'Sup Nerds, SGT Nobody here.

It's about that time and I think it would be a fitting opportunity to provide some folks with a sort of cheat sheet for their tough boxes and duffle bags when it comes to a rotation out to this pseudo-third world country. Prior to my rotation, I know I came here to Reddit to find some answers to questions I had about things like cell service, data, comfort items, and I honestly didn't find a whole lot. Not for a lack of trying, as I dug through a lot of threads, but I just never quite found what I needed. When I got boots to dirt, I was able to sort a lot out. Took a month or so but I do wish I had more information before leaving.

Thus, I want to post this to give those of you with potential questions or concerns a sort of baseline of what you should bring with you in your packs to give yourself some form of comfort out here. It's a shit hole. It always is, but it can be a pretty decent gig if you pack right and set yourself up for it.

Data/Cell Service:

I'll start off with the important bit; Communication. (What's the most important step in SLOCTOP?)

• Out this way, you have a company called Orange. It's Poland's version of Verizon. It's very good nationwide and the service is pretty solid. I only had about two or three days where the service shit the bed but they were doing updates on their towers. Otherwise, I've been able to stream videos, watch movies, make phone calls, etc, with no issues.With Orange, you will be given a SIM Card, so make sure you bring a phone with you that is unlocked or has the SIM Port accessible. If you're like me and have Verizon, make sure you notify your carrier that you're going overseas, provide them with your Orders, and have them freeze your account the day you leave so you don't get charged the absurd overseas rate. Or, be like me and get someone stateside to be an Authorized person on your phone plan (like a parent, S/O), and have them call the company to shut your phone off once you have your Orange SIM.Orange has plans based off Data. I thought I could get away with just 50GB at first but I burned through that incredibly quick. After a few months, I inevitably just bought the 1TB deal and it gives you 1TB of data and a year of calls/texts. You won't need Calls/Texts, though, which brings me to the next bit.
• Download Facebook Messenger, Signal, WhatsApp, or some other app that allows you to make phone calls using Data. You can call stateside normally with the Poland SIM but you'll get charged a fuckton. If you use Messenger or whatever other App, it uses Data instead. I'll sit in the DFAC and call home for like an hour and have no issues. Send texts via Signal or chat with Messenger and you're good to go.
• For those of you with Laptops, PCs, etc, you have two options: Bring a Wifi Puck or you can go to the MWR and use their data for free. I brought a Wifi Puck but the Wifi in the MWR is free and is 24/7 (so long as they don't shut it down because of drunkards). If you bring a WiFi puck (a Sapphire 3 like me for example) I do not recommend using the data that the puck service provider sells you. Hold out for a day or so and then when you go to Orange to get you a SIM for your phone, buy a second SIM to plug into your Wifi Puck. In the settings for your puck, switch to the SIM and it'll use the data from the SIM Card. Get you a 1TB or whatever for that SIM card and it'll provide you plenty of connection to use at your bunk or elsewhere, so long as Orange has service in the area you're at. \*If you buy two SIM Cards, one for your phone and one for your puck, put more data into the puck SIM and you can just bum off that one with your phone if you need to for whatever reason.***
• For business back home- Download the App, Telegram. You won't need to purchase the premium version but you can use the free version just fine. You'll need to connect to the Wifi on your Puck to make calls, however. This is key for those of you that may need to make business calls to banks, mechanic shops, etc. When you get your Orange SIM and shut off your USA SIM, you won't be able to call home normally lest you pick up the international calling tab. So use Telegram. I've called banks, car shops, and insurance companies from over here using Telegram. You can even use it to text those places. Just make sure to note down the phone number the App gives you and set up all of your App security codes to send to an email address instead of your stateside phone number. So if you get locked out of say your USAA App, you can send the security code to your email.

