The 5 Worst Duty Stations in the Army
Categories: Outdoor
We have over 90 employees here at Grunt Style and over 60 of those employees are veterans. We have been conducting some very scientific and very accurate polling of our veteran employees to find out their thoughts on the things that matter like the worst MRE’s in the military and miracle cures from your Medic. You know, the important stuff.
We are continuing our series of very informative and highly scientific polls today with a look at the Army. We have all four services represented here at Grunt Style so we will definitely be providing the same information about the other services over the next few days but since we are a majority Army veterans here, we started there.
We asked, in a very scientific and very accurate poll, what is the worst duty station in the Army? (not including combat deployments since we know those always suck) The top 5 responses from our Army veterans are on the board.
#5 – Ft. Wainwright, AK
Have you ever seen The Empire Strikes Back? Remember the battle of Hoth? When you go to Ft. Wainwright, you get to relive those conditions for your entire luxurious stay near the arctic circle.
#4 – Camp Casey, South Korea
Join the Army, they said. See the world, they said. Hey, we can get you an overseas duty station. How cool would that be, they said.
#3 – Ft. Polk, LA
All you have to do is Google, “how much does Ft. Polk suck” and you’ll see exactly why the home of JRTC made this list.
#2 – Ft. Irwin, CA
Speaking of Star Wars movies. Have you ever seen the first one? You know the one with Luke having to join the military so he could get his college paid for? Remember where he lived? For anyone who has been to NTC or had the displeasure of actually having to be stationed there, it is very hard to tell the difference between Ft. Irwin and either the surface of the sun or Luke’s home planet of Tatooine.
#1 – Any, and we mean any, National Guard Armory
Before you get angry Guard folks, ask yourself the question, are we lying?
Well, there you have it. After another exhaustive and totally scientific survey of the Army veterans of Grunt Style, those are the 5 worst duty stations in the Army. Up next, we’ll be talking to the Marines of Grunt Style to get their thoughts on the worst places to be stationed in the Marine Corps. Be sure to send us your thoughts.
You know I was under the impression there were 5 branches. Do your homework
Scott, read the title of the article.
Oops, sorry. My reply was for Josh, not Scott.
Josh, do your homework. There are technically 4 branches: Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Navy. . . The Marines are a Department of the Navy.
Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines.
Which is the fifth?
Week if you are going to be super duck then let me clarify.
There are 4 branches of the Department of Defense
-Army
-Air Force
-Navy
Marine Corps (and this is partial because it is a section of the Navy)
I assume when you are saying “5 branches,” you are adding in the Coast Guard. Sorry, but bleeding vaginas are part of the Department of Homeland Security.”
Do your homework, and remember that there are 2 jobs in the military: Infantry and all the others are there for support.
And Im pretty sure the title says Army. Learn to read the title. Before you reply about guard being in there, guard is also Army.
Coast Guard isn’t DOD it’s homeland security so technically it could or could not be considered the 5th branch. Homework done.
According to http://www.defense.gov/about , there are only 3 branches: Army, Navy, & Air Force. The Marines are still part of the Navy! (Even if they don’t like to admit that! Ooo-rah! Go Navy!)
Josh,
The U.S. Cost Guard is generally only considered a military branch during times of war, as it fall under the Department of Homeland Security instead of the Department of Defense during peacetime.
Well maybe she should have said all four services that matter
Josh, to whom are you speaking? I mean, this article says “Army” in the title… so I do not understand your complaint.
And your comment about “Do your homework” WTF does that mean? She listed what she thinks are the 5 worst duty stations in the Army. Other commenters disputed that list or agreed with it.
Not sure if you are part of the CG, hence this. But the military is defined by a nations department of defense branches.
There are 4 branches of the Military (Department of Defense, fka Department of War) What is commonly now considered the 5th branch, The Coast Guard, is part of Department of Treasury. The Coast Guard’s powers and primary focus exist in peacetime, their relationship to the posse comitatus act is different. We list the Coast Guard as the 5th at times out of respect, not that they are actually the 5th branch of the military. Maybe you should do YOUR homework JOSH, and btw maybe not be such an ass when want to make a point.
