Best advice for basic training?

Don't be afraid to be the only one that takes a stand on something.

Keep your head on a swivel…and think sponge.  Remember, that you are in a training environment. They have to let you eat, and they have to let you sleep. It may not taste as good as home cooking (if you taste it at all) and your bed won't even be as comfy as your couch. It will end….and remember that when you are done, there are hundreds of NCOs that are ready to help you become all you can be.

Five things:
1. Do what you're told
2. Be on time
3. Be in the proper uniform
4. Be a team player
5. Do your very best

Good luck!

Take full advantage of what the Army offers. Some people will say do the research and look it up because depending on what you want out of the Army may be out there but the average Soldier does not know about it, because it's not the same as what you're looking for. Use the school benefits. Don't waste your money. Take the budget and financial classes seriously. Don't be taken in by easy credit and instant credit for military. Don't follow the crowd in bad decisions. Because it's seems someone is getting away with something for a while it can catch up to you and have you throwing away your future to fit in with a crowd. Find a mentor at every stage in your career. Beware of barracks lawyers.

PVT (Join to see) Basic Training isn't the Army. It's just basic training. Most of the challenges are mental. They want to stress you out and wear you down physically at the same time. While you're going through it you'll probably not like it much, but when you get done you'll wish you were back there with the friends you made.

*edit: To Echo what another person said: Keep ALL your paperwork. Especially medical. Get a file or fireproof box and keep all your military dox in there.

Thank you for having the courage to volunteer. You're not a "lowly" anything. You're a BARREL CHESTED FREEDOM FIGHTER! Now go forth and do great things!

I'm seeing A LOT of excellent advice here...from soldiers who have "been there and done that". One thing I will add is this: Don't go into Basic Training thinking that "Man, I have 10 weeks of this stuff left!". Go in with the mindset that you're just going to take things a day at a time. Before you know it, you'll be on the parade grounds graduating with your new family.
You can also use this advice in life. Don't look at huge projects in terms of I have "this amount of stuff to do". You'll just get frustrated. Take things in small bites/chunks. You'll get more satisfaction in that you're succeeding in every little task accomplished...towards the greater goal.
Thank you in advance for your service. Best of luck in your career!

First, there is nothing "lowly" about you. Not a lot of people even qualify to join the Army, so the fact that you are able and willing to volunteer for the Army already says that you are anything but "lowly".

Next, at Basic Training, just keep in your mind that its only purpose is to train you how to be a Soldier. It may seem like Drill Sergeants are picking on you or some things are just stupid, but everything is meticulously planned to train you. Just believe in the process and learn as much as you can while you are there.

Finally, I read on here several times to not volunteer for anything; advice that I was given before I enlisted in 1998 as well. Thankfully I didn't listen, and I was able to learn a lot more by volunteering for things. By volunteering to be squad leader, I learned about accountability for not just myself, but for others as well. By volunteering to be in charge of the fire guard duty, I learned how to properly make a DA-6 (duty roster), something that I am convinced that a lot of 1SGs don't know how to properly fill out.

Good luck and take this opportunity to make a good start to a great career!

I'll give you the same advice my Grandpa gave me before I shipped back in 2003: Keep your head down, and your mouth shut. I was in week three before one of my Drill Sergeants realized I was in his platoon, and I was always wherever I was supposed to be. Now, that said, don't be that guy who they have to pull answers out of. If you know the right answer, speak up, otherwise, keep your mouth shut.

All that being said, you'll love it if you go in with the right mindset. You're getting paid to eat, sleep, workout, and shoot weapons that most people only ever dream about using. Your first few weeks you'll do more than most people get to do in their entire lives. It's all about mindset. Yeah, parts of it suck, but having a good mindset will go a long way in those situations. Never quit.

Best advice I can give for your whole career is to keep ALL paperwork given to you from anyone in a binder/folder. It will come in handy atleast once. Im talking about packing lists, orders, equipment issue records, promotion paperwork and medal/award paperwork. The Army loses paperwork often.

Don't get married, do your 20 years then get the F*** out!