Army basic training. What to expect?

[Langenator]

If you're going to Europe, you'll have at least one follow-on school after OSUT.

-If you're going to First Armored or First Infantry Division in Germany, you'll go to the Basic Bradley Transition Course (BBTC-I think that's what the one for E1-E4s is called) where you will learn how to maintain and operate the hull systems of the M2 Bradley fighting vehicle (basically, how to drive it and do basic maintenance on the drivetrain and tracks. If you stay in long enough to become a gunner, you'll learn about all the stuff in the turret then.)

-If you're going to SETAF (the Airborne Brigade in Vincenza, Italy, I forget their official designation), you'll go to jump school.

 

[TheEgg]

Take a word of advice: Keep you mouth shut!

I had a severe case of run-off-at-the mouth 35 years ago. It took the DI about 1 day to cure me of it -- but he didn't know he cured me of it, so he kept "treating" me for weeks.

 

[GT]

Thanks, I appreciate your service.

Take care

G

 

[ksnecktieman]

Basic in late 66 and early 67.... What do you want from the service? A career? A few years? A jump start into politics? Basic will be a long and strenous time. If you want a military career, jump out there and volunteer. If you just want an income for a few years, keep your mouth shut, and stay in the middle of the group. Forget about the firearms. By the time you finish basic, you will be considering them just something to be cleaned and polished, and accused of neglecting.

You will discover your limits, whatever they are. Physical. Mental. Leadership. Ability to follow orders, or not. You will come out different than you go in. The military is a GREAT place to grow into manhood.

If you are a leader, lead, if you are a follower, follow,,, but remember, regardless of how much of a leader you are,,,, You ALWAYS follow the DI, even if you do lead the fellow trainees.

 

[SavageDoc45]

Hey, thanks for your servide and God speed man. If I learned anything at Ft. Knox C-146 INF it was:

-Keep yer trap shut
-Keep yer eyes and ears open; stay alert, stay alive!
-Don't volunteer for ANYTHING, you already volunteered for this...baka
-Don't THANK the DS, THANK your RECRUITER
-Drill Seargents' First Name is Drill, his Last Name is Seargent
-Keep your ^$%(!^& head down
-Take care of your feet
-Drill Seargent is Father, Drill Seargent is Mother, Drill Seargent is BAAAAD
-KP isn't all that bad, get on pots & pans
-There is NOT an answer that will NOT result in more pushups
-You will meet some real screwups, don't worry, its normal
-You will screw something up royally, don't worry overmuch, that's normal too
-Be on time for everything, in Military English this means 10min. prior, so be
early for that!
-Reception will be disgusting, hot, and boring; not nearly as much as a deployment
-If your senior DS looks at you at graduation and asks if you were his, you did it right!

ok that's enough, don't wanna ruin all the fun
May your powder always be dry!

 

[Phantom Warrior]

Ha ha ha...

The days will last forever, but the weeks will fly by.

How true it is. I'm about to start week 10. We are on our first pass to the PX. I wish I could reply to everything that's written here, but I want to let other people use this.

I'm in 4th Platoon, Echo Company 2/58. I've managed to stay out of trouble, mostly. One DS was after because the Army keeps screwing up my BCT glasses and I'm still wearing civvies. But I went to the eye shop w/ him (they still screwed them up) and he's left me alone. I was one of 6 to pass our first PT test. Not by a lot, but I passed. That's about the only way I've distinguished myself. I'm probably not going to any follow up schools. I want to head home Oct. 7th, not to Airborne holdover. There is a good chance I'll go after OCS anyway. Plus I'm probably going to be in for 4 and out, so I'm not worried about career.

W/ my vast 10 weeks of experience I read everything what you've written and just nod my head. In 4 more weeks I'll be back w/ a full post on my time here at Sand Hill. You guys all rule.

LOVE OF COUNTRY!
Spc. Phantom Warrior

 

[psyopspec]

Looking forward to hearing your full report!

 

[fistful]

Please let us know what things are like. Even for a '97 grad. like myself, I bet there are a lot of things that have changed.

 

[cowboybobb693]

PW.
So you think that you are in for only 4 years??? The 'standard" contract is 8 years whether that is 4 Active and 4 Reserve or 2 Active and 6 Reserve or any combination that totals 8 years. If you become an Officer you are in for a long time (Officer resignations are frozen) so get used to wearing " The Green Suit"
Good luck and REVIEW YOUR CONTRACT for your EXACT enlistment period, if you see the letters IRR, IMA you're in for longer than you thought.

 

[Seventhsword]

Hello Phantom Warrior,

I was Distinguished Honor Graduate of Class #45 E-3-1 at Sand Hill Ft. Benning in 1984. It was truly one of the best times of my life. Let us know where they are going to be sending you after graduation.

 

[CajunBass]

Godspeed my young friend. Thank you for you service to our country. And too all the rest of you who either wear, or have worn the uniform.

I don't have a thing to add to this; I've never been in the service at all, but I'll put in a word for anyone else who is thinking of joining.

If it at all possiable, have your parents at your graduation. My stepson went through AIT at Fort Jackson, SC a few years back. His mother and I drove down to attend it. Due to some typical SNAFU, the ceremony got moved, and we missed seeing that, but when we finally did locate him, (many thanks to the two six stripers who seemed to know EVERYTHING) the look of pride on his mothers face was something I'll never forget. Of course he was "Oh Mom, stop." but I could tell how much it meant to him to have her there.

I'm pretty proud of him myself.

Again. Godspeed.

