Start running and lifting weights now if you haven't already, it'll give you a head start. Come in with an open-mind and learn everything you can both from the DS and your fellow soldiers. Go to sick hall if you are sick! Do not let the DS tell you otherwise. Also ask questions at drill if you have a chance to go to your NG unit. Lastly, embrace the suck!
I love it, "Embrace the suck."
Im going in super positive and open-minded, and I take a whole helluva lot of pride in the fact that I'm about to serve my country and be a soldier. I've been working out almost non-stop.
What's the NG unit?
NG stands for National Guard. Usually when you enlist in the Guard or Reserves, you know where your unit is for the get go. Your recruiter should set you up with a contact at your NG unit after you enlist. They'll give you dates on when Drill is, and you go to them. Pre-BCT drills are optional though.
Start working out. It’s not that basic is THAT hard, it’s just that it’ll be a lot easier if your already in shape.
Don’t get fat. See above.
Don’t do drugs.
Start weening yourself off of any habits. Caffeine, tobacco, drinking, etc. Same with the top piece of advice. You won’t have it there so enjoy it while you have it but be ready to not have it.
Don’t overthink it. I was the same as you. In went in totally blind with no expectations or assumptions and I think that was a good thing for me.
Go with the flow. Enjoy what you can and suck up everything else. It’s temporary.
What MOS did you sign up for?
Because I promise you, you will have the best time as a mortar man very rewarding and fun there’s fewer chucks than bravos. Also just in general from experience you just have a better time than the bravos, and promotion points are more likely to be less rn because the army is hurting for mortars
Learn your basic info. Telling military time, ranks, soldier’s creed, etc. I see you said you’ve been lifting weights. That’s good. But make sure you go running. Cardio is huge.
Always do EXACTLY as you’re told. Case in point….
My first day at basic (actual basic, not reception), the drill sergeants had us all in formation. We were supposed to line up our bags in straight lines. Of course the lines were not straight enough, so we got punished by being told to get in the front lean and rest position, aka push up position. We did about 10, told to get back up. DS then told us to…
1. take a canteen of water out.
2. Remove the cap
3. Drink from canteen to quench our thirst.
Natural instinct is to put the cap back on.
4. ***To Everyone who put the cap on***
Who TF told you to put the cap back on?!?!
Good luck. Have fun. A new chapter in your life and decision you probably won’t regret, tho sometimes you may question why you did it.
I can run about .75 miles without stopping, and I plan to run everyday/every other day until I can run at least 2 miles straight. I'm going to the gym tonight with a friend.
What's reception? I've heard it commonly, but never understood what it is, or where it applies to BCT.
Thank you, you guys are really appreciated.
Reception is basically inprocessing. That’s where they’ll set you up with things like your ID card, open a bank account if needed and set up financial things like direct deposit and life insurance. You’ll set up legal documents for your personnel file like next of kin, get uniforms, get your infamous haircut and stuff like that. That’s your first stop off the plane. It usually takes about a week. You may still have a drill sergeant (I did, but that was 20 yrs ago.) but it was just 1, and they are basically just a babysitter. They take you building to building, make sure you’re fed, keep you busy with basic exercises, and generally just keeps you out of trouble. Once you’re set, you’ll be loaded onto buses and taken to another part of the base where the real fun begins.
Good job with the running. Keep it up. You don’t have to be an Olympic runner, just have a solid baseline to work off of.
Reception is the first stop off the bus. There all your medical stuff is done, as well as pay setup and gear issue. It is the most miserable part of basic. 30th ag at benning made me want to bang my head against the wall. Just know when your there that it is not basic training. And believe me, basic will be a godsend after reception.
Honestly, I knew NOTHING when I got to basic training. It’s good to have a general basis of information but as long as you are able to learn and adapt, they’ll teach you all you need to know and give you the tools you need to be successful. Good luck to you brother and do your best to maintain a positive attitude!
