alot since I left though.  They did a complete reorg, they main train differently now too.
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: JunkyII on October 27, 2009, 07:35:36 AM
Well, you only have 3-4 months of non winter, so they train a good bit in winter :P

I spent an average of 2 weeks a month in the field, or rotational deployments.  Not every month was 2 weeks gone.  Might be gone 3 weeks this month, home a month, gone for 6 weeks, etc.. etc..


Things have changed alot since I left though.  They did a complete reorg, they main train differently now too.
I know alot of units do it this way...
3 battalions 1 in the field always for a month at a time so a 3 month rotation that can get changed due to change of command things of that nature
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: druski85 on October 27, 2009, 08:29:01 AM
I was born in Watertown (awesome, eh?) and have spent a lot of time up there in my days.  When those Canadian high pressure systems float in, it can easily drop well, well below 0 as many have mentioned.  If you like snow, you are in business since the snowiest place on the east cost (Pulaski, NY) is just a wee bit south of Ft. Drum.  Unfortunately there aren't any good hills to go along with that snow.  Also, if you can get off the base and into the country a bit it is without a doubt the best star visibility that I have ever encountered. 

Enjoy the real, REAL upstate NY.
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: Spikes on October 27, 2009, 02:32:30 PM
http://www.goremountain.com/ Great ski place.

Treize and I are both in the Rome/Utica area...the snow can get pretty bad even down here so 4WD and/or snow tires are a must especially up there!
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: druski85 on October 27, 2009, 03:03:56 PM
http://www.goremountain.com/ Great ski place.

Treize and I are both in the Rome/Utica area...the snow can get pretty bad even down here so 4WD and/or snow tires are a must especially up there!

Yea, as I said I was born in Watertown, then grew up near Rochester.  Went to school in Albany, so I've skied Gore more than a handful of times (including one race up there -- AWESOME super G) .  I just wouldn't consider it all that close to Watertown.  Whiteface is about the same distance.  (both a bit over 3 hours) 
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: Spikes on October 27, 2009, 04:27:23 PM
Yea, as I said I was born in Watertown, then grew up near Rochester.  Went to school in Albany, so I've skied Gore more than a handful of times (including one race up there -- AWESOME super G) .  I just wouldn't consider it all that close to Watertown.  Whiteface is about the same distance.  (both a bit over 3 hours) 
Oh really? Dang...Woods Valley is closer than that then...it's right in the Rome area, about 2 minutes from where my dad lives. Isn't as big as Gore (by a longshot) but I get free season passes so it's all good...
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: druski85 on October 27, 2009, 04:40:19 PM
Oh really? Dang...Woods Valley is closer than that then...it's right in the Rome area, about 2 minutes from where my dad lives. Isn't as big as Gore (by a longshot) but I get free season passes so it's all good...

Not to pull this one further off topic.... :)   But yea even though the cardinal distance from Ft. Drum to Gore and Whiteface is not huge, there is no major road to get to either.  You either have to go north of the Adirondacks on the back roads of St. Lawrence county, (think Deliverance, but with more farms and Canadian accents) south of them on highways, (huge detour) or through them on really slow, winding roads.  Those are bad any time of year, and AWFUL during the winter.  

Is woods valley that one you can see from the Thruway right outside of Rome?  I made the Rochester - Albany drive so many times I can just about do it in my sleep at this point...
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: Spikes on October 27, 2009, 05:53:40 PM
Not to pull this one further off topic.... :)   But yea even though the cardinal distance from Ft. Drum to Gore and Whiteface is not huge, there is no major road to get to either.  You either have to go north of the Adirondacks on the back roads of St. Lawrence county, (think Deliverance, but with more farms and Canadian accents) south of them on highways, (huge detour) or through them on really slow, winding roads.  Those are bad any time of year, and AWFUL during the winter. 

Is woods valley that one you can see from the Thruway right outside of Rome?  I made the Rochester - Albany drive so many times I can just about do it in my sleep at this point...
I do know what place you are talking about, can't recall a name but it's not Woods Valley...Woods is actually in a Valley near Lake Delta. (Great view of the lake from top of hill)
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: Swager on October 27, 2009, 06:58:52 PM
Good hunting and fishing. Salmon fishing is in now.  Big salmon!!  Thousand Islands are right North of you.  So is Canada.  Great snowmobiling, they have rental places.  I live in Baldwinsville, which is NW of Syracuse.  Most part, the women are mean. 

