While they are kind of silly, they are true. Phone cards have retardedly long messages in the beginning. Also, MREs can take a while to eat. Our DS made us only have one packet out of our MRE bag at a time so we always had to dig for the other stuff. Simple things can make BCT better.
SMOKE BREAKS. Depends on if your TACTICAL INSTRUCTOR is addicted or not. I was addicted by the smoke breaks. "IF YOU GOT THEM LIGHT THEM UP, OTHER WISE COME WITH ME" is what the T.I. would yell. This AIRMAN would light them up & give me one & told me to draw on one if the T.I. is looking this way. The reason was, If you aren't smoking you go & dig a SLIT TRENCH. Even though I am not lazy, a few times of this I figured it was time for others to have a turn. REX, U.S.A.F.
Originally posted by RB47E: SMOKE BREAKS. Depends on if your TACTICAL INSTRUCTOR is addicted or not. I was addicted by the smoke breaks. "IF YOU GOT THEM LIGHT THEM UP, OTHER WISE COME WITH ME" is what the T.I. would yell. This AIRMAN would light them up & give me one & told me to draw on one if the T.I. is looking this way. The reason was, If you aren't smoking you go & dig a SLIT TRENCH. Even though I am not lazy, a few times of this I figured it was time for others to have a turn. REX, U.S.A.F.
Wow, that was a long time ago. Went through basic nearly 2 years ago and smoking was a distant memory for 6.5 weeks.
Here is a tip, train before you go, expect to be be talked to rough and expect to be handle if you screw up. Dont cry about a little push or drinking water. Do you task fast and right the first time and accept the pain that comes with it. that is what makes you stronger.
If someone had just told me what the PT requirements were, and that I should be able to run 4-5 miles a day, 5 days a week BEFORE I went, BT would have been a helluva lot easier.
Then again what can an adult tell an 18 y/o that'll sink in?
Almost everything about basic is available to recruits before they go in. Schedules, etc. are all on the internet somewhere. I'd learn the ranks,terms and abbreviations....get to know the base layout....and get in shape. Learn how to polish boots, iron clothes, shave, eat fast and do laundry. All of these things will make it easier. Reading, speaking clearly and paying the F*#@ attention helps too.
MAYBE STEP 6 DON'T VOLUNTEER FOR ANYTHING CAUSE IT JUST LEAVES YOU MORE BURNT OUT THEN THE REST.
STEP 7 DON'T HELP OUT THE ONES THAT ARE DOOMED TO FAIL CAUSE THEY WILL BRING YOU DOWN WITH THEM ... (I WENT INTO TRAINING WITH THE THOUGHT OF NEVER LEAVE A MAN BEHIND AND ALL I GOT WAS PULLED DOWN WITH THE LAZY KIDS) THEN THEY VIEW YOU AS WEEK RIGHT ALONG WITH THEM..
STEP 8 IF ONE SGT TELLS YOU TO DO SOMETHING AND ANOTHER SGT DOESN'T AGREE DO WHAT BOTH SGT'S ASK ANYWAY CAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO FIND YOURSELF DOING PUSH UPS NO MATTER WHAT JUST KEEP IN YOUR MIND THE DAY IS ALMOST OVER AND YOU GET TO DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN TOMORROW ..
STEP 9 YOU'RE WRONG IF YOU THINK THAT IS RIGHT DON'T THINK JUST DO
STEP 10 THE MOP AND THE BROOM ARE YOUR BEST FRIEND MORE THEN YOUR RIFLE
STEP 11 CHECK YOUR BDU'S FOR BUGS
STEP 12 TAKE DINNER NAPKINS AT BREAKFAST AND DINNER CAUSE TOILET PAPER IS IN SHORT SUPPLY
STEP 13 THIS ONE IS FOR THE ONES THAT PLAY SICK THE BETTER IDEA IS DON'T... THE MOMENT YOU SAY YOUR DEPRESSED THEY WILL PUT YOU ON A SUICIDE HOMICIDE WATCH AND YOU WILL HAVE TROUBLE DOING ANYTHING WITH NO BELT OR SHOE LACES
STEP 14 WHEN YOUR GETTING THAT COOL PEP TALK FROM YOUR LT.COL DON'T FALL ASLEEP THATS BAD
STEP 15 GET IN THE HABIT OF MISSING SLEEP
STEP 16 STAY DRY LAST THING YOU WANT IS YOUR CROTCH TO GET ALL RED AND ROUGH
STEP 17 YOU'RE GOING TO FIND YOURSELF IN A TIGHT PLACE AND ONLY SO MUCH EGO CAN FIT IN ONE ROOM MY CITY IS BETTER THAN YOUR CITY CRAP MY DADDY CAN BEAT YOUR DADDY.. LEAVE ALL THAT AT HOME CAUSE YOU WEAR NEW COLORS NOW AND YOU SHOULD RESPECT YOUR NEW FOUND PROFESSION ... IF YOU CAN'T STAND THE GUY OR GIRL JUST WALK AWAY CAUSE YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH HIM OR HER FOR SO MANY WEEKS
STEP 18 LEARN TO LOVE AND HATE WATER AND MAKE SURE YOU GET A CLEAN CANTEEN CAUSE IT'S YOURS FOR 14 LONG WEEKS
STEP 19 IF YOUR SICK AND COUGHING FOREVER YOU WILL ENJOY THE CS CHAMBER IT'S THE BEST AND WORST HOUR OF YOUR LIFE ... IT WILL CLEAN ALL THE MUCUS OUT IN A HEART BEAT
STEP 20 REPEAT SOME OF THE STEPS IF YOU LIKE AND ENJOY BOOT CAMP