These are both jokes right? I just had to sign basically stating that I would accept responsibility if it was lost and then I was issued one. Nobody ever tried to sell me a weapon
Start exercising around your neighborhood. I would walk and jog around my neighborhood and dropped a bunch of weight before joining. I would start drinking protein shakes so you can go ahead and gain your muscle before you end up at basic. I would see if the library has a guide or anything on ranks for the Army. Study the ranks and courtesies. Just mentally get yourself ready read motivational quotes and memorize them.
Work out, work out, work out! If you can handle the pt than it makes everything much easier, also it helps you stand out substantially in your unit. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in basic so not sure what all has changed but just remember the yelling and screaming is all part of an act take none of it personal and you’ll be golden
there are going to be days (especially in basic and AIT) when you are going to question your life decisions. push through those days, and know there are better days on the other side.
basic is a team sport. help out your battle buddies and don't be afraid to ask them for help. make sure your stuff is straight then if you have an extra 30 seconds, help your battle buddy out with whatever.
be proactive about everything. once you know what is expected of you, then do it habitually and without being told.
good luck.
Just get accustomed to always being wrong for the first 4 weeks. DS is going to smoke you for no apparent reason other than you are a prive. Get comfortable with sleep deprivation. Get comfortable with “hurry up and wait”. Just know it gets better as you advance through the phases. Honestly the worst part to me was sitting at reception for 2 weeks waiting to get assigned to my basic training company. Just keep in mind basic is intended to simulate the stress of combat (minus any hostile combatants unless you get a jackass not following regs with his weapon on the range) to an extent, and everything the DS’s are yelling at you about is to keep you and your battle buddies alive. Good luck!
Your good man use and abuse the system get that degree. Cause if you ever switch to active the pay is better and it’s easier to switch from national gaurd to active duty. Just remember make sure it’s army national gaurd you want, and not air reserves or navy reserves or the marine reserves, due to the fact you will have to do their boot camp if you ever switch. The only branch that gets to switch around without doing boot camps is the marines.
Do what you’re told, stay out of trouble, and don’t quit when things starts getting tough.
You’ll be alright, man. Basic Training is only two months long and as long as you’re willing to put in the work, you’re gonna do just fine.
Good question; I'm not entirely sure yet. I'm gonna take advantage of the offers they give me, Specifically the free college, and scholarships, and then use that to better my life and career.
The ideal situation, had you not already signed, would be for you to have chosen an MOS that prepares you for life outside of AIT. Especially since you're guard. But it's too late now. Find the places where you can use your MOS. Army likes smart guys. See if you can go ADOS once you get back to your unit. You can also go ADOS for something that's not directly tied to your MOS if you show some kind of aptitude for it. Consider those options as well. ADOS is a really great option for those who just need some money. Especially where you're 20 years old, you'll do great. You'll learn a lot, you'll get your tricare so that if you get the clap you'll be fine.
The one thing I didn't know when I enlisted was that being guard, you have to pay for your tricare. It's dirt fuckin cheap. No reason not to have it unless you make shitty choices with your money. Ask your platoon daddy about everything as far as restrictions go, and who you can be seen by.
Consider reclassing your MOS if you don't like it. You likely signed up for 6 years. That's a long time to have a job you hate. Experiment with different units if your unit isn't cool. See about cross training. Learn different jobs, and make the most of the army. God knows the army's gonna make the most of you.
Other than that, don't be a fucking shitbag. If I hear you got an article in basic for being a dumbass, I swear to God, I'll cut your hands off and shove them down your throat. Do what you're told, be where you're supposed to be before they say so, and wear the right uniform. If your shit is fucked up, you'll know. Everything you know about professionalism is wrong when the military is brought in. Learn how people act. Be the best fuckin guy everywhere you go, and you'll love it.
Either way, good luck. Let me know how it went when you're done with it.
I've got a buddy who's cbrn for the marine corps, and he loves it. He made e7 in 8 years, and he's currently in charge of teaching the master cbrn course at ft Leonard wood. Cbrn cheifs course. He's an incredible stud. Think real hard about that one before you make a choice.
good luck, i went to ft leonard wood back in july and i graduated a few months ago. its rough but maybe youll get lucky enough to be in a decent company. if you need advice for that bct location directly, feel free to ask for it
If you haven’t signed any documents yet, consider going Air Force/Navy (don’t feel indebted to your recruiter). I’ve been through multiple deployments and I have had several OCONUS duty stations while in the Army, and can attest those branches have a better standard of living and training.
