Tips to Surviving Military Basic Training

I learned the hard way what not to do prior to departing for BCT (Basic Combat Training). After committing military career suicide, I realized some simple things that should have been common sense. Here are my top do and do nots, tips and tricks, to surviving boot camp and beyond.

1. Do Not train on a treadmill. Training on a treadmill is one of the worst things to do. The rubber creates a softer landing pad for your feet to land on. Over a period of time the soft landing of the rubber on a treadmill will soften your bones, making them more prone to injury. At training, you will run on dirt tracks, or even paved roads. These are much harder surfaces and therefore create more of a shock to the bones in your feet, ankles, and shins. You could end up with shin splints, or worse, stress fractures.

2. Do Not leave to early. The excitement of signing those final papers, and being sworn in to duty, is immense. Give yourself proper time to train and prepare before shipping out. This may be less of a concern if you are recently out of high school, or you are active constantly. If you have been 'off your feet' for a period of time, you will want to allow more time to get back in to shape. Your recruiter may try to fast talk you in to an earlier date, as demand for quality military personnel is always high. Be firm that you can not leave out too early. Give an 'at the earliest' date for ship date, and stick to your decision.

3. Do be aware of your first PT (physical training) test requirements. Your training prior to your ship date is almost like being blind if you are not aware of your testing requirements. Each branch of the military will have different requirements. Your recruiter will have literature on the expectations. You do not want to find yourself thinking you have to do 100 sit ups and 50 push ups if you need to do 50 sit ups and 100 push ups. Passing one test with flying colors and failing another miserably will not gain you the DS's (drill sergeant: also referred to as a DI: drill instructor) respect. Know your minimum run times and distance. The requirements will get harder throughout all phases of your training, so push for the top bracket, be the fastest, be the best.

4. Do know the number and letter associated with your MOS (Military Occupational Specialty), and the name. Each 'career' will have a number and letter attached to it. For example: 31B - Military Police or a 15F - Aircraft Electrician. Your DS, at some point, will ask you at some point, sometimes in written form, about your MOS and why you chose that as your military occupation. Be prepared to answer to avoid future problems.

5. Do know what is expected for your MOS. Ask your recruiter for extra literature on your selected MOS. Each MOS will have added training after your basic training called AIT (Advanced Individual Training). Each MOS carries a different time period required for your AIT. Also, be aware of your MOS description. You should know what is expected of a 31B prior to signing for that MOS. Your recruiter can give you literature relating to the expectations of your selected MOS.

6. Do Not get lazy at 'reception'. Reception is where you will go when you first reach your training base. You may be here for a day, or two weeks, it just depends on the training schedules and other graduation dates. During reception you will receive your shots, uniforms, and other materials. You will fill out mounds of paperwork such as your family information, payroll deductions, and tax forms. For those that get to reception at the beginning of the receptive period, you will get bored. With duties in the barracks being split up between all recruits, after the major portions of paperwork are done, you will have a lot of time on your hands. Use this to do some exercises, as you will have a PT test before you are allowed to continue on to your basic training. On this same topic, do not over eat at reception. The food is plentiful, and you will be hungry, but try to moderate your 'junk' intake. Two months of training will be ruined by 5 days of eating junk food.

7. Do allow more time for training than expected. You do not want to account for your time being away from home in simple math. If your leave date is Monday, you may be picked up a day or so early and put up at a motel for a night or two prior to leaving. You may have a longer stay at reception than expected, and, unfortunately, you may get hurt. A sprained ankle could land you in PTRP (Physical Training and Rehabilitation Program) for a week. No worries, you will return to the training week in which you left off, but again, account for the unexpected. If you are leaving on January 1st for 9 weeks of basic training, do not plan to be home 9 weeks from that date. Count at least two days prior, at least 7 days at reception, and give an extra two weeks for the unforeseen. You don't want to set a wedding date that you won't be home for.

8. Do Not make yourself over visible to your DS or DI. Jumping up and down, saying 'me me me', or raising your hand to every single question will just get you singled out. If the DS or DI learns your name too early, you will find yourself getting 'smoked' more often than the other recruits. You will also find yourself doing more extras. These extras could be more fireguard duty, more cleaning, or even more raids of your locker. This is not a good thing as you will learn to cherish your sleep.

9. Do prepare for little sleep. You will be exhausted, and 'lights out' will be your favorite saying of each day. Beware: each recruit will have a duty at night, and it may be in the middle of the night. The morning will came all too early, especially on your nights of extra duty. You may get an hour or two of sleep, then be up for an hour or two, followed by another hour or two of sleep, and then it will be time to get up and go all over again.

10. Do learn to take 30 second showers. This is probably the most amount of time you will ever have. Some nights, other recruits may take too long and you may not even be able to hit the shower at all. If this seems to be a continuing occurrence, and the DS allows it, get up earlier and take your shower in the morning. Allow extra time for your hair to dry, it could be a cold morning.

11. Do Not let your DS see signs of physical or mental exhaustion. It is tough, nearly impossible. Much of the concept of basic training is to break you down. The reason is to see if you will crack under pressure. Near the point of exhaustion, with every muscle in your body hurting, and being homesick may lead to some verbal outbursts, and even crying. DS's will be looking for each and every recruit to fall to this pressure. It will be hard, and everything you will be going through will seem overwhelming, but take it out on the dummy's you will be stabbing with your bayonet, rather than having an outburst.

While these are only some of the most important tips, the more you know about BCT, the better. Be sure to familiarize yourself with military acronyms. You will need to learn the Chain of Command of your unit, and also the branch of the military you are enlisted in as a whole, starting with the Commander in Chief: The President of the United States. Training yourself physically is just as important as training yourself mentally. DS's do yell, they do scream, but they are in a league of their own and do deserve your respect. You will leave BCT with more respect for at least one of your DS's that you have ever had for anyone else in your entire life.

Keep your uniform neat, your locker clean and organized, and bring your best. Learn to eat in 30 seconds, and prepare for some long days followed by sleepless nights. BCT is very demanding, but you come out on the other side a better person than you could ever imagine. You are physically stronger, as well as mentally stronger, and you have just embarked on a journey into one of the best careers you could ever ask for.

Keep in touch through letters with your closest friends and your family. Even though they may be thousands of miles away they are going to be your biggest lifeline, and the best support.

Remember that BCT is not all about hardships and exhaustion. You will learn how to do some awesome things that you otherwise may not have ever had the chance to do. You will learn how to repel down the side of a building, possibly out of a helicopter. You will fire your M-16 on a rifle range and learn how to properly clean and maintain it. If climbing a one rope bridge is not exciting enough for you, maybe the hand to hand combat training is. You will run numerous obstacles courses that will challenge you, but you will have a great time doing it. The friends you make will be forever, and you will leave BCT in the best shape you will ever be in. You will have fun during your training, and you will even laugh and smile, too.

Congratulations and Thank You for serving our country!