Best advice for basic training?

Some orders or information you will be given won't seem to make sense to you. Just pay attention and do what you are told. A lot of the time, what you are actually being taught is not always the present subject matter, but a way of thinking and reacting.
Take good care of your equipment, one day you may have to depend on it.

Young man i am former SSG Sparky Mclain. Where are you? I would be honored to meet with you and be a mentor. My job title was Squad leader 11Bravo30CP. I aint no hero just a simple soldier. still. I was medically retired. Text me at [login to see] . I am in chattanooga Tn. About 4 hours from Benning. I went there for 4 schools

I got told this all the time, "This is not a game." My mindset was "This is a game and I am going to beat it." I really enjoyed Basic Training. Just do what you are told and motivate yourself to do the best everyday. Make friends "battle buddies" you may never see some of them again, but they will make your experience and future stories so much more meaningful.

As you can see already on this thread the NCO is your key to success. Listen to them, ask them questions and learn from them. Additionally I would take a look at this link attached as it gives you an overview of the adventure you will embark upon: http://www.goarmy.com/soldier-life/becoming-a-soldier/basic-combat-training.html
Best of luck! Hooah!

Be aware the goal in basic training is to break down the individual then build a soldier. There is a purpose to everything you will be doing, even if it is just standing at parade rest in the chow line. You will be learning to control your emotions and gain discipline. You will witness a lot of stupidity from others - don't BE one of them. Before you can lead you have to learn to follow. Take every opportunity to learn and grow. I spent 9 years in the Army joining right after high school. It set the foundation for who I am today. Best wishes to you!

Mind over matter if you don't mind it don't matter. Don't try to be the cool guy be there to learn how to soldier and take care of each other.

Enjoy the training while your there

Everyone is giving great advice. I will second all of the responses that say to listen, learn, and lead. Do not get involved with people who mess around and sham. Remember the motto- I will not lie, cheat, or steal, nor will I tolerate those who do. You can never be fully prepared for basic training. But do get in shape. Run miles, lift some weights (if you can), practice push-ups (you will do A LOT of them), and just get yourself ready physically and mentally. No matter how much you do beforehand, it won't be enough. But every little bit helps. Basic training will challenge you in ways you will not believe. It is not a lie that you will do more before 9 o'clock than most people do all day. But most of all, enjoy yourself. It will be hard, challenging, and exhausting at times, but when you get through it you will know you have accomplished more than the other 99% of the population that never served and whose freedoms you must defend ever will do. You are joining a select group of men and women who put their freedoms on hold to defend the freedoms of others. And most of all, get the term "lowly" out of your vocabulary when you speak about yourself. You have more integrity and fortitude than most people have by just joining up and agreeing to serve, The only lowly people that are out there are those who refuse to serve and criticize the actions and responsibilities of those that do.

1.Avoid attracting attention to yourself, maintaining proper posture and looking straight ahead while marching in formation and otherwise. 2.Attention to detail is key, keep inventory and avoid "contraband". 3.Before the exercise known as "Night Fire", where you crawl on sand under barbed wire at night while blanks and tracers are fired well overhead - be sure to bring your ballistic glasses; Few things blow worse than getting sand kicked in your eyes. 4.You will briefly be exposed to CS gas during the gas chamber exercise and possibly elsewhere -- Take a deep breath before removing your mask in the chamber and reciting the Creed, the first inhale is not pleasant and screaming will only increase rate of inhalation.

Hey there....Glad that you care enough to at least do some homework and are asking questions. First of all you have to remember that the DS's are there to save your life. And if you can remember that you'll be just fine. What I mean by this is that everything they do is for a reason. All the "yelling" and what people think is game playing is for a reason. It's to build you up not down (in some ways it is, they are trying to make "us" the same and not individuals). We are a team...You'll have one DS tell the platoon to go back up stairs and grab some of your gear and you'll come back into formation just to have yet another DS yell at all of you and ask why the hell you have that gear! Just take it in and realize it's just a game and all it does is makes you stronger (by having to run and go up stairs!) and it's a team builder cause ALL of you are going "what the hell?!" It's a bond thing...trust me on this....The first week your all going what the hell did we get ourselves into and your kind of making friends, then half way through you are getting into each others space and on each others nerves and you'll will find out who are the weak ones...BUT that's when you must shine and help them and (make sure first that they want to help themselves as well....). Then towards the end you all sort to get it and realize that it's TEAM work and you all need to work together to survive and please the DS's. This is what they are looking for. They also don't like a guy (Soldier) who is self-center and only looking after themselves. That means you'll do it out in the field in war! Just do your best in every task including the APFT (PT) and get along well with everyone! Remember your 3 general rules and you'll do just fine. Good luck and I know you'll be OK cause you came here asking questions....and that's a good start!

what u put into the military u will get more than u expected, but if u don't then u won't. in other words if u go in expecting and willing to learn, then they will teach u how to succeed, but if u don't then u will fall short of your goal.