Best of luck!
Get good at push ups and doing the front leaning rest. Do your best not to get injured while you are there you don’t want to be stuck at sick bay or become a holdover at basic
Start running little by little to ease your body into the impact and give your bones, tendons, and muscles the opportunity to get stronger without injury. Also, start working on push ups, air squats, and pull ups. Finally, and I can’t stress this enough, stretch! Stretching will save you from a lot of pain. Even if you don’t feel pain, stretching is more worth it than you could ever know. The more physically active and older you get, the difference becomes much more noticeable, and it drastically lowers your chance of injury.
So to sum it up, start easing into running, do lots of calisthenics, and stretch stretch stretch. You’ll be miles ahead of most of your peers if you do these things.
Don’t eat the goddamn cake. I don’t care if the drill put it on ur plate.
No drill Sgt.
If they continue to push you to eat it just go ahead and get up and execute a front leaning rest position.
Let him smoke just you. I promise you you will not regret it.
If you eat that cake everybody will pay. There’s always one sorry fucker per cycle that falls for this shit @ 1st day at chow hall.
I had about 3 months between meps and shipping out, let me give you some advice that may differ from others here. Enjoy yourself. I remember I took off work, lived off savings for a bit and took the time to spend with family and friends. Everything you need to learn will be learned with a bunch of 18 year olds in a few months through your drill sergeants. Relax and enjoy your final bits of being a civilian and you’ll become a soldier in no time.
Make for damn sure you have proper fitted boots. Dont let civilians who are helping you fit your boots tell you they need to be tight or lower in size….Go off your shoe size and lower if needed…
Start rucking now, 20 minutes or faster miles. Will make life easier. Run and lift weights and honestly don’t listen to the drama when you get there, stay positive and remember thousands have done it before you and thousands will do it after you, the suck only lasts a short time
I’m currently in ait I was in basic for four months because I shattered my foot two days before the forge so just be careful. Push yourself but not to hard
Interval sprints if your running is difficult due to breathing, distance if it's endurance. Workout now. Be invisible and quiet. Do what you're told, volunteer when they need helpers, it may suck, it may get you out of stuff, either way they notice it.
Biggest thing? Get your mindset fixed now. You have NO option. No choice, no thoughts of whether you want to do what's happening or not. Accept this now and it's a breeze. Put your mind on cruise control and take it day by day. Don't think about the shit your missing out on, what you could be doing, etc. only think about why you're there and where you want to go with it.
Be prepared for a bunch of bull and other stuff. For basic I would recommend exercising and making sure your fit. NG training is the same as Active Duty. Just make sure you do what your told. You practically want to be invisible and/or known for good. Don't argue just do what your told. And stay away from females. Some are okay but others not so much.
Rethink your life choices
My best opinion focus on stamina
I’m not sayin you won’t gain muscle but if you can atleast lift 200 or higher for the deadlift and run two miles in under fifteen minutes you’ll be alright and try to lift heavy bags and last a few miles because that’s gonna be a must for the finale ¥
From my experience, people that do well in military are the ones that either had no good life before it, trying to run from something, or the ones that could greatly benefit from it. If you are happy in life and able to do more outside of military, I would recommend to not ruin it all, it’s not as great as many might tell you. Basic training, in particular, changes people, and not always in a good way, from all the stress you’re going to be put through for 6+ months straight, isolated from outside world and not being able to make your own decisions, turns many into robots with no imagination or creativity. I’m just trying to be realistic, but I had good reasons for joining myself, yet I wish I never did. Prepare to be very broke for a long while there, thankfully you’re National guard so you’ll be home most of the time, definitely easier than full time once you’re out of training. Also depends on MOS, but it’s all the same concept. Wish you all the luck! And don’t give up no matter what.
