General

[FeedTheDogg]

How bad is it really? Leaving for RTC in Illinois in 11 days. Tell me of your experiances with boot camp, lol.

[oldschool]

what branch?

[aaronlecain]

it would all depend on the branch. Army's Basic Training was to me ok as long as you had the right mind set and could shrug off the little stuff. the Physical stuff was easy to get over once you realize your limits and they will push you to your Physical limits.

[kidneythief]

Yeah which branch and did you mean to type ROTC?

-Jake

[pillage]

Originally Posted by oldschool

what branch?

Definately Navy if you are going to RTC Great Mistakes. Just remember the basics and you will do fine.
Do what you are told.
Keep mouth shut.
Don't speak about religion or politics unless you want to piss off others.
On liberty stay away from the Ron Rick hotel.
Remember it is best to be in the top 15% of your training company and faceless. Being number one, singles you out for attention as, well being a dirtbag.
Aye aye.

[mike31c]

You going Navy huh? Well I was Army but...

Army @ FT. Jackson, SC was okay still in winter months. I was slightly older then the 17,18 yr olds there so the "yelling", mind games and all that didn't get to me as much

Try not to show up drunk either.

And not to be judgmental but using "I'm going in the military" with all the girls just to get, ahem, friendly, will come back to bite you in the a**. I remember someone who left for BT and after the 8 week course, one of his friendlies was pregnant and she took the time to come out for "Family Day".

First couple of days was just paperwork, paperwork, and sticking us all with needles filled experimental meds (they call it inoculations) that they refuse to document (no time they tell us) all the while taking at least 4 blood samples for HIV testing (4 times?? yeah okay)...

Just watch your back with the gung-ho idiots. They be the ones that get the platoon in trouble because they think they are all that.

Having a GOOD attitude helps.

And yeah, don't try to be invisible. It won't work. At the same time, don't volunteer for anything either. Not religious on Sundays? I suggest you DO become religious. Or at least pretend that you are. They might find something for you do to otherwise.

And yes, another group of trainees DID put all the leaves onto that one large pile. Don't argue if the Drill SGT tells you to scatter the leaves again...

Do not admit you know how to fire ANY weapon...

Do not admit you know how to cook... Of course, anyone can peel potatoes

Do not admit you know how to drive...

Do not admit irrational fears such as fear of heights...

In fact, just don't admit to anything. It's simpler then listing out the whole thing...

Hope you are not the shortest of your group. You will wind up with the biggest gun they have in their Armory. The short guy in my platoon had the "privilege" of carrying the .50 cal

Not sure about Navy but if the Instructor tosses a dummy hand grenade in front of you, yes, you ARE expected to pile on top of it... Telling them "someone needed to survive to tell the story" ticks them off and definitely do not shove your other squad members on top of it first. Does not make a good impression.

And it's not called a bathroom --> (Army: latrine)
It's not called a car --> (It's called a POV if yours or if military, it's called a "Vee-HICK-le")

Lean the VOICES of all your instructors... They get mad if you confuse them for another DI's...

And above all this crap -->

* Learn Something
* Have Fun

[pillage]

At least you are going to Great Mistakes before it gets cold. That is one miserable cold place in the winter. I went to gunnery school there over the winter, an learned all about shoveling snow.

[~kaos~]

Originally Posted by pillage

Definately Navy if you are going to RTC Great Mistakes. Just remember the basics and you will do fine.
Do what you are told.
Keep mouth shut.
Don't speak about religion or politics unless you want to piss off others.
On liberty stay away from the Ron Rick hotel.
Remember it is best to be in the top 15% of your training company and faceless. Being number one, singles you out for attention as, well being a dirtbag.
Aye aye.

I went thru NTC/RTC San Diego and enjoyed the whole damn thing.... of course I was a long distance runner, competitive swimmer and surfer so the Navy was an obvious choice.

[forstgump]

I live super close to Great Lakes.....
Literally right down the Hwy.

[pillage]

Originally Posted by ~kaos~

I went thru NTC/RTC San Diego and enjoyed the whole damn thing.... of course I was a long distance runner, competitive swimmer and surfer so the Navy was an obvious choice.

I went through RTC in Orlando, then went to Chicago for GM A school. From 95 degrees to 20 degrees in a single day.