Been to Ft Drum about 5 times.  The base is building up quite nicely.
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: sluggish on October 27, 2009, 09:17:12 PM
Everything that I've ever heard about that place is that it's cold Cold COLD!
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: Treize69 on October 28, 2009, 07:57:04 AM
http://www.goremountain.com/ Great ski place.

Treize and I are both in the Rome/Utica area...the snow can get pretty bad even down here so 4WD and/or snow tires are a must especially up there!

I grew up in Mexico, just down Route 3 from Drum. Land of the 50 inches in one night snowfall and the 10 feet in five days snowfall. As well as the 75 mile and hour during a lake-effect snowstorm. I had times going to the Drum PX while home on leave that I noticed why all the trees grow in 45 degree angles pointing due east- the wind is ALWAYS strongly blowing in from the Lake up there.

Yeah, bring cold weather stuff, and I hope you don't mind snow.
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: VonMessa on October 28, 2009, 08:23:24 AM
Be prepared to spoon with another man......
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: Masherbrum on October 28, 2009, 08:26:49 AM
Be prepared to spoon with another man......

 :uhoh
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: druski85 on October 28, 2009, 08:48:43 AM
I grew up in Mexico, just down Route 3 from Drum. Land of the 50 inches in one night snowfall and the 10 feet in five days snowfall. As well as the 75 mile and hour during a lake-effect snowstorm. I had times going to the Drum PX while home on leave that I noticed why all the trees grow in 45 degree angles pointing due east- the wind is ALWAYS strongly blowing in from the Lake up there.

Yeah, bring cold weather stuff, and I hope you don't mind snow.

...which officially makes you the third person I know from Mexico, NY -- the thriving metropolis that it is  :lol
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: VonMessa on October 28, 2009, 09:15:42 AM
:uhoh

Everyone thinks they know what cold is.......  until they've been to, or trained at Ft. Drum  :noid
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: Gaidin on October 28, 2009, 11:58:57 AM
Everyone thinks they know what cold is.......  until they've been to, or trained at Ft. Drum  :noid

This is true, we had units form Alaska come to us for cold climate mountain training.

Supposedly a very different cold than in Alaska, never been to Alaska, but I want to go.
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: oakranger on October 28, 2009, 12:20:01 PM
I was offer a job with the USDA in Watertown, but turn it down.  dress up warm in the winter, that lake effect brings in a lot of snow. 
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: 68Hawk on October 28, 2009, 01:08:07 PM
I really wish I had been stationed up there at Ft Drum.  I'm stuck down with 4th Bde of 10th Mtn at Ft Polk.  It sucks really bad down here. 

Being from the north I would way rather deal with the intense cold than the raging inferno of a crotchy warm bayou summer.  That intense cold also does wonders for insect control.  Being with the rest of the division up there would be a pleasant change too.  Down here we're like the redheaded stepchild of 10th Mtn, and it shows through in a lot of ways. 

Go snowboarding and hit up Canada for me!
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: Treize69 on October 28, 2009, 07:03:53 PM
...which officially makes you the third person I know from Mexico, NY -- the thriving metropolis that it is  :lol

We must be the three who left- nobody else who stayed behind can figure out how to turn the computer on. We call it the "Black Hole" for a reason.
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: JunkyII on October 28, 2009, 11:55:43 PM
I really wish I had been stationed up there at Ft Drum.  I'm stuck down with 4th Bde of 10th Mtn at Ft Polk.  It sucks really bad down here. 

Being from the north I would way rather deal with the intense cold than the raging inferno of a crotchy warm bayou summer.  That intense cold also does wonders for insect control.  Being with the rest of the division up there would be a pleasant change too.  Down here we're like the redheaded stepchild of 10th Mtn, and it shows through in a lot of ways. 

Go snowboarding and hit up Canada for me!
one good thing :D
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: VonMessa on October 29, 2009, 04:53:17 AM
Another good thing that you DON'T have that the guys at Polk do......
Palmetto bugs that move the furniture in the barracks while you are gone.   :noid
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: Yenny on October 29, 2009, 01:55:42 PM
I got a lot of buddies with 10th MD ID tried to trade post w/ me. Thank god I declined it, I don't think I'd like the cold very much =)
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: 68Hawk on October 29, 2009, 11:11:20 PM
Another good thing that you DON'T have that the guys at Polk do......
Palmetto bugs that move the furniture in the barracks while you are gone.   :noid

For real!