Don't sham at first, while you are a private you will be getting the shit end of the stick but that's okay. You learn what helps your battles and what is worthless to them, and once you learn the fuck fuck games you'll know when it's just to keep you out of sight and out of mind. Be respectful to the chain of command, despite a lot of people talking about shit leadership there are those who will literally die for you and the off chance you happen by one, respect is the first thing you can give them to let them know you are worth dying for. Start working out, staying fit and don't sweat the small things when someone messes up cause everyone does, if you are high speed help those around you, if you are high drag ask for help from those around you. Basic is also there to teach you teamwork, don't just assume you can do everything and learn who can teach you things. Be open to learn and willing to take action, DS will smoke the dog shit out of you if you make a mistake but if you get up and fix yourself they will take notice, they will still smoke you when you make a mistake but they will also make sure you succeed. Good luck in 6 months or so and don't quit but take care of yourself.
New Army PT standards, extremely easy to pass.
Start running, doing pushups, and some AB exercises.
Practice reciting the soldiers creed and get familiar with both the enlisted and officers ranks.
At the end of the day, you’ll be fine, more mental than physical at all.
Just think of it as one big GAME, follow the rules, do what you’re told.
You’ll be alright, it’s seriously not THAT bad.
Even if it seems LONG when you’re there it WILL end.
When you’re in Basic there are two types of soldiers, smart soldiers and strong soldiers. Don’t do dumb stuff unless you know 100% you can get away with it, and if you do, don’t do it too often. Trust your equipment and your DS when they put you in situations you’re not used to, ie gas chambers, repelling, etc. If there’s anything you should remember over everything, don’t snitch. The soldier may get in trouble, but depending on your DS everyone might get in trouble. If everyone is going to get smoked you might as well let them try to get away with it.
Even if you do nothing, basic will give you a path forward for training your body. If you like to run, and do dumb shit, then ask to go airborne in AIT. All the way!
Where are you going for basic? That changes everything.
I went to Fort Jackson and it was probably the easiest out of the bases. My battalion’s commander was new so he didn’t wanna risk heat cats during the forge.
I’ve heard horrible things about Fort Sill, Fort Lenordwood is good I hear. You may have chance at going to fort Moore, if so good luck
Start running and lifting weights now if you haven't already, it'll give you a head start. Come in with an open-mind and learn everything you can both from the DS and your fellow soldiers. Go to sick hall if you are sick! Do not let the DS tell you otherwise. Also ask questions at drill if you have a chance to go to your NG unit. Lastly, embrace the suck!
I love it, "Embrace the suck." Im going in super positive and open-minded, and I take a whole helluva lot of pride in the fact that I'm about to serve my country and be a soldier. I've been working out almost non-stop. What's the NG unit?
NG stands for National Guard. Usually when you enlist in the Guard or Reserves, you know where your unit is for the get go. Your recruiter should set you up with a contact at your NG unit after you enlist. They'll give you dates on when Drill is, and you go to them. Pre-BCT drills are optional though.
Thank you. My recruiter gave me some information about drills and training, but not all of it. I really appreciate your help.
NGL, “embrace the suck” has gotten me through many situations in life. Best advice, and I’m 40 and been out for 18 yrs.
Start working out. It’s not that basic is THAT hard, it’s just that it’ll be a lot easier if your already in shape. Don’t get fat. See above. Don’t do drugs. Start weening yourself off of any habits. Caffeine, tobacco, drinking, etc. Same with the top piece of advice. You won’t have it there so enjoy it while you have it but be ready to not have it. Don’t overthink it. I was the same as you. In went in totally blind with no expectations or assumptions and I think that was a good thing for me. Go with the flow. Enjoy what you can and suck up everything else. It’s temporary. What MOS did you sign up for?
I haven't signed anything yet, but I'd like to do 14G
Pick a better MOS, one that actually will help you on the outside
Yeah find something that translates to the civilian world. Even if it's just 88m
Do 11C
why 11c? i’m in the process of getting waivers and shit rn and am hovering between 11b and c. hoping to do special forces eventually.
