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2-60 INFANTRY
FAMILY SURVIVAL GUIDE
(FSG)



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SCOUTS OUT!

TABLE OF CONTENTS
3 Introduction & What You Can Expect From Us
4 What We Expect of You & the Family BCT Program
5 Rules for the 2-60 Facebook Page
7 Mailing & Address information
10 Our Organization and structure
11 BCT Training Phases Explained
12 Pictures on Facebook
13 Answering Questions, Phone Calls & Internet Access
14 Visiting Fort Jackson
15 TRICARE, DEERS, Military ID, Finance
16 Additional Emergency Information
16 Being an Army Spouse, Parent, Family
17 Family Day & Graduation Questions
19 Travel Information
Current as of: 8 September 2014
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INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the Battalion!! This page is maintained solely by volunteers from our
Family Readiness Group (FRG) with oversight from the Battalion Commander
(BC). Our spouses are all spouses of Soldiers that work in Basic Combat
Training (BCT) in 2
nd
Battalion 60
th
Infantry Regiment (2-60). There are just a
handful of volunteers that manage this page and we do it while juggling our own
families and daily civilian lives! Please be understanding.

The Purpose of this page is to give you a glimpse into your Soldiers BCT
experience and help you integrate into the Army so that you may become
empowered, well-informed, and resilient Army families.

This one webpage covers all 5 companies in 2-60 (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta,
and Fox). You will notice the main page is the Battalion (BN) page and is
maintained by the BN FRG and Company Volunteers. Company Event pages are
maintained by the Company Volunteers.

This cycle we will be conducting Family Day on November 12
th
at 10:00 and
Graduation on November 13
th
at 10:00. Both ceremonies are conducted at Hilton
Field on Fort Jackson.


WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM US

You can expect to have the opportunity to learn about the Army. We have a
program called Family BCT. You can read more about this later.

You can expect to get tons of information about the Army through the Family
Survival Guide (FSG), Battalion Commanders Welcome letter (BC), and the
individual Company Commanders welcome which are located in the event tab
on the BN page.

You can expect to have an opportunity to ask questions of our FRG volunteers
and connect with other BCT families. See the section on asking question for
more detail.

You can expect to see hundreds of pictures posted as the cycle progresses.
Under the photos tab you will find an album created for each Company. Each
weekend, photos from the weeks training will be loaded for each as well as
various BN albums
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You can expect to receive the most current and up-to-date information that is
available through this site as it is the ONLY 2-60

Facebook page. Our Volunteers
post at least one update weekly in the events section as well as a photo album
each weekend.

WHAT WE EXPECT FROM YOU

We expect you to be responsible to learn the information that we have provided for you.
Take some time and read all of it and then re-read it as many times as you need. We also
suggest printing it as well. As stated before, our goal is for you to be become
empowered, well-informed, and resilient Army families. This cannot happen unless you
take responsibility for finding information yourself. We will not do for you what you can
do for yourself! (Thats all part of your Basic Training for Families).

We expect you to be flexible and understanding. There is a reason for everything we do
even if you dont immediately understand. We know that is frustrating because we are in
the same boat, but experience has taught us that Army life is much easier if you learn to
go with the flow!

We expect you to follow the rules of the page. Although you, as a family member, did not
enlist in the Army, you do have to follow the rules for the Army on Official Social Media
and our Facebook page. This is practice for the real Army that you will encounter at your
first duty station or when your loved one gets to their first duty station. Thus the reason
we insist on strict adherence to the rules of this page. It is important to note that your
Soldier is held responsible for your actions so act accordingly.



FAMILY BCT PROGRAM

During the next 10 weeks you will have the opportunity to take a series of online classes
called Army Family Team Building (AFTB). These classes will provide you with just about
all the information a new Army family should need. In essence, you can train at the same
time as your Soldier so that you will be better prepared for this new Army life. It is a great
opportunity to show support to your Soldier! Your willingness to participate is the only
criteria. Everyone that is part of this page is welcome to join.

There are a total of 10 online classes in AFTB Level 1. The shortest classes take about
10 minutes with the longest taking about 40 minutes. The other levels or courses will be
similar and have multiple classes before you reach the certificate.