WELL I HOPE YOU ALL LIKED MY STEPS GOOD OR BAD I LOVE THE MILITARY AND I TOOK GREAT PRIDE WHEN I WAS IN .... I WOULD GLADLY DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN IF GIVEN THE CHANCE... BUT REMEMBER WHEN YOU WAS A KID AND YOU SEEN A SOLDIER AND YOUR EYES WOULD LIGHT UP... LIKE WOW I WANT TO BE A SOLDIER.. IN YOUR MIND YOU THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GREAT HONOR TO BECOME A WARRIOR TO BE TRAINED TO DEFEND YOUR COUNTRY.. A SOLDIER SOMEONE TO BE RESPECTED AND WHEN YOU GET THERE YOU FIND THAT HONOR GONE THE RESPECT FROM PEOPLE FADE AWAY ... WE FIGHT SOMEBODY'S PERSONAL WAR.. ARE YOU GONNA SEE ANY OF THAT MONEY? ... NO YOUR GONNA COME HOME AND ALL YOU KNOW IS INFANTRY AND A FEW SPECIAL SKILLS THAT PUT YOU BACK IN THE JOB THAT YOU LEFT BEHIND TO BE THAT GREAT PERSON OF HONOR AND RESPECT ... YOUR SOUL MATE HAS LEFT YOU.. PEOPLE LOOK AT YOU AND SAY THANKS FOR BEING THERE FOR US WITH THE SUPPORT ARE TROOPS SIGNS.. BUT ARE THEY GOING TO SUPPORT YOU WHEN YOUR STRUGGLING FOR WORK.. GUESS WE DIE A LITTLE AND LIVE A LITTLE AT THE SAME TIME AS SOLDIERS ... WHAT DO YOU WANT?
Everytime I read something like this I find myself bending over in laughter. Not only do you not get to make any phone calls in Marine Corps boot camp (except the initial 30 second "I am here and alive" call)... you are not allowed ANYTHING of a personal nature (as in LUGGAGE)! This article reminded me of the time I was at Fort Knox and in the PX and a bunch of recruits were running around like they were at Disney World... another time I had to wait in line while they got to run their sucks to their girlfriends (a call they get to make once a day it seemed). A Drill Sergeant tried to tell me to make way for his "men" and I about knocked him on his ***... he was lucky I was even waiting for the dang phone (obviiously this was before cell phones). At any rate, it seems to me these "boot camps" are more like day camps or something boy scouts do... the entire article made me laugh to no end. If any of you are reading this and preparing to enlist or serve in the military- join the only branch that is what is says it is; The US Marine Corps.
Iam really surprised and sadden how the armed forces have gone down hill after Vietnam. The Army let men train with women, HA! that a joke. My first day in basic training I was on the top bunk, and in one second, myself, mattres, pillow, and blankets were on the ground. It went down hill after that !. Nick Andrews Army 1967-1970.
Learn impeccable sphincter control, and bid au revoir to a normal gastro-intestinal system for a while.
quote:
Originally posted by 3501762: Here is a tip, train before you go, expect to be be talked to rough and expect to be handle if you screw up. Dont cry about a little push or drinking water. Do you task fast and right the first time and accept the pain that comes with it. that is what makes you stronger.
I Have no idea what he is talking about! When I went thru boot camp in 1958 everything was planed out. All you had to do was follow orders. The only thinking allowed was about what you were being taught and what your new life was like and the old life that you would never see again. I don't think I fit to well in todays military.
This is the "Top 5"??? Holy Crap I hope nobody is buying this guy's book! Sergeant Volkin is hurting rather than helping new recruits with his advice. What Basic Training is he talking about? If he "received an Army Commendation Medal for his efforts and for the fitness programs he designed to help his fellow soldiers" then why isn't he talking about fitness in his Top 5? Anybody who's been through Boot Camp can tell you; the NUMBER ONE thing you need is good fitness. If you fall behind there you fall behind everywhere else. So here's MY Top 5:
1. Get in Shape (Run every day.) 2. Get Your Mind Right (Positive Mental Attitude goes a long way - Boot Camp is supposed to be hard.) 3. Get Your Personal Affairs in Order (You should be focused on Basic Training, not the "outside world".) 4. Know the Service You are Joining (You wouldn't apply for a job you know nothing about, read up on your Service of choice before joining.) 5. Get in Shape. (Did I already mention this one? Run, run, run - you'll thank me for it later.)
Semper Fidelis, 1stSgt JW Keyes USMCR (Ret.) 1985-2005
that is the dumbest guide to bootcamp iv ever heard of 1. trust me at the island ur DI's wont give u time to use a phone card 2. ur told to bring nothing with you to recruit training 3. u wont be thinking about tobacco hen ur DI's get a hold of u 4.there is a PX where you can buy pens and number 5 about the eating is a good point but good luck finishing ur meal at MCRD hahaha!!
