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Hello everyone, I’m joining in 11B. I’m just looking for some advice.
11X: Infantry Recruit
Infantry
Recruiter
Information
Officer
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 43
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Make sure you know what you are getting yourself into. The art of war is much different than call of duty
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Always strive to do better than where you’re at. Take each screw up as a lesson and move on and do better next time. You will have good leaders and bad leaders. Look to your good leaders and build off them and look at the bad ones as an example of who not to be. Volunteer for everything but don’t be a suck up. Be ready to walk/run a lot! If you end up mechanized on brads or strykers it doesn’t make you immune to rucking. Just keep a positive attitude and the army will be what you make of it.
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Preparation mainly. Also, any insight to what it’s like during and after basic would be greatly appreciated.
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SPC Erich Guenther
Active Army training for Infantry is very repetitive in nature because they want you to remember it and use it as second nature in high stress situations. So once you have a mastery of your skills.......you get kind of bored with the training over and over again (about the 24-28 month period). So at that point you can seek out extra duties and go above and beyond just the minimum requirements and I suggest you do that. It's a good way to enrich your days with new and interesting things while also padding your Army skills for future promotion. You'll know what I mean when you get there. Volunteer to do more to setup range time for rifle qualification, volunteer to help out in the arms room, volunteer for stuff that you normally do not do as an Infantryman. Also, as soon as you feel comfortable with the skills required at E4 start pushing for promotion to E5.
As far as preparation, they will prep you with the training. Listen to what your Recruiter says about your physical shape before you ship. You don't need to look like Arnold Schwartznegger. In fact it is better if you don't have much muscle beyond what you need to physically perform (because it is also extra body weight). Most of the muscles you use will be in your legs. Upper body secondary. Your abs are important because they support your lower back as well and will take some of the strain off carrying heavy rucksacks. But this does not mean you have to hit the gym and prep. You can get ready vis isometric exercising vs lifting weights . Ride a bike around for 5-6 miles, run or jog for 1-2 miles, swim a bit. Make sure your within height and weight standards. Basically all you need to do to prep. You don't need to run around with a rucksack on or carry extra weights or whatever......all of that is unnecessary and can get you injured.
Also, put together that plan B now that you have time in case you feel the Army is not for you and choose to leave the Army after one term of enlistment. Run through what if scenarios and see what kind of jobs you can land to support yourself after Army service or what colleges you might want to attend. Doing that thinking and planning before you ship and knowing you have a plan B, also helps get through an Army enlistment you might not like.
As far as preparation, they will prep you with the training. Listen to what your Recruiter says about your physical shape before you ship. You don't need to look like Arnold Schwartznegger. In fact it is better if you don't have much muscle beyond what you need to physically perform (because it is also extra body weight). Most of the muscles you use will be in your legs. Upper body secondary. Your abs are important because they support your lower back as well and will take some of the strain off carrying heavy rucksacks. But this does not mean you have to hit the gym and prep. You can get ready vis isometric exercising vs lifting weights . Ride a bike around for 5-6 miles, run or jog for 1-2 miles, swim a bit. Make sure your within height and weight standards. Basically all you need to do to prep. You don't need to run around with a rucksack on or carry extra weights or whatever......all of that is unnecessary and can get you injured.
Also, put together that plan B now that you have time in case you feel the Army is not for you and choose to leave the Army after one term of enlistment. Run through what if scenarios and see what kind of jobs you can land to support yourself after Army service or what colleges you might want to attend. Doing that thinking and planning before you ship and knowing you have a plan B, also helps get through an Army enlistment you might not like.
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Ruck, Ruck and Ruck, forget the DIs screaming, in training, they are loud and a distraction. Mud, rain and the cold are a great friends. Hydrate and foot powder (Take care of your feet), and get wet naps! Scouts and Rangers can come later, get your EIB, and become a mentor. Become an expert in your fieldcraft and teach others.
