What's Basic Training really like.

[HICKMAN]

like a long football camp in camo, loved it!

 

[GPD177]

The best advice I can think of is, while you are there, dont dwell on what you could be doing elsewhere. Dont sit and dream about what your buddies are doing or think about where you would be partying at. Just immerse yourself into the experience and tell your self that this only last a short time and dont worry about missing out on stuff while you are there, it will still be there when your are done. Also PAY FRICKING ATTENTION to what the drills are telling you and do what they say. be the invisble man, dont give the drills any reason to single you out of the herd. I was there for almost 4 or 5 weeks when a drill " voluntered " me for a detail. He said " HEY YOU, PRIVATE, UH, PRIVATE..HELL BOY WHAT IS YOUR NAME" I answer and he sayd "YOU MUST BE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT IF I DONT KNOW YOUR NAME, I GOT YOU NOW THOUGH I WILL HAVE MY EYE ON YOU"

 

[noname1]

I did Navy boot camp from June-August and it basically sucked. It is really easy to catch a cold from the germs of people coming from all over. If you go to medical to get something you run the risk of being set back and spending more time there. It is best to suck it up unless you're pretty sure you are going to die. I think the worst time was when a soda can was located in a heating vent and everyone was punished. The windows were shut and we put on all of our long sleave shirts buttoned up all the way and exercised until it rained (humidity dripping off the ceiling) or 15 people went to medical by ambulance. I made it through without any problems and the only mind game they caught me in was telling me that everyone's guaranteed rating assignments would be wiped out becasue of that soda can. It is surprising what you will believe after about 5 weeks of sleep deprivation and bad/little food.

 

[steepo17]

I have a buddy that is finishing up Phase 2 of SEAL training out at Corona. I just went to visit him prior to the start of the phase and we talked about it a little. I didn't want to ask him specifics (mainly because I didn't think he could tell me), but he shared a lot of the physical and mental tests they are put through. It's amazing that at the very beginning, they start out with +/-200 guys and end up with +/-30 by the end of Phase 1. He said the guys that talked the toughest were generally the guys that "DOR'd" (Dropped on Request). Those guys are machines and you really have to hand it to them. If you could imagine constant physical activity and mental hazing over a weeks time, with only 5 hours of total sleep during that period - that is "Hell Week" and what they encounter during the last week of Phase 1.

We played rugby and ironically he said that the fitness and mental training he encountered in rugby helped him get through the training so far.

 

[downzero]

It sucks even worse than the movies. It's your life for a few months. My army basic was 10 weeks. On top of that, you might spend some time in reception. I shipped over in 2-3 days, so my "zero" week was about one actual week. There are 9 actual weeks of Army basic training, broken into three phases, red, white, and blue.

Once you get to the blue phase, you'll be so proud of what you've done, and so ready to get out of there, that you won't really care about much else.

Generations before us have survived, and our kids will, too. It sucked just as much for them as it will for you. Don't worry about that. Just do as much of what you're told as you can and it'll be fine.

I actually hated AIT way more than basic training, mostly because the Army has standards for training that were violated, drill sergeants did basically whatever they wanted, and although there could have been passes/freedom, there basically wasn't. In the three months I was there, I was allowed to leave post once. Maybe two other times, I was allowed to go to the PX and get a few things. From what I understand, there are no drill sergeants in AIT anymore, so the whole system is different. Be glad. AIT sucked ass. Basic training, in hindsight, was actually fun.

I really loved earning my branch insignia, though.

 

[Militarypol21]

Army bootcamp was pretty easy IMO. Left for Ft. Leonardwood around 1PM, stopped off at crackerbarrel for dinner, arrived at Ft. Leonardwood around 9PM (after making 15 or so smoke break stops for those that wished to get that last cigg in). After arriving, the Drill Sgt (DS) got on the bus and told everyone what will be happening in the next few hours. He then said we had 10 seconds to get off his bus.

We went inside and staired at a wall for 45 minutes before having to dump our bags out on the floor so they could go threw and dump most of it in the trash. We were then issued our bedding and PT clothes to sleep in.

The next morning we had to go through supply and get some of our issued gear, get our heads shaved, and 3 or 4 shots in each arm. The first week was spent sitting on a bench forced to read a field manual over and over while waiting in line to get more tests and vacinations. Once that is done, you are givin a PT test to see where you stand on sit-ups, push-ups, and running. If you failed you were sent to fat camp for an additional week.

