13 Lessons You Learn While Traveling in the US Military

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BY DAVID NYE — WEARETHEMIGHTY​.COM

Military travel: it’s like civilian travel with more red tape. Here are 13 things every constant military traveler knows.


1. The Defense Travel System is arguably the most frustrating thing ever made.


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2. The overly moto guys will wear civilian clothes but completely fail to hide that they’re in the military.


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3. Your military ID and TSA Precheck can make security a breeze.


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4. Getting your gear through security can be more challenging, so you learn to make friends with security.


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5. Government rate hotels are not always the nicest.


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6. Someone will get lost but swear he isn’t. This is especially annoying when he outranks you.


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7. Someone in your group can’t handle foreign food.


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8. Take a minute to get to know the staff duty driver every night, just in case.


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9. You will run into someone from an old unit. You probably will not be excited about it.


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10. The DoD is paying for the rental car and mileage, so find somewhere to go every day off.


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11. No matter how many phone numbers, email addresses, and instant messaging usernames you exchange, someone will be impossible to keep track of for accountability. It’s probably a senior officer.


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12. Every base exchange is filled with tackier, more expensive versions of local stuff you can buy off post.


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13. Despite all the frustrations, you will want to leave again 15 minutes after you return to your home base.


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classedit2 David Nye - Staff Writer at We Are The Mighty


David is a former Fort Bragg paratrooper who deployed with the 82nd Airborne Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team.



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