You will NEED to register for AFTB. We provide the directions right on our Facebook
page in the notes tab How to Enroll with screen shots included so it will be easy to
enroll. Please note that the name you use to register is the name that will appear on your
completion certificate

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If you follow our schedule, you will complete 1 or 2 classes a week. You may work ahead
of our schedule and finish ahead of time if you like.


If you complete all 10 lessons of AFTB Level 1, as well as other levels and training,
please send your certificate(s) to the following email address:
AFTB260@yahoo.com. Certificates must be in by October 30
th
at midnight EST. We
print certificates for those attending 2-60
th
Family Day and/or Graduation. The
following must be included in the subject line: Company, Platoon, Soldier last
name and first initial. In the body of your email please only include your name,
relationship to the Soldier, and if you are attending Family Day and/or Graduation.
Do not send any other personal identifying information in this email (no dates, no
locations, no addresses or phone numbers), that violates Army Operational
Security. As your Soldiers graduate BCT you will graduate The Family BCT
Program! Please note certificates emailed after the above dates will not be
included.
Example: Subject: B Company, 3
rd
Platoon, PVT Doe, J.
John Doe, Father, Yes

In order to graduate this program you only need to complete AFTB Level 1 before
the dates above, but if you choose to complete additional training (AFTB Level 2
and Level 3, FRG, Internet Safety, Mentor Training, Financial Readiness for First
Term Soldiers, Financial Planning For Retirement and RDC) these will count
toward the company total. If you are planning to do all the training please wait to
send your certificates in all together as this helps to save time processing the
certificates.

Throughout the next 10 weeks, we will post AFTB challenge questions on the company
pages from the training that week. The first person to answer correctly from that company
will receive a special picture of their Soldier on the next Snapshot day. Please be sure to
read the directions we list for you on the challenge question post and read the question
carefully before you answer.


In addition to the classes, we will be featuring some important Army programs on our
page weekly. We suggest getting a 3 ring binder and printing the information out to take
to your first duty station or if your Soldier is not married giving it to them to take to their
first duty station.







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RULES FOR THE 2-60 Facebook PAGE

Read the Family Survival Guide (FSG) and the BN Commanders Letter (BC). Attempting
to navigate this page before you have read them will prove to be difficult. You may
download and print them as well.

Questions are ONLY allowed under the Company Question Post done every other week.
DO NOT ask questions under the Company Photo albums, Company or BN posts.
Questions that are not placed in the proper place will be DELETED or ignored. Place
your questions under the questions post to receive an answer from 2-60. The first post to
ask questions will be during the week of Septebmer 15
th
as determined by your Company
Volunteer. This allows you time to read through all the information provided. Please
follow the question rules above. If you ask questions in places and times not allowed they
will be deleted. If it becomes a problem, you will be banned from involvement on the BN
Facebook page.


Questions that are posted in the correct place, but are clearly answered in the FSG or BC
letter will be answered with a simple FSG or BC response which should prompt you to
go back and read the information provided.

Any rude or derogatory comments will result in you being banned from the page
immediately. This includes offensive language and racial slurs! We have a zero tolerance
policy for this!

Requests for photos, phone calls, direct messages to your Soldier, or requests for us to
relay messages to your soldier will be DELETED. DO NOT ASK as we have provided the
answers to those question here in the FSG. If it becomes a problem you will be banned
from the page.

We reserve the right to add to these rules as we deem necessary.


**Note: Please help us keep this site family friendly! There
are lots of grandparents and children that visit it to see their
loved ones!





