What advice would you give for someone about to enlist?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 May 2016 23:00:38 -0400

I'm getting the gift of watching my sister enlist in the army next Tuesday, but there is only so much advice I can give her because I am guard and she is going active and I still haven't seen all the military has to offer. What advice would you give to her?

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 11:01 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 May 2016 23:01:15 -0400

Make sure you ask and get what you want before signing. Take someone that knows with you.

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 11:09 PM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 May 2016 23:09:08 -0400

Tell her to keep her mind straight and to focus on herself. Active cares about teamwork but you also need to be personally tough before you can work on the team.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2016 12:02 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 May 2016 00:02:39 -0400

Tell her to be the difference. Be the one who upholds standards when others don't, be the one who doesn't complain when work gets hard, and be the one who does their best even when they know they won't be rewarded for it.

Response by SN Greg Wright made May 12 at 2016 12:14 AM

SN Greg Wright — Thu, 12 May 2016 00:14:01 -0400

SGT Private RallyPoint Member Don't sell yourself short. You may be 'just' Guard (This is a sentiment I do not agree with -- you chose to serve. The government has your blank check, which can be cashed as easily as anyone elses'), but you've far more experience than she does in this strange, challenging, and fulfilling world of being a US servicemember. So guide her with what you do know. You went through boot. Tell her about that. Encourage her. Support her. You are, despite 'just' being 'guard', far more knowledgeable. Recognize this and share it with her.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2016 12:30 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 May 2016 00:30:57 -0400

She will be fed and housed and all her basic needs provided for her. Her monthly pay can easily become her monthly spending money. I would encourage her to set up a savings account at home that she can't access easily and set up an automatic deposit of her pay to that account. Maybe 25% or so. She will appreciate the nest egg at some point and really won't miss that money right now.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2016 12:38 AM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 May 2016 00:38:30 -0400

Have you checked out the USCG before you reached your decision? Therein lies my advice!!!

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2016 12:40 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 May 2016 00:40:46 -0400

Go Airborne. Just sayin'. :)

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2016 3:06 AM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 May 2016 03:06:13 -0400

SGT Private RallyPoint Member Great post! I would tell her that Army Basic Training will be a shock to her system, but she will get used to it, and enjoy the challenges. Listen carefully to what is being said and do the best that you can at all tasks. I would tell her to live a life of integrity. Do what you know is right, even if you are the only one. I would also tell her that she will have adventures that others can only dream about. I would also thank her for serving our country.

Response by SGM Steve Wettstein made May 12 at 2016 9:25 AM

SGM Steve Wettstein — Thu, 12 May 2016 09:25:18 -0400

Make sure she gets the MOS she wants. Don't let the Recruiters BS her into something she doesn't want.

Response by SSG Dennis Grossmann made May 12 at 2016 9:40 AM

SSG Dennis Grossmann — Thu, 12 May 2016 09:40:46 -0400

Go AGR and take the bonus

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2016 9:48 AM

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 May 2016 09:48:54 -0400

Get in shape prior to leaving for BCT. The better shape you are in before, the better you will do when you arrive. The Drill Sergeants notice. Those who are already meeting the standard from Day 1 are generally not hassled as much as those who need to be whipped into shape.

Learn the material prior to leaving. Learn the Soldiers Creed and the Army Song. Again, those who come prepared are looked at more favorably than those who do not.

If you smoke or dip/chew, quit. If you drink a lot of caffeinated drinks, wean yourself off them. At BCT, you drink water and PowerAde. There is milk and juice, but that's about it. No caffeinated drinks. So to ease off, I went from soda to carbonated flavored water, then to juice, then to water. Cold turkey sucks!

Eyes & Ears Open, Mouth Shut. Absorb every bit of instruction and pay attention to detail. Recruits are to listen, understand, and execute.

Suck it up. I know it's a tired old phrase, but in BCT, it is a survival mechanism. The fastest way to leave BCT is to graduate. That said, listen, understand, and execute (see above) and be a "First Time GO." Don't be a Sick Call Ranger! Everyone "hurts" during BCT. That's a given. Don't go to sick call for every ache and pain. The Drills notice and take note. If you are truly *injured* then go, but suck up the aches and pains and show some intestinal fortitude. When my platoon got smoked (several times daily) a bunch of us just thought of the happiest place we wanted to be and smiled as we sweated. Drove the Drills crazy.

Don't get into pissing contest with your new platoon-mates. Make friends, but don't argue or fight. BCT is 10 weeks. Some people you will keep in touch with forever, but most you will never see or hear from again.

Always volunteer to strip/wax the floors. It is a break from whatever else the platoon is doing.

Don't try to hide anything. The Drills WILL find it. They know all the tricks and hiding places better than you do. Just. Don't.

