How is bootcamp in the Army and what should I expect?

Question

I am going into the military and am soon going to bootcamp. Is there any soldiers out there that have any advice for me on how to survive it?

Answer 1

Listen to all us old coots yammer...
"it was a LOT harder when I was in..." :-)) rofl

Ok, I'm done laughing now. I think I can help answer your question.
Since you didn't tell me what post you are assigned to for BCT (oh yeah, get used to a LOT of acronyms), I can only give you a general overview.
0-week: This is a fill period which can last from 2 days to 3 weeks. During this period, you will get rid of almost everything you brought with you as most of it will be considered contraband. BTW, don't take any razors, knives, fingernail/toenail clippers or anything else with a blade or sharp edge; you will only be required to turn it in as contraband. During this time, you will also get your clothing, haircut, eyeglasses (if needed), dog tags, and everything else you will need as a soldier. Anything the Army does not provide, you will be given the opportunity to buy at the PX. Expect to be yelled at, sworn at, roughed around, manhandled, and everything else you've probably already be warned about. No matter what we tell you here, it will be worse. Learn to say, "Yes Drill Sergeant/No Drill Sergeant" now, it will save you a lot of push-ups. By the time you are finished with 0-week, you will be assigned to a barracks and training company. Then the fun begins. >:-))
For a minimum of four weeks, you will be under TC (Total Control). The Drill Sergeants will tell you what to do, when to do it, what to eat, what to drink, and when, and you will have no free time to yourself. You will learn things such as: the history of the Army, the Chain of Command, your General Orders, Army rank structure, how to make your bunk, how to feed 350 people in 30 minutes, the Front Leaning Rest Position, and other important aspects of military life. I'm being very general here, because each post is different, and it's been over 20 years since I was in Basic. Even my memory has it's limits. :-)
During your 8 weeks, you will learn how to fire your assault rifle (it's not a gun...more push-up fodder), how to fire various other weapons in the US arsenal, how to throw grenades, how to put on protective suites and protective masks and tactical movement from 2-man to full squad. You will learn how to field strip, clean, and reassemble your rifle. Oh, I could go on and on about what you'll learn. Trust me, it's more than you can imagine right now.
An average day will consist of reville at 0600 hrs (you'll be up and training an hour or two before that). You will train for about 2.5 hours, then you'll get morning chow. You'll train for another 4 hours or so, then midday chow, then train for another 4 hours or so, then evening chow, then training till about 2000 when you'll be given an hour for "free time." Do not be confused, Free time is not free. During this time, you will be doing maintenance on your clothing and shining boots, and (only after you're off TC), you'll be given time to call home, go to the PX, write letters, or study from your field manual. Lights out is NLT (no later than) 2100 hrs. During any "down time" you get during the day, you will be expected to be reading your field manual, or the bible. Every day is a training day, even Sunday. Although, on Sundays, you are generally allowed to attend the service of your choice.
As the weeks progress, you will be given more time to yourself, be watched over less, and be given more responsibility of your own. Everything else the others mentioned, I've only left out because it's already been said. All the advice about physical training, et al, is valid. You will be mentally and physically ground down to dust and rebuilt in your Drill Sergeant's image. You will become a soldier.
To pass Basic, you will be given between 20 and 40 go/no go (pass/fail) tests and you will have to pass almost all of them. You will have to score at least 21 hits out of 40 rounds on the range with your rifle, and you will have to hit 5 of 7 targets with the grenade. Pretty easy stuff as you'll have learned everything you need to pass before you're tested.
Listen to your Drill Sergeants and do as they tell you, immediately when they tell you. Don't stand out (unless it's to be the best at something, and even then, you'll be roasted for it). And last of all, be secure in the knowledge that when you're done, you'll be one of the best trained soldiers in the world. Be proud.
I'm sorry this is so long, but there is a lot to your question. I hope all of this ranting and raving has helped answer your question. Thank you for your service and good luck to you Private.