I found a platoon of ants doing battle drill one on my bed one day.  Not cool.
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: Treize69 on October 30, 2009, 07:17:38 AM
For real!

I found a platoon of ants doing battle drill one on my bed one day.  Not cool.

I'm partial to the giant cockroaches we had at Knox. Saw one get run over by an Abrams and not even break stride. Swear to gawd I did!
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: VonMessa on October 30, 2009, 11:33:41 AM
I'm partial to the giant cockroaches we had at Knox. Saw one get run over by an Abrams and not even break stride. Swear to gawd I did!

I believe every word
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: druski85 on October 30, 2009, 12:11:46 PM
Treize I'm not doubting your uber-roaches, but I guess I have never seen any proof of this "roaches are impossible to kill" train of thought.  I whack them an (admittedly thick) sandal, and they splatter all over whatever they are on.  And I'm not not talking about small roaches -- these guys are nearly the size of my palm. 

Now nuclear fallout...yea maybe they can withstand that.  But not a good hard whack of the sandal. 
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: VonMessa on October 30, 2009, 01:00:22 PM
Treize I'm not doubting your uber-roaches, but I guess I have never seen any proof of this "roaches are impossible to kill" train of thought.  I whack them an (admittedly thick) sandal, and they splatter all over whatever they are on.  And I'm not not talking about small roaches -- these guys are nearly the size of my palm. 

Now nuclear fallout...yea maybe they can withstand that.  But not a good hard whack of the sandal. 

Roaches or Palmetto bugs?

Have you ever stuck around to see if they were really dead?   :noid

Are they Ho Chi Min sandals?  They must be way more lethal than my jump boots.....
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: Treize69 on October 30, 2009, 01:26:58 PM
I've yet to find a way to reliably kill a roach, aside from shooting them. Even fire doesn't work if they can scurry out of it before they bake (plus fire is not recommended in doors...). And I've found more glue traps with a trail of torn off roach-leg parts attached and no roach in sight than I ever want to think about. Little SOBs are darn near invincible.
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: druski85 on October 30, 2009, 01:31:41 PM

Roaches or Palmetto bugs?   ERmmmmmm http://www.orkin.com/cockroaches/difference-between-a-cockroach-and-a-palmetto-bug
 (http://www.orkin.com/cockroaches/difference-between-a-cockroach-and-a-palmetto-bug)

They are quite dead.  In my old apartment (where I had many of the suckers) I would smash em, (guts all about) wait a couple minutes, then pick em up and throw em in the toilet. 

The sandals look like this, more or less (http://img.alibaba.com/photo/257229121/Flip_Flops_Embroidered_Ultrasuede_Strap3_Layers_Thick_Sole_High_Quality_Embroidered_Ultrasuede_Strap_Beach_Flip_Flop.summ.jpg)  Nice thick, heavy soles make for good bug smashin. 
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: Halo46 on October 30, 2009, 01:44:48 PM
I was there when it still looked a lot like Camp Hood, left when they had started expanding more. Friggin cold as heck. Wooden barracks with coal stoves. Two weeks after I got there found myself standing a gate on mids in the back woods, up to my balls in snow and about 30 below with the wind, that was in May. Check out the German POW war graves, very cool piece of history.
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: VonMessa on October 30, 2009, 02:03:10 PM
Roaches or Palmetto bugs?   ERmmmmmm http://www.orkin.com/cockroaches/difference-between-a-cockroach-and-a-palmetto-bug
 (http://www.orkin.com/cockroaches/difference-between-a-cockroach-and-a-palmetto-bug)

They are quite dead.  In my old apartment (where I had many of the suckers) I would smash em, (guts all about) wait a couple minutes, then pick em up and throw em in the toilet. 

The sandals look like this, more or less (http://img.alibaba.com/photo/257229121/Flip_Flops_Embroidered_Ultrasuede_Strap3_Layers_Thick_Sole_High_Quality_Embroidered_Ultrasuede_Strap_Beach_Flip_Flop.summ.jpg)  Nice thick, heavy soles make for good bug smashin. 

There is a huge difference.  Up here in Philly (in the North) we call them cockroaches.  They are little, nasty and freak your woman out.

When I spent time down South, they called them Palmetto bugs.  They were about the size of your sandal and they moved your furniture in the barracks while you were gone.

 :rofl
Title: Re: Anyone been to FT. Drum?
Post by: JunkyII on October 30, 2009, 05:58:59 PM
If you flip roaches on their back they cant move, thats what we do for fun in korea :lol