I leave 06AUG02.  Physically:

45 absolutely perfect pushups (ALL THE WAY DOWN BOY!  LOCK THOSE ELBOWS BOY!)

71 situps (not hard to perfect)

18:28 2 mile run (egad!  best way to get this down is?  Wind sprints?  Running 3 miles?  Jogging 5?)

Mentally:

I know the Army IET book (the basic "bible") extremely well.  I have loved and lived the Army since I was 6.  I can tell most ranks how much they make (before and after BAH, etc.)

What am I missing?  I can't wait to go.  I think I will love it (and hate it).  But at this point I want to get it over!

Thanks,

James

Just remember the DI's are playing mind games with you its nothing personal. Dont listen to any shit house lawyers there are tons of them. reception is the worst part it was for me. I thought i would love it but ended up doing my 3 years and getting out. keep running get your 2 mile down.

Good luck hope you love it let us know.
tnrifleman.

Stop smoking.

Don't show up with a mohawk either.

To restate the important advice:

*Be where you're supposed to be, at the right time and in the proper uniform.

*Be motivated [b]no matter what.[/b]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Put yourself 110% into everything that you do, and you'll do just fine. [;)]  

The TON of information about Basic that is left to learn, learn it on your own, and be better for it.

Remember that you're not doing anything that a million other people haven't done already.

Good luck, and maybe I'll see you out here.


Chris

Enjoy it and consider youself lucky.

They won't let some of us go.

Goddamn REMF doctors.

Be motivated, keep your mouth closed unless they ask you something. Keep running and work on the 2-mile run. Don't let the BS get you down alot of it has a purpose. Even though you wont relieze it at the time. You'll do ok, hang in there and you'll be just fine.

Don't make PT look easy, or you will do twice as much.  Even if you aren't, look like you get a little tired.

DO NOT show up in uniform and with a Day 1 Haircut when everyone else is a rainbow.  They WILL dick with you all thru Basic if you do...  Jeans/T-shirt is middle of the road enough to not be a problem, and leave a little length on your hair (Business cut or similar.)

Perfect the art of ignoring your DI while listening to him.  Sort out the important bits (instructions) and filter out the bits you don't need (insults.)  This will come in handy later...

DO NOT be the first to volunteer for bay details in the beginning - that's usually commodes and urinals.  Wait until about halfway thru and you will get an easier job...  The worst are usually handed out at the first and last.

That's all I can recall at the moment.  Even if I did do Air Farce Basic, much is the same (Remember, the Air Farce was part of the Army once...)

FFZ

Don't forget to have fun.  Best camping trips I ever had(stay out way late, shoot someone elses ammo/rifle, stay dirty for days, light up the sky, push yourself to the brink and then push some more...).  Keep your opinions to yourself, listen hard, think fast/talk slow, get your shut-eye, eat hearty, work on doubling your pushups and situps, get your 2 mile to 12-14min(I'd run 4-8 if you got time).  Keep you muzzle downrange and always check your weapon/rifle(NOT GUN!)for live rounds after you drop the mag and when you sleep with it.  Keep an open mind and you'll have tons of fun.  Sure it's a little work but believe them when they say it builds character.  The more you bleed in training the less you do in combat.  BTW, don't try to kill yourself/your buddy either, you will learn fast your own limitations, respect & remember them.  
When the going gets tough, the Tough get going...
Racine

Repeated for importance.

HAVE FUN, w/ a good attitude, it's a blast.

Do not take any knives or other shit with you.  

TXLEWIS

I have coached High School track before. One of the things I was taught in college to get you into shape. Run 2 miles the first day and on the second day run between 3-5 mile at a comfortable pace. Next day run 2 miles. On your 2 mile throw about 4-8 15 second sprints, And repeat long day, short day and so on. You will be amazed how this method will drop your time. We used to use this method to build up at the begining of the season. As for the Army I really cant tell you much about that. I was never there. Its the one thing in life I regret not doing.

Don't sweat the small stuff........