Entertainment:

• Unless you get the pipe, you will have a ton of downtime. Plan accordingly, guys and gals. Bring a book or two, bring your kindle/tablet, bring laptops. Shit, dudes have PS5s, Xboxes, gaming suitcase things with the monitors built in. Some guys have literally gone out to buy TVs that they can have for setups. If you can fit it into your bags and you know you're going to be doing some stupid stuff, bring it. Or put in a mail box and pass it to someone that can ship it for you should you decide you want it. For reference, shipping takes about 2-3 weeks (7-10 days once it gets through Chicago International is my rule of thumb).
• That being said, if you're an extrovert, you also will be able to go out onto the economy to do things. Don't be stupid. You've heard the stories and there's a lot of them. They're real life. Have fun but don't ruin it for everyone else. Food is cheap but most things like clothes and amenities are comparable in price so you won't be big baller, Joe Schmo. Download and setup Bolt/Uber for transport.
• Take your four days if they're offered. Hop on a train, rent a car, get a flight. Travel is cheap and hotels can be cheap too if you search deep enough and are willing to make some sacrifices. Enjoy your time out here and see what you can. Don't just sit in the MWR or in your bunk and waste away for your tour. It can get pretty depressing. This is my second time out this way and I've pretty much finished checking my boxes on locations I wanted to visit with maybe one or two left. So take advantage. Bring a battle buddy or ask around to see if anyone else wants to go, because we have to hold each other's hands per usual.

Packing List:

Insert obligatory "your unit's packing list comes first". With that out of the way, here's the important shit:

• Wifi Puck, Unlocked/SIM Accessible Phone, Charging cords for the devices.
• Headphones. Both wired and wireless.
• Basic Gym stuff (yes, there are gyms here. They're minimal but they work): Wrist straps, knee sleeves/wraps, lifting shoes, waist belt, etc.
• Supplement powders (Pre, Aminos, BCAAs, Pump, etc). You can buy stuff off the economy depending on your location and some of it is the same as what we have Stateside, but read the friggin label. Their regulations out here are different so don't spike yourself with some wild juice and get surprised by it.
• External Battery Charger for your phone/puck. Or, when you go to Orange, they sell external battery packs. When you buy your SIM, they might give you one of those deals with you get 100zl to use as a credit in the store- use that to get you a pack.
• Europe Extension Cable (You can get that one, or one on the economy when you get here), Europe Wall Plug Adapters (at least 1 for when you can't bring a cable. The smaller adapter fits better in your pack)
• Civilian Clothes. Lots of them. Same with shoes.
• Vapes and Cigs. They don't sell 5% Vapes out here, peeps. If you're a plastic sucker, stock up and pack as many as you can fit. I highly recommend getting a plug stateside that can send you refills when you're getting low and order 3 weeks in advance so you don't run out. The vapes out here are 2%. While they're available everywhere, for you addicts you might not find them to be enough. Regular Cigarettes are available and you can find American labels, but you have to dig a little to do so. Actual smoke shops should have them.
• Wet Weather Clothes and Cold Weather Clothes. Coming in the Spring/Summer? I rains, a lot. Coming in the Fall/Winter? It gets really, really cold. Bring clothes to cover you during the Wet Season and the Snow Season. It's not Russian Winter cold but you might get slapped for a day or two.
• Extra Sheets/Blankets so you can set up your privacy shack at your bunk. You should be given linen when you arrive. You'll need a top cover and blankets for all four sides of your bunk. How you do it is up to you, but come prepped for it.

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And that's about all I can squeeze out of my brain. I can't think of much else but if you have any questions about more specific items, whether you should bring them or if you can buy them, you're welcome to ask. You can DM me too if you want to be more confidential about things. I made this on a throwaway for a reason.

So long as you can fit things into your BBag connex, I recommend just bringing it with you anyways. If you don't need it/use it, just leave it in your bag and you'll be fine. If your NCO/Leadership are being asshats about things, you have my condolences but whatever they're telling you when it comes to your training schedule, take with a grain of salt. Not going to say it's the same for everyone but we were told one thing and then I stared at paint for three days and almost had to see the Chaplain because I swear it started talking to me about Jesus or something.

Regardless, if you have space or if you're worried about how bored you're going to be, pack that little thing that you believe will help you out. Don't stress over the phone and data stuff and bring clothes to be comfortable in. It's not as bad as you might hear and it's honestly a very pretty place (well, most of the time).

And that concludes my brief. I now open the floor to questions, comments, gripes, complaints, and shit talk.

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EDIT: Added in the blurb for Telegram.