Your first few days will actually be at a place inside the base called Processing. Minimum of three days to get issued your gear, ID, etc... up to several weeks waiting for the next group to start their BCT or OSUT. You need a change of clothes and something to read or do until it's time to go to your platoon. Funny how a day three person is so high speed compared to a day one person. At least it seems so at first untill you realize these tools are just as dumb about the Army as you are or maybe even worse.

Did you see the thread about chiggers here on AR15.com? When out on bivouc (sp?) keep your pants and T-shirt on. Use bug spray if you get to go to the shopette before hand. Get a micro light to hang on your dog tags. Very handy. Use a key lock as combos take too damn long to open. Just don't lose it. Put that on your dog tags too.

Get a plastic ruler to use to tuck your sheets under really tight. Your hand pulls the sheets back out when your remove it. Bring a marker also to write your name on all your stuff and clothes. People will steal anything they can get away with.

Your good physically from what you have said. I'm thirty one and did better than most of the young guys.

It'll suck at times but be over before you know it.

-Mark

You should be just fine.

1. Make sure not to take any yelling personally. The DI's want to get a response and the best thing you can do is stay calm, move fast, give a good quick answer; and don't over analyze anything.

2. Treat your weapon like it's made of gold and if you drop it, you'll be killed. Take very, very good care of it and keep it with you always. We had a guy burn a lot of his face on a live fire course by putting the barrel in the sand and firing. His weapon blew apart and he got a pretty good facial burn.

3. Blend in. Don't take a big suit case full of crap. Take an extra shirt, a couple pair of underwear and socks, and some personal hygeine items, along with some money. They'll make sure you purchase what you need to be a soldier. They don't want you to have too much from home. You are in your new home now.

4. Make it your own experience. It can be bad or good based on how YOU want to experience it. You'll get tired, sick and be pushed past any limits that you have been too before. Just stay with it and say, "That which does not kill me makes me stronger". And when you get to rest, REST!

5. Listen, SHUT UP, and do what you are told as fast as you can. Don't think, just do.

6. This should be number 1 - DON'T STAND UP WHEN YOU ARE CRAWLING UNDER LIVE FIRE!!!

7. Stay calm when throwing the LIVE GRENADES! Enjoy it! Don't drop the thing in the pit when you throw it.

8. If you have time and you have all of your stuff done, help your buds out by cleaning, etc. Pitch in and make your area shine. And check EVERYWHERE for dirt. Be a leader, but in a good way - calm, humble, quiet when you need to be and helpful!

9. And stay hydrated. It will help you keep awake and focused. If you can call it that. Plus you'll feel better and you will stay healthier.

Good luck!

Do not bring more shit than you actually need, cause like they said, when you head home you'll be carrying all that stuff plus all your issue kit and probably your class A's in a garment bag.  It'll be a real friggin' drag too if you are going home on the Army's dime.

Physically you are actually in danger of LOSING conditioning unless you put in extra time in the barracks weight pile.  If you really push yourself in PT though you are in a real good position to max out your events.  You'll need to push REAL hard on the run though.

Pull ups are a secondary exercise at most.  We did pull ups and chin ups before going to chow hall or when being punished as individuals or small groups.  But the first time I had to do pull ups for a grade was in Airborne School.  Seven pull ups was enough to continue.  Most of the Army and Air Force guys had to work to knock out the seven or maybe nine.  The Marines did better and the BUD/S graduates in the SEAL pipeline did pull ups for fun.  Those jokers would start doing pull ups in slow motion, or would do ten and than hang at half pull until they fell off the bar...seriously.  And if one BUD/S grad drew punishment PT, he'd do this bark and every BUD/S grad dropped and counted them out together.  You'd have maybe twenty or thirty guys in a training company of 300 or so and they would bring the whole thing to a screeching halt because they had uncompromising unit integrity amongst themselves.  When our training day was over, they would head out in boat teams (except for the guys who drew guard or other duty) and spend a couple hours at the Post Pool.  

If you've got your shit really squared away, you MAY find yourself in leadership positions (squad leader or platoon leader) for an extended period of time.  Out of 13 weeks of Infantry OSUT training, I spent 11 in leadership positions including two stints as Platoon Leader and the rest as squad leader.

