Any advice for a future soldier?

[amhall]

Hi guys

I have been on the forums for a while and have enjoyed meeting and dealing with several members. I will be Leaving for OSUT as an 11x at Fort Benning in about a month. Does anyone have any advice for me.

Any advice is welcome.

I am very proud and excited to get the chance to serve our country.

Thanks
Andrew

 

[Death by Selection]

Keep your mouth shut unless they talk to you and do exactly what they tell you and you'll be fine.

Thats the only advice I can give lol.

 

[amhall]

Cant go wrong with that.

Sounds like sound advice to me.

Thanks Lungbuster123

 

[hbrad3]

No advice but I will say thank you for serving!

 

[jkdailey]

"One station unit training", dang, I haven't heard that in a long time. I did it back in '98 as a 95B (MP) and loved it! Here are some things I would have like to have known before I went, in no paricular order:

1. Get in shape...NOW! Alpha group is the way to go. (~6-8 min mile). Do nothing but push ups, sit ups and RUN between now and then; a 300 PT score will make you a star! They do weight and will tape you if required.
2. Eat fast...no lollygagging.
3. Learn and practice "attention", "parade rest" and "at ease" as well as ranks and when/how to salute. DO NOT call NCOs Sir and Ma'am...
4. Learn how to clean the heck out of that AR...I know you have one
5. Know what you are volunteering for, before you volunteer.
6. Have some penpals...Mail call rocks! It sucks to not get any mail (letters and care packages) after a long day when everyone else gets something.
7. Learn quickly how to make your bunk and arrange your wall/foot locker.
8. Bring a Bible. If you've never read it before, I bet you will while you are there.

Andrew, I could go on and on. Bottom line is, do you best. Don't give up. If you have any loose ends here...tie them up. It is not easy to focus on your mission (becoming a Soldier), when you have worries back home. Phone time is limited, but there is lots of writing time (bring a note pad and something to write with); a journal of your experiences will give you something great to look back on.

I'd do it again

I wish you well, and thank you for serving!! HOOAH!

Respectfully,

Jason Dailey

 

[jamesthemechanic]

mouth shut do what your told quickly and you will be fine +when you speak speak loudly so you dont get the whole i cant hear you speech other than that give 110 percent and you will be ok good luck HUA!

 

[Patronus]

Never forget that we are proud of you.

 

[AWBen]

You're going to boot camp? I spoke to a guy who went to Marine OCS and hated it. He said they got about 3 hours of sleep a day, had so little eating time that they couldn't chew, and were constantly getting screamed and cursed at by drill instructors. Do something like look around, smirk, or anything, and they had 300 word essays to write during the time they could have slept. They also had to do tons of exercise like 6 miles hikes while wearing 50lb backpacks, and take classes on top of that. He said some of the cadets were experiencing weird side effects from sleep deprivation--one guy freaked out in class when the display board exploded into butterflies. Others reported weird time warps--one moment the teacher is across the room, the next moment he's standing next to you. Another cadet wrote half of his essay in his sleep, and the drill instructor read the essay out loud the next day, pausing partway into it to say, "Now this is where it gets *interesting.* "

 

[jamesthemechanic]

i dont think any negitive comments help this young man the military is not for everyone there is bad IE sleep depravation but it all has a purpose just like i said in another post you have to have the proper mindset that is why the training is so hard it weeds out the weak if you follow what other people here has said you will come out of it a battle ready man yes you will be different but better if you have time before you leave [ jkdaily ]is right i wish i had known them things first would have made it easier again good luck and thank you for your commitment

 

[amhall]

Thanks for all the response guys.

All is sound advice, I am looking forward to it. I understand it will be difficult and challenging I am ok with being pushed beyond my limits I know it is all for my own good. I don't care what pain and hardship I have to go through it is only temporary, and in the end it will only make make stronger. I have been running and training hard to be able to get a 300 fitness score. I do not have Airborne in my contract, but if I get the chance I will definitely jump on it, as well as any other training that I can do.

Thanks again for all the advise, and more than that, thank you to the guys have have served before me.
Andrew Hall