Alaska?

[zarcher]

I Ship shortly to Ft. Leonard Wood for OSUT. I am going to be giving a wish list, how bad is Alaska?

I know it's COLD! But what about training, job duties?

Any experiences with this would be helpful. The wifey and I would like to go to Alaska, but I am not sure that I really want to work out in that white stuff.

[GlenncXD9]

My step-son is a 21B stationed at Ft. Richardson AK. I'll try to forward this to him.

[zarcher]

Originally Posted by GlenncXD9

My step-son is a 21B stationed at Ft. Richardson AK. I'll try to forward this to him.

Thank you Sir, as much information I can get the better.

[alaskazimm]

Yeah, it can be cold. Anchorage (which is on the Cook Inlet) is not so cold as Fairbanks and the interior. But if you dress appropriately it really isn't bad at all. Last winter I went on a moose hunt at -30 or so, it was very tolerable. As for snow, it's just something you get used to.

After living out in the bush for 7 years I couldn't imagine living again in a city.

[matlt]

-30? Seriously? I'm dying when it's 30 out. The coldest I've endured was -19 in Manas, Kyrgyzstan. Luckily, the wind was totally dead.

[psc]

I just couldn't do it...best of luck, I know of noone who hasn't loved their time there.

[ryr8828]

Originally Posted by alaskazimm

Yeah, it can be cold. Anchorage (which is on the Cook Inlet) is not so cold as Fairbanks and the interior. But if you dress appropriately it really isn't bad at all. Last winter I went on a moose hunt at -30 or so, it was very tolerable. As for snow, it's just something you get used to.

After living out in the bush for 7 years I couldn't imagine living again in a city.

I did a repair job in an ice cream freezer years ago that was minus 30. I couldn't take it for more than 20 minutes at a time. Maybe I wasn't dressed right, but I did still have to use my hands to do the work.

[Radio Relay]

A few years back, I flew into Anchorage, in mid January. Had to install a UPS at the U of A, in Fairbanks. So, I rented a car in Anchorage, to drive to Fairbanks.

The temp in Anchorage was mid 20's F and snowy. I get to Fairbanks and the temp is 40 below. The car they gave me had no engine heater. The first night there, I turned off the car and went into the hotel. Came out in the morning and it was frozen solid. Called Hertz, and they had a local garage come get it and thaw it out. So, when I got it back, I had to keep the car running the entire rest of the time I was in Fairbanks to prevent it from freezing up.

Had to go over to Penny's and buy a parka, gloves, and boots, too.

In late 70's, I spent a year in Greenland, at Pitsonaluk Mountain ("P" Mountain) about 400 miles from the north pole. Fairbanks, in January, was just as cold, but did get a little more light during the day, which lasted maybe four hours.

There is a big difference between Anchorage, and Fairbanks, vis-a-vis temps and weather.

[dincote]

hahahaha wish list hahahaha

ok ok, unless your wish list is everybody elses nightmare list, you are not getting anything.

this wish list is been around for decades, but I must say I know of 3 maybe 4 people that got their wish duty station in 12 yrs. without having to reenlist specifically for it.

good luck either way.

Jose

[matlt]

FWIW, I've never heard of an army wish list ever having any effect on where you get stationed. They send you where they want you. As said above, some people with critical mos's can manage to get it worked into a contract, but those are few and far in between too.