What things do you remember about adapting to military life?

I remember when I went to basic training and they broke us all down and brought us all back together as part of the rigour training we went through to work together as a team.

I remembered when I first join and how scare I was not knowing the uncertainties of what would happen. However once I was in, things flow very smooth.

Adjusting to rigid disciplines was likely the biggest change to life. No room for questioning orders existed, but there was also a sense of trust in your leadership. The military has changed significantly in both of these areas and sadly so in my view.

Military life is an animal all it's own, for as many movies, books, games, and interactive experiences exist around and are readily portrayed in our culture, none of that fully prepared one for the reality of it. I have grown up with veterans and had the privilege of being able to pick their brains over details that weren't covered in those media. That helped immensely as I watched fellow recruits make classic errors where just keeping ones mouth shut would have saved them a lot of trouble. Even armed with that, aclimating to life as a Marine was exceptionally hard work. The discipline and dedication required consistently strengthen and test ones meddle until they are honed to a razor sharp point of professionalism and bearing. Needless to say it took me a while to whittle off my rough edges, but the DIs and instructors did a good job of that.

Shaving with 40 people and using the old double edge blue blade razor. How we all didn't cut our throats, I don't know. Being a fireman in the old barracks and shoveling coal in the winter to keep the furnace going. Cleaning out the grease traps while on K.P.. Such great memories

I member when we got our first haircut and My company commander was hollering us the whole time … I was thinking Dorthy, we’re not in Kansas anymore.

I remember the brotherhood, the unity and honor loyalty.

I was amazed to watch the transformaation of some of the guys in 'Boot Camp'. The ones we called "Mommy's boys' who had never been away from home. At first they were scared to death of their 'new' life, and had 'no' backbone to fend off the demanding rigors of physical and mential training. Some would cry at night and want to go home...some did. Then slowly the change started to take place. The Airmen started to 'grow up'. If they were over weight, they slimmed down. If they were under weight they 'bulked up'. The 'wails' of wanting to go home stopped and they started to take control of their new life and begain to be 'Soldiers'. On graduationday we all looked 185+ or- a few pounds, all stood tall in our 'greens' and marched with pride. It was an proud time for us all!

it wasnt that hard except for the physical aspect of it. I was ready to leave home. The military isnt a job, it is a way of life, a new family to belong to

I didn't have much to adapt to. My mom, biological father and step dad were all in the Air Force. I grew up with the standards and the moving. My parents warned me of what to expect in basic training.