What is some great advice you had going through Basic training and AIT?

Finally an area I can comment on!!! Okay, one night, before lights out, sitting on our footlockers polishing brass. Out of the corner of my eye I see a shiny pair of dress shoes coming my way. My attempt at sinking through the top of my footlocker only got me more unwanted attention {in more ways than one!} as the shoes stopped in front of me and turned to face me. I snapped to attention with such force that my gun {this is my rifle, you know} poked through my damn boxer shorts as if to say "what the hell's going on now!?!?" At that moment Staff Sergeant Deuel got nose to nose with me and yelled "Private, put that son-of-a-bitch away unless you're gonna use it!!!", to which I replied "Sir yes sir!!!!" as I scrambled to obey. Neither me nor the fine Sergeant were very good at keeping a straight face, and these deficiencies were tested to the limit!!!! But neither of us gave in, at least for me requiring that I bit my tongue nearly off!!! And that is how I learned that I must not go around with my gun poking out. Semper Fi!!!!!

As a WAC in the 70's I was told my lipstick wasn't red enough. But my husband's DI said to get and make MANY copies of the DD-214.
God bless and RIP Sgt. Cherry.

PVT (Join to see) You ready to ship out? I remember when I was in your shoes and couldn't wait to start my adventure. Good luck and if you need anything reach out.

There will be situations where there is no correct and there is no winning. They want to see you keep giving your best under any circumstance. Memorize your reporting statement and chain of command ahead of time.

Eyes open, ears open, mouth shut, and move at a brisk pace with a purpose!!

And DO NOT put the drill SGT’s hat on if he/she are “not around”; they are- it’s a TRAP and you will suffer a HORRIBLE FATE!!!

pay attention to everything and Never try to be first, but make it look like you want to be first

When asked a question, no matter how sure you are of the answer, you are wrong, unless they have already told you the answer.

Don’t look up look down. Meaning, only be critical to those at your rank or lower, never to those who out rank you.

My advice remain focused on your own personal goals. Challenge yourself in ways that you normally would not. Not only will this help your career. But it will start the process in revealing your inner spirit and passion for what life has in store for your future. In the end the soldiers you join in TRADOC(BCT/AIT) will help define the character of the leader you can and will be.

PVT Campbell, Brandon...get focused, get motivated, and stay focused and motivated.

In basic, do what you are told, pay attention to all guidance from staff, get your rest when you can, and remember it will be over before you know it. Try learning what the military wants you to learn in AIT, then in the field, we will teach you what you need to know and do.

Keep your butt down too.

Stay busy. Constantly check your personal area (bunk, shoe display, wall locker) and fix/adjust what needs it. Keep a note pad and pen and constantly check the posted schedule. Last, Keep your head down, your mouth shut, and when you need to talk or sound off do it loud and move with a purpose.

Die trying.

Y'all may laugh, that's okay. I was 17 in BCT. Had never been away from home. Every time we'd sing a "mama, mama" cadence, I'd start to blubber. Luckily for me, one of my platoon mates saw me before a Drill Sergeant did. He asked me what was wrong and I told him I missed my mom. He said we all had people back home we missed then showed me the picture of his Wife and their new baby daughter... I realized in that moment what a child I was behaving like and never had another problem like that again.

Always keep in the back of your mind your reason for being there. Use the front part of your mind to concentrate on whatever each individual task is required of you. Move with a sense of urgency and seriousness.

Remember, what you learned here is secret. Think about what you say before you say anything. If you're going over seas?, remember, they all speak English and those women want to come to America

No AIT for me, the sailor.
At the firefighting session of basic, the instructor told us to always keep the engine of the Handy Billy portable gas-powered pump lubricated. He said that otherwise, it's like when you get a dry woman, and skin your gadget. Words of wisdom. He also said when you are groping through a cloud of thick nasty black smoke in a burning structure, don't breathe through your mouth. It's obvious when you are in it, but there is always that ten percent that have to be told.
Of course, nowadays you don't enter the smoke without breathing apparatus. That's progress . . .
Another interesting event at that session was a demonstration of a fire hose out of control. The heavy, water-filled hose flowing under pressure was thrashing around wildly, like an alligator tail on amphetamines. Impressive and scary.
Not AIT, but submarine school. One of my two instructors, giant red-headed Hafferty, said: "If you're going to be an asshole, don't be a little hummingbird's asshole, be a grizzly bear's asshole."

"No excuse"

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