The start of the second week - You along with 50 other soldiers are piled into a cattle truck:


and sent to another supply barn where you were issued even more gear. At this point you meet all your DS's which will get in your face, ask you why you are there, etc etc...

From here on out its PT test, PT test, PT test, range, range, range, classes, classes, classes and then after 3 months you either stay for AIT or get shipped out to another location to conduct your AIT. AIT (Advanced Individual Training - "Your MOS") is a lot more laid back.. This is when you will get most of your day passes or weekend passes to do pretty much whatever you wish on base. At the end of AIT you get one last PT test that you have to pass in order to graduate and get the F* outa dodge! Once passed, you have about a week or so of doing pretty much nothing but cleaning the barracks and graduation ceremony rehersal. After graduation you're free to leave. This is when we asked all of our DS's for their Facebook accounts and email addresses. By this time you realize all along that their mindset was to get you ready for the "real world" and that you are now one of them.

 

[hornadylnl]

There's something wrong with that cattle truck picture. You can see walls and floor. We were always packed in so tight that you couldn't breath. I have a funny cattle truck story actually. The day we left for our actual unit, I was the first guy sent to a new truck. They told me to go to the next truck. I went to it and stood there. They didn't say to get on the truck. The DS got in my face and started screaming at me. If I had got on the truck, I'd probably have gotten screamed at as they told me to go to it, not actually get on it.

The day I left for my actual unit was my 19th birthday. Pretty much all of my birthdays in the Army sucked. I spent my 21st birthday in Bosnia with no alcohol. I spent 3 weeks in reception. I wasn't a medical holdover or anything, they just didn't have a unit open for us yet. I was E, 2/58 House of Pain.

 

[Walter Zoomie]

In 1984...USMC boot at San Diego rocked!

We got issued sun tan oil, Ray-Bans, and we got to watch VCR pron every Sunday night.

Chow was unlimited prime rib every day.

They'd bus in trollops for us every other week to keep up our morale, and our beer ration got increased from a 12-pack a week to a case per Congressional order.

They made us march around sometimes, but only if we really felt like it.

We had some nice Philippine ladies wash our clothes for us too.

Think of boot camp as kinda like a 13-week ski vacation in the Rockies, but with M16s.

It was easy and fun.

I hear Parris Island was easier though. There, they lay out on the beach all day and tan, or they go fishing a lot. That's about all they do.

Parris Island Marines are kinda girlie...at least they were back in my day.

I bet some things have changed by now, though.

You should enlist and check it out and get back to us here and describe it for us.

That would be neato.

 

[kedie]

There's something wrong with that cattle truck picture. You can see walls and floor. We were always packed in so tight that you couldn't breath.

No kidding! I can remember standing on the seats with my face pressed up aganist the bars on the windows. Not 'cause I wanted a good view, but because there were so many guys on the truck.

 

[Revelations]

The experience can vary greatly within the same branch. They typical basic training in the Army is 8 weeks. For some MOS's they have what they call OSUT. One Station Unit Training. I was 11M (Mechanized Infantry). We had a 16 week OSUT. For regular basic, you have 8 weeks of hell. I had 16 weeks of it. After about 12 weeks, they lightened up just a tiny bit.

How bad it sucks differs from person to person as well. If you learn the game and accept it early on, it makes it much easier on you.

+1

A few moments of Basic that I will never forget.

Standing in formation with about 150 other guys. The guy in front of me decides he wants to know what time it is and looks at his watch. As soon as he gets his arm to eye level a Drill Sgt is on him yelling..."Dont worry what time it is...your here for 16 weeks"... 19K at Ft Knox.

I also remember when they had "field day". I geuss they had all the area recruiters bring HS student on post to show them what Basic was all about. Thats the only day we ever got to play basketball, play pool, wear our PT gear all day and eat ice cream in the Chow Hall. I still laugh about it.

 

[downzero]

No kidding! I can remember standing on the seats with my face pressed up aganist the bars on the windows. Not 'cause I wanted a good view, but because there were so many guys on the truck.

I was the last guy on the truck because my name begins with N, and they ended up taking a little more than half of the alphabet before they had enough privates.

