Lines. I remember lines. A lot of lines...chow lines, lines for shots, pay lines. To this day I stand beside lines and not in them. I got real tired looking at the back of someone's neck. ,,,,,',,,, I'm the ' .

Oh, right. We learned that the Army (military) motto was "Hurry up and wait".

The post of Old Andy summarized all.
In 1986, we were still having one year military services. The "Classes", the first one month of training, was pretty straight forward:
Learning what is a weapon, how to clean your gun, shoot, use grenades, rocket launcher, heavy machine gun. Radio procedures. Chemical war training.
Physical clean-up. First a small trek of 10 km. Then a more serious of 25 km with a bivouac. Finally, the conclusion 2 days trek of 50 km. All in all, it was a piece of cake. I was making a lot of trekking before, for example I made 60 km in 2 days in Greece, 200km in Ireland etc... The bag is about 25km plus your gun plus, for me, the big radio in front. If you have physical fit, it is very easy. At the incorporation, take at least one pair of OLD SHOES, not the new clean one. They will be already soft for your legs.
What I hated was marching and stand by time (1/2 of what you will 'do')

After that you might get a specialization. When I enter, they asked me "You study geology ? Do you know chemistry and biology?", stupidly, I said yes.
I was sent in Caen for NBC training (nuclear/biological/chemical specialist). It is very tough, psychologically, you need for example to enter a classroom contaminated with a light neurotoxic gas and decontaminate some objects. It's a real test, my friend who did not fix his mask correctly started to vomit inside. Evac. You also manipulate radioactive items. Rough physical test, I specially remember the asperge (asparagus), a log of wood standing about 2 m inside a ditch, you need to jump and grab it.
But don't worry, physically, the first training is easy. The psychological part is tough (for me as I hate to be commanded and do stupid things or wait doing nothing).

It's fun. Nothing AT ALL like the movies, which I watched all before I went to Navy RTS, and you'll think it svcks so hard when you're actually there. Afterwards though you'll look back and it'll seem like the easiest part of the military. Certainly got the most sleep there than anywhere else in the military.

But then that's because Navy treats it's enlisted people like dirt. Air Force treats you better, so who knows, maybe you won't get out with a limitless lack of respect and disillusionment towards the US Military and every sorry lazy piece of work avoiding sh-

I digress. ^_^

For us, the D.I.'s foster 'nicknames' for recruits within the first few minutes hours days after you've left processing. You are then required to use that nickname until such time that the D.I. has fully memorized everyone's surname in the platoon (including yours)


"Sir, recruit Muppet, standing fast at the drill instructir staff sergeant's hatch, SIR!"

"Whaaaat?!?!?"

"Sir, recruit Muppet requesting permission to enter, SIR!!"



I could go on, but you get the idea

I am currently doing my mandatory military service in the Finnish Defence Forces, that takes a full year. I am serving in the Finnish Coastal Rangers. All I can say with my experience is do things properly or don't do it at all. I've had my share of hellish moments, but in a group you'll find strength to keep on going, so respect your so called co-workers. Good luck in there and remember when it's time to go, you go full speed and with all your heart and mind. I complete my service in January and I really can't even imagine how it is going to feel...

I personally have no stories but a buddy of mine finished basic for the Air Force last August. He said the hardest thing about it was getting use to waking up early and as long as your not completely out of shape the rest shouldn't be too hard.

Anyway good luck with you time in the service and I hope you enjoy it.

However hard it becomes, remember - it's all about mentality. Basic & Advanced are much tougher on the mind than on the body. Above all, remember your instructors are people, too (remarkably easy to forger that). They have their families, friends, hobbies and facebook accounts. Most of them are laughing and running jokes about the recruits between themselves. Some will feel bad whenever they have to discipline you.

It's very easy to hate or resent your instructors - don't.

I don't know about the U.S military, but in here, the commanders and drill sergeants "break distance" once you graduate. They take off their reflective sunglasses and stop being your commanders. They'll introduce themselves like real people. It's a tradition. Some will play with you a game of football or basketball. Some go as far as organizing an evening at the closest bar/pub. Some will even stay in touch.

Oh, and during those long times of standing still - move your toes, will keep your feet from falling asleep.

Officer camp or just enlisted basic?

The four days of processing svcked, I would go through basic eight times before in processing once. It was the end of November when I started and it was a cold winter in the south with more then 5 inches of snow and ice. It started off with just class stuff, learning basic soldier stuff and how to act. The first day we woke up the Drill Sergeant screaming his head off throwing trash cans and then "Smoking" us for about an hour with "Front, back, goes"(push ups when he yells front, sit ups for back, and run in place on go) and flutter kicks etc, THEN we went outside and conducted physical training, we ran so we had to wear short shorts and a t-shirt when it was less then 20 degress outside.

It didn't get much better until we left "Red phase" and went into white phase. The "mass punishment" was gone and people were punished individually except for my platoons drill sergeants who kept mass punishment going until the end of training.

