my basic training thread

[IwantVtec]

I should be leaving for basic sometime during the fall and I'm kinda nervous lol. For those who have been through it can you give any advice ? Also I have a couple of questions

What should I bring? I know the recruiter will tell me but I feel its better to get a list from someone who recently went.

How did you cope with not being around ya family? I'm a real big family person and hate not being around them especially my mother since she has been the only person in my life. It's kinda hard to leave her by herself since the rest of my family don't care about her.

What other advice can you give on relationships? I know its hard to stay away from ya wives at times. Also for those with children.

 

[Mr. Lin]

so umm... what branch?

 

[IwantVtec]

My fault army

 

[WalkingComplex]

I never served but if your allowed to, bring an ipod full of music with a solar powered charger.

 

[Mr. Lin]

i hear army basic is a brain washing period with a fair amount of physical training.
i see the s**t army has to do here on base and it's horseshit compared to what we have to do in the air force. they treat y'all like a bunch of a f**king retarded 12 year olds on leashes with spiked-choke collars...
i'm not kidding. have fun.

 

[IwantVtec]

I seen in some Basic training for air force that you guys have it nice compared to us haha

 

[Mr. Lin]

clearly. we have it nice. you can't pay me enough to be in the army.

 

[MR99si]

Don't sweat it, will be a piece of cake!

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=N_TlXlo1YUQ

 

[IwantVtec]

Don't sweat it, will be a piece of cake!

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=N_TlXlo1YUQ

I couldnt stop laughing at the beginning. I was thinking wtf is he saying hahaha

 

[253eg]

Normal basic or OSUT? You should be okay with bringing an iPod/mp3 player and maybe your laptop. But, say bye to them when you arrive at your training facility. Other than that, I wouldn't bring anything else. I'm still in processing, but my dad, recruiter, and some people I met through my work have told me some hints.

Big thing, just shut up, do as your told when your told. Yeah, they gonna have do or say some stupid stuff, but its all a mind game. Another secret I was told was to buy A LOT, A LOT, A LOT, AND A LOT of Q-tips and those huge like 1 gallon ziplock bags. If you're Drill Sargent ask you why, just tell them you want to have the cleanest rifle. It will also help with getting mud and dirt out of your ears n stuff.

As far as being away from family? Look at these people as part of your family. It will help from what I hear. I believe on Sunday's you get a chance to write home, but I know a lot of people will write letters after dark. Do as best as you can. My buddy excelled in PT and on the range and was always rewarded with phone calls to home.

Just have fun, don't take what they say to you to heart and enjoy your time. You're meeting new people, experiencing a whole new adventure in life and you're serving the greatest country in the world.

(hope you don't goto Fort Lost in the Woods or Sill)

 

[IwantVtec]

I have yet to sign up since I'm planning to spend the summer with family then register in september for wheeled vehicle mechanic. So I'm guessing that would be normal basic right? Since I believe infantry usually get the OSUT.

 

[CraigJamez42]

Best advice i could give you. This is a serious decision and the only way to get thru it is to FOCUS. Dont think about your family all the time and wonder what people are doing back home. Trust me, your prob not missing out on anything. When you go to basic, the principle is to break you down, no matter how strong emotionally or physically. You could be a world class athlete and theyll still run you into the ground cuz thats what they do. The army is made to break you completely down, and then build you up and train you into what they want you to be. But the easiest way to get thru it is focus on the tasks at hand and dont let the CO's know your name. Unless you wana be "the man". Just shut up, listen, and do as your told. Good luck tho. I went to Ft. Sill and its a barren wasteland with some big guns.

 

[RedLine42]

Your going to do somthing less then 1% of the population do, take pride with that. Your going to experience some things that you cant imagine being a civilian at home free to do whatever you want. Your going to question yourself on the decision you made for the first few weeks, but thats where the mental part comes into it and you just keep pushing and never quit. Just go off the list the recruiter gives you and when your on your way there dont be that guy with the Army shirt and a shaved head because "You didnt earn that" yet! or some crazy ass hair color and a beard. lol Youll get s*** on for that. Your going to be out of your comfort zone for example Just a heads up first night be prepared to strip down and take a shower with 50 other dudes while being yelled at. Stay low key from attention/trouble, do exactly what your told and do it Fast. Its all about attention to detail dont half ass anything at all, Its 110% all the time. Keep your cool and remember its only temporary, Your going to be homesick your going to be broken down your going to be stressed and people are going to get on your nerves but thats all apart of it. Your civilian traits will be broken down and they will build you back up the Military way. You'll get a chance to maybe make a few phonecalls back home for a short amount of time / Plus write some letters / and attend religious activities on sundays (Recommend it). Your going to learn basic customs and courtesies, Respect, Disipline all the General knowledge that will make you a Service Member, and when your family/freinds see you they will notice right away on how you positively changed for the better. Looking back now its all a blur in time. Im AD USAF SecFor just got back from my first tour in the desert under the Army. Guess you can say its the closest thing to 11B if you could say that, The AF has to offer minus Special Forces. Last time i saw my family was over 13 months ago, It sucks and youll get homesick but you accept and adapt to it like anythiing else after time. Wouldnt change it for anything. Hope that helped a little bit Good luck bro. Props on enlisting.

