reporting to basic training tomorrow. can't sleep tonight

[Rawne1980]

hey how do you make it that the videos appear? I just keep having a link appear, but I can't figure out how you put the video up. Sorry about it being off topic.

Copy the part of the youtube link that comes after the =.

So for http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7TTk_0XYn4 you would copy the j7TTk_0XYn4 part.

In the Escapist reply section, type youtube=add the bit you copied here .... but put it in [ ]. So it should look like [*youtube=j7TTk_0XYn4*] (obviously minus the 2 *).

And you end up with...

 

[Burs]

Buy a pair of flip-flops for the showers

Also, LOCK YOUR STUFF!! Again, due to the huge amount of people on the larger ships, theft is a serious problem. Always lock your stuff up, EVERYTHING! ( seen underwear get stolen before...)

Almost forgot, one last thing...don't lock your knees standing at attention. You will pass out, and you will fall face first.

Finally, "shipmate" is a derogatory term, don't let anyone fool you. The only people that use "shipmate" are a-holes and diggits.

First paragraph Really? whatever happened to looking after your oppo's kit when they were out of the mess, surely the Leading hands would've stopped that?

Second para, Another bit of advice wiggle your toes and tense your abs occasionally, it keeps the blood flowing and again stops you from going over.

Third, =( on a RN vessel everyone calls each other "shippers"

 

[Wolf-AUS]

Basically what the second guy said. Basic can be summed up pretty easily; it's crap, it will end, be gray, do what you're told, go to church, get mail from family, pay attention, stay reasonably fit. Be. Gray.

Good luck fella! I am in the British Militry! Take it from me, as much as you won't enjoy all of it, you WILL look back and think fondly of your training days!

Fuvk off you will, which rainbowcamp of happiness did you go to for basic? I can think of absolutely 0 people who enjoyed basic training.

 

[Chris Sandford]

i just got out of bootcamp a few weeks ago, its not that bad. As long as you can pass your runs and swim youll graduate. Unless you break your leg like i did. i was ther an extra 10 weeks...stuff sucked. but time will fly by and the food isnt...that bad actually. Good luck, future shipmate.

 

[inFAMOUSCowZ]

Nothing much to ask, just good luck, and I respect you for what you're doing.

 

[Elementary - Dear Watson]

Well lets see, All my Auzzie friends in the RAAF enjoyed it, I enjoyed it, all my fellow colleagues enjoyed it and all my American colleagues enjoyed it! We all think the better of it now! Thats guys from all over the world, and at Officer and Enlisted levels! Personally I am RAF, so I went to Cranwell... Yeah, parts were shit, i'll admit that, but the good I got from it far outweighs the crap. And the mates I made have got my back for life!

I guess you just had a different experience.

 

[JMeganSnow]

Northern Illinois is effing cold, and it's coming up on winter very fast now. Bundle up. Especially if you're from a southern latitude and you've never heard the words "lake effect snow" before.

 

[Kathinka]

czech armed forces here, light infantry (our equivalent of the rangers).
i realize things here in eastern european armies are handled differently (beating subortinates into a bloody pulp is not too unusual, and there have been a few deaths and suicides. strong strikes with a fist or kicks to the head are not too uncommon for even minor infractions, like bad shooting scores. so yeah, former soviet zone of influence is a different world.) but there are some things that will help you.

as guys said before: don't stick out. any kind of attention is bad. even if it doesn't get you into direct trouble, positive attention can be just as harmfull. it will usually end with you being the go-to guy or gal for all kinds of stupid shit (i got volunteered into being responsible for the heavy weapon for example. fun time lugging that shit arround).
don't ever be the first guy. don't ever be the last. do not, ever, under any circumstances, volunteer for anything. don't be "that one idiot" you will know him when you see him. if you become that guy, it's over.
if your service is anything like mine you will constantly wonder why you were so stupid in the first place to do this nonsense to you. you are right to ask that question.

 

[Khada]

Have you really looked into military activity, the people at the top of the chain who you will ultimately be serving and the benefits/downsides of a military as massive as the US's?

The military is not something you should willfully join. Violence begets violence and it's not like you're country is being invaded. In fact, it's the other way around. I Suggest you start Googling recent military activity (you might also want to take a look at Wiki leaks, a lot of enlightening information on the military).

Fail the training friend or lose part of your soul in the end.

 

[Khada]

NUMBER ONE: Keep your eyes open and your mouth shut
The less attention you draw to yourself the easier it will be. Getting singled out is a nightmare from which there is no escape.

NUMBER TWO: SEE NUMBER ONE
Seriously. Do what your told, do things right, and things cannot go smoother.

NUMBER THREE: If you are unsure about a command, ask when they stop talking
Much better to get angrily growled at to clarify then to get screamed at for being wrong.

NUMBER FOUR: DO NOT WATCH FULL METAL JACKET
They only beat you in the Marines. No physical violence happening, so don't scare yourself. Everyone makes this mistake.

NUMBER FIVE: Count down the days after 2 weeks. You'd be amazed how fast things go.

NUMBER SIX: Go to church on Sundays, even if not religious. I'm an Atheist, and tried out all the different churches to help me focus. Wicca was fun, as was Buddhism. And Christianity has enough people that aren't yelling at you to relieve some pressure.

And that's it. Good luck, and thank you for serving.

I feel like this should really be raising some red flags for anyone intending to join.

 

[Khada]

...Really? I have to be the first to say this?


WHY?

The way the world is atm, I would rather die than go into any of the armed forces. The idiots in control of them and the politicians that they are following are just....morally retarded.

