Anybody have an tips on basic training at Fort Benning?

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 20 Feb 2018 00:11:23 -0500

I just enlisted into the national guard as a 19D. I leave for basic on April the 18th. I'm going to fort benning. Any tips or insights would be really appreciated.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 20 at 2018 12:16 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 20 Feb 2018 00:16:59 -0500

Get a hair cut, go run, ruck, do a push up or two.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 20 at 2018 12:47 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 20 Feb 2018 00:47:06 -0500

Do not be afraid of Stairway to Heaven.

Response by CW3 Jeff Held made Feb 20 at 2018 1:34 AM

CW3 Jeff Held — Tue, 20 Feb 2018 01:34:25 -0500

Clear your head. Do what you’re told to do and do it better and better. If you start feeling down just look around you; everyone there is taking a bite of the same shit sandwich you are.

As an E3/PFC you may be called upon to lead. Eagerly accept that and do your very best.

Don’t give up and don’t give in. Your team mates will be counting on you as you will be counting on them.

Response by SGT Christopher Hayden made Feb 20 at 2018 6:33 AM

SGT Christopher Hayden — Tue, 20 Feb 2018 06:33:44 -0500

Just be glad you're going in April and not June.

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 21 at 2018 12:48 AM

CW3 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 00:48:49 -0500

Well, I did spend 2.5 years as a DS on Sand Hill. Keep your mouth closed and your ears open. Do what you are told to the best of your ability. You are going to get yelled at. You are going to be broken down. You are going to despise the retard next to you. But it will be you and your PLTs just to help square away that crayon eating PVT next to you and work together as a team. Get yourself prepared physically and mentally before you go. I had a PVT show up once and couldn’t do ONE sit-up. ONE! I couldn’t understand how he got out of bed in the morning unless he rolled off the side of his bunk and just hoped for the best. You don’t want to be that guy.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Feb 21 at 2018 11:29 AM

CPT Jack Durish — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 11:29:04 -0500

Okay, I know I'm old. Tomorrow concludes my seventy-fifth trip around the sun, and I'm getting cranky, but not much surprises me anymore except this: A PFC in BCT! How can anyone advance in rank without BCT? Please, it's not my intention to insult you. Nothing personal. No, not at all. A PFC is the lowest level leader in the Infantry and may be expected to lead a fire team. Maybe even step in to lead a squad when no superior is available. Without BCT, would anyone even know what a fire team or a squad is?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 21 at 2018 12:48 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 12:48:28 -0500

Be more specific.

Response by SGT Dave Tracy made Feb 21 at 2018 1:06 PM

SGT Dave Tracy — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 13:06:50 -0500

Can't speak to 19D OSUT at Benning, but I did have the pleasure of knowing 11B OSUT at Ft. Benning, so I'd say the following:

-Its hot & humid as hell. Hopefully you're used to that, if not, you'll acclimate, but until you do, it'll suck.

-Closely related to the above, is knowing you'll drink water. Lots of it. Not a drop will come from a bottle. Often it will be warm. Sometimes it'll be hot. Drink it anyway.

-Enjoy the wildlife. They have cockroaches you can ride for free (or for $200 you can convince a guy in your bay to eat one-we did); snakes; Fire Ants which hurt like hell when they bite; Brown Recluse spiders, which again, hurt like hell AND are a medical issue when they bite; coyotes; wild boar; and (apparently) alligators. And no, you cannot shoot any wildlife.

-Being a combat MOS OSUT at Benning, expect to live without your cellphone. Give it a hug, and say "good bye dear friend", and know that by the time you graduate, Apple and Samsung will have released new hardware making your old phone obsolete anyway. ;-)

-Run. Work on it now...no, NOW!!!! Stop reading this and get you ass on the road, Time Now! To quote my old Drill Sergeant, "We're a runnin' Army!"

-Work in a ruck march or two as well. You'll be toting a heavy load and your weapon when your rucking in OSUT, so prepare for it.

-While you're at it, get warm & fuzzy with push-ups & sit-ups.

-Learn to eat fast. 'Nuf said.

-Check your ego at the door. You'll have a bigger one when you leave OSUT anyway.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 21 at 2018 7:13 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 19:13:22 -0500

When the Airborne troops call you "LEG," it's just an expression. Those very same Airborne Troops are, or have been called, "Cherry."

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 21 at 2018 7:28 PM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 19:28:59 -0500

Down let anything hold you back. Keep pushing forward and finish strong. I know it’s easier said than done but you can’t let anything back home get in your way because if you do it will be a longer journey than you are hoping for.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 21 at 2018 10:20 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 22:20:15 -0500

It’s gonna suck, you’ll get the shit smoked out of you, probably contemplate your entire life but don’t let them get to you stay calm and cool make sure you work as a team within your platoon the sooner you figure out how to the sooner things will be easier and not only your platoon but the entire company!

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 21 at 2018 10:26 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 22:26:29 -0500

Take it one at a time and don’t quit

Response by LTC Tom Jones made Feb 22 at 2018 9:51 AM

LTC Tom Jones — Thu, 22 Feb 2018 09:51:31 -0500

When a WW2 vet and neighbor of ours learned I had been drafted, he went out of his way to advise: "Jones, if you want to make it through basic training--don't volunteer for noth'n." At the time, I wasn't too sure I wanted to make it through basic in the first place; but, I generally took his advice.