I was thus the first off the truck, which meant I was standing inside handing out ruck sack frames while everyone else got screamed at.

 

[hornadylnl]

19K at Ft Knox.

Ah, a DAT!

 

[Revelations]

Ah, a DAT!

Yes sir...always had a warm deck to sleep on and a place to cook food...couldnt complain to much

 

[Ringmaster]

Well when I went through Navy Boot Camp in 1974 it was no walk in the park! They never hit us but they did everything else! The worst was when the guys would be screaming in your face about an inch away from your nose and they had dragon breath!!! We worked all morning getting the barracks and our racks ready for inspection and then went to chow. When we came back to the barracks we were met with several screaming instructors and the barracks was just destroyed!!! Uniforms were everywhere, racks turned over, underwear (skivies) hanging from the ceiling fans. It was a mess and we had to get it all put back together before inspection. But by the end of boot camp we were tough. I gained 10 lbs and was pretty healthy. My company won more ribbons than any other and we were the Honor Company out of all that were graduating. My company commander was an old Chief and told us stories about his time as a PBR Commander in Viet Nam. Several of us volunteered for river boat duty after that but I ended up on a Carrier. I actually wish I'd stayed in the Navy, but I was young, dumb and full of....

You had ceiling fans? And you're COMPLAINING? Never woulda made it in the Army, Guy!

 

[downzero]

You had ceiling fans? And you're COMPLAINING? Never woulda made it in the Army, Guy!

We had air conditioning, but it was only warm for a few weeks! But I remember there was a thermometer next to my bed....we never had heat until the barracks were below 60 degrees. Fortunately I was so exhausted that I slept like a baby anyway.

 

[tenring]

Yeah, join the Marines and you'll probably wind up at "Hollywood." Kid up the street started hanging around with me and was fascinated with some of the stories I told about boot camp and my tour in Nam [REMF]. He thought I was BSing him about boot and joined up anyway. My first letter from him can be summed up with this sentence, "Sir, you were right, this is a pure living hell!" Don't know what country that Zoomie did boot in, but I wish I had gone there instead. Semper Fi!

 

[Colt556]

You had ceiling fans? And you're COMPLAINING? Never woulda made it in the Army, Guy!

My group was one of the 1st to go through the then new Orlando Naval Training Center. I joined on my 18th birthday which was in October. If you have ever spent much time, 12 weeks for us, in Orlando in the winter you go through all the seasons in one day! At 5am it was about 45-50 degrees. So the CC made you wear a jacket. By 11am it was 65 and you were sweating and by 3pm it was 80 and you were cooking. But after evening chow and barracks cleaning it was getting down to 60 again and all of your sweat and damp uniforms caused you to freeze. We hated those friggin fans!!!

We marched everywhere and always dug in the heels of our left foot. You could tell when older companies would march by b/c they sounded like one person walking by and you could hear that left foot digging in. It was kinda cool.

We trained with 1911s for about 2 days. Most of that was spent learning how to disassemble and reassemble them. We shot 7 rounds the second day.

As far as me not making it in the Army, I'd like to see you working a hot flight deck during and Alpha Strike. Each service has their own version of Hell.

 

[downzero]

As far as me not making it in the Army, I'd like to see you working a hot flight deck during and Alpha Strike. Each service has their own version of Hell.

All I have to say is, at least you got a shower afterward!

 

[Suprtek]

My first memory of boot camp is having the brim of my DS's hat making a dent in my forehead and him yelling "I ALREADY DON'T LIKE YOU!!". This happened just as I was stepping of the cattle truck after being issued all my gear. I was a six foot tall 130 pound kid trying to carry a duffel that weighed more than I did! I never knew that Jersey had so much sand. I'm not real sure but I think Fort Dix is the armpit of the country. AIT at Gordon was a lot better for me.

Best advice, do exactly what you're told and only what your told no matter how ridiculous the order.

Don't take anything personal.

Work hard...it's worth it.

 

[kedie]

You had ceiling fans? And you're COMPLAINING? Never woulda made it in the Army, Guy!

As far as me not making it in the Army, I'd like to see you working a hot flight deck during and Alpha Strike. Each service has their own version of Hell.

All I have to say is, at least you got a shower afterward!

And were off!! Interservice rivalry thread in 3, 2, 1.....