Don't volunteer, keep your mouth shut and make friends. Our Drill sergeants became normal people toward the end and they tend to open up to the people who didn't give them [censored] and didn't act stupid.

I loved basic training, I met some of my closest friends there. Aside from being wet and freezing to death 98% of the time, standing in hour+ long lines outside freezing, being hungry the first couple of week(If I held my food down since we had to sprint from the dining facility to the barracks) and putting up with people who don't have common sense and get the entire platoon in endless trouble because who will have someone who is "That guy" I enjoyed all the training we did.


Air Force is easy mode from what I hear, if you're in shape and have common sense your good to go.

I can only offer tips from my BCT, when I did not yet know I was to become a tank gunner (with a perfect service record). At first I just wanted to get it over with but then I was assigned to tank unit and I had a jolly great time there. Excellent atmosphere, talented superiors, and an incredible trigger finger.


- Think positive. It's fun!
-> You are a part of something great, revel in it.
- Choose your branch wisely. If you get to do what you want you will like it more.
- Out of sight, out of mind as far as superiors are concerned during the BCT. Later on, I assure you being a superior's favorite has its advantages
- Learn the rules, follow them strictly. This will help you avoid them later on.
- Aim realistic. A private is just as important as an officer. Chevrons =/= good soldier.
- Like others said watch what you eat.
- When on leave, plan your time carefully. It all depends on the person but I enjoyed closure and being inside when on leave.
- Keep a close attention to what you carry. This wasn't a real probelm in Finnish army, I had my laptop with me, tons of money and almost always carried a camera for not-so-legal photoshoots with my pals.
- DO NOT MAKE ENEMIES.

Whatever your recruiter tells you, get it in writing and witnessed. Advice from a former Drill Sargent I work with (been thinking of the Navy myself) and if its not what he told you his ass is grass.

There is no doubt at all in my military mind that, of all the Services, the Air Force has the most intelligent enlisted people. This is not just theory, it's provable fact:

Take the Army, for instance. When the stuff hits the fan, the young Army private wakes up from a bellow from the First Sergeant. He grabs a set of BDUs out of his foot locker, gets dressed, runs down to the chow-hall for a breakfast on the run, then jumps in his tank. Pretty soon, the Platoon Commander arrives, gives him a big salute, and says, "Give 'em Hell, men."

Now take the Marines. When the stuff hits the fan, the young Marine recruit is kicked out of bed by his First Sergeant, puts on a muddy set of BDUs because he just got back in from the field three hours before. He gets no breakfast, but is told to feel free to chew on his boots. He runs out and forms up with his rifle. Pretty soon, his platoon commander comes out, a young Captain, Gives his Marines a Sharp Salute, and says, "Give 'em Hell, Marines!"

Now take the Navy. When the stuff hits the fan, the young Sailor is eating breakfast in the messroom.. He walks 20 feet to his battle station, stuffing extra pastries in his pocket as he goes. There he sits, in the middle of a steel target, with nowhere to run, when the Captain comes on the 1MC and says, "Give 'em Hell, Sailors! I salute you!"

Now the Air Force. When the stuff hits the fan, the Airman receives a phone call in his off-base quarters. He gets up, showers, shaves, and puts on a fresh uniform he had just picked up from the BX cleaners the day before. He jumps in his car, and stops at McDonalds for a McMuffin on his way into work. Once he arrives at work, he signs in on the duty roster and proceeds to his F-16. He spends 30 minutes pre-flighting it, signs off the forms. Pretty soon the Pilot, a young captain gets out and straps into the Plane. He starts the engines. Our Young Airman stands at attention, gives the Captain a sharp salute, and says, "Give 'em Hell, Sir!"


;)

:rofl:

Wasn't that bad for me, spent a few months preparing before-hand so I was in shape for it. USMC here.

Edit: Don't have much of a story. I just tried not to stand out and watched everyone else's ass get chewed out by the instructor.

Edit Edit: Actually I did have to clean his boots for a few days. Not too bad.

Also.. never forget the rules...

Marine Corps Rules:
1. Be courteous to everyone, friendly to no one.
2. Decide to be aggressive enough, quickly enough.
3. Have a plan.
4. Have a back-up plan, because the first one probably won't work.
5. Be polite. Be professional. But, have a plan to kill everyone you meet - even your friends…
6. Do not attend a gunfight with a handgun whose caliber does not start with a "4."
7. Anything worth shooting is worth shooting twice. Ammo is cheap. Life is expensive.
8. Move away from your attacker. Distance is your friend. (Lateral & diagonal preferred.)
9. Use cover or concealment as much as possible.
10. Flank your adversary when possible. Protect yours.
11. Always cheat; always win. The only unfair fight is the one you lose.
12. In ten years nobody will remember the details of caliber, stance, or tactics. They will only remember who lived.
13. If you are not shooting, you should be communicating your intention to shoot.