Response by LCpl Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 22 at 2018 1:32 PM

LCpl Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 22 Feb 2018 13:32:43 -0500

How hard can it be? It's the Army

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 23 at 2018 2:10 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 23 Feb 2018 02:10:43 -0500

Get all your stuff organized before you go. Finances, girlfriends, fiance, whatever. Make sure when you leave that everything you left can do without you for the entirety of your training. I don't know how many times privates want to quit day one because they are worried about their mother or it's just not what I want anymore. The fastest way out of basic is to graduate. It's not hard and in my personal opinion is one of the funniest things you will do in a long time. Think about it. Your gonna shoot your M4, machine guns, automatic grenade launchers, regular grenade launchers, throw Grenades, do obstacle course, learn to repel off the dudes of towers, go through a gas chamber. It's pretty much every 12 year old boys dream. Have fun and realize what you think is right isn't what everyone else thinks. Your gonna meet people from all over the world. You don't have to like them but you will learn to work with them. Enjoy.

Response by SSG Daniel Brewster made Feb 24 at 2018 1:29 PM

SSG Daniel Brewster — Sat, 24 Feb 2018 13:29:17 -0500

I grew up in Georgia, yet I never realized how hot it was there until I spent a summer at Fort Benning as an 11B. As you are going in as an E3, you probably have some college or are an Eagle Scout. Good for you either way. You will likely be selected as a leader - even though you may not really not much about Army leadership. Here's the key to Army training - keep your ears open and listen 99% more than you talk. Do what you're told and do it as quickly as you can. Basic Training is all about preparing civilians to be soliders - nothing they ask you to do will be insurmountable. Nothing. Countless men have gone before you and you'll do just fine. You should already be physically prepared - read up on the APRT and make sure you can max a PT test. You will meet morons in Basic - don't do what they do. Also, imho, don't try to save 'em - that's what the Drill Sergeants are for. They'll make it or not on their own merits. You can learn how to work as a team and help make the weakest link stronger once you actually get to your unit. Basic and AIT are all about teaching you - not you teaching somebody else.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 24 at 2018 1:52 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 24 Feb 2018 13:52:42 -0500

Do what you are told and learn. Don't take things so serious, even at basic

Response by CPL Hayward Johnson made Feb 24 at 2018 9:38 PM

CPL Hayward Johnson — Sat, 24 Feb 2018 21:38:35 -0500

Try to stay away from victory drive if you get weekend pass

Response by SGT Aric Lier made Feb 27 at 2018 1:16 PM

SGT Aric Lier — Tue, 27 Feb 2018 13:16:58 -0500

if the drill is wearing blue discs on his hat or collar, that means he was a frostbite victim....go ahead and let him know you know about this and will look after him. he will appreciate it and you will get rewarded

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 29 at 2018 6:28 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 29 Apr 2018 18:28:58 -0400

Count the Sundays, Best post to go to basic.

Response by PFC Mike B. made Jan 5 at 2019 10:49 PM

PFC Mike B. — Sat, 05 Jan 2019 22:49:44 -0500

How did you do???? Basic??? Hope well.

Response by SPC Alexander Ortiz made Oct 25 at 2019 2:36 PM

SPC Alexander Ortiz — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 14:36:14 -0400

Do as ur told, stay sharp and away from numbnuts never volunteer, and get ready to hump...Hooah.. Wish you the best, God's Speed..

Response by SGT Phillip Tucker made May 22 at 2020 8:34 PM

SGT Phillip Tucker — Fri, 22 May 2020 20:34:58 -0400

Stay motivated, motivation is the key to basic. At times its going to suck, but embrace the suck and keep pushing. Always remember why you wanted to enlist. Drills will get into your face and make life as stressful as possible for a good reason. If you listen carefully, they can be funny. Plenty of times, during an ass chewing, the Drills will crack jokes. Earn their respect, never bow out. Relax, you will have fun and make memories you won't forget.

Response by SSG David Fetty made Aug 26 at 2020 11:17 PM

SSG David Fetty — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 23:17:52 -0400

There will be certain things that happen at various times during your training, and at the time will have you convinced that someone lost their minds, or else it will be everyone "showing" their DI they aren't taking anymore. It may be a DI dropping someone for pushups and the entire squad or platoon will drop with them to show the DI they think the punishment was unfair. Or your barracks being destroyed because someone left their locker unsecure or a mess. You'll be positive your leaders have lost their mind, and you may even be afraid.

Don't worry, these are actually indicators of progress and a marker of moving to the next phase of your training. Things will be different from those days forward.

Expect the unexpected, cover YOUR responsibilities, then help your fellow trainees. Helping them will help you as well although you won't recognize that at the time.

Response by PVT Rocky Susshine made Dec 15 at 2020 4:31 PM

PVT Rocky Susshine — Tue, 15 Dec 2020 16:31:21 -0500

For me . Hard work. The experience was fantastic. I enjoyed what I was thought. Only. Not enough time for sleep.

Response by PFC Mike B. made Jun 20 at 2021 6:30 AM

PFC Mike B. — Sun, 20 Jun 2021 06:30:57 -0400

I did the 13 weeks there + 3 more weeks immediately after graduation “jump school”