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MAIL INFO
Fort Jackson is a large military installation and it takes time to get mail to your Soldier. It is a five
step process for roughly 13,000 pieces of daily mail; arrival at the Fort Jackson post office, to our
brigade, to each of the five battalions, and then to one of six companies in our battalion, and then
sorted one more time to each of the four platoons. This entire process could take 3-5 days after it
arrives in Columbia, South Carolina! Not to mention the last 4 steps are all HAND sorted. Mail
may take as long as 2 weeks (10 business days) to get to your soldier. Do not let this discourage
you, your soldiers are explained of this process as well.
Your strongest source of communication with your soldiers will be through mail,
so please write, write, and write.
Remember your soldier is very busy and may not be able to write back as often as
they would like. Mail is a HUGE morale booster keep sending letters! We cannot
stress this enough! Thus explaining why it is in here twice!
**Tip from previous familiessend self addressed/stamped envelopes to the soldiers, easier for
them to write back, include addressed envelopes to other family members and friends.**
Soldiers have access to the troop store frequently, so please do not send items in bulk as
their space is limited.
Send your mail through the United States Postal Service (USPS). Any FEDEX or UPS
packages are placed into our hand-sorted Army system upon arrival to the unit so it is not
necessarily any faster than a USPS overnight package.
**You may get mail FROM your Soldier quicker than your Soldier will get mail FROM you.**
Is mail ever withheld as a punishment?
No, no and NO! It is a federal crime to withhold mail. Mail is distributed daily, time
permitting. Keep in mind, there are days the soldiers do not return to barracks due to
training so mail is not distributed until late at night or the next morning. Soldiers are able
to receive mail while they are in the filed for multiple days.
Do the DSs go through the mail before it gets to the soldiers?
They do not. Packages and large envelopes are required to be opened in front of the
Drill Sergeants to ensure no contraband items are inside. It happens and the Soldiers
are held accountable for what they receiveplease dont get them in trouble.
Is there a stop mailing date?
Yes! There will be a stop mailing date 2 weeks prior to your soldiers Graduation date.
Due to the slow mail delivery process, having the mail stop allows the final letters to
arrive. We cannot hold mail so anything not delivered to the Soldier is returned to USPS.



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Packages may include (no size limit but super sized is not recommended):
*Unscented shampoo/conditioner, unscented
soup or body wash
*Unscented deodorant (the reason for the
unscented items is to prevent bug when they are
outside training)
*Unscented Sunscreen (must be in a squeezable
bottle or wipes)
*Bug repellent (again must be in a squeezable
bottle or wipes)
*Chapstick (one with sunscreen in it)
*Stationary, pre-addressed and stamped
envelopes
*Phone Card- highly recommended
*Photos of family (limit 5 at a time due to every
limited space
*You may send religious reading material
* $50.00 or less cash
*Address book
*Nail clippers
*Plain, unflavored cough drops

Packages may not include (=contraband):
o Aerosol items
o ammunition
o civilian reading material
o over the counter medication
o jewelry (other than wedding rings and
bands)
o scissors
o nude photos
o health supplements
o curling irons
o civilian glasses
o civilian clothing
o straight edge razors
o knives
o contact lenses
o alcohol (drinking)
o wrist or ankle braces (unless issued by
the Army Medical Personnel)
o newspaper clippings
o weapons
o food items
o tobacco products
o electronics (cameras, MP3s, CD or
DVD players)
o cologne/perfume/body spray
o cash over $50.00
o cosmetics





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**This is the correct address in the correct format no matter what your
Soldier may have given you. They are nervous when calling home
and they often give the wrong address.
Place your Soldiers platoon NUMBER (1, 2, 3, or 4) on the back once you get it. It
is not required for the postal service but helps us sort faster! Only your soldier
can give you this information when they call or write.

Your Soldiers Name
_*_ CO, 2-60 IN
11106 Jackson Blvd.
Ft Jackson, SC 29207

Your soldiers
Company
(See below for
abbreviations)
* COMPANY ABBREVIATIONS
ALPHA = A BRAVO = B CHARLIE = C
DELTA = D FOXTROT = F
Mailing Address
Our
Battalion
THIS IS THE
CORRECT
ADDRESS!
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This is your Brigade
(there are 4 other
battalions in our Brigade)
This is your
Battalion
These are the companies in
2-60 with the company
nicknames (approx. 200
soldiers in each)
ORGANIZATION BREAKDOWN


























193rd
2-60
Alpha
Gators

Bravo
Bone Crushers
Charlie
Rock
Foxtrot
Knights
Delta
Death Dealers
Alpha

1. Red

2. White

3. Blue

4. Yellow

Foxtrot
1. Samurai
2. Death Dealers
3. Gladiators
4. Destroyers

Charlie

1. Red

2. White

3. Blue

4. Yellow

Delta

1. Red

2. White

3. Blue

4. Yellow

Bravo

1. Red

2. White

3. Blue

4. Yellow

These are the platoons with the platoon number and tape color (approx.
50 soldiers in each).
Foxtrot

