I'm going to enlist in the Army Reserves. Any suggestions/comments about Drill Instructors or PT?

Question

I'm 4'11" and 17 years old. I weigh 105 pounds. I'm going to enlist by the end of this week, if not month. I'm starting running right now. Does anyone have any suggestions or comments about Drill Instructors or Physical Training?

I don't want anything about Arlie Earnie or any movies. I'm looking to talk with a real experienced veteran or active soldier. I'm going into ROTC.

Answer 1

Firstly, get physically fit. Normal fitness is the absolute minimum, but in addition to that, you need to look at a few things that you would not normally do. Wear
a backpack. Carrying a backpack requires practice to get used to and nothing else you could do can substitute for actually doing it. Put some weight in the backpack. I would suggest about 10 - 25 kgs.
Toughen up your feet. You will be wearing boots which are not "sneakers", and wearing boots is a lot tougher on your feet than you can imagine. It is a pretty good idea to start trying to run and excercise in boots. You can try using Methylated spirits; rub a little onto your feet every day.
Take nylon woman's stockings with you. Wear them under everything ie put them on first then your socks and boots. They will help you to avoid blisters. If you wear them all the way up to your waist, then they will help you to avoid chafing between your legs as well.
Take a lot of Asprin with you. Half a tablet taken each morning will help to ease the normal aches and pains that you will experience. (Check of you are allowed to do this.. I am no expert on what the US military will or will not allow).
Ignore "folk-lorish" advice like "Never volunteer". You are signing up to become an Officer. You need to get used to the fact that you should be a leader, and leaders need to lead. Sometimes this means volunteering. Just choose as best you can what you volunteer for. This can sometimes be difficult as DIs are notoriously clever at making things difficult, but they notice things like willingness and good attitudes and this will stand you in good stead.
Be prepared to "eat soup with a spoon". By this I mean that a lot of the things that you will be required to do and learn will seem incredibly foreign to what you consider to be normal or even reasonable, but baring truly sadistic or immoral behaviour, be prepared to do things without understanding the reasons why you are asked to do them.
Make a friend quickly once you are assigned to your training platoon. Best if this is the person who sleeps next to you. Work together with this person on personal tasks like cleaning boots, making your bed, cleaning your rifle etc. Helping someone else learn is the fastest way to learn to do it yourself.
Disengage your normal inclination to look for reasons for people's actions and the things you are required to do. A lot of the things that you will have to do will appear to be completely against all logic or reason. This might in fact be the case, and the test is to see what your attitude is or to test your ability to lead others in a task that has no apparent purpose.
Work on your fear of heights. Everyone has a fear of heights, but most people are able to supress that fear to accomplish a task. You might need to work on this more or less than other people, but it is a good idea to be prepared to for example, climb over an obstacle.
Work together as a team with those around you. One of the primary objectives of Basic Training is to form a group of individuals into a group that will work together to achieve a common objective. This will be observed and tested.
Prepare yourself to follow orders. This can be more difficult than you expect. During basics, you can be pretty sure that there will be very few instances where you actually have to think at all about whether the order is a legal one or not, but be aware of the possible abuse of power. You might be tested on your ability to discern the difference between a legal order and an illegal one, but this should be made pretty clear to you at the time,
Read as widely as you can about the military and military life. Ask questions like this and read the answers. Select the ones that that other veterans agree with.
Don't fuss or worry. Prepare yourself as best as you are able. The POINT of Basic Training is to turn you into a soldier. You are NOT expected to arrive there knowing everything. In fact, almost 100% of what you are tested on in terms of knowledge will be taught to you quite clearly before you are tested on it. Be aware though that your DIs (if they are good at their job, and I can only assume that they will be) will be observing you constantly and will record their observations about you. Staying beneath the radar is one way to pass through Basic Training without notice, but is not the best way to get yourself noticed for future promotion etc. A comment on your record from your Basics DI to the effect that you were "always willing to attempt new tasks, approached every situation with an open mind, took orders well, lead others in the team through team tasks" is in my opinion MUCH better than one that says "Passed Basics".
Good luck. I am sure that once it is over, you look back on it as :the best time in your life that you would never like to repeat" :-)

Answer 2

before you go to basic, do a lot of running, make sure that you can run 2 miles in under 18 minutes, get your run time as low as possible. talk to a recruiter about the PT standards and try to meet them before you ship out. it will help you so much. also the recruiters have a list of tasks that you can complete so that you can come into the army as an E-2 or even an E-3, which is a little bit better pay and you will be glad you did it because you will go up the ranks faster than your peers and it looks good. and in dealing with the Drill sergeants, just do what your told and pay attention to detail. dont get caught up in all the drama. there will be people in your company that just insist on dating and having sex, dont do it, its so not worth it. just try your best at everything you do and you will be just fine. good luck

Answer 3

Your recruiter should have given you the standards that you will be held to while you are in the Army. The main thing to understand is that there is a difference between the minimum standard that you need to get into Basic Combat Training, and the standards that you need to adhere to for graduation and to compete for schools, courses and rank in the Army. It is that standard you should try to work for before you leave to go to Basic. Your Drill Sergeants cannot completely build you, you have to put in half the effort.

As a 17-21 year old female you must do:
18 Push-ups in 2:00 minutes
53 Sit-ups in 2:00 minutes
run 2 miles in 18:54 or less (faster)
these are the minimums after Basic Training.

Answer 4

Basic is soo different then when I went through it...ugh (15 years ago!!)

But they way I approached it was that Drill Sergeants (Instructors are in the Marines) were acting. They have to act tough and mean and put stress on you because there is no way to simulate the stress of combat. So take anything they say with a grain of salt and just push on and do your best. They are there to make ensure to make it through, but they also want to weed out the quiters.

PT--Just try your hardest as long as you are not dogging it they will not dog you. Ther are well away that not every person has the same physical abilities. And the PT test is designed to make sure those who really put in effort will pass.

Answer 5

I will tell you the secret to basic training. Your Drill Sgt. does not hate your guts, they do not have it in for you. Drill Sgt. School is harder than you can imagine. Everything they are doing to you it was done to them 5 times as hard. You are going to do so many push-ups you think you are going to die, but if they did not drill at that rate you would not pass you P.T. Test at the end of you Basic Training. Every time you are dropped and every time you have to do some crazy stuff remember that you would not pass if they did not make it hard. Get your mind set right at the first and turn into a robot and you will breeze through. If you think about you local town you probable know someone who went to the Army and graduated basic training who you consider retarded. There has been millions go through and graduate, and so can you. No matter what other answer you get in this forum remember when your beating your face you have to pass the P.T. test.

Answer 6

Keep running do some push ups and sit ups. Remember to do what you are told what they tell you will keep your a** alive. They have experience, its not always about what the book says. Do p.t. on down time as well, the better shape you are in the less drill Sargent will mess with you. About going officer, never forget what its like to be at the bottom. Most officers I know have forgotten. I know what they do is important but remember the lowest troop does a lot for you, treat them well.

Answer 7

When the DI askes for volunteers, dont raise your hand no matter what, also when you all gather as a platoon try to sit in the middle towards the back. Basically do your best not to be noticed for absolutely anything. Before you know it you'll be stuck on latrine duty. As far as PT goes, just put your best effort into it and you'll be fine.

Answer 8

You seem to have the right attitude. The Best advise I can give you is to listen to every word your sergeants say. Give Physical training all you've got. Expect the best from yourself then give it...

My salute to you...
Sergeant First Class
U S Army Retired

Answer 9

Just do the best that you can, if you belive in yourself anything is possible.

Answer 10

Just do what they say, no matter how stupid it seems but don't try to kiss up.