Joined the Guard

[LonewolfNopack]

Thanks for the advice and support fellas. Great tips. What is the PT portion length in relation to the classroom portion?

I am going in 19D Cavalry Scout. I think the scout training is a week or two longer then infantry.

 

[hickslawns]

Depends on the day. In the first few weeks they drop you all the time. When practicing formation, marching, etc., you get dropped more. When you are in the classroom not quite as frequent. On range days, not so frequent. Those are closer to the end though. Been 21yrs since I was there. Could be different. Every basic station is a little different. Ft Jackson is where I did my AIT. The basic soldiers from Ft Jackson were handheld it seems as compared to what we saw at Ft Leonard Wood. Majority of my basic class were combat engineers. About half a dozen of us mechanics, and 2 or 3 medics were thrown in with the 12B's. Sucked, but I am glad I had it there. Made me appreciate AIT more.

maybe I should add, you do PT every day. Getting dropped or getting smoked is what I was referring to. Some days felt like PT all day. Lol

 

[Hunter II]

PT is every day and not hard at all. Well, it wasnt hard when i was 18... The hard part will be all the other times you find yourself in the front leaning rest or on your back with your feet 6 inches off the ground.

Dont worry about the hard stuff and go enjoy it for what it is. You will remember it forever. I know i wont forget my time on The top of Tank Hill, Ft Jackson 1986

 

[hickslawns]

Hunter II- Maybe I should add, I was at Ft Jackson for AIT in 93/94. They had some studies going on where different basic training locations were trying some stuff. In 93 Ft Jackson was passing out some sort of "stress cards" where a soldier could hand it to the DI if they felt they needed a mental break. WTF were they thinking? Aren't any stress cards in combat! Memory is fuzzy. Seems they had some mixed male/female classes as well. Shoot. Our drill sargeant wouldn't march us within 1/2 miles of the females. lmao

 

[Jackalope]

Hunter II- Maybe I should add, I was at Ft Jackson for AIT in 93/94. They had some studies going on where different basic training locations were trying some stuff. In 93 Ft Jackson was passing out some sort of "stress cards" where a soldier could hand it to the DI if they felt they needed a mental break. WTF were they thinking? Aren't any stress cards in combat! Memory is fuzzy. Seems they had some mixed male/female classes as well. Shoot. Our drill sargeant wouldn't march us within 1/2 miles of the females. lmao

I was going to say that also. After basic when I got to AIT and talked to the ft Jackson guys, their basic was a cake walk. No females at Ft Benning and it's the home of the infantry. There are just things you can't do /say at a coed basic.

I'll never forget after I left basic at Benning and went to FT Gordon for coed AIT. Our DI was trying to be a hard ass soon as we got off the bus. He was all yelling and screaming and the dropped us in formation. "Give me 15 he screamed" we just all looked at eachother and got in the front leaning rest and being giggles and occasional laughing did 15. When we finished we stayed in front leaning rest laughing and didn't ask permission to recover. He was getting PISSED made us do 15 more. I remember someone saying. "Come on drill sergeant get down here with us." As our DIs commonly did. He got PISSED. Went the fuck off talking about how he was going to smoke the piss out of us. We had just left basic and was in top fuggin shape. 2 hours later we're still giggling. He finally got so pissed he went back in the barracks cussing. The difference was coed. Their 15 was our 100. 2 hours getting smoked? That's a typical afternoon. Kind of like public school. A teacher teaches to the lowest student. It's way easier to crack a female, and as such coed basic is just easier. They even had port-a-johns in the field. We had a slit trench. We rucked 16 miles in full battle rattle, dug two full Hastings positions, pulled 100% guard the first three days, ate MREs in a hole. Ran ambushes etc. Got 5 hours sleep in 5 days and rucked the 15 miles back. At Ft Jackson they took a bus to the field, had hot chow delivered, pitched shelter halves, fighting positions were already made, had port-a-johns, and got to sleep.

 

[LonewolfNopack]

Wow thanks for the info about Benning. Sounds like a lot to look forward to. I wanted a challenge looks like I am going to get it.

 

[Jackalope]

Wow thanks for the info about Benning. Sounds like a lot to look forward to. I wanted a challenge looks like I am going to get it.

