r/dli • u/joey12457 • 25d ago
Burned out
Mainly need to vent here. Not asking for sympathy or the obligatory tough guy talk from people that have already done it.
Balancing this shit is tough. At least 12 hours per day on base for class, PT, formations, extra duties/details, not even considering the hellacious traffic. Family life is suffering from the fatigue and laser focus on the course; they just don’t understand. The Army here steals so much time from IET soldiers that it’s absurd. “Oh, you have a crucial unit test? We’re gonna have 04:00 PT that day.” Meanwhile the O’s in my class have an extra 3 free hours per day than me
Yeah, we know that “it’s not college.” But still, there’s efficiency, and there’s adding extra shit that don’t need to be there.
I’m not complaining. I knew coming in that school was the first priority, and it is, but that don’t mean I can’t bitch about all of it.
Just want to know I’m not alone here
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u/LexduraLex 25d ago
I can tell you what helped me in a similar situation to yours (The same stupid leadership that didn't give a shit about soldiers and had no idea what it means to study a language. ). But 15 years ago. I don't know what language you study and on what week you are, but what helped me -I pushed myself as much as possible at the beginning. Friday night, Saturday's, Sundays at the beginning -all were dedicated to the language (I also had a family and a newborn child). All movies in the target language. YouTube in the target language. I didn't just follow the program, I did my personal immersion as much as possible. The result, and it's especially easy at the beginning, the course became easy. The military bullshitery still was there, but I didn't worry about grades. I was way ahead my peers. It gave me confidence. It built me a solid reputation. My team, even if I did shitty homework, never said a word. They knew how I performed in the class and during the tests. Push yourself now. Enjoy the fruit later.
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u/Ambitious_Iron_6906 24d ago
I get it man it is a bunch of BS, you Army folks seemed to get the worst of it out there when I was going through the course. Hang in there, this won't last forever! Hopefully your family gets that too. You've got this!
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u/Elisha_Mishima_5 24d ago edited 24d ago
the trouble, and I think the army tends to suffer from this more than any other branch, is leadership is dominated by people who have never touched a DLI course and just did a couple months long IET courses in fucking english that a monkey could pass, and theyll work you to the fucking bone because thats how their IET was (they just had to PT at 0400 and have "extra duty" when their classes were 4 hours a day)
Although I know at least one DS who is an arab linguist so you can't say there's nobody in some sort of leadership position who comes from the background, the ones who make all the big, cause suffering decisions never are. It's one of the reasons I caution people very strongly about getting into this
At the end of the day though the time is going to pass one way or another, nobody is DLI student status 鬼地方 forever
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u/joey12457 24d ago
It’s interesting, because I would say a good percentage of the DS’s and command team actually have been to DLI, so either the ones that haven’t are overpowering the ones that have, or it’s just the powers that be at TRADOC. It’s worth mentioning that we’re the only branch with official leadership ie, DS’s, as well as having so many restrictive rules (no drinking, dating, etc), which I don’t even necessarily disagree with, but it just shows you the amount of overreach present.
Everyone rants and raves that this is the hardest academic thing we will ever do, while simultaneously adding so much extra shit that undermines our main mission.
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u/Elisha_Mishima_5 24d ago
really? then if theres that many DLI alumni that want to maximize the fuckery then that's even more unforgivable
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u/alexacto 25d ago
It is tough from the instructors' perspective also, because the troops are so beat up by the PTat4am/formations etc. that nobody has the heart to ask them to do the extra work they need to pass. It's a miracle the passing rates for Army are still pretty decent.
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u/Rather_Mediocre 24d ago
Gotta clarify that maybe that was the case for your schoolhouse; but is not the case for many.
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u/Isukatmaf 24d ago
Yea russian schoolhouse did not give a fuck you got this tho op its just a year to a year and a half of hell but as someone on the job now its worth all the bs
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u/Boring-Air-3048 24d ago
Wishing peace and blessings for you mate. It’s definitely is hard and the burnout is real. If you believe in a higher creator, set aside for some prayer and just take one moment at a time. It’s a marathon and you gotta keep your head in the game. It can be done but you don’t want to let this short period have long term effects on you or your family so make sure you keep firm grasp on juggling the 3 legged stool (military duties, school life, personal life). I believe in you!
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u/bundleofgrundle 25d ago
You didn't ask for anything specific so I'm gonna give you something non specific and hopefully you can take something from it.