1. Red

2. White

3. Blue

4. Yellow

Foxtrot
Fatal
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BCT TRAINING PHASES EXPLAINED
Week 0: Reception Soldiers complete administrative actions required to become part of the Army. Simple tasks are done,
such as medical examinations, setting up pay, and initial issue of equipment is completed. This process typically takes
between two and three days but can take over a week in some cases.
Weeks 1-3: Red Phase Welcome to BCT! Soldiers meet their Drill Sergeants and begin training. While often considered a
difficult week for Soldiers due to the adjustments, it is actually pretty easy compared to later weeks. Most classroom-type
training occurs in this period where Soldiers learn about:
The Confidence Tower (Victory Tower)
Teamwork Development Course (TDC)
Field Training Exercise (FTX 1: Fieldcraft, Tactics & Patrolling)
Ballistics and Rifle Marksmanship Fundamentals
Personal financial management
Law of Land Warfare
Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ)
Dismounted Land Navigation (using a map and compass)
Fundamentals of Physical Readiness Training (PRT or PT)
Nutrition
Rappelling and navigating rope bridges
Drill and Ceremonies (D&C)
Mask Confidence Training (aka Gas Mask)
Weeks 4-6: White Phase This phase is focused on Basic and Advanced Marksmanship and how to identify, track, target,
and effectively engage targets with a rifle. In a word, Soldiers learn "Marksmanship". The training is progressive and
becomes more difficult as the training progresses:
Basic Rifle Marksmanship (BRM)
FTX 2
Zero a rifle (align the rifle sites to hit targets at different distances)
Engage targets at various distances
Engage targets at various distances using three different positions
Prone supported (laying down with a brace to hold the weapon steady)
Prone unsupported (laying down using only your hands to hold the weapon steady)
Kneeling unsupported (one knee on the ground, resting the weapon on the other knee)
Engage targets at various distances with limited time
Prioritize and engage multiple simultaneous targets at various distances with limited time
Advanced Rifle Marksmanship (ARM: engaging targets using barriers, night vision goggles, optics)
Engage targets at various distances, with limited and variable amounts of time, with a changing number of simultaneous
targets available at any particular time...passing this requirement is also known as Rifle Qualification or BRM 10.
Weeks 7-9: Blue Phase The culminating phase of BCT, Soldiers combine the skills they learned in earlier phases of
training to complete advanced combat tasks.
Maneuver and engage targets as part of a team including a buddy team maneuver live fire exercise (aka Omaha)
Employ "crew-served" and more powerful weapons
Hand Grenade Qualification Course and Live Hand Grenade Bay (aka Remagan)
M240B Machine Gun (aka Bastogne Range)
AT4 Anti-Tank Rocket Launcher
M203 40mm Grenade Launcher
Urban Operations (Fighting in a streets and buildings)
Marching with combat load is Foot March periods 1 thru 4; 4, 8, 12 and 16 kilometers, or 10 miles.
FTX 3 Victory Forge last full week all in the field
Rights of Passage, when they earn their Black Beret!

