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On February 14 2012 08:34 FraCuS wrote:
Not much knowledge about Fort Sill, I went to Fort Benning for basic as a 11C Infantry Mortar man.
My advice is to keep on pushing through all the constant smoking for the first 3-5 ish week and make sure you are running everywhere you go to.
Ruck marches is easy when you have the heart to push on.
My personal experience at 1 of the hardest basic training/ AIT.
A lot of people at my drill said Fort Benning was the hardest of them all.
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There may be truth about today being 'easier,' but a lot of that bullshit people spew is them looking glossy-eyed in the past. Fuck that attitude, don't hold it when you progress through the ranks.
Hope you PT'd. Basic SHOULD be a breeze if you're half in shape (if you played any sort of sport in your life or were in any sort of physical training regimen, you should be ok). Regardless of how hard it is, you probably won't fail. Basic isn't really a pass/fail event... it's more indoctrination than anything. Only the truly incapable/unmotivated get the boot out.
I don't know what kind of soldier you expect yourself to be... I'm going to make a sweeping assumption and pretend you're only half-committed (National Guard). If you ARE serious about this kind of stuff, then fuck the advice about 'not sticking out.' Give it your all, and don't half ass stuff. Pay the fuck attention to the small things (you are an excuse for a soldier, and probably human being, if you ever negligently discharge your weapon. If you don't quite know what that means, you will shortly), they actually matter when things get hairy.
This is a way's down the road (and likely an impossibility with the direction the war is heading), but if you're ever overseas, don't ever half ass your job. It's absolutely selfish... it doesn't matter who you are. A few years back, an intel clown failed to mention that 5-8 personnel were spotted with RPG's and machine guns mounted on the windows facing out. A sister platoon of our's landed directly on the target, and a legitimately good human being ended up taking a round directly above his eyebrow running off the bird. All because of neglect. Lots of people lose sight of this notion, but in this business of killing, when you lose sight of what it is that you're dealing with (human lives), mismanagement and apathy leads directly to others dying needlessly. Things are fucked up as they are, and being a lazy piece of shit is the last thing your unit needs.
But I'm getting carried away with myself. You have other things to focus on (like learning to soldier) and experience. Some other things:
- If I had to choose one word to define the Army, it would be 'mediocrity.' Everybody settles for less. Don't be one of them, even if it is the singular word of choice that would define you as a human being right now (not saying it is, but IF it is).
- If you are serious about soldiering, consider pursuing other options (the special operations community). You picked the wrong MOS to help set yourself up for it, but that can still be fixed.
- Don't bitch. Don't mope. Things will suck, but they can always be worse. ALWAYS. Avoid the number one most self-defeating phrase in the world, "This is bullshit." If that thought even crosses your mind at any point ever in your existence from here on out, you have some serious fixing up to do, if anything as a matter of self-respect and dignity.
- Be reliable. Help others. People remember stuff and the more worthy individuals will have your back down the road.
- ^ Along the same thought pattern.... volunteer for stuff. The other stuff people mentioned before me about not volunteering? Yeah, that is you being a piece of shit if you take that up. Be a positive net gain and contribute.
- There will be millions of rumors. Sometimes the only information you ever have are rumors about things. Rumors are spread at every level, and are poison. Don't believe in the fake stories from those who haven't ever experienced it, or at least take them with a grain of salt. This goes for military schools (airborne, Ranger, etc), the training you're about to receive, how things are 'on the other side,' etc. If you're curious about something, get first-hand knowledge or volunteer/do it yourself.
- ...... DON'T SETTLE FOR BEING MEDIOCRE.
That's all I could sling off the top of my head. Have fun down there.
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Regardless of what anybody says negative or positive I'm going to give it 110%. I'm doing national guard so I can go to school and work while also doing the military thing. Hell if I like it enough I have the option of going active after 6 months when I get back.
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On February 14 2012 03:33 bigjmachine wrote:Show nested quote +On February 14 2012 03:07 AnachronisticAnarchy wrote:On February 14 2012 01:02 bigjmachine wrote:
13 delta. I heard a lot of good things, but of course the bad things from drill sergeants if you fuck up (which I don't plan on doing) When I go to drill on the one weekend's a month its very nice and chill (besides the drill sergeants) the guys are very nice cause were all in this together. I already got a nickname second drill (General, as in Gen. Patton. Hes my great great uncle). Wait, wait, wait. Do you mean you are related to THE General Patton? Is there another one?  Yes him. I'm not letting anybody in basic to know though
Do me a big favor and make sure to let your drill instructors know that. And then come back with stories.
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Bobo's post has led me to look at my calling it a joke without the benefit of presentism.
At the time, it was a challenge. Not so much physically, and I was by no means in good shape but had completed a year of military college. Keep in mind that this is the Canadian military I serve in so not everything is identical, and that I was doing an Officer course, but the principles are the same. Our PT was more of a morning wake-up thing. The real challenges were the leadership missions after days of sleep-dep.
Some parts will be challenging, and there will be times where your best isn't good enough for that goddamn sergeant, but keep your goal firmly in your mind. Chin up, don't take it personally, and don't quit.
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It's 100% about your attitude. Things will suck. You'll think they suck. There will be shitbags. There will be bullshit. Just keep going. Improvise, adapt, and overcome.