Don't get me wrong, I have respect for anyone who defends his/her country, and I do mean anyone, friend or foe. But right now I struggle to think of any major conflict that the western world is involved in that is a worthwhile cause to support.

Apologies if I seem like an ass, you have your reasons to join and I respect your choice, I just fail to see how it seems like a good idea?

Amen.

 

[Phyaran]

You are lucky that you dont live in australia, they only WANT navy at the moment.
i tried to join the army... BIG MISTAKE. first they wanted to put me back in school( i was expelled from 2 schools but didnt tell them that) because they wanted officers and i passed their iq test with flying colors. i told them no.

then i applied for combat engineering and passed that test with flying colors, so i progressed to the next stage.

i took a physical and passed with flying colors, 20 pushups? to easy. 45 sit ups, i can do 100 straight a 7.5 on the beep test? i have NEVER got under 10 when actually trying.

i also passed the psychological test and the personal interview without incident.

then the army recruiter sat me down and told me that they weren't going to accept me because...
THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO.

they wasted 7 months of my time to say, sorry but we don't need soldiers, fuck off. join the navy.

it happened to 2 of my friends. as well.

I'm going through that process at the moment. I made sure to find out beforehand that they currently have spaces available for the job I'm after, since that's what it effectively comes down to. It's all good and well to be found suitable for a job but if the job isn't available you aren't going anywhere. Does kind of suck for the availability to change on you so late in the process and after so long.

 

[Burs]

Have you really looked into military activity, the people at the top of the chain who you will ultimately be serving and the benefits/downsides of a military as massive as the US's?

The military is not something you should willfully join. Violence begets violence and it's not like you're country is being invaded. In fact, it's the other way around. I Suggest you start Googling recent military activity (you might also want to take a look at Wiki leaks, a lot of enlightening information on the military).

Fail the training friend or lose part of your soul in the end.

People joining the forces are not the sheep you believe them to be, we research what they get up to the good and the bad and we make a concious choice whether that life is for us.

 

[Kathinka]

Have you really looked into military activity, the people at the top of the chain who you will ultimately be serving and the benefits/downsides of a military as massive as the US's?

The military is not something you should willfully join. Violence begets violence and it's not like you're country is being invaded. In fact, it's the other way around. I Suggest you start Googling recent military activity (you might also want to take a look at Wiki leaks, a lot of enlightening information on the military).

Fail the training friend or lose part of your soul in the end.

People joining the forces are not the sheep you believe them to be, we research what they get up to the good and the bad and we make a concious choice whether that life is for us.

what i don't understand though: how can someone research and see all the bad the u.s. military forces are doing/used for by their leadership, and still decide to voluntarely join up. i wouldn't exactly have gone out and signed for the wehrmacht either just because i like the life. not saying the us-forces are the same league as the wehrmacht, but they play the same game.

 

[Phyaran]

Have you really looked into military activity, the people at the top of the chain who you will ultimately be serving and the benefits/downsides of a military as massive as the US's?

The military is not something you should willfully join. Violence begets violence and it's not like you're country is being invaded. In fact, it's the other way around. I Suggest you start Googling recent military activity (you might also want to take a look at Wiki leaks, a lot of enlightening information on the military).

Fail the training friend or lose part of your soul in the end.

People joining the forces are not the sheep you believe them to be, we research what they get up to the good and the bad and we make a concious choice whether that life is for us.

what i don't understand though: how can someone research and see all the bad the u.s. military forces are doing/used for by their leadership, and still decide to voluntarely join up. i wouldn't exactly have gone out and signed for the wehrmacht either just because i like the life. not saying the us-forces are the same league as the wehrmacht, but they play the same game.

Keep in mind that people invariably hold different values and consider different personal criteria before making decisions like this. I totally understand why you disagree with the system and why you'd never be a part of it but consider that it still holds appeal to others for their own reasons, and that doesn't necessarily make them inhuman or soulless or stupid or anything else.

Also consider that only the bad elements of the US military's efforts are ever publicised. Consider the good which is being done by way of clearing mine fields, building infrastructure and aiding with security.

 

[Kathinka]

Have you really looked into military activity, the people at the top of the chain who you will ultimately be serving and the benefits/downsides of a military as massive as the US's?

The military is not something you should willfully join. Violence begets violence and it's not like you're country is being invaded. In fact, it's the other way around. I Suggest you start Googling recent military activity (you might also want to take a look at Wiki leaks, a lot of enlightening information on the military).

Fail the training friend or lose part of your soul in the end.

People joining the forces are not the sheep you believe them to be, we research what they get up to the good and the bad and we make a concious choice whether that life is for us.

what i don't understand though: how can someone research and see all the bad the u.s. military forces are doing/used for by their leadership, and still decide to voluntarely join up. i wouldn't exactly have gone out and signed for the wehrmacht either just because i like the life. not saying the us-forces are the same league as the wehrmacht, but they play the same game.

Keep in mind that people invariably hold different values and consider different personal criteria before making decisions like this. I totally understand why you disagree with the system and why you'd never be a part of it but consider that it still holds appeal to others for their own reasons, and that doesn't necessarily make them inhuman or soulless or stupid or anything else.

Also consider that only the bad elements of the US military's efforts are ever publicised. Consider the good which is being done by way of clearing mine fields, building infrastructure and aiding with security.

i'm not saying it's all bad. there are tons of good things the u.s. military does, like humanitarian help after natural disasters and much more. but i still wouldn't join into a military that is very obviously used for illegal invasions, opression of whole nations and is connected to violation of international conventions and human rights. no matter what critaria one has, i can't see how a person that is not umhuman, soulless or stupid can willingly help working towards that.
no insult intended to anyone btw, it's just something i don't understand.