Week 10: Graduation The final week of BCT is all about the Soldier and the Family. After completing the final training
events Soldiers are given a day with their Families to catch up and share their experiences. On the following day, Soldiers
graduate and are sent to the next phase of their training that in almost all cases is Advanced Individual Training (AIT).
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PICTURES on Facebook
When will you post pictures? Can we make photo requests? How do I find pictures of my soldier?
This is a luxury and is only accomplished through the generosity of the FRG volunteers. All the
pictures that are posted on our 2-60 Facebook page are free. Pictures are posted by company
and not platoon. Please refer to the address breakdown if you do not know your Soldiers
company, platoon or tape color (color stated after the platoon name). During most training events
there is no way for our Volunteer to know which platoon they are photographing.
Company pictures may be posted each weekend during the cycle, with one Trainee per Company
that earns an additional picture each week. A Company album will be posted in the photos tab
each weekend. (Example Alpha Company Week 1) This allows you to follow which pictures
belong to which week of training. A total of 40 photos are posted each week.
COMPANY BCT FAMILY Slide Show: During graduation week we will have a slide show which
will be shown to the Soldiers at a special event. You as family members provide these pictures.
We will accept up to 2 pictures for each Trainee. We encourage you to send photos to be added
to the slide show. All pictures must be received by October 30
th
at midnight. We will not change
out photos after being accepted. To send in these pictures, please do the following:
1. Email pictures to AFTB260@Yahoo.com
2. In the subject line you MUST include the word photos and the Company your
Trainee belongs to. In the body of the email you must include your Trainees name
and rank. If this information is not included, the photo(s) will be rejected. All pictures
must be in good taste. We reserve the right to refuse any picture.
3. If you are including a message, it must be in the picture (we will not add messages).
Each picture must be a single picture. An example is a picture of a family holding a
sign or poster with a message. Please do not send pictures of the Trainee, they wish
to see pictures of you.
4. If the photo is not acceptable, we will send a reply with not accepted and
information if needed.
Pictures are posted on weekends! Some volunteers may have time in the morning while others
may have time in the evening. Do not ask what time your companys pictures will be posted.
Our goal is to give you a glimpse into your soldiers world. It is NOT to provide you with a
picture of your particular soldier. Please refrain from making picture requests as they will not
be tolerated and may result in you being banned from the page. We will provide you with a picture
of YOUR Soldier IF you win the Family BCT Challenge question which are done each week for
each company so make sure you do your part!
Our volunteers do their best to get a variety of Soldiers and training events in the photos, but we
do not guarantee you will see your Soldier in any of the pictures. There is an average of 200
Soldiers in each company!
There may be times beyond our control where photos may not be possible, whether it be a last
minute changes in the training schedule or the volunteer may have their own personal matter to
deal with, so please be patient and understanding. A message will be posted in the event
pictures are delayed.
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We suggest you save all the pictures posted of your Soldiers Company even if they do not
contain your Soldier. Your Soldier may want them and you can always delete them later. After
graduation, all pictures will be deleted and the Facebook page is reset for the next cycle. We do
not save pictures from cycle to cycle. It is also important to note that tagging your Soldier in a
picture does not save it. You must download each picture individually in order to save it.
Comments like I wish you would post pictures of, Would like to see, etc. will be deleted. Please
be respectful of your comments as our Volunteers work very hard to include you in BCT Training.
Comments like these will be deleted and could get you banned from the page.

ANSWERING QUESTIONS on Facebook
o You may post your question under the Company Questions Post every other week starting with
the week of September 15th, but please understand you will not receive an answer immediately.
When the Company Volunteer closes the post, no more answers will be posted.
Please keep your questions to relevant issues. Our volunteers are spouses that have very busy
schedules so please respect their time by asking relevant questions that ARE NOT ALREADY
ANSWERED in the FSG or BC welcome letter.
Information that you have already been given in the FSG will not be repeated. We suggest you
read the entire FSG, print it out, and refer back to it BEFORE you ask a question.
You may not be able to access the FSG, BC welcome letter, or questions tab from a mobile
phone unless you open it up in a web browser. Often times if you are using the Facebook app it
will not appear on your screen. If you have problems accessing the information we suggest using
a computer.