Navy SEAL's Rules:
1. Look very cool in sunglasses.
2. Kill every living thing within view.
3. Adjust speedo.
4. Check hair in mirror.


US Army Rangers Rules:
1. Walk in 50 miles wearing 75 pound rucksack while starving.
2. Locate individuals requiring killing.
3. Request permission via radio from "Higher" to perform killing.
4. Curse bitterly when mission is aborted.
5. Walk out 50 miles wearing a 75 pound rucksack while starving.


US Army Rules:
1. Curse bitterly when receiving operational order.
2. Make sure there is extra ammo and extra coffee.
3. Curse bitterly.
4. Curse bitterly.
5. Do not listen to 2nd LT's; it can get you killed.
6. Curse bitterly.


US Air Force Rules:
1. Have a cocktail.
2. Adjust temperature on air-conditioner.
3. See what's on HBO.
4. Ask "what is a gunfight?"
5. Request more funding from Congress with a "killer" Power Point presentation.
6. Wine & dine 'key' Congressmen, invite DOD & defense industry executives.
7. Receive funding, set up new command and assemble assets.
8. Declare the assets "strategic" and never deploy them operationally.
9. Hurry to make 13:45 tee-time.
10. Make sure the base is as far as possible from the conflict but close enough to have tax exemption.


US Navy Rules:
1. Go to Sea.
2. Drink Coffee.
3. Deploy Marines


hey there thunder, what's up?

semper fi, brother

something I also learned about basic training: the instructors seem like they do not eat for days and run 4 times as far as you, but they truly do eat and sleep every day, just only not in front of the recruits. It is supposed to make the standard seem higher and make the instructors seem immortal.

Spot on.


Also evil, I did notice I never saw my Drill Sergeants eat until like week 5, and then when we had some time to eat they ate.

Keep your nose out of trouble, do what you're supposed to, don't be last, and have fun!

Yes, I said fun!

Like:

Polishing boots with your buddies...makes some great small talk and world changing philosophizing

Pushing yourself to do your best

Calling the drill sgt a liar :hehe: (I saw what happened, and I tried to correct his version to keep another troop out of trouble. He came over with a [censored]-eating grin "you callin' me a liar?" "Negative Drill Sgt., just that you didn't see the whole thing" "Oh, so you're calling me a liar" "Negative Drill Sgt., I saw something different from you".... Game on! for 10 minutes of parrying...I caved..good fun and PT for it

Pulling KP and getting the officers left overs and whatever else youcan eat

Pulling KP and BS'ing with a DS about weight lifting, life, future duty station, etc.

The first ruck: Damn that widdle 20 pound ruck was heavy :rolleyes:

Sneaking into the laundry room for some contraband freshly-home-made sour dough bread :lick:

Pizza run as a platoon because we did the best on the grenade course

In AIT (one-stop) geeking out and playing to PnP AD&D. ONly had one set of dice, no books - just common sense and a few of us knew the rules.

Dunno, basic was a good time for me :nod:

Nice :thumbsup:

and the the Rule of the LGOP (Little Groups of Paratroopers) addendum for the the Army:

After the demise of the best Airborne plan, a most terrifying effect occurs on the battlefield. This effect is known as the rule of the LGOPs. This is, in its purest form, small groups of pissed-off 19 year old American paratroopers. They are well-trained, armed to the teeth and lack serious advlt supervision. They collectively remember the Commander's intent as "March to the sound of the guns and kill anyone who is not dressed like you..." or something like that. Happily they go about the day's work.....

All the Way!

Heh, I remember another DS from another platoon ended up coming into our latrine to check if it was clean and he ended up staying in there bs'ing about the Army for about an hour and telling us how much different the operational Army was from TRADOC.

Also having the most OCD DS in the entire battalion(with 1st DS competition awards everywhere) as our platoon leader. He specifically told us we would not meet his cleaning standard until the 6th week. We would be relentlessly smoked for even the tiniest microscopic pube anywhere in the bathroom. 2nd day of the 2nd week. "Not bad third platoon, not bad at all, im shocked...it's clean" He still smoked us relentlessly but we had doubled up the fireguard shifts and made our barracks immaculate.

Nothing much, back at home for the time being. Going to Japan in a shortly. Should be about the same as while I was in Germany.


Also, http://media.photobucket.com/image/this+svcks+military+/landers08/military-svcks.jpg is worth posting here. Hehe.

Embrace the svck. Also I have that little comic on my desk at work, my second shift guy at my desk is retired air force :tongue:

I owe my life more than once over for the close air support provided by the fine men and women piloting their 'fast movers'

always appreciated them when they would bring down the pain.

We all do

it's why the other branches of the service bust their balls so much..


..it's our way of saying thank you for the B-52 :celebration:

Sayings as of pay grade in military-

E-1: "Well, my DS said..."

O-1: "Based on my experience..."

E-7: "Sir, trust me."

W-3: "WATCH THIS!!!"