You doing ok, there gonna be a lot of other people in worse shape than you. Just enjoy your summer cause it wont last that long. Do your push ups/sit ups every day an jogs are good. It's good to know a lot of the stuff but they still got to cram it all into everyone elses head and you will get bored =D. Good Luck!

james, those guys have given some really good advice. you will do fine, but i agree, you need to reduce your run time. i was a fat boy in basic, i know what i'm talking about! lol.
you will have fun, looking back, i wished i stayed (this would have been my 15th year in)!
hope you enjoy your time, and thank your for volunteering to serve.

colt

I retired in '93 after 22 years...I'd swap places with you in a second...lots of good advice there...the DS's will take care of your run time...STOP SMOKING...good luck and Godspeed...

1.  Learn to be a team player.  You are gonna meet a ton of people that you will have to work really hard to just tolerate.  You guys need each other, so don't contribute to any infighting.

2.  When assigned a task, make sure you do it completely and thoroughly.  If you half-ass, and the rest of your squad/platoon is punished for it, your life is now officially in the shitter.

3.  Help those people who cannot do things as well as you.

4.  Don't drop your weapon unless you are dying to do some pushups.  "Just git on down wid it private...." is something you will hear quite often.

5.  Don't be lazy and avoid your duties.  The people I hated the most were the ones who suddenly dissapeared when it was time to clean the barracks.

6.  Make your Platoon Drill Seargeants look good by making your platoon look good.  If your DS' look good, your life is much easier.   Maybe they will let you watch porn during CQ, like mine did.

Don't jump when they are shooting you with the inoculation guns...this action causes a slice rather than a puncture.

In basic, if you aren't the dumbest motherfucker in the room, be prepared to spend a lot of time bored and 3/4 asleep. Don't fall asleep.

I wasn't a runner either, and I did Infantry OSUT... just don't quit, you'll get through it.

Surgically excise the word 'why?' from your vocabulary.  I just reenlisted in RC after a 5 year absence, and I was inwardly laughing my ass off at MEPS on Tuesday at some of those kids...there are a few that are about to get a really hard lesson in following directions.  When you're an E-4 or so you can start thinking a little bit..up until that time just do WTF you are told and OBSERVE others' actions.

QS

QS

...also, during high school I ran Cross Country, this helped a lot in Basic, AIT was cool, the PT in jump school required effort...when I got to Bragg in early '72 I THOUGHT I was a pretty badassed little trooper...our first day at PT in a "Permanent Party" was a real SMOKER!!! Just do your best, you'll be OK...remember to take one day at a time and use each day a building block for the next...BTW, what MOS did you choose?

When you arrive don't be the first off the bus. You'll end up being the first in formation upon your initial inspection and you'll be their first target.

The layout of your personal items in your locker will be examined frequently for misplacements. If you use a can of shaving cream, bang it on the floor to form a slightly flattened side before placing it in your drawer. This will keep the round can from moving when the DI pulls the drawer open.

Get yourself used to shaving with cold water. It's faster.

Don't slack off when the DI isn't around and you've been assigned a detail. If you do they will know. They have their ways!

WB

False Motivation is better than NO motivation.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't DI used in the Marines, DS in the Army?

Keep running alot. At least 3 miles at a moderate pace would be best.  Get the best running shoes you can afford.  New Balance worked best for me for some reason.  You may have to try a couple different brands to get it right.
I would recommend that you try to get into the low 17's at least.
I was a weak runner and ended up with a wicked case of shin splints, from jogging with combat boots and rubber overboots, carrying 2 m16's.
Turns our I had somewhat flat feet, and a pair of GI arch supports made me better than new.
I am proud I got through it, but it could have been avoided if I had begun a serious running program Before.
The good news is that compared to the running, everything else will be easy.


You don't have alot of time so you need a crash course.

You will be living with people who you would  otherwise never associate with, and taking orders from stupid people.  Just remember the sacrifices made by all the Soldiers who came before you and your suffering will be put into perspective.