Answer 2

For God's sake... stay out of the army. If you feel compelled to enlist at least choose a service that has some money to spend on it's troops and has something other than the leeching and bleeding that is medieval army medicine. It would also be nice to be stationed at a Fort that doesn't look like a demilitarized Zone in the outback of Kazakhstan. Sorry guys... I know the truth hurts.

Answer 3

Run, get it in shape as best you can. Secondly start drinking water it will be your best friend. Also take a few hours a week to start learning the Army Values, the general orders, and probally the soldiers creed. That will help you out a lot. Once there just do as your as told, keep an open mind, realize it is not as hard as it used to be, and if thousands of people who came before you can make it so can you. Also when friends/family write you tell them to put all letters in one envolope. For each letter I got I had to 50 pushups to start and with each week the number goes up. With that good luck and congrats on a great way to start your life.

Answer 4

My boyfriend is at Fort Benning right now for his BCT. In the letters I have gotten so far, nothing is really hard. Make sure that you are in a good physical condition and can do most of the graduation requirements ahead of training. i.e 2 mile run, the certain amount of puch ups/sit ups, etc. The only time the Drill. SGTS. were a bit rude was when they were in red phase, when they moved up, they lightened up and arent too bad. They are not like what you see in the movies. The drills and training itself, although a bit difficult, my boyfriend said is pretty easy and actually fun. Shooting your weapon, throwing grenades, all that stuff you did with your toy soldiers when you were a young boy, you get to do in basic.

Answer 5

Boot camp in the Army can be brutal, try to go i the spring and fall, but not winter or summer. In winter you will freeze your face off and in the summer you will be a stuffed roasted pig or feel as though you are. The Drill Sargeants will break you down to build you up again as a soldier. Boy, you ain't got no mamma here so stop yo whinin' . You walk, march, run, skip, jump and scramble and all that is before breakfast, then you start again, you walk, march, skip, jump before lunch and then you walk, march, skip, jump and craaaaawl to dinner if you didn't already have yourself a great big plate of MREs (yum'O), just like mamma used to throw in the garbage disposal. ;>) Just kidding! But boot camp is brutal no matter what time of year you have it. You may need lots of Ben Guay!

Answer 6

First, get rid of the 'gangsta' look and any attitude that might go with it.

Secondly, do what your told when your told.

Thirdly, realize there are going to be many naysayers out there that pretend to be patriotic by declaring themselves to be while undermining you, the military and its mission. Ignore them. They do not understand why anyone would risk all to protect their coward little butts.

And yeah, the more in shape you are before you get to Basic, the less the drills will make you hurt.

Expect NO mercy! I will give you no quarter.

Answer 7

I am not a soldier but my fiance` is and he said that if it wasn't for his newly-made friends support he might not have made it and all the support from me helped alot also. So make sure that you dont back talk anyone and make plenty of friends and you should be good to go but it helps if you have people that you care about standing behind you all the way! I am not saying to kiss someones ***!!! Just try not to piss someone off otherwise they could make your life alot harder there but other than that you should do just fine!

Answer 8

Just the down and dirty, don't call it boot camp, thats the marines. Its just called basic combat training, bct. It sucks, but its nothing too hard. Drink plent of water, you don't want to be a heat causalty. Don't go sneaking off when you're on fire guard to go fool around with the female recuits, that'll be the quickest way to get sent home. Don't volenteer for anything, and don't do anything to bring extra attention to yourself. Don't ride sick call either. You'll be alright.

Answer 9

Son, you are my hero, my wife's hero, and will be my daughter's hero when she is old enough to understand like we do. Feel free to boot my answer as it doesn't quite answer your question but it is worth it to say that.

If our daughter decides to go into the military, my wife and I decided we wouldn't be "supportive"...

...we'd be DAMNED PROUD!

Edit: I guess I did answer it kind of. Expect a lot of that from every patriotic democrat (like myself) and every patriotic republican (or any patriot, since that comes first).

Thank you.

Answer 10

look I went in to basic in 94' it was a lot harder then, and it was still pretty easy just make sure you are where your supposed to be at the right time and they'll make every effort to make you pass. its very hard to fail boot camp.