Comments from other recruits We frequently get visitors who came back to give us a full account of what basic and AIT were like for them. This page is for their comments (with their permission, pasted from our message board). If you would like to have your comments added here, please do drop me a line (see email on homepage). Comments from 74bpfc (Dec 19, 2002): During the first few weeks of basic (mainly red phase) it's somewhat hard to get everything you need done. I know there were several times where I had to skip showers in order to clean. Laundry so far has been my biggest problem, since we only have 4 washers and 4 dryers for 2 platoons of 60 people. We rotate days, my platoon gets it on Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday and Sunday is mayhem day. But when you're in the field all day, getting laundry done is tough. The wall locker situation is always a pain. The first few times you try to straigten it, you'll just keep changing everything because no one really knows where anything goes and the DS's like to change their minds on what they want (forget those little charts). The smart book is evil. When you get to reception you'll carry it around everywhere, and be required to read it when standing in line. You'll be standing in line for hours at a time. I was in reception for a week and read the whole thing twice. It's really pretty worthless to read anything but the army values and first aid, as reading the combat stuff is really hard to understand without actually getting hands on with it. After total control, you'll finally be able to dump the IET book and toss it into the back of your wall locker for good. As far as learning the material without the smart book, it's easy. Just remember that millions of people have done it before you, and you're definitely not the dumbest person to go through basic up until now and that's what they have to put the standard around. You get plenty of free time after dinner chow but you'll be wanting to spend that time doing something to escape from the Army (or sleep). I'm currently at Fort Benning, in BCT with 3 weeks to finish my training. We have it where you're only allowed to take showers after dinner. Basically, you don't get a choice. You'll take showers when the Drill Sergeants say you can. When you get the chance though, go as early as possible because that hot water runs out fast. 31foxtrot added (Dec 27, 2002): As for being told of current events sometimes the DS will tell you a little of what's going on. They keep telling us that we will be deployed after AIT. As for telling us that we will need this for Iraq they haven't done with us. They will of course say you need this training in case of war or whatever, they let you know that it is important training you are learning. Plus in white phase and blue you are allowed to buy newspapers(we have a lady that sits outside the chow hall after breakfast and sells newspapers until she runs out) but you can't read them in the bay(where you sleep). The gas chamber to me was pretty easy and not as bad as the DS like to make it out as. Of course I didn't throw up and didn't drool all that much nor did I have any snot hanging out so I was happy. The biggest thing for me was my face and hands burned but you know it will go away. We had to open our eyes in the chamber and when I got out my lungs were burning a little but I just didn't panic and simply coughed as deeply as I could to help clear my lungs and within a minute or so I felt better. |