People will try to pull crap on you.  I had one shit for brains gang banger in my squad who plated a live round in my bed post.  When it was found during a detail cleaning of the barracks, the DS questioned me briefly, said "yeah, I know you aren't that stupid.  Carry on.  Oh, by the way, drop and give me twenty, just because."

"Yes Drill Sergeant!!!!"

"one Drill Sergeant"
"two Drill Sergeant"
....

Another time the same A-hole decided to challenge me.  He got right in my face, shoving, bumping chests, the usual macho B.S. garbage.  I told him to secure that shit and get the detail done and over with.  He continued his B.S. and the Drill on Duty that day heard the shouting and came to see what was going on.  He decided that we needed to discuss our differences in a controlled environment (the punishment pit).  We did a lot of pull-ups, then a pile of chin ups, then we pushed mother earth for forty minutes or so.  I held out longer than the A hole, did more pull ups, more chin ups, and kept pushing when he stopped to rest.  Probably did two hundred push ups in that counselling session, the last 40 or so in 1 or 2 rep sets, because that's all I had. The Drill Sargeant, after explaining to the A hole how much extra work I had to go through as squad leader, offered the a-hole my job.  The guy refused it and I walked in soakin' wet and tired as hell, but vindicated.

Motivation counts for everything and being willing to do shit that others won't will win you respect. You'll be tired, but you'll be respected.  By the end of the cycle, I got along real well with two of my Drills...the other was psycho.  Very scary, very good.

My father put it like this," Don't talk unless they talk to you, don't let your eyes wander, don't laugh in the CCs face if he has bad breath, and most of all...think of it as a big fuggin game to weed out the pussies...and believe me, there are gonna be a lot of 'em!"

...man was he right !

Hints:
- Befriend the boot/recruit in charge during service week (no pots and pans)
- The guy the fetches the mail always had it easy...,heheh [;D]

Take heed and you too can win the game laughing into your first two weeks of leave!



rigid out

You gonna be an MP or a Chemical soldier? I think thats what they train there now.

the advice just keeps on rolling in, and i really appreciate it.

Yes, an MP.  at least for the time being.  I'm really hoping for an aviation commission after i graduate tho and if not, then an  engineer.
MP school worked out that i could split it in half and be back in time for a fall semester, and there were openings in it at armories within driving distance.  not to mention that the cop gene runs in the family and is something i have always kinda wanted to do, although i'm sure the two jobs are worlds apart.

copy that on the pt scores and maxing them.  running has always been my weak point...I'll swim 10 or 12 thousand yards without stopping any time for you; it's not a cardiovascular issue, but i just am not your typical runner.  might be a size thing, i don't know.

ive got 3 weeks left untill I leave, ft. Benning

God bless you, Ft. Benning in the Summer.

I did Airborne School at Benning in May.  It was hotter than Hades THEN.

Did my Infantry OSUT on Sand Hill, Delta 1/50, 2nd Platoon. Drill Sargeants Lonnie Seger (SFC), SSG Smith (I was too scared to ask his name),  and SSG Michael Andreen.   First Sargeant Clinton Hagen.   Can't remember the officers since we rarely saw them.

Keep your rifle with you at all times.  Shit.  One night when we were bivouaced out at the grenade training range, one of our guys with Ranger aspirations, snuck out and scoffed up every unsecured rifle in the bivouac area.  By morning there were something like 30 rifles stacked nicely around the CO and XO's tent.  You've never seen officers that angry before.  The summary Article 15's flowed like water over a breached dam. No one got the slightest break for any affront, real or imagined, for a week or more.  Two guys tried to sneak by with camo paint from a Camo Compact, and the XO cut loose on them like they had pissed in his shaving cup. They were pushing earth while he stomped their kits into oblivion in front of their faces, then he made them police up the frags and carry them out. No-one had anything resembling a sense of humor for a long while.  

No-shit though, it's gonna be hot and humid at Benning in the Summer.  And the thunderstorms will be epic. You will need to drink A LOT of water.  Probably a couple gallons a day when it comes down to it.

Have fun.

Best of luck to you!  

