What is day to day life on ARMY base as an E-4?

Michael

The answers to this question depend a lot on the unit, what your job (MOS) is, and if you are deployed or not.

I'll just list a basic 24 hour schedule for what I did while deployed and while stationed state-side.

Deployed: You can expect to work more hours than ever. I worked 7 days a week with no complete days off. Exception are made, if you look extremely run down, your supervisors may try to arrange you a little bit of free time off. Otherwise this is what a 24 hour schedule looks like while deployed (times depend on what job you have).
0400: Wake up, get dressed, and walk to the gym.
0430-0530: Work out (while deployed you can expect to do PT either on your own or in small groups)
0530-0615: Personal Hygiene
0615: Be at work (15 minutes early is a big deal in the army)
0615-0630: Get briefed up on what the night/prior shift did, and what tasks still need to be completed
0630-1800: This time block depends mostly on your job. I was an analyst, so it was a very straight forward, show up to work at this time, work, then brief the next shift and leave.
1800-???: Personal time, go to the PX, gym, or MWR (pool/video games/movies/library)

If you are doing PT unsupervised your schedule is up in the air, other than your work time of course. It is much nicer to be able to sleep in and go to the gym after work sometimes though.

While state-side: If you are not deployed, the primary goal is to train and prepare for the next deployment. The nearer you draw to your future deployment, the more training you will do. It may be small medical classes, going to the range, or land navigation. All that kind of stuff will usually be like a one day event, and should be done once a week, ecspecially in the predeployment phase. However, if you have just returned from a deployment, or are far away from your deployment date, things are much more relaxed.

0600: Wake up, get dressed, go to formation (you should have a formation every morning)
0630-0745: PT (most units have a weekly schedule for PT, usually there is a day where you only do PT with your section (usually a better day, where you can play sports or something), there might be a day scheduled for a long run (usually friday), but for the most part you will be doing organized PT with the company, along with some ruckmarching, combatives and other physical stuff)
0745-0800: Another formation to end PT, 1SG will put out any admin notes that people need
0900: Show up for work, this depends on your job.
1130-1300: Lunch
1600: Leave work, this depends on how busy you are, usually won't be kept past 1800.

While state-side or deployed, you schedule is subject to the mission. If you can't go to lunch because something needs fixed; tough luck. The mission comes first and you had better learn to pack snacks (we have all those pockets for a reason). Your schedule can also be subject to disciplinary action as well, if you goof off, you will be held on extra duty (mowing, raking, shoveling, all kinds of joyous stuff).

Whatever unit you are at, will have a definitive OPTEMPO (operations tempo), and you will eventually fit into the groove of things.

hollifieldrobert

it depends on your mos (job) if infantry it could be the following training in a training area on post rifle range etc or doing barracks maintance ie cutting grass cleaning barracks etc or weapon cleaning or as we called it pillow and eye lid maintance or you could have gaurd duty

lconnor65

A typical day could go like this

0630 to 0730 PT
0730 to 0900 Hygenie, Breakfast, Work Call
0900 to 1130-Work or any other details for the day such as motor stables.
1130 to 1300-Lunch
1300 to 1700 Work
1700 till next formation your time is your own to do what you like. Unless of course you have CQ or another detail. Most bases in the Army have movie theaters, bowling alleys, gyms, etc or go off post and find something to do.

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