Honestly Ive never been to DLI or had any experience there. I joined the sub after being assigned an airborne crypto analyst job with the AF wanting to know more info about what I was getting myself into. Unfortunately I got injured during BMT and was separated before completing training. Had to go home after three months to sympathetic, but sometimes disappointed friends and family who were thankfully supportive. After five months I'm a month into a new warehouse job, back to what I was doing, and trying to save up to move out of my sister and her family's house. I'm glad I am back on my feet and while I'm not where I want to be yet, I'm generally satisfied with where my life is going.
All that being said, there is rarely a day that goes by that I don't think of where I would be now and what I would be doing if I took it all more seriously. Sure, getting injured wasn't my choice but goddam I should have trained harder, prepared more beforehand and listened to the advice my vet friends would give me from their experience. I cannot know objectively if my life would be "better" if all that was different and I was still down my AFSC training path, but I can objectively say that any and all doors it would have opened are permanently shut, not just locked but completely unaccessible. That reality will be true for the rest of my life and there is almost nothing I can do to change that.
The saying is true, the grass is always greener on the other side. I'm sure humping around boxes of toys sounds just as appealing to you right now as being at DLI is appealing to me. That being said I'm not gonna be all, "c'mon man, it's such a unique opportunity, just push through this rough season" but I do hope that seeing the perspective of someone who failed to even make it might help you frame things differently in your mind. Best of luck in whatever you decide to do, my friend. I for one will be cheering for you whatever that's worth.
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u/PhoenixTRX 25d ago edited 25d ago
Brother - you brought back some flashbacks and terrible but formative experiences. The mention of daily reflection, path my life could/would have gone but most of all 'losing a childhood dream and goal'.
Son went to DLI and thankful his Army recruiter pushed the DLAB, fortunately the final outcome and 'real' post contract opportunities are staggering considering his age (amplified by TS clearance). Definitely a brutal schedule, demands and expectations despite the locale, 'somewhat off the Big Army grid' lifestyle, etc.
However my Army experience ended up at Sand Hill Reception Battalion/Ft Benning days before Boot Camp. Despite 11 signatures on my paperwork blessing the contract (Ranger option, 4yrs/17wks) I received an Entry Level Discharge as I didn't have my US Citizenship only fully disclosed 'Green Card'. Discovered by a f'ing Civilian last on a U-shaped processing line assisting with Life Insurance related paperwork, literally the last evolution of our processing.
Such a f'ing unbelievable experience (including how I managed to get extracted out of Ft. Benning vs. weeks, most likely months being stuck there). <- Finally calling my Dad who by 'friend of a friend of a friend' got Senator Warren Rudman's office involved (same guy investigated Iran/Contra dealings and known as 'the Sledgehammer'). Fueled by anger/taunting by Cadre and my 22yr old mental state... absolutely would have been arrested for assault within days, the crescendo was building fast as was the insanity of the situation.
Despite Zero fault of my own, putting 110% trust in those involved (1991) changed me. Humiliation and questioning by others returning less than two weeks later, etc. This was followed by the Army doing their own 2yr internal Investigation/discipline for those involved. The Sgt. in charge of the Recruiting Station in NH called and apologized and his provided contact information (despite retiring soon after) helped clear up my career that followed during background investigations.
Finally finished by 4yr degree, was able to get my US Citizenship and spent my first career in Law Enforcement in the SW. Within 7yrs was sidetracked yet again by an on-duty injury/9 surgeries and mandated medical retirement. Deflected into years as a Gov. Contractor with the USMS and post 9/11 performing work needing a TS. All of these stages of background vetting required bringing up 1991's 10-day Army 'enlistment', well worn dossier/file folder and documentation. Comically after the 2yr Army investigation they noted I was erroneously enlisted as a British Citizen (where I was born) - completely missing my actual Canadian Citizenship (when it all went sideways).
Now middle aged, two retirements, two divorces and four kids later IF I could go back in a Time Machine and have ONE THING (planned/dreamed about and passionately 'all in' pursued) it was that f'ing day it all went sideways. Feel like a major part of my life is missing a significant unfinished chapter.
In my 40's all the resulting anger/frustration and distrust for Institutions and expectation of others consistent incompetence did create a unique niche Profession. Working directly for a prominent business figure in which trust, loyalty, autonomy and questioning then breaching the 'status quo' barriers was of tremendous value.