 

[Phantom Warrior]

So you think that you are in for only 4 years??? The 'standard" contract is 8 years whether that is 4 Active and 4 Reserve or 2 Active and 6 Reserve or any combination that totals 8 years. If you become an Officer you are in for a long time (Officer resignations are frozen) so get used to wearing " The Green Suit"
Good luck and REVIEW YOUR CONTRACT for your EXACT enlistment period, if you see the letters IRR, IMA you're in for longer than you thought.

Gently, gently. I was the guy that read his whole contract end to end. I know I'm obligated for 8 years and they can call me up, even when my 4 is done. Four years and 19 weeks if you want to be EXACT. I have no problem with that. I have nothing planned after the Army that can't be delayed a year or three.

What's this about officer resignations and them being frozen? I'll admit that's news to me...



A full report will have to wait another few weeks. I'm on a short pass to the PX. Time is limited and I'm paying money for this computer as we speak.

Peace out THR.

 

[Puncha]

Question to all serving THRers

If you have a BA, BSc or some other full 4-year degree from an accredited university I hear that you enlist as an E-4 and hold that rank in basic training. If that is true, and you are allowed to waer that rank on your uniform will it mean that the DIs give you some respect and cut you alittle slack? Similarly, will it mean that you are automatically forced to take a trainee leadership position because you are the ranking recruit?

Lastly, to any here who served with the coast guard, I understand that USCG recruits only shoot the M9 in basic. Anyone here have the qualification standards and course of fire?

 

[fistful]

If you have a BA, BSc or some other full 4-year degree from an accredited university I hear that you enlist as an E-4 and hold that rank in basic training. If that is true, and you are allowed to waer that rank on your uniform will it mean that the DIs give you some respect and cut you alittle slack? Similarly, will it mean that you are automatically forced to take a trainee leadership position because you are the ranking recruit?

I got E-2 for having some college hours, so I guess you are right about the automatic E-4. But respect and slack from drill sergeants? If they gave you that, they wouldn't be doing their job, which is to treat you like slime until you can take anything; and at the same time, hold you to an impossibly high standard until you can do anything. Overstated of course, but I think that is the idea. They might be more apt to put you in a squad leader or platoon guide position, but that really only means you get more attention (which ain't good).

I think drill sergeants do have a certain amount of respect for certain trainees and do cut people slack here and there, but I don't think rank means anything to them.

 

[chopinbloc]

puncha: yes, you can come in as spc. most training bases do not allow soldiers to wear rank in basic, though. ft. sill did when i went through, but i was an e-nuthin' then anyway. i recommend that you do not wear the rank even if you are allowed to unless someone tells you to do it. drill sergeants should not have access to your les (leave and earnings statement) and would rarely see your id card so you'd get away with it. you do NOT want to be noticed. basic is NOT high school. you are there to learn how to kill, not "impress" your teachers. the upside is that the more you "impress" them, the more physically fit you become, so by all means, go for it.

phantom warrior: far as i can tell, nobody is gonna ets anytime soon. remember, regardless of the length of your contract, they can stop loss or involuntarily extend you indefinitely.

 

[fistful]

nobody is gonna ets anytime soon. remember, regardless of the length of your contract, they can stop loss or involuntarily extend you indefinitely.

A friend of mine was Iraq-bound, but then ETS'ed. Of course, he's still got a few years of IRR. I was supposed to go to Iraq, but got my discharge instead. My eight years were up.

most training bases do not allow soldiers to wear rank in basic

I went to Sand Hill, and we had to wear it. I say "had to" because we were only allowed metal rank, which made washing and ironing our uniforms more difficult. You're better to go without if possible.

 

[bill2]

I read some of the replies about asking to go to airborne or ranger school after graduation, and others saying that he won't get it. Can't you get those schools guarranteed in your contract? I heard that now you can even get special forces/green beret put in your contract. It's up to you to get through the qualifying course.

 

[fistful]

I don't know what exactly you can get in your contract, but the point is, they're not looking for volunteers for the Airborne or Ranger schools. These are highly competitive slots that can be very important to one's career.

 

[gbran]

I took both Basic and AIT at Ft Ord, CA in 1969. I like reading these thread replies to see how things have really changed since then.

 

[IZinterrogator]

far as i can tell, nobody is gonna ets anytime soon.

Two troops from my platoon just ETSed, and they were in shortage MOSes.

they're not looking for volunteers for the Airborne or Ranger schools.

They never have enough volunteers for Airborne school. They usually get all the infantry they can handle, but they normally have to beg CS and CSS soldiers to go, with a promise of easier promotions and bigger reenlistment bonuses.

 

[chopinbloc]

well, maybe i exagerrated a bit with the "nobody" part, but a lot of troops are getting stop lossed and a lot (especially guard) are getting pulled off irr.

you can get jump school and ranger in your contract, i've heard the same of sf, but i don't know anyone who has done it. the sf are taking quite a bit younger troops now, some without either airborne or ranger qualification, though i don't know if anyone is getting in without both.

 

[zman]

Thank you for your service Phantom Warrior, you sound like you will make a fine soldier

 

[fistful]

Thank you for your service Phantom Warrior, you sound like you will make a fine soldier

What?! That puke?! He's all ate up like a soup sandwich! He'll never make it in my Army! I can't believe they send me pathetic pieces of dirt like that! They get worse every year! Get down and push, maggot!

 

[scout26]

PW,

Don't pass on Airborne school. Chicks dig Jump Wings.

 

[Ala Dan]

Welcome My Friend!

As a 1966 Fort Benning graduate (B/10/2 at Harmony Church) I think you
will enjoy your tour while at this facility. During the height of the
Viet-Nam War ( Tet Offensive), Fort Benning was known to have produced
some of the best trained, well equipped soliders in country. At the time,
Benning was home to the old 11th Air Assault, as well as the 1st Air
Calvary Division. Benning was a major player for airborne troops of
that era. Good Luck & Enjoy~