Keep a positive mental attitude. Everything you do, especially if you have a difficult time doing it, you should do for yourself, but choose someone you care about and whenever you think you're about to quit, ask yourself, "what would [person] think about me quitting/giving up?" That kept me going a lot.

Even though BCT will suck, you will look back on it fondly one day (not soon, but one day). So keep everything in perspective.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2016 10:15 AM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 May 2016 10:15:11 -0400

Get involved with TSP if she wants to some saving for the future; also when she needs a vehicle, make sure to do a ton of research. Some car dealerships will manipulate her into getting something with a large price tag and a large interest rate.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made May 12 at 2016 10:20 AM

CPT Jack Durish — Thu, 12 May 2016 10:20:36 -0400

Pay attention, close attention to everything that is said and done. She is entering a world far different that the one she has lived in. Don't judge what she finds by what she thinks she knows. Be slow to take offense at anything or anyone and quick to offer and accept friendship. She is joining a new family, one that survives and succeeds by relationships like brothers and sisters. Do not feed the rumor mill and be ready to ignore rumors. They are like poison to relationships.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2016 11:38 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 May 2016 11:38:30 -0400

Pay attention to detail and don't give up even when your body and mind tells you to. Have her check out some YouTube videos.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2016 11:48 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 May 2016 11:48:00 -0400

Save as much as you can, purchase everything outright but build some credit with a Star Card. Don't rush relationships. Take every opportunity to learn a new skill, see a new place, and advance your career. Basic Soldier skills are still the core of the Service.

Response by SSG Leo Bell made May 13 at 2016 12:43 AM

SSG Leo Bell — Fri, 13 May 2016 00:43:45 -0400

Keep in touch with her family first and far most, get to know your job inside and out. Go to school and get as much education as possible, achieve points to get promoted. Pay attention to your NCO's and follow there direction.

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 13 at 2016 5:08 PM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 13 May 2016 17:08:17 -0400

I would say for one, tell her to pick an MOS she wants to do and will enjoy doing while in her first term, don't let the recruiters try to put her in a position to pick an MOS she isn't comfortable with or hasn't done her research on, also if she doesn't have a bank account yet to have one made with the help of your parents because some recruiters and even some of the staff at reception when you first get to basic have been caught stealing all or a majority of the money the soldier earns because they are the primary account holders. Always remember to tell her to keep her cool, don't let the small things get to her, it's only gonna let others easily get to her if she lets it. And let her know to always contribute to the group and if she has to, to take charge, and particularly to don't let the national guard split ops people bring her down, because when i went to basic only roughly 2% of the entire battery (Fort Sill) was active duty and reserve while the rest was split ops and it made BCT horrible. But most importantly for her, always be 10 minutes early to a formation, always have the right uniform, right hygiene, the right attitude, and to study important things like the soldier's creed and some of the regulations.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made May 14 at 2016 10:52 AM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 14 May 2016 10:52:46 -0400

One word: Headlamp

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 15 at 2016 11:14 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 15 Jun 2016 23:14:32 -0400

Don't enlist

Response by SGT Jerrold Pesz made Jun 16 at 2016 12:27 AM

SGT Jerrold Pesz — Thu, 16 Jun 2016 00:27:12 -0400

Get anything that the recruiters promise you in writing.

Response by SPC Kirk Gilles made Jun 16 at 2016 2:13 AM

SPC Kirk Gilles — Thu, 16 Jun 2016 02:13:36 -0400

Focus on the task at hand. No hometown baggage.
Remember that the process is designed to find breaking points and weakness. Every day is a new day. Don't get hung up on previous bad days.
Attitude, Attitude, Attitude.
Never quit any task until told to.
"Can't" is not a word to use.

Response by SFC Pete Kain made Jun 16 at 2016 2:27 AM

SFC Pete Kain — Thu, 16 Jun 2016 02:27:09 -0400

Be all you can be,
DO NOT BUY A NEW CAR,
Save your money,
Be a good girl.

Response by PV2 Kenneth Booth made Jun 16 at 2016 10:14 AM

PV2 Kenneth Booth — Thu, 16 Jun 2016 10:14:43 -0400

Basic is all a mind game. If you can remember that it's all cake.

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 21 at 2016 8:56 PM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 21 Sep 2016 20:56:04 -0400

As everyone has said before, make sure she picks the MOS that she will enjoy. And to read her contract carefully before signing. Wishing her the best of luck!

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 7 at 2016 1:08 AM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 07 Oct 2016 01:08:28 -0400

I would tell her to take advantage of everything she can. For me joining gave me so many new experiences to learn and grow from. It will move faster then it feels to be. Tell her to take a moment each day and smell the air, memorize the faces of her battle buddies, enjoy the moment. Make it something she can remember and draw from for the rest of her life