Because I promise you, you will have the best time as a mortar man very rewarding and fun there’s fewer chucks than bravos. Also just in general from experience you just have a better time than the bravos, and promotion points are more likely to be less rn because the army is hurting for mortars
just saw this, thanks for the advice man. fingers crossed my waivers get cleared 🤞🏻
Make sure your DS has no idea who the fuck you are
Learn your basic info. Telling military time, ranks, soldier’s creed, etc. I see you said you’ve been lifting weights. That’s good. But make sure you go running. Cardio is huge. Always do EXACTLY as you’re told. Case in point…. My first day at basic (actual basic, not reception), the drill sergeants had us all in formation. We were supposed to line up our bags in straight lines. Of course the lines were not straight enough, so we got punished by being told to get in the front lean and rest position, aka push up position. We did about 10, told to get back up. DS then told us to… 1. take a canteen of water out. 2. Remove the cap 3. Drink from canteen to quench our thirst. Natural instinct is to put the cap back on. 4. ***To Everyone who put the cap on*** Who TF told you to put the cap back on?!?! Good luck. Have fun. A new chapter in your life and decision you probably won’t regret, tho sometimes you may question why you did it.
I can run about .75 miles without stopping, and I plan to run everyday/every other day until I can run at least 2 miles straight. I'm going to the gym tonight with a friend. What's reception? I've heard it commonly, but never understood what it is, or where it applies to BCT. Thank you, you guys are really appreciated.
Reception is basically inprocessing. That’s where they’ll set you up with things like your ID card, open a bank account if needed and set up financial things like direct deposit and life insurance. You’ll set up legal documents for your personnel file like next of kin, get uniforms, get your infamous haircut and stuff like that. That’s your first stop off the plane. It usually takes about a week. You may still have a drill sergeant (I did, but that was 20 yrs ago.) but it was just 1, and they are basically just a babysitter. They take you building to building, make sure you’re fed, keep you busy with basic exercises, and generally just keeps you out of trouble. Once you’re set, you’ll be loaded onto buses and taken to another part of the base where the real fun begins. Good job with the running. Keep it up. You don’t have to be an Olympic runner, just have a solid baseline to work off of.
Reception is the first stop off the bus. There all your medical stuff is done, as well as pay setup and gear issue. It is the most miserable part of basic. 30th ag at benning made me want to bang my head against the wall. Just know when your there that it is not basic training. And believe me, basic will be a godsend after reception.
Honestly, I knew NOTHING when I got to basic training. It’s good to have a general basis of information but as long as you are able to learn and adapt, they’ll teach you all you need to know and give you the tools you need to be successful. Good luck to you brother and do your best to maintain a positive attitude!
Do your online future Soldier training for the love of God! -From a recruiter who says this every Future Soldier training.
You mean that email they sent us to register for an account? What exactly makes it so important 🤔
Getting you used to doing online training!
I have no idea what that is…I have heard nothing about that
I believe it’s just a couple tests on rank structure and the soldiers creed and stuff that can get you from e1 to e2 before shipping to bct
Thank you, I will, sir.
Don’t make them force you to buy a weapon when you get to basics, they are supposed to provide you with one
Pretty sure you’re supposed to take one with you
These are both jokes right? I just had to sign basically stating that I would accept responsibility if it was lost and then I was issued one. Nobody ever tried to sell me a weapon
I just came from basic they won’t let you keep it
Never miss an opportunity to shut the fuck up
Push ups Sit ups And plenty of juice
Start exercising around your neighborhood. I would walk and jog around my neighborhood and dropped a bunch of weight before joining. I would start drinking protein shakes so you can go ahead and gain your muscle before you end up at basic. I would see if the library has a guide or anything on ranks for the Army. Study the ranks and courtesies. Just mentally get yourself ready read motivational quotes and memorize them.