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Get airborne school in your contract. It’s a lot easier to get in your contract than it is to get it once you’re in. Life in the infantry is pretty heavily dependent on what unit you are in.
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I got out in '99, what has changed since then. Last I checked everyone had a 11B designaton.
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If you don’t like to get down and dirty then you should look at other career MOS. While I was in an Infantry unit we spent weeks in the cold, wet, sweaty, bug infested AOs. Also, if you can’t “suck it up” and drive on, 11B isn’t your cup of tea.
I spent the last decade of my career in an aviation unit and things there are like night and day. Aviation units strive to be as clean as possible due the the many moving components. Not saying we didn’t do our fair share of hunkering down in the field. Let’s just say aviation is the hub most other most other specialties depend for many types of support. Including hauling us grunts around.
I spent the last decade of my career in an aviation unit and things there are like night and day. Aviation units strive to be as clean as possible due the the many moving components. Not saying we didn’t do our fair share of hunkering down in the field. Let’s just say aviation is the hub most other most other specialties depend for many types of support. Including hauling us grunts around.
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Go airborne!! All the big rank guys have wings, some with the star. Beside the fact that it's a rank enhancement, it's an absolute pisser!!
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DON'T DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOUR BODY WILL SUFFER IN THE LONG RUN, I SHOULD KNOW. 1OTH MOUNTAIN ALUM AND EIB RECIPIENT. BUT I WOULD TRADE THAT ALL BACK NOT TO BE IN THE PAIN I AM IN. YOU ARE GOING TO HUMP A RUCK ALL THE TIME UNLESS IT'S IN THE NEW ARMY WHERE YOU RIDE EVERYWHERE IN A MRAP OR STRYKER THEN YOU WILL BE JUST FINE. IF YOU DO THEN JUST GO FULL BORE AND JOIN ALL THE SIDE JOBS THEY HAVE FROM AIR ASSAULT TO EIB TO RIP ITS MISSIONS. GOOD LUCK YOUNG MAN DON'T BE A HERO AND DON'T LISTEN TO THE BLUE FALCONS TO INCLUDE NCOS AND OFFICERS.
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SPC Julio R.
SSgt David Izquierdo y3ah but while in active we have to make sure the pprwrk is right. cuz trying to prove to the VA you body is soup sammich because of service is a chore. They'll hit you with the "not service related" bull.
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I’m an Eagle Scout and found being Infantry to be a extension of that. You go hiking, camping and can earn merit badges. Seriously, I count my graduation from. Fort Benning to be one of my greatest accomplishments.
If you don’t like to walk I’d recommend going 11M or 11H(if they still have it) truthfully I never re-enlisted out of infantry because I didn’t want to have a “real job” then have to go play soldier. In the Infantry I could expect it and roll with it. I saw someone posted to volunteer for everything, and I agree with that statement. My first unit deployed the day I got there and I was stuck on rear detachment. It seemed like that was the case everywhere I went, but I volunteered to go. I got my EIB that way, attended Amphibious Warfare School in Little Creek VA and made Team Spirit in Korea. Take advantage of any special training or schooling opportunities offered. Don’t fall into negativity with dirtbags. Remember things can always get worse, so just embrace the Suck and drive on troop.
If you don’t like to walk I’d recommend going 11M or 11H(if they still have it) truthfully I never re-enlisted out of infantry because I didn’t want to have a “real job” then have to go play soldier. In the Infantry I could expect it and roll with it. I saw someone posted to volunteer for everything, and I agree with that statement. My first unit deployed the day I got there and I was stuck on rear detachment. It seemed like that was the case everywhere I went, but I volunteered to go. I got my EIB that way, attended Amphibious Warfare School in Little Creek VA and made Team Spirit in Korea. Take advantage of any special training or schooling opportunities offered. Don’t fall into negativity with dirtbags. Remember things can always get worse, so just embrace the Suck and drive on troop.
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