PHONE CALLS AND INTERNET ACCESS
When will I receive phone calls?
Throughout your soldiers 10 weeks of BCT, he/she is guaranteed only one phone call and that is
upon arrival to the unit on the first day. On average, he or she will have 3 other opportunities for
phone calls. These phone calls are a privilege and may be taken away or granted at any time.
The initial call giving you the address or Facebook address counts as your phone call. We know it
was short, but it still counts! It is time to train.
The FRG volunteers who run the Facebook page do not know when phone calls will occur.
Questions about when phone calls may occur will not be tolerated. In addition, soldiers may have
the chance to earn additional phone calls by excelling in training events such as PT and scoring
high on BRM, just to name a few. Some calls are earned as individuals, some as a group.
When phone calls are permitted, there will may be a time limit and it is up to the Soldier as to who
they will call.
For some soldiers placing a phone call can be mentally challenging, as they want to stay focused
on the mission at hand (graduating BCT) thus why some may not call anyone. Some soldiers will
opt to call a best friend or a girlfriend/boyfriend instead of family.
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If you are unavailable when your soldier attempts to call, it is up to each Company Command
Team as to whether your soldier will be granted a second attempt. Calls are typically made on
Sundays or weekends.
We recommend you be uplifting and encouraging if and when you receive a call. We have
payphones and the area code for Ft. Jackson/Columbia is 803, but the call may come from a
different area code. In some cases, soldiers will share each others personal cell phones to make
calls.
If you do not hear from your soldier no news is good news.
Can we send them cell phones?
Cell phones are collected at the beginning of BCT and stored away. Any cell phones mailed will
be locked away with the others.
Soldiers will receive their phones back, usually, on the day before Family Day.
In some circumstances, the use of cell phones can be permitted at the discretion of leadership. In
some cases, it may be easier for a DS to issue personal cell phones instead of using pay phones.
Do our Soldiers have access to the internet while in BCT?
No. Due to this we ask that you refrain from posting personal messages to your soldiers on the
main page as they will not receive them!

Can I call the company or battalion to get updates on my soldier?
No. You will need to keep in contact with your soldier through letters and phone calls (when
permitted). Soldiers should keep you abreast of their training in these letters.
If you have any questions or concerns we urge you to use this Facebook page to address them.
Please understand that we will NOT provide information about an individual soldiers progresses
in BCT.
In general, no news from official channels is good news!
**Generally you should hear from your Soldier within 72 hours of arriving to their unit to provide
you with their company, platoon and address information. Again this is not always the case, in the
event you have not heard from your soldier within 7-10 days of their arrival, you may call the Fort
Jackson Installation Operations Center at (803) 751-7671 for assistance in determining their
location. You will need your Soldiers full name and social security number.










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VISITING
Can we visit our soldier while they are in BCT?
NO, we will turn you around and ask you to leave. They need to focus on training. A visit could
also jeopardize their graduation!



TRICARE / DEERS / MILITARY IDs / FINANCE

When will I receive my Tricare (health insurance) packet?
Most will receive their packet within 2 weeks of their soldier in-processing, it can take up to 4
weeks. You must be enrolled in DEERS in order to use your Tricare benefits. Contact your local
Tricare office to verify enrollment http://www.military.com/benefits/tricare/tricare-service-centers.
Once you are enrolled, you will have medical coverage. Please contact your local Tricare office
to find a medical provider in your area.
DEERS Contact Information: Toll-free: 1-800-538-9552 TTY/TTD: 1-866-363-2883

Obtaining your military I.D. (Spouses and dependents)
Your soldier will get you enrolled while in-processing at reception, form DD1172 will be sent to
you within 2-4 weeks of in-processing.
Your soldier will maintain control over the documents needed to enroll you in
DEERS/TRICARE. YOU WILL LIKELY NEED THESE DOCUMENTS BACK so please write to
your solider and give them a reminder to send them back ASAP.
To locate the nearest I.D. Card issuing office visit here http://www.dmdc.osd.mil/rsl/owa/home
(NOTE it does not need to be an Army branch office to issue you the I.D.) Be sure to bring all
documentation with you, generally it is the DD1172 form, Drivers License, and Social Security
card. Be sure to call them to verify the documentation you need to bring. Also most offices can
schedule you an appointment, doing so will cut down your wait time.
When will my soldier start receiving pay?
Pay can take up to TWO months to begin (your soldier will receive back pay).
We are unable to provide or assist you in any way regarding pay.
If your soldier has any questions, he/she needs to go through the Drill Sergeants to make an
appointment with finance. The soldier is the only one that finance will speak to regarding pay
issues.

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ADDITIONAL EMERCENCY INFO
What do I do if there is a family emergency?
If any emergencies arise while your soldier is in BCT, contact the Red Cross. They will go through
the proper channels in getting the information to your soldier.
The number for is Red Cross: 1 (877) 272-7337. Have the following: Full name, Rank, Branch of
service (Army), Social Security number or date of birth, and Military address.
Contacting the company or the battalion with an emergency prior to contacting Red Cross will not
speed up the message getting to your soldier. The Army has policies and procedures in place for
notifications to the Soldiers, first is the unit receiving the message from Red Cross.