I’ll see your Camp Casey, South Korea and raise you a Suwon Air Base, Suwon, South Korea. Also throw Fort Bliss on that list.
I’ll see your Suwon, and raise you Camp Red Cloud. We went to Camp Casey in the weekends to escape CRC. Also, I agree that Ft. Bliss should be on this list.
Casey was a vacation next to Greaves.
Camp Pelham ranked right there with Greaves. Camp Casey had all the amenities that the previous two did not.
Fort hood should definitely be on this list
Eh, even the worst armories have AC and running water these days.
I see Hohenfels Germany is still the best kept nightmare in the Army. Think JRTC, only with snow, a two week long period consisting of Spring, Summer, and Fall, a PX smaller than ones in theater, and an OPTEMPO (If you’re the OPFOR) that will make you write your congressman begging for him to send you back to the Middle East armed with nothing more than a toothbrush so long it will get you out of Hohenfels.
I’m stationed at Fort Wainwright….. should be number 1
Ha! National Guard Armory? I was 10 minutes from home, awesome lunch choices, cold beer in the fridge and only one BULL$HIT EEO training in 10 years. Sorry I retired. Only TWO HOURS OR LESS to Fort Irwin too! Where in the hell is Fort Drum on the list???
Casey was an escape from Camp Eagle in Korea! X2 on Ft Bliss, armpit of Texas! Surprised Texas hasn’t tried to secede from El Paso!
Can’t believe this didn’t make the list already, but I guess it could still make the USAF’s worst. Wake Island Airfield. Another one is Thule AB, Greenland. Campion AFS, AK has got to be one. I would say Minot AFB, but I stayed, so it can’t be THAT bad. The HAARP research station, Gakona, AK, Groom Lake, NV, although finding someone who will admit to having been stationed there will be a challenge.
I loved Ft Irwin, stayed there 5 years and only got out of the Army cause DoD was trying to reassign me somewhere else.
obviously no one here has ever been to fort hood this place sucks ive been shot at more here than overseas
Yeah pretty sure fort hood belongs at the top of the list
I did Infantry AIT @ Ft Polk. I didn’t think it was that bad.
You could’ve never done ‘infantry AIT’ in ft Polk. Infantry has done their training at Ft Benning GA since 1918 and their training is called OSUT because they stay in one place and it’s more of a continuation of basic training than it is an AIT.
You did not do 16 weeks at TIGER LAND at POLK. Started in July so you do the math.
I expected Fort Bliss to make an entrance… OMG… folks there make pictures out of colored rocks and call that a LAWN! And might I point out the sandstorms? We arrived there with a shiny black car… and left 9 months later with gray primer! The only redeemable quality that place has is that allergy sufferers do not suffer from pollen… because NOTHING grows there! haha!
Fort Drum and Overseas Storck Barracks Germany
I completely agree with Ft. Polk, I was there for over 5 years and 2 deployments. I’d rather be in “The Ghan” again than Ft. polk
Any base that is near civilization shouldn’t be eligible (i.e. Hood or Bliss). Oh and having contaminated water coming out of the water faucets should make it an automatic #1!
Spent 16 mos in Camp Casey JUL 61 – Oct 62. I really thought I was gonna go crazy. Stayed drunk most of the time. Seemed like I spent my entire life there.
Ft Wainwright is only unenjoyable if you’re a couch potato or extremely high maintenance. It’s the perfect place to learn how to be adventurous, and the cold isn’t nearly as bad as everyone makes it out to be. Plus, what’s better than being secluded from large masses of people?
How the hell is lost in the woods not on this list???? NG that shouldn’t even count. No offense obviously
I’ve heard some Brother vets who like so base and some who dislike the same base. . I’ve NEVER heard a troop say they liked Ft
LostInTheWoods. Ever.
I liked Ft Leonard Wood lotta good sapper training and Lake of the Ozarks is a great area. Every post can suck if you let it. Actually had a good time there
Fort Huachuca, AZ. If you haven’t been there, you’re blessed.
Yes I was there for AIT! Oh that was awful! felt bad for the ppl stationed there.