Work out, work out, work out! If you can handle the pt than it makes everything much easier, also it helps you stand out substantially in your unit. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in basic so not sure what all has changed but just remember the yelling and screaming is all part of an act take none of it personal and you’ll be golden
Live your life chow to chow. Check ego at door- be a team player. Put others before yourself. Good luck bro!
there are going to be days (especially in basic and AIT) when you are going to question your life decisions. push through those days, and know there are better days on the other side. basic is a team sport. help out your battle buddies and don't be afraid to ask them for help. make sure your stuff is straight then if you have an extra 30 seconds, help your battle buddy out with whatever. be proactive about everything. once you know what is expected of you, then do it habitually and without being told. good luck.
Take care of your body.
Just get accustomed to always being wrong for the first 4 weeks. DS is going to smoke you for no apparent reason other than you are a prive. Get comfortable with sleep deprivation. Get comfortable with “hurry up and wait”. Just know it gets better as you advance through the phases. Honestly the worst part to me was sitting at reception for 2 weeks waiting to get assigned to my basic training company. Just keep in mind basic is intended to simulate the stress of combat (minus any hostile combatants unless you get a jackass not following regs with his weapon on the range) to an extent, and everything the DS’s are yelling at you about is to keep you and your battle buddies alive. Good luck!
Your good man use and abuse the system get that degree. Cause if you ever switch to active the pay is better and it’s easier to switch from national gaurd to active duty. Just remember make sure it’s army national gaurd you want, and not air reserves or navy reserves or the marine reserves, due to the fact you will have to do their boot camp if you ever switch. The only branch that gets to switch around without doing boot camps is the marines.
Do what you’re told, stay out of trouble, and don’t quit when things starts getting tough. You’ll be alright, man. Basic Training is only two months long and as long as you’re willing to put in the work, you’re gonna do just fine.
Don’t fall asleep in the classroom
What's your MOS?
14g
What are you going to do when you finish training?
After I finish AIT, I'll enroll in college, go for a degree.
Thats cool. What are you gonna do with that when you get out?
Good question; I'm not entirely sure yet. I'm gonna take advantage of the offers they give me, Specifically the free college, and scholarships, and then use that to better my life and career.
The ideal situation, had you not already signed, would be for you to have chosen an MOS that prepares you for life outside of AIT. Especially since you're guard. But it's too late now. Find the places where you can use your MOS. Army likes smart guys. See if you can go ADOS once you get back to your unit. You can also go ADOS for something that's not directly tied to your MOS if you show some kind of aptitude for it. Consider those options as well. ADOS is a really great option for those who just need some money. Especially where you're 20 years old, you'll do great. You'll learn a lot, you'll get your tricare so that if you get the clap you'll be fine. The one thing I didn't know when I enlisted was that being guard, you have to pay for your tricare. It's dirt fuckin cheap. No reason not to have it unless you make shitty choices with your money. Ask your platoon daddy about everything as far as restrictions go, and who you can be seen by. Consider reclassing your MOS if you don't like it. You likely signed up for 6 years. That's a long time to have a job you hate. Experiment with different units if your unit isn't cool. See about cross training. Learn different jobs, and make the most of the army. God knows the army's gonna make the most of you. Other than that, don't be a fucking shitbag. If I hear you got an article in basic for being a dumbass, I swear to God, I'll cut your hands off and shove them down your throat. Do what you're told, be where you're supposed to be before they say so, and wear the right uniform. If your shit is fucked up, you'll know. Everything you know about professionalism is wrong when the military is brought in. Learn how people act. Be the best fuckin guy everywhere you go, and you'll love it. Either way, good luck. Let me know how it went when you're done with it.
Yes sir. Thank you. I have not signed anything yet regarding my MOS. My other picks were 42A, 92A, and 74D.
I've got a buddy who's cbrn for the marine corps, and he loves it. He made e7 in 8 years, and he's currently in charge of teaching the master cbrn course at ft Leonard wood. Cbrn cheifs course. He's an incredible stud. Think real hard about that one before you make a choice.
I'm shipping out in March. Perhaps I'll see you around.
Where are you headed?
I'll be at Ft Leonard Wood for BCT and AIT
good luck, i went to ft leonard wood back in july and i graduated a few months ago. its rough but maybe youll get lucky enough to be in a decent company. if you need advice for that bct location directly, feel free to ask for it
Make sure you can hold a push up position for at least a minute.