Don't take a fucking thing with you,just wear your jeans shirt,shoes,ect!  Cause everything you got is going to be sent home!

You get ten dollars advanced pay,two dollars goes for your haircut(yeah you got to pay to play)the rest of the ten buys you a regulation double bladed razor(buy two one to use and one for display)soap,and a display case for it(yep buy two one to use one to display in your footlocker)!

You will end up with about 50 cents and nowhere to spend it!  If they ask are there any college men here(don't raise your hand:EVER)!

As you will have to crawl on hands and knees picking up cigarette butts(as your DI informs all others of what an education will do for you now)!

And as mentioned NEVER,EVER,EVER volunteer for shit!   And if you have a strange last name,change it now!   You never ever want them to see you as anything but a faceless shadow just beyond their recollection!

Looking back it was all good fun,I wouldn't take nothing for it ,but wouldn't care to do it again!

 Best of wishes for you,because it ain't about luck!   You can do it and will look back apon it as the best of times!

 Bob [:D]

1963 have things changed since then?  Oh yeah we made 63.00 a month,and I got 76.00 for overseas pay!  
 I guess us old fucks are kind of out of touch,I don't even have a pewter! Am using a play-station 2 to type this out!

 Bob [:D]

 

Wow, this is a blast from the past for me, Lokt.  I was a recruit in the Bravo 787th MP Company at Ft. Leonard Wood just 2 years ago.  I was in the EXACT same place you're going. Here's my advice:

1) Don't bother bringing anything besides a change of clothing and perhaps something like chapstick or anything you might have immediately on your person. EVERYTHING else you will be made to buy at the PX with your $200 on your smart card.

2) Bring bank account information for your pay.  This is not something you'll want to have to deal with at Reception Batallion.

3) Wear RUNNING shoes, not cross-trainers or any others but RUNNING. This will save you from having to buy shoes there.

4) When you land in St. Louis, DO sleep on the 3 hour bus ride to Leonard Wood.  DO NOT stay up chatting with all the anxious kids on the bus or watch whatever movie they might play.  This is sleep you'll be glad you got.

5) As you arrive, prepare to get your first glimpse of Drill Sergeant in all his screaming, vein-bursting glory. Listen intently to everything this man has to say.  The Drill Sergeants you encounter at Reception Batallion will not be your instructors for the rest of Basic but they must be respected.

6) Learn to line up quicly and take accurate head counts.  You will do this everytime you move anywhere.  Run or hurriedly walk everytime you are told to move.

7) Keep track of all your stuff.  You may not have time to label everything at first but at least keep it together. Put it all in your foot locker because there ARE thieves (especially of shower shoes).

8) Never dismiss anyone of rank in passing. If you can recognize them as an officer, salute.  If you're not sure, stop whatever you're doing and stand at attention. Never call an enlisted man "sir", always call him by his rank.

9) ALWAYS go to the latrines when given a chance.

10) ALWAYS ask for permission to speak to the Drill Sergeant if you have to.

11) Eat QUICKLY.  You never know how long you'll have but it will never be more than 5 minutes.

12) Depending on when you arrive at Reception Batallion, you may spend a fews days there before you are shipped to Basic. Sooner or later, you will be stuffed into a cattle car of sorts and taken to the MP area.  When you take this trip, expect to be holding your very heavy duffel bag for a LONG time.

13) In that Missouri heat, stay HYDRATED. Drink from your canteen whenever possible because you will sweat more than you ever have before.

14) You will spend long amounts of time standing at attention waiting to get into the mess hall or whatnot.  Do not look around, do not talk.

15) When you eat at the mess hall, you get your water seperate from whatever food (which is good) you get.  Walk with your water glass held up to your chin and your elbows jutting outward.

Well, thats all I can think of for right now. When you get back, you'll have to let me know if they still have that cheesy painting of an MP in landwarrior gear on the wall of the mess hall.  I still laugh about that.

Good luck.

all others and especially 762man for the specifics: thanks!  762 - it's good to know some of thjose little things.  will keep them in mind.
hydration, rifle secured...man.  the rifle thing is going to be a hard but necessary habit to get into after leaving it on the firing line during matches and going to the pits for a couple hours for the past three years...