I spent 3 years at Wainwright. I fished, hunted, hiked, biked, snow skied, road tripped and saw more beauty in Gods country than most people see in a lifetime. Yeah, January and February sucked balls, but I wouldn’t trade the it for any other duty station. The people who hated it were the ones who sat in their rooms and played video games and never got of post, except to go to one of the clubs….
Well my NG armory did hold and arts and crafts sale. Smh.
Wrong being station at Fort Irwin for 10 years. It is one of the best duty station. We are in the Army for one reason, and that is to win wars. Fort Irwin has the most realistic training in the world. And the training saves lives. Where else can you be stationed that you can go see a lakers game on friday night than drive to vegas that same day.
And camp Casey is very nice. You can get on a train right outside the gate and travel anywhere in Korea for less than 10 dollars. Plus the gyms are awsome. Big PX. Two clubs.plenty of mwr trips every month. And very good food:
Fort wainwright has good training. Plenty of bars and resturants. They have an ice skating rink in there gym. A ski resort on post. And the city is right out side the gate.
Damn, and I’ve been stationed at 3 of those, maybe that’s why I’m getting out.
Ft. Irwin was not that bad. I was there for 2 years; and for 2 weeks a month, 10 months a year, I was in the field. By no means a bad duty station unless you never took advantage of the fact you were centrally located between Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
I kind of find it circumspect that a 2LT would know what duty stations are good and bad.
You’re Wrong about the Guard armories. Most are better than the Army crapholes where I have been stationed.
How in the Hell did Ft. Leonard Wood not make this list and “any National Guard armory” did? Leonard Wood at any time of the year is in the middle of BF Missouri. The Mormons seem to think the Garden of Eden is somewhere in there. Let me tell you this, it sucks year round. I would have gladly been stationed in Korea over that Hell Hole.
#1 The one where you’re stationed.
How did Camp Casey make that list? Is this a list of worst posts for non-combat arms? For Supply MOS’s? Personnel Support? I can think of 3 or 4 posts in Korea alone that were worse than Casey? I was at Garry Owen (now gone) and Camp Casey was where we often went to escape for a weekend pass…..
We used to get passes and go to Camp Casey for fun time to get away from Camp Liberty Bell. Get real!
After “near-Arctic Circle” and Casey, SO not surprised to see Fort “Polk-ya-in-the-ass, Lousy-ana.”
I was stationed there right before it became the JRTC, but even with being deployed and/or in the field almost more than I was there (7 of the first 10 months), yeah – it still sucked. A lot.
Leesville for the- loss. For the big, sucky loss. Just like Polk.
Richard Arreola –
You didn’t happen to be a DS in Benning in ’89, did you?
I can’t believe Polk wasn’t the worst. I’ve never heard anything good about Polk. When you heard a buddy was being stationed there, you gave him condolences.
When I saw who wrote this I wasn’t surprised that Ft. Wainwright made your list. Must’ve surveyed POG’s & pansy asses.
Ft. Wainwright is fantastic. Summers are the best anywhere. Winter with snow machining, skiing, dog sledding, the Northern Lights. Back country hiking, mountain climbing, Glaciers, rafting & kayaking, wildlife viewing, hunting, fishing, gold panning & prospecting, ATV/dirt bike riding, exploring historical mines/cabins etc., hot springs, breath taking scenery, earthquakes, volcanoes, native cultures,bush planes & pilots, Arctic Man festival….there’s just an overwhelming amount of experiences to immerse yourself in. It’s a true adrenaline junkies paradise !!
Even on duty it’s amazing, at least as a “Grunt”, snow machining, skiing, snow shoeing, SUSV’s, being surrounded by wildlife and amazing scenery as your “office”, and much more !
I guess you can take the kid out of Mom’s basement, but you can’t take Mom’s basement out of the kid !
The people you surveyed need to get out more and embrace and enjoy the real world !
Friend of mine went to Irwin for an exercise. She literally had a porta-john fly through the air and hit her. Like 75 mph winds. That’s enough to tell me this place probably earned its spot on the list.
So if you think Ft. Polk sucked for JROTC….think about how much more it sucked when the 5th Infantry Division called it home…been there down that got the scars to prove it. Peason Ridge was the impact zone and we played there all the time!!