Keep a good attitude, and have fun, and don't ever quit.

Don't give up, don't stick out, do what you are told, other than that sounds like you got it covered.

One more thing go to your army dog recruiter tell him you made a mistake and you want to join the Marine corps.

Get off the bus wearing a USMC T-shirt and a Navy baseball cap. [:D]

I'm going to Army basic, but it is for the NC ARNG.  

MOS: 13f-foward observer (told my recruiter I wanted to blow shit up and be a grunt, this is closest to 11b we have around Charlotte)

Has anyone been REALLY recently?  I have been told by a few returned guard guys that now they give everyone running shoes, and not to go out and buy a new pair.  But I haven't seen this on paper or heard it from anyone I trust 100%.

James

I don't smoke by the way.  

Take a near empty deodorant stick. Pop the deodorant out of the top. Put as much candy as you can fit it there in a plastic bag. Put the deordorant back in.

Those little candies are worth their weight in gold. The DI will never find them.

let me start by saying that I have not been to basic [U]yet[/u] but I have aquired quite a bit of knowledge from my four years is jrotc under a retired special forcest/macv sog first sergeant, retired special forces diver captain, and a retired full bird arty colonel.actually I have taken the class for more than 4 years because I took the class 2 and 3 times a day and had to become a teachers assistant to stay in the program because I had taken if more than the 8 times that the school allows. our school has a very strict and difficult rotc program, as a matter of fact the raider team for our school is actually conscidered a lettered sport and is looked apon in much the same manner as the football team. after serving on the staff as the s-2 and s-3 I took over the job as the raider team commander and am currently a cadet captain.

from my several week army summer camp experience, this is what I have learned.

#1. the ds's require about 60/40 out put from you. the 40 being physical from you. this is hard but not impossible. the 60 percent is mental. this is where you have an advantage because unlike the physical part your mind hold unlimited potential. all you have to do with this part is concentrate and never give up. picture your self as the scrappy little dog that just doesn't know when to give up and just keeps on fighting no matter what.

#2. in general you don't want to stick out, any further attention that you generate just allows your ds's to scrutinize your actions and effort even further. however the one thing that you do want to stick out at is the amount of time, and effort you spend caring for your fellow teammates. although it can be useful for the ds's to know how much you care for your buddies it is even more important for your buddies to know how much you know. since you obviously know more about the army than many of your peers this put you in a great possition to be able to help some of your more inexperienced fellow trainies. also if the ds's figure out that you are ahead of the class in certain areas and you are not helping out your peers the will label you as "and indiviual" which ain't good.

#3 like some one else hear previously stated, don't bring any firearms knives or drugs of any kind. also previosly stated don't wear anything that will piss off the ds's. story from meps: while I was down at the meps station (also charlotte nc) one individual down there showed up dressed very sloppily which kinda caught my attention a bit.as he started to walked up next to me while we were waiting on the elivator I happened to notice that he was he was wearing a pair of unlaced beaten up old  [u]jump boots[/u]. I kindly asked him if he had another another form of footwear. he said "I have another pare but they are beaten up sandles and I don't want to look unproffessional". I told him he might want to conscider changing his footgear or the first person he saw wearing jump wings would probably have his ass for a hat. he thanked me and decided I was probably right, and changed his footgear.  

#4. get used to saying hooah alot and learn to enjoy it, especially if you are going to be a grunt(since us grunt types are rather known for it). eventually you will learn to love and take extreme pride in the word [:D]

continued

#5 what ever you do never sir a ds

#6 learn the army general orders and the nato phonetic alphabet.

#7 keep at least a grin on your face even if you don't want to, and sound off as loud as you can. if you don't you will get alot of " I can't hear you private, or I don't think your motivated platoon".

#8 learn to eat fast, very fast.

#9 drink as much water as you can but not all at once.

thats all I can recall at this moment.