You'll get homesick. You'll want to leave. You'll be tired of going to bed and midnight and waking up at 4am every day to drill sergeants yelling at you. What helped me? Keeping up with what day it was. "Today is Training Day 24... just 46 more days, and I get to see my family. Just. Forty-six. More. Days." Take the days as they come. Don't think about yesterday; don't think about tomorrow. The days will seem as long as weeks (mostly because you're up for ~20 hours and may or may not have access to a clock.)
Remember what you learn. As someone else said, do EXACTLY as you are told, not more, and sure as hell not less. Make friends. Help them and they'll help you. You may never see them again after BCT, but for those 10 weeks, they'll be the best friends you ever had. You learn to appreciate a man that you've suffered with.
Basic isn't hard in the way most people think it is. The training isn't difficult. The PT isn't grueling. You get to eat plenty. You'll sleep just barely less than enough. The hardest part is the psychological part. If you've never been away from home in this sort of way, it'll be rough sometimes. You'll get through it, and afterwards you'll be apart of the finest army the world has ever known.
On February 14 2012 03:33 bigjmachine wrote:Show nested quote +On February 14 2012 03:07 AnachronisticAnarchy wrote:On February 14 2012 01:02 bigjmachine wrote:
13 delta. I heard a lot of good things, but of course the bad things from drill sergeants if you fuck up (which I don't plan on doing) When I go to drill on the one weekend's a month its very nice and chill (besides the drill sergeants) the guys are very nice cause were all in this together. I already got a nickname second drill (General, as in Gen. Patton. Hes my great great uncle). Wait, wait, wait. Do you mean you are related to THE General Patton? Is there another one? Yes him. I'm not letting anybody in basic to know though
Also, this. If you really are related to Patton, don't let a drill sergeant find that out. My father and I are both in the Army. He's a colonel. He told me to make damn sure not a single drill sergeant found that out because they'd make my life hell.
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On February 14 2012 14:12 Eljee wrote:You'll get through it, and afterwards you'll be apart of the finest army the world has ever known.
Except for ours.
We accept your unconditional surrender. 
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I heard Army basic training is even easier than the Air Force. Is that true?
I'm E-5 in the Air Force that is just what a lot of people were telling me. I know the Air Force in general is easier, but I heard AF basic training is a lot more strict.
Anyways, no matter what branch you are in, boot camp has similar tips. Don't stand out amongst your group. Don't let whoever is your military instructor see you as "That guy". Your life will be miserable if you cause your group to fail or be slowed down. Remember Pyle??? We almost had a soap party with one guy in our basic training unit. He caused us to do a lot of pushups and etc.
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On February 14 2012 14:15 ShaLLoW[baY] wrote:Show nested quote +On February 14 2012 14:12 Eljee wrote:You'll get through it, and afterwards you'll be apart of the finest army the world has ever known. Except for ours. We accept your unconditional surrender.
Uh huh...
![[image loading]](http://static.bf2s.com/files/user/28748/633669711527170032-combatbeard.jpg)
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On February 14 2012 14:16 Silentness wrote:
I heard Army basic training is even easier than the Air Force. Is that true?
I'm E-5 in the Air Force that is just what a lot of people were telling me. I know the Air Force in general is easier, but I heard AF basic training is a lot more strict.
Anyways, no matter what branch you are in, boot camp has similar tips. Don't stand out amongst your group. Don't let whoever is your military instructor see you as "That guy". Your life will be miserable if you cause your group to fail or be slowed down. Remember Pyle??? We almost had a soap party with one guy in our basic training unit. He caused us to do a lot of pushups and etc.
The exact attitude to avoid, starting with the pointless speculation about irrelevant shit in the first sentence. The 'I heard...' train serves no purpose whatsoever.
Avoid all that this dude wrote. 'Almosts' and 'he caused us' and all that crap cultivates a loser's mentality
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On February 14 2012 14:21 Eljee wrote:Show nested quote +On February 14 2012 14:15 ShaLLoW[baY] wrote:On February 14 2012 14:12 Eljee wrote:You'll get through it, and afterwards you'll be apart of the finest army the world has ever known. Except for ours. + Show Spoiler +We accept your unconditional surrender. Uh huh... + Show Spoiler +
![[image loading]](http://www.motifake.com/image/demotivational-poster/1108/canadian-camo-army-canada-camo-demotivational-posters-1313535218.jpg)
Can't kill what you can't see motherfucker!
(I'm done )
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Also, this. If you really are related to Patton, don't let a drill sergeant find that out. My father and I are both in the Army. He's a colonel. He told me to make damn sure not a single drill sergeant found that out because they'd make my life hell.
When I first joined that was my first thought. I don't want to be treated differently because of this, so I'm just going to stfu about it and if they ask I say no
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I had a LT where I worked at and his father was a 4 star general. Everybody gave him shit because he was very soft spoken and introverted unlike his father. I wonder if his father ever tried to disown him.
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On February 14 2012 14:36 Silentness wrote:
I had a LT where I worked at and his father was a 4 star general. Everybody gave him shit because he was very soft spoken and introverted unlike his father. I wonder if his father ever tried to disown him.
That's about how it'll be for me. When I'm a lieutenant, my dad will be a general. Him and I are very much alike and get along very well though, so I doubt there will be any problems.
It won't really matter though because we don't do the same things for the Army.
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Yeah I don't think they could put you guys in the same area of work anyways because of family ties.
It's the same for enlisted military. If I remember correctly...
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On my basic my buddy's dad was (and still is) a one-star and head of some pretty important departments
He tried to keep it hush hush though.
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EPT![[image loading]](http://xmb.stuffucanuse.com/xmb/image.php?&aid=2588&canadian-soldiers.jpg)