Bliss was hot and dry, good for running- El Paso sucked
Fort Hood just sucked if you weren’t 1st Cav
Gary Owen was my favorite
Baumholder was fun- minus the Graf rotations
I’ve seen both extremes. The suckiest place on earth,Ft Jackson,SC to the “Hilton” Redstone Arsenal,AL. Check those places out the next time you are around
IRWIN wasn’t that bad, In 1992-94 we used to BBQ in the field, take coolers with watermelons and cantaloupes, but some days DID suck big balls. All in all good duty station.
So… I’ll bite, given there are some fine Coasties out there serving our glorious nation, what are the crappiest CG stations?
I must be having some delayed intelligence, but how did NG Armories make #1 on “the list”?
Granted they aren’t pretty, but they are domestic, and I don’t recall them being more than a short drive from a beer or a strip club for that matter?
I’m one those lucky fellas, who’s been sent to NTC and JRTC. I’ll tell ya Irwin isn’t that bad at all, hot as fuck. But really not terrible. Being stationed at Drum, Polk was a nice break from our beautiful white January’s here in the North Country. I’ve never been to Hood, but I’ve nothing but horror stories. On post gangs, crime, drugs, suicide, you name it. From everyone I know who’s been there it is a shit hole.
Fort Irwin is awesome! I’m surprised Fort Hood didn’t make that list. Coming from Fort Hood to Fort Irwin, I feel like on a scale of 1 to 10, Fort Hood is a 3 and Fort Irwin is a 9!
Camp Kaiser (closed in, I believe, 1971), Korea, and Ft. Riley, KS. Even Vietnam was better than those two holes.
On the other hand, I did like Ft. Huachuca, AZ, and Korat RTAFB, Thailand.
I was station at Camp Casey Korea and had the time of my life!! On the other hand I was stationed at Fort Drum New York, the land that time forgot. That’s the worst place to be stationed in the WHOLE ENTIRE WORLD. I’m getting depressed just thinking about it now ;-(………..
Hohenfels
How?! I say how?! Did Ft. Drum not make this list??? I seriously want an answer on this. What, if anything at all, is nice about ole Drum?
LOL!!! Love the one for Fort Irwin. Wasnt stationed there but I had to visit that place 4 times for NTC training. I remember that rock pile. Not sure which was worst there, the actually training or the dust bowl stay & the countless long ass hours of washing the dirt off NTC drawn vehicles
OK now I know y’all did not leave ft drum off that list. It was by far the worst place I was ever stationed at. And yes I went to Casey/Hovey and yongsan Garrison which sucked more than Casey at least if your a Grunt it does. And ft Riley well even that winter cold was nothing compared to the perma frost at ft drum. I can’t believe it wasnt at the number 1 worst spot in the history of the united States military to be stationed.
I liked Camp Casey and Korea in general, I completed four tours in the ROK. This list omitted the all-time worst assignment in the Army, Johnston Island. A speck of dirt in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, 800 miles from Hawaii.
I guess it depends on when you were in. My uncle — now passed — would have definitely fingered Iwo Jima, and there are still a few old Army pukes that would vote for Bastogne. Kinda depends on your perspective, eh?
Perhaps it also depends upon your definition of “duty station” and your personal concept of “suck.” Whatever the parameters, thanks to all who serve and curse the weather and the food and the sonofabitches that are shooting back! 🙂
I see your ft. Polk and raise you a Hohenfels Germany.
I’m confused. It must be to Fort Wayne writes one that I don’t know about. I was stationed there for two and a half years. It was a best duty station I could ever have gotten. There were a lot of outdoor things to do even though it was cold as balls. It was absolutely awesome. Now if you want to talk about a hell hole. Y’all should have put Ft Sill on there. That place is disgusting running PT every day skunks and the weather was so unpredictable it was miserable. At Fort Wainwright I knew it was going to be cold and I knew we were going to have snow so that was predictable and I could deal with it.
24 years as a grunt, retired on 2007…..was stationed at Irwin in the mid 80’s…it did suck pretty bad – okay, really bad; surprised Baumholder didn’t make that list…remember Warrior Base in Korea? or Liberty BelI… Camp Sheridan in Panama….to old for the younger crowd to remember…my wife is always bothering me to buy your shirts…
Guard armories are much better equipped then regular army units, oh and the soldiers are much better trained. An we can survive in the civilian world unlike most active that cannot handle it when they ETS.