HOW DO I FIND OUT MORE ABOUT BEING A NEW ARMY SPOUSE/PARENT/FAMILY?
What informative information can you provide to new spouses?
Enroll with Army OneSource, here we encourage you to take the online AFTB I class. It is very
informative on managing your finance, rank structure, etc.
http://www.myarmyonesource.com/FamilyProgramsandServices/...FamilyPrograms/ArmyFamilyTeamBuil
ding/default.aspx
There are also several Vimeo videos:
http://www.vimeo.com/10235268
http://www.vimeo.com/10237570
http://www.vimeo.com/10237678
http://www.vimeo.com/10237625
http://www.vimeo.com/10350954
http://www.vimeo.com/10350677







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FAMILY DAY AND GRADUATION INFO
When should we expect the Graduation Letter?
Letters are sent out during the first couple of weeks of BCT, only one letter is sent to the address of choice
provided by the Soldier.
Receiving a letter does NOT guarantee that your Soldier will actually graduate, nor does not receiving one indicate
that your Soldiers is not graduating. .
You do NOT have to have a letter to attend Family day or Graduation.

Who can attend Family Day and graduation?
EVERYONE is invited to attend both Family Day and Graduation, there is no limit and there are no tickets needed
to attend.
Can my Soldier visit Weston Lake on Family Day?
Yes, as long as you follow the rules. The Semmes Road Gate (gate 5) is the closest to Weston Lake and will be
requested to stay open longer on Family Day and Graduation Day. Soldiers may accompany his/her family to and
from the lake understanding they must go directly to their location without any off post stops.
Soldiers must remain in uniform (ACUs) at all times. This means no swim suits allowed on Soldiers!!!

Can we bring signs to the ceremonies?
Yes, however out of courtesy for those around you we asked that you sit to the top of the bleachers so as not to
obstruct the view of others.
Is there handicap parking and access at Hilton Field?
Yes. The unit will direct you to parking for handicap. On both the far right and far left of the bleachers there is
wheelchair access into the stands. Fort Jackson does not provide wheelchairs.
What if it rains, where will the ceremonies be held?
Ceremonies will be held at the Solomon Center in the event of severe inclement weather. An announcement will
be made on the facebook page the morning of Family Day or Graduation if there is inclement weather. We can
have Family Day in a light rain in our duty uniform (ACUs).
Can we bring strollers?
You can bring strollers, but remember seating is on a first come first serve basis, so if you arrive late and do not
get a front row seat, you will be asked to park the stroller under the bleachers until the ceremony is over.
Can we bring pets to Family Day or Graduation?
Pets are not allowed at Hilton Field (except service dogs).
How early can we arrive?
We recommend you arrive at Gate 2 and no later than an hour before the ceremony. Some families will start to
arrive as early as 2 hours in advance and please expect delays when getting onto post. (Although your hotel
information may state 1 mile from main gate or 5 minutes to main gate, gate hours do change frequently but Gate
2 is the only 24 hour gate.)
18
What is the proper dress for Family Day and Graduation?
Most will dress casual to dressy casual. If you are Active Duty military, National Guard or Reserves, you are
welcome to wear your uniform if you wish it is not required.
Please remember this is a Family event on a military post - dress appropriately. There is no dress code, but you
should have all your personal parts covered and not be wearing any clothing with offensive language.
What address do I type in the GPS to get to Fort Jackson?
10000 Lee Road Columbia, South Carolina 29207. Once you get onto Ft. Jackson, follow the blue line that is
painted on the roads. It will lead you directly to Hilton Field.
When will I know if my Soldier is NOT graduating?
They continue to train right up to Family Day so it is possible you may not be notified until then. They are given as
many opportunities as possible to meet the graduation requirements and may repeat training in an attempt to meet
the requirements until the last possible moment. REMEMBER NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS!!! Your Soldier is aware
at all times if they are meeting the requirements for Graduation.
What happens if my Soldier does not graduate?
Each situation is different! It depends on why your Soldier did not graduate. Most of the time you are still permitted
to spend time with your Soldier at the company area after the official part of Family and Graduation Day, but it is up
to the Company Commander. Your Soldier will not be allowed to participate in the official Family Day or Graduation
Day activities at Hilton Field.
If I am immediate family, my Soldiers AIT is on the approved transport list provided in the Battalion Commanders
Letter, and I choose to drive my Solider to AIT how do we get permission and when can they leave?
Your Soldier is the only person who can request to be transported by POV. Please make your Soldier aware if you
would like to transport them. Your Soldier can leave right after the graduation ceremony. You will just need to sign
them out first. Typically Soldiers are given about enough time to travel to the location. So you will want to get on
the road ASAP.
Who does the Army consider immediate family?
For the purposes of being able to sign your Soldier out for a pass or to transport to AIT, the Army considers
parents, legal guardians, and spouses as immediate family. Unfortunately brothers, sisters, grandparents,
girlfriends, boyfriends, fiancs do NOT count.
When will my Soldier have to report to AIT?
Your Soldier will get a final set of orders just before graduation that will tell them when they must arrive at AIT.
They are usually only given enough time to travel directly there. Report time is typically on Friday up to late
afternoon / Sunday evening. Your Soldier will not have this information until they receive their orders. Report dates
and times are on the orders and may not be the same as information already provided. There is no way for us to
get this information please do not ask.
Will my Soldier get a weekend pass after signing in at AIT?
We cannot answer that. It is up to each AIT and your Soldier will not find this information out until they arrive at
AIT.
What if I am not driving my Soldier to AIT?
If you are immediate family (see above) you may sign your Soldier out for an OFF post pass on graduation day.
Your Soldier must be returned to their unit no later than 8:00 pm the evening of graduation. After your Soldier is
back at the company area you will not be able to spend any more time with them. Again, plan to arrive early due to
traffic congestion.
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TRAVEL INFORMATION