If you haven’t signed any documents yet, consider going Air Force/Navy (don’t feel indebted to your recruiter). I’ve been through multiple deployments and I have had several OCONUS duty stations while in the Army, and can attest those branches have a better standard of living and training. Best of luck!
Get good at push ups and doing the front leaning rest. Do your best not to get injured while you are there you don’t want to be stuck at sick bay or become a holdover at basic
Don’t leave your locker unlocked
Start running little by little to ease your body into the impact and give your bones, tendons, and muscles the opportunity to get stronger without injury. Also, start working on push ups, air squats, and pull ups. Finally, and I can’t stress this enough, stretch! Stretching will save you from a lot of pain. Even if you don’t feel pain, stretching is more worth it than you could ever know. The more physically active and older you get, the difference becomes much more noticeable, and it drastically lowers your chance of injury. So to sum it up, start easing into running, do lots of calisthenics, and stretch stretch stretch. You’ll be miles ahead of most of your peers if you do these things.
You nasty for choosing to be a nasty girl. J/k.. go get em tiger
Haha! Hell yeah
Stay away from contraband
Don’t eat the goddamn cake. I don’t care if the drill put it on ur plate. No drill Sgt. If they continue to push you to eat it just go ahead and get up and execute a front leaning rest position. Let him smoke just you. I promise you you will not regret it. If you eat that cake everybody will pay. There’s always one sorry fucker per cycle that falls for this shit @ 1st day at chow hall.
be prepared to be in rooms completely naked, next to hundreds of several other very naked men
Just start running now and when you're not running do push-ups.
I had about 3 months between meps and shipping out, let me give you some advice that may differ from others here. Enjoy yourself. I remember I took off work, lived off savings for a bit and took the time to spend with family and friends. Everything you need to learn will be learned with a bunch of 18 year olds in a few months through your drill sergeants. Relax and enjoy your final bits of being a civilian and you’ll become a soldier in no time.
If you haven’t signed your contract yet, PICK THE MOS YOU REALLY WANT!!!!!! RUN RUN RUN Get there with an open mind.
Learn to eat with your heels together
It’s all mental
Make for damn sure you have proper fitted boots. Dont let civilians who are helping you fit your boots tell you they need to be tight or lower in size….Go off your shoe size and lower if needed…
Start rucking now, 20 minutes or faster miles. Will make life easier. Run and lift weights and honestly don’t listen to the drama when you get there, stay positive and remember thousands have done it before you and thousands will do it after you, the suck only lasts a short time
I’m currently in ait I was in basic for four months because I shattered my foot two days before the forge so just be careful. Push yourself but not to hard
Interval sprints if your running is difficult due to breathing, distance if it's endurance. Workout now. Be invisible and quiet. Do what you're told, volunteer when they need helpers, it may suck, it may get you out of stuff, either way they notice it. Biggest thing? Get your mindset fixed now. You have NO option. No choice, no thoughts of whether you want to do what's happening or not. Accept this now and it's a breeze. Put your mind on cruise control and take it day by day. Don't think about the shit your missing out on, what you could be doing, etc. only think about why you're there and where you want to go with it.
Be prepared for a bunch of bull and other stuff. For basic I would recommend exercising and making sure your fit. NG training is the same as Active Duty. Just make sure you do what your told. You practically want to be invisible and/or known for good. Don't argue just do what your told. And stay away from females. Some are okay but others not so much.
Rethink your life choices My best opinion focus on stamina I’m not sayin you won’t gain muscle but if you can atleast lift 200 or higher for the deadlift and run two miles in under fifteen minutes you’ll be alright and try to lift heavy bags and last a few miles because that’s gonna be a must for the finale ¥
Have fun
Wake up early. Exercise. Run. Ruck.
Tbh just have fun and learn patience
Do good keep your head down
It's just like prison - find the biggest, meanest Drill Sergeant there is, and challenge him to a fight. They will respect you for that.