It might be that I PCS’d from Germany or that I’m just a good ol’ Iowa boy; but I think that Ft. Hood should’ve made the list. If for nothing else but it’s size & population. It was fun because of the people but the humidity without the crops & the lack of rivers & lakes killed it for me.
I was at Fort Polk Louisiana during 2/24/1971 thru 5/1971 for basic Infantry boot camp. I was in South Polk. Rarely did we ride in Army cattle trucks. We marched 99.99 percent of the time. The only time we went to Tiger Land was for a 12 mile force March. The cajun food in Louisiana is awesome.
Unfortunately, I have been to all 5 🙁 camp red cloud is worse than casie
i would have to say ft lewis. i know i know its in the states so its not that bad but at least in hoth or gontokorea you can say you went on an adventure. flw is stateside and i kinda does everything. just like a bradley, but it doesnt do one thing good. its close to seattle. big deal rain and liberals. it never snows for shit but its cold.it never gets warm but its sunny once and if it gets hot it catches on fire and you spend all damn week as a fire fighter with an etool. then there’s tacoma. i couldnt wait to actually GO somewhere after that place. puke, hood, fayettenam? theyre all near beaches and sun. no, i didnt enjoy fort loser. why cant i get rid of this cold flu ick thing.
My first duty station after basic and airborne school was Ft. Polk. Spent 6 years there. Absolute worse. Then I went to Vicenza Italy. Fell in love with the military again.
It surprises me that the old mentality still exists between active duty and reserve component Soldiers. I am saddened about this. I am reminded that those who are most vocal about their disrespectful words about other brothers and sisters in uniform are mostly those that probably were only in for one term, probably in a combat arms MOS and don’t have the capacity to think through the real advantages of having a well trained, well equipped and WAY less expensive force to call on to back the other 40% who are active service. You see, we bleed red too! Weird, huh? And here’s the other weird thing. We (reserve component Soldiers) are ALL citizens Soldiers who keep ourselves physically fit and ready for that call. Active members are “required” to do this. For those of you who don’t see the difference, let me explain. We voluntarily maintain our physical agility because we know it’s important. Yeah, we have to do two APFTs a year, but we prepare for those on our own. Active duty needs NCOs to pound on doors, waking up troops, set schedules, because if they don’t work won’t get done, use counseling forms out the ass for corrective measures and why? Because by and large, active Soldiers have to be TOLD to do what they do. We do it because it’s the right thing! So, keep disrespecting us. It’s what we expect from spoiled children. We get it. Meanwhile, we’ll keep working and maintaining our mission readiness so we can assist and fight when called….just like “real Soldiers” do! MSG Proctor, Missouri Army National Guard
People think Camp Casey was on the DMZ. No camp Casey was vacation for the second infantry division I Station for a whole year at Camp Greaves. Camp Graves was on the DMZ. People think camp casey on the DMZ. Do not have any ideal.
I was at Camp Casey 1993 B co 5/20 inf. I laugh to when I hear Casey is close to the Z. People don’t have a fuckin clue. Stayed at Greaves for a few days once for Dragon gunnery. Place was fuckin bleak. Poor bastards had to hop a bus south just to get to Casey. Best time I had in the Army tho, TDC best ville in Korea!.Anyway, peace and thank you.
I am very surprised Fort Bliss didn’t make the top 5. But I will definitely agree on any national guard post being #1. That shit is a joke!
Ft Bliss and all of 1AD is a fucking joke! This place is a shithole, and being a grunt in a tank division, you almost wanna listen to my chemical romance every night and slit your wrists… This place is THAT BAD
Wainwright isn’t bad, y’all are just a bunch of pussies
I know you guys are asking your own but as far as Marine Corps assignments my top 3 worst are 29 Palms, Bogue Field, and then maybe Lejeune or Cherry Point. Close tie between those last two.
Fort Riley Kansas should be up there too lol
Was stationed at Ft. Polk, 1976, volunteers for airborne school to get out of there.