#10 have fun
ps. where are you going to basic

Hated nearly every day of my 3 years Army in the late 60's.  33 years later, I keep my dog-tags hanging from my rearview mirror in my pick-up. Serial# RA18 908 334.  Do your time, it's the right thing to do.  Watch for the guys in your barracks that make it look easy, and do what they do.  Maybe others will be watching you.  The DS/DI will look for each person's weaknesses.  Everyone has one.  When they find yours, just say "Yes, sir, Sergeant".  More important, appear to mean it.  

When you get out, put those 3 or 4 years to good use by joining the Border Patrol or some other federal agency where your military time will count towards your civilian retirement.  

Good luck.

greg

You really need to get serious about that 2 mile run. Get it down as low as you can before basic. It will make basic easier. I was never a runner before I went in the military. When I got to my first duty station we ran no less than 5 miles every morning for P.T. And it was not a jogging pace. I made up my mind that I was not going to let all those cigarette smoking, all night drinking and partying soldiers kick my ass every morning. So I also went out in the evening after pulling duty and ran no less than 5 miles again. I eventually forced myself to start to enjoy running. Also got my 2 mile runs down in the 10's. Do not think the physical fitness thing is going to be a cakewalk when you go to your duty stations. Of course some units are going to be much more relaxed on the P.T. than others. But if you get stationed some place where they are hard core on the P.T., and/or its in the 90's with 90 some percent humidity in the summer, it will kick your ass until you get use to it. And the running shit also gets harder every year that your in.
The military is not like being on your friendly neighborhood police department. I am sure you know what I mean. Makes me absolutely sick watching some pathetic, fat assed policeman, trying to get his ass in or out of a police car. As far as I am concerned, these LEO,s are absolutely good for nothing, and a waste of the taxpayers money. Learn to love the running, wether you like it or not. Cause it just may save your life or someone else's one day.

On your push-ups, make sure your upper arms break the plane of your back in the down position. Your going to here a lot of that noise coming from the D.S. mouth also.

The greatest thing I enjoyed about the military was all the friends I made through the years. There is some really good people that you will meet. And the funnest part is keeping in touch with them even after you get out. The truest friends that you will ever have.

Buy a camera and take a lot of pictures, especially when your overseas.

Its all mind over matter. Good Luck

What I learned in 1984...

1. Pay Attention!!!!!!
2. It is not personal
3. It is the best game in town
4. Buy a key lock, (the DS made me forget my combo by yelling at me )
5. Pay more attention, it keeps you invisible.
6. When waiting for the next class, read your manual.


I had a great time, lots of fun.
Oh also, I was a horrible runner, but I did that 2 mile run in 13-14 min each time.

I was an 11C in basic in 1986:

#1 as been mentioned above:  PAY ATTENTION.
#2 assume everyone is full of BS.
#3 don't piss off everyone at once.

We had 11B and 11C in basic, Ft. Benning @ Harmony Church, from July to September (14 weeks total for 11's).

Bring a combo lock and a key lock.  The DS will get on your case if you put the key on your dogtags.

Bring a good pair of running shoes - but nothing super expensive or someone will think you are rich.

Many of the guys in basic with me were just plain stupid!  That's why most of them were 11B (sorry other Bravo's here).  

Keep everything locked up!  [b][size=4][red]SECURE YOUR GEAR AT ALL TIMES[/][size=4][/red]
Some dirtbags will take anything.  Don't lend anything out - ever.  Most folks won't return it until you ask several times, they must think you gave it to them for good.

And lastly, learn to take a dump in front of 50 guys on a toilet in the middle of the room with no dividers, while someone brushed their teeth two feet away from you.  "pass the paper please".  I swear no one took a crap for the first two weeks.  Some dude got onto me for looking at my TP after I wiped - I then asked him how does he know when his butt is clean?

Oh ya, get a good cheap 35mm camera (not a 110).  Take a bunch of pictures if allowed for memories.  (Keep it locked up!!!) Some guy had a polaroid and sold pictures for $5 a hit - good business.

Enjoy, Blackie