I am 35 and just enlisted. What can I expect?

Just want to say thank you for raising your hand. You've just joined the most impressive demographic on the planet, and committed to the most honorable calling, IMHO. What will get you through training is that you hold to that belief, that you belong. No one can tell you otherwise. If you're selfless and willing to listen, none of the physical stuff will even matter. In 20-30 years, the moral lessons are what you'll remember from BCT and AIT.

I am heading to BCT at 33 ( almost 34). We are in the same boat. Start doing ACFT prep. and running. Like right now.

Depends first on were are you going for BCT, second don't expect any breaks just because you are older, also expect some of your squad, platoon, company mates to be total idiots and get the the whole company, platoon or squad dropped all thru the opening phase or beyond.

35 and hitting basic? Learn and accept that pain, soreness and discomfort are you new best friends. You are going to be older than most of the people in your training company, including the Drills. Forget about sleeping in late or taking breaks. Forget the snacks and little extras you snuck in.

Start with running and I mean running in all kinds of weather. Get up at 5:30 and just accept it and set yourself a course of 2 miles and then 2 back. Try to work at close to an 8 minute mile as you can, this will help a lot.

Start doing pushups and situps, incorporate this into your daily workout as well as doing pull ups.

It's going to be hell on you but if you want this bad enough, you can do it.

I went through Basic in 1988 and had two thirty-year old guys do it with us. One, the guy who came to us from the Navy was the platoon guide as an E-5, and the other was a former Marine who separated, went to college, and then joined the Army as a PFC and was our Assistant Platoon Guide. So, the Army may look to you for leadership. If that is the case, you really need to be in shape because although you are not going to pull extra duty, you are responsible every night for every gig the Drill Sergeants find and you will answer by pushing the ground to Mexico, if you know what I mean. Physical fitness will be key, but you also need to listen, evaluate, learn fast, and motivate/lead on both a team and an individual level. You will do pushups every time someone misses the mark or screws up whether or not it is you. And this is important because it makes you and everybody else accountable to each other. This repeats into permanent party where if someone messes up during an inspection then your platoon may not qualify to pass inspection. So, learn to take responsibility for yourself and for your team and to pay for everybody else's mistakes.

Start running now. Getting your PT and stamina up. Be prepared to be called "Old Man". Try not to treat your fellow trainees as your kids, but still be mature, because besides the drill SGTs, you will probably serve as the older soldier.

I went in at 26. While that isn't exactly in the same boat as you, I was older than all but about five other people in my BCT company so I feel your pain.

Run your ass off. When your shins start hurting because of all the cardio you are going to have to do to try and prepare yourself for basic, then bike, or go to a gym and do cardio on a treadmill or cycle there. I feel like most guys can develop muscular endurance more quickly than they can cardio endurance, so do pushups and situps before you get there, but if you have never run that should be a priority. I could max the pushups and situps very early on, but I struggled with the run all the way through AIT.

I maybe ran about ten miles total in the couple of months before I went. Needless to say, basic sucked bad, and AIT was worse.

As an older soldier they will give you leadership positions at basic. You will mess it up but will probably bounce from being like a PG to a squad leader etc because hopefully life has prepared you more than it has prepared other 18 year old privates and you should suck less than those guys and gals. And everybody sucks in basic. Its just the way it is. It is impossible not to mess up.

To be more highspeed learn the soldiers creed before you go, as well as the three general orders.
Know rank structure and always throw Drill Sergeant after every statement or question. Learning squad/platoon movements before you go will also help. I actually think RSP is a good program for this sort of thing, but just like me you are not going to be able to fully utilize it because of your quick ship date.

The most important thing is to keep a positive mindset. It's only ten weeks. Anybody can play the game for ten weeks.

Left foot, right foot...stay motivated.

35 going through Basic and AIT , hope you've been working out , hang tough and share some wisdom with those young people , all the best!

I actually have a career plan in place to become an officer in the guard and fly Blackhawks not just fix them. I really really want to do this.