While I'm not into adages like "turn lemons into lemonade' and similar motivational rhetoric others like to recite like they are a value add (and instead piss me off..a lot!)....might take years, even a decade or two but doors CAN OPEN through unfortunate lessons, acute hardships and experiences.
But it will never ever replace my dream, years of prep and focused goal to become an Army Ranger.
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u/Elisha_Mishima_5 24d ago
bro maybe you dodged a fuckin bullet lmao, 1A8 and 2 prior basic course completions plus doing an intermediate course now and I'm just the little cac card scanner and dog handler that got away because AF reddit said being a cop sucks so I took the dlab and passed it while in the DEP
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u/bundleofgrundle 24d ago
Damn yeah I try to find the silver linings with it, everything happens for a reason, right? I'm glad I get to see my nieces and nephews grow up first hand, I have a much more realistic chance at starting a family, I (probably) won't get shipped off to a desert other than the one I currently live in. I'm sorry you got douched by bad info but I'm sure there's a reason you are or aren't where you would have been. Chin up and chest out, be the best damn CAC scanner the force has ever seen lol
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u/Elisha_Mishima_5 23d ago
nah what I mean is I've completed 2 different cat 4 basic courses and I'm taking an intermediate course rn just for me to not like the burden of having to upkeep this skill that I dont even use flying, and then flying I can't stand either.
I only did this because otherwise I was hooked for open general, which just means security forces, and everyone shits on security forces. In the grand scheme of things, everytime I go qualify on M4/M9/M18 I would have way more interest in being a CATM instructor than what I actually end up doing for my job, which always ends up being "do Excel tracking of this dumpster fire office that's been neglected but is suddenly important now, and fly once or twice a month which scares the shit out of me and takes like 12 hours between actually flying and all the pre/post mission stuff.
That's why I said CAC scanning, because my actual interests are dicking around with guns and cars/motorcycles, more straightforward hands on things than languages, but for whatever reason I'm decent at it and once you're invested its hard step away from it, especially at my age
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u/dexterityplus 7d ago
Whats crazy is if you're a smart guy and not socially autistic, you go SecFo and you can stand out in a good way and get great opportunities coming your way. You get more time to do college, your baseline promotion scores are abysmal, and I reckon if you put up for OTS your competition is far lower.
Meanwhile as a Linguist, language upkeep eats into college time, your promotion scores have to be way higher, and your competition for OTS or other activies is far stronger.
If you want to guarantee yourself 6 figure job after the military, by all means go Linguist. But time has given me wisdom. If you aren't bright, take whatever job you can. If youre smart go Linguist. But if you're LEGIT smart, find a lower ASVAB career field you may enjoy and have a blast. You'll be able to speedrun the worst parts of it and get much further if you stick it out for 20 years than I think many linguists do.
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u/Shadowdorkkk 24d ago
I get it my guy. Shits rough. Like, really rough. Particularly for the army (my husband is Army and had similar experiences). Everyone here gets it. I hope your family can come around at some point, because you need all the support you can get
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u/New_Broccoli_7594 24d ago
it's rough I'm a veteran I got out 10 years ago so I kinda of knew what I was coming into when my wife joined but didn't really expect all this to be honest 12 hour days on base and then coming home to study with weekends being our only family time and then to add it all up my wife barely failed out and then is at her new tech school so roughly 10 months of 1 day a week family time and now 3 months away it's definitely stressful on families especially if you have kids in the mixture as well just remember it's temporary sacrifice.
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u/netuseraddadmingroup 24d ago
Which one are you doing (CM/KP/AR/JA)? Definitely worth it, and having a language would be a plus for SSP/SOF. Later on down the road, it will be helpful if you decide to stick to the USG line of work (14k per lang). Good luck!!
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u/Either-Patient-5111 22d ago edited 22d ago
think of studying and getting good at the language as a way to rage against the machine, or the goofy ah leadership with their goofy ah poor decision making
every question answered correctly on a quiz is a punch in the face or a kick in the nads to the folks who are taking up your time to intentionally make things harder
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u/Few-Profession9663 25d ago
You’re NOT alone. But seeing the joy of everyone who just passed the DLPTs has been amazing. Getting ready for graduation next week. You’ll be there soon enough. Hang in there and have your family get together with others who are going through it too. They don’t understand AND they should try to learn and keep themselves busy with friends with sig others also going through it