 

[WalkingComplex]

RedLine, I just want to say thank you for serving and hope you see your family soon.

OP, he made alot of very good points, listen to him.

 

[jordan00711]

i hear army basic is a brain washing period with a fair amount of physical training.
i see the s*** army has to do here on base and it's horses*** compared to what we have to do in the air force. they treat y'all like a bunch of a f***ing retarded 12 year olds on leashes with spiked-choke collars...
i'm not kidding. have fun.

We're stationed at the same base/fort...I can vouch for the army treating us like that

Normal basic or OSUT? You should be okay with bringing an iPod/mp3 player and maybe your laptop. But, say bye to them when you arrive at your training facility. Other than that, I wouldn't bring anything else. I'm still in processing, but my dad, recruiter, and some people I met through my work have told me some hints.

Big thing, just shut up, do as your told when your told. Yeah, they gonna have do or say some stupid stuff, but its all a mind game. Another secret I was told was to buy A LOT, A LOT, A LOT, AND A LOT of Q-tips and those huge like 1 gallon ziplock bags. If you're Drill Sargent ask you why, just tell them you want to have the cleanest rifle. It will also help with getting mud and dirt out of your ears n stuff.

As far as being away from family? Look at these people as part of your family. It will help from what I hear. I believe on Sunday's you get a chance to write home, but I know a lot of people will write letters after dark. Do as best as you can. My buddy excelled in PT and on the range and was always rewarded with phone calls to home.

Just have fun, don't take what they say to you to heart and enjoy your time. You're meeting new people, experiencing a whole new adventure in life and you're serving the greatest country in the world.

(hope you don't goto Fort Lost in the Woods or Sill)

Ipod go ahead and bring it for your flight/bus ride and waiting time. My guess based on your mos choice you will be going to Ft. Jackson. I was allowed to have my phone/Ipod during in processing there. As soon as I hit my bct battalion all rights and electronics were removed lol.

THIS IS SOOO TRUE. I probably went through 6 life time supplies of Q tips cleaning my weapon. Those god damn star chambers never come clean I swear . Also on your last weapons cleaning before turning them in, DONT USE CLP, but rather use shaving cream inside and out and then scrub and wash it off in the shower. Just make sure you dry it completely.

Best advice is have a good person to keep in touch with whether its parents friends gf etc... That will keep you sane I promise. Lol getting letters at bct was like xmas, you just drive through the day till mail call hoping for something with your name on it. Stamps are like crack there, everyone is always running out so bring extras and you'd be surprised waht you can con people into doing for you over stamps . Also my BCT company recieved only 2 phone calls during the entire cycle so don' count on getting alot of them. Prepare for the worst case scenario the whole time your there and anything less then that will be a walk in the park

I have yet to sign up since I'm planning to spend the summer with family then register in september for wheeled vehicle mechanic. So I'm guessing that would be normal basic right? Since I believe infantry usually get the OSUT.

Infantry and artillery are usually the OSUT guys. If you chose that mos and end up going to Jackson you will stay there for your ait. But it is not OSUT. You will graduate BCT with everyone else have your family/grad day passes and report for AIT. Be glad your not going in the summer is all I can say

 

[253eg]

jordan00711, care to explain on the whole shaving cream bit over CLP? Never heard that tip at all

 

[usafdad120108]

Good luck man Im active AF and basic sucked and mine was only 8 weeks. Just suck it up and you will be fine. Its just a right of passage we all go through it and just keep telling yourself that it will be over soon. Trust me basic is NOTHING like the real military.

 

[jordan00711]

jordan00711, care to explain on the whole shaving cream bit over CLP? Never heard that tip at all

During the cycle use clp when your cleaning thats fine. But what makes clp a "cleaning" agent is it pulls all the carbon build up out of the metal inside the rifle. But when you turn them into the arms room at the end of the cycle they will not tolerate any sort of dirtyness on the rifle. The shaving cream breaks down the carbon and will clean it pretty good, just avoid the clp because it will just draw more carbon out. On my last few days of weapons cleaning all I used was Q-Tips, Baby Wipes, and shaving cream. Just lather up the bolt, carrier, trigger assembly etc with the shaving cream and use the toothbrush like thing in your weapons cleaning kit. Then just wash it all off in the shower, but make sure to dry everything out really good. Then if there is any bit of dirt/grime etc left use q-tips and baby wipes to clean that last bit. Our drill sgt's told us this secret at the very end of our cycle, and to my surprise it worked wonders. Knowing this tip ahead of time will make you look like a good squared away soldier with the cleanest weapon . Plus the guys in your bay will appreciate it as well.

 

[Mr. Lin]

i'm sorry but basic just isn't very hard at all. if you can tolerate the mind games and some simple pt, you'll survive.

 

[jordan00711]

i'm sorry but basic just isn't very hard at all. if you can tolerate the mind games and some simple pt, you'll survive.

pretty much.... I wouldnt say its all not hard, but I felt as if it was less then I expected.