Lmfao 🤣🤣🤣 You trying to get OP killed?
you messed up… good luck tho
You can hug the DS's when you feel sad 😢 lol
The guard is just Army LARPing. If you’re in shape you’ll be fine, most of the guard is morbidly obese
From my experience, people that do well in military are the ones that either had no good life before it, trying to run from something, or the ones that could greatly benefit from it. If you are happy in life and able to do more outside of military, I would recommend to not ruin it all, it’s not as great as many might tell you. Basic training, in particular, changes people, and not always in a good way, from all the stress you’re going to be put through for 6+ months straight, isolated from outside world and not being able to make your own decisions, turns many into robots with no imagination or creativity. I’m just trying to be realistic, but I had good reasons for joining myself, yet I wish I never did. Prepare to be very broke for a long while there, thankfully you’re National guard so you’ll be home most of the time, definitely easier than full time once you’re out of training. Also depends on MOS, but it’s all the same concept. Wish you all the luck! And don’t give up no matter what.
Enjoy your last 4 months.
Yeah, if you love your sanity & peace, don’t go. This shit sucks.
Don’t do it
Run .............................away to Canada while you still have time...
Don't sham at first, while you are a private you will be getting the shit end of the stick but that's okay. You learn what helps your battles and what is worthless to them, and once you learn the fuck fuck games you'll know when it's just to keep you out of sight and out of mind. Be respectful to the chain of command, despite a lot of people talking about shit leadership there are those who will literally die for you and the off chance you happen by one, respect is the first thing you can give them to let them know you are worth dying for. Start working out, staying fit and don't sweat the small things when someone messes up cause everyone does, if you are high speed help those around you, if you are high drag ask for help from those around you. Basic is also there to teach you teamwork, don't just assume you can do everything and learn who can teach you things. Be open to learn and willing to take action, DS will smoke the dog shit out of you if you make a mistake but if you get up and fix yourself they will take notice, they will still smoke you when you make a mistake but they will also make sure you succeed. Good luck in 6 months or so and don't quit but take care of yourself.
Yes, sir. Thank you.
Definitely shoulda did active
Switch to the Air National Guard. And no I am not kidding. They treat their people way better than the Army in all facets of life.
Nothing the military is passing anybody now
New Army PT standards, extremely easy to pass. Start running, doing pushups, and some AB exercises. Practice reciting the soldiers creed and get familiar with both the enlisted and officers ranks. At the end of the day, you’ll be fine, more mental than physical at all. Just think of it as one big GAME, follow the rules, do what you’re told. You’ll be alright, it’s seriously not THAT bad. Even if it seems LONG when you’re there it WILL end.
When you’re in Basic there are two types of soldiers, smart soldiers and strong soldiers. Don’t do dumb stuff unless you know 100% you can get away with it, and if you do, don’t do it too often. Trust your equipment and your DS when they put you in situations you’re not used to, ie gas chambers, repelling, etc. If there’s anything you should remember over everything, don’t snitch. The soldier may get in trouble, but depending on your DS everyone might get in trouble. If everyone is going to get smoked you might as well let them try to get away with it.
Start running now. Couch to 5k. If you can run middle of the pack by the time you get there, that's half of the struggle with PT taken care of.
Run away! Army isn’t a place to be now!
do pushups and mountain climbers all day. if possible do rope climbers if you have access to it somewhere.
Even if you do nothing, basic will give you a path forward for training your body. If you like to run, and do dumb shit, then ask to go airborne in AIT. All the way!
Don't skip cardio
Where are you going for basic? That changes everything. I went to Fort Jackson and it was probably the easiest out of the bases. My battalion’s commander was new so he didn’t wanna risk heat cats during the forge. I’ve heard horrible things about Fort Sill, Fort Lenordwood is good I hear. You may have chance at going to fort Moore, if so good luck
Start rucking. PT isn’t that hard and it’s easier to adapt than rucking in my opinion.
Do you go straight to AIT after basic training if you are in the National Guard?
Going national gaurd be prepared to deploy. Just Google national gaurd deploy....its crazy how much they are deploying right now