Hotels
We STRONGLY encourage you to make travel arrangements that are refundable. Approximately 10% of
arriving Soldiers will not graduate for various reasons. They may not know they are not graduating until
the week of graduation because they still have not met all requirements (did not pass the last chance
test).
There are a couple of options for on-post lodging here at Ft. Jackson. On-post lodging will fill up fast, so be sure
to book early. If using on post lodging please have a back- up plan as you may lose your reservation to an active
duty soldier that is arriving at Ft. Jackson for school or is moving here. You may contact them at 1-877-711-8326
or 803-782-9802 or www.ihg.com.
You can also contact Victory Travel on-post here at Ft. Jackson http://fortjacksonmwr.com/travel/ and at 1-800-
221-3503. They can assist you in finding a hotel at discounted rates.
There is an abundance of hotels in the Columbia area. There are many sites out there to help you with your
bookings (i.e. Hotels.com, Expedia.com, orbitz.com just to name a few).
Here is the website for Weston Lake Cabins, RV sites, camper and tent sites. For reservation
http://fortjacksonmwr.com/weston/
Airports
Columbia Metropolitan (CAE) http://www.columbiaairport.com/ 30 min to post
Augusta Regional Airport, GA (AGS) http://www.flyags.com/ 1 hours to post
Charlotte International, NC http://charmeck.org/city/charlotte/Airport/Pages/default.aspx 1hr45min - post
The above three are the commonly used airports, though you may find better rates with
Greeneville International, SC http://www.gspairport.com/ 1 hr 50 min to post
Charleston International, SC http://www.chs-airport.com/ 1 hr 50 min to post
COMMERCIAL BUS
Columbia Greyhound http://www.greyhound.com/. The address is 2015 GERVAIS ST Columbia, SC 29204
TRAIN
Amtrak http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/HomePage. The address is 850 Pulaski
St Columbia, SC 29204
CABS
There are 30 private cab companies and shuttle services listed in the Columbia area in the yellow pages. Most
service Fort Jacksonverify when you call.
SHUTTLE SERVICE
Fort Jackson does not have any type of shuttle serviceneither on post nor off post (see Cab information). Ask
your hotel if they provide any shuttle assistance as some have indicated they will.

We hope you have found this information helpful and we are excited to start this cycle with you.

Scouts Out,

2-60
th
FRG

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