Keep in mind this was 15 years ago and it's a kinder gentler Army these days. But if anywhere still holds true to it's roots it'll be Benning. It's hard work but rewarding. Their bayonet course is awesome. It's about a mile of field that has standing dummies, trenches, wire you have to belly crawl and other obstacles. All the while you get to run up to these man shaped targets made of cut tires that have a pole sticking out the front on a spring. You knock the pole left or right with your rifle, step inside the zone, and shove that rifle mounted bayonet home wile giving it your war cry. Pull back while kicking the target to remove the bayonet and go to the next one. 1 whole mile of bayoneting everything in sight. Lol

 

[Fullbore]

We all hope to see you at Strouds before you leave Seth. Thanks for your unselfishness in signing up TOO.
Also, thanks to all of you that served our Country!

 

[Hunter II]

We were up in the WW2 barracks but heard they were testing coed training in the newer section. I went to FT Sam for AIT and coed PT was nothing like basic.

 

[LonewolfNopack]

Thanks again guys, and thank you to all who have served or are serving now. I talked to several people at drill today who recently went through OSUT at Benning which is what I will be going to. Sounds like it hasn't changed much, they said it was hell. It will be what you make it though. I am sure if you like getting pushed past your comfort limits and back it will be the place to be.

 

[LonewolfNopack]

Keep in mind this was 15 years ago and it's a kinder gentler Army these days. But if anywhere still holds true to it's roots it'll be Benning. It's hard work but rewarding. Their bayonet course is awesome. It's about a mile of field that has standing dummies, trenches, wire you have to belly crawl and other obstacles. All the while you get to run up to these man shaped targets made of cut tires that have a pole sticking out the front on a spring. You knock the pole left or right with your rifle, step inside the zone, and shove that rifle mounted bayonet home wile giving it your war cry. Pull back while kicking the target to remove the bayonet and go to the next one. 1 whole mile of bayoneting everything in sight. Lol

View attachment 22767

That sounds awesome. That tire wont stand a chance.

 

[hickslawns]

Keep in mind this was 15 years ago and it's a kinder gentler Army these days. But if anywhere still holds true to it's roots it'll be Benning. It's hard work but rewarding. Their bayonet course is awesome. It's about a mile of field that has standing dummies, trenches, wire you have to belly crawl and other obstacles. All the while you get to run up to these man shaped targets made of cut tires that have a pole sticking out the front on a spring. You knock the pole left or right with your rifle, step inside the zone, and shove that rifle mounted bayonet home wile giving it your war cry. Pull back while kicking the target to remove the bayonet and go to the next one. 1 whole mile of bayoneting everything in sight. Lol

View attachment 22767

Sounds like Ft Leonard Wood and Ft Benning were pretty similar. I felt obligated to state the info about Ft Jackson because in 86' it might not have been like that. All I know is co-ed basic didn't seem right then, and doesn't seem right to me now either. Making basic easier doesn't seem like a great idea during a time of war.

 

[Jackalope]

Sounds like Ft Leonard Wood and Ft Benning were pretty similar. I felt obligated to state the info about Ft Jackson because in 86' it might not have been like that. All I know is co-ed basic didn't seem right then, and doesn't seem right to me now either. Making basic easier doesn't seem like a great idea during a time of war.

I imagine it was back in 86. Today it's a kinder gentler Army. They don't call it relaxin Jackson for nothing today. The people that went to Jackson when I went to Benning had rooms. Like actual barracks rooms with doors. We had big open bays. Shit. They even had shitter stalls with doors and partitioned off shower areas. We had a row of open shitters and a big room with shower heads. Lol.

 

[bowhunter1023]

Joe's trying to say he's seen his fair share of swinging dekes! lmao

 

[Fullbore]

Joe's trying to say he's seen his fair share of swinging dekes! lmao

Lmao! Prolly made sure you didn't drop the soap?!? Lol

 

[hickslawns]

AIT we had rooms like that at Jackson. Showers still open. Individual toilet stalls. Basic at Leonard Wood was 8man rooms. We were one of the first to use them. At reception we had the old WWII barracks. All open. Wooden floors. Fire duty was a necessity there. No AC. No frills. Hot as heck in August of 93. Lol

 

[Jackalope]

Oh. And Benning is home of the infantry. More like home of the fire ants. Sum bitches are everywhere!

 

[GoetsTalon]

Makes me wish i was young again so i could go with ya. They will make you a lean mean fightin machine!!! Thanks for you service and come home safe!!!

 

[LonewolfNopack]

Makes me wish i was young again so i could go with ya. They will make you a lean mean fightin machine!!! Thanks for you service and come home safe!!!

Thanks and I wish I was younger again too.

 

["J"]

I've got nothing too add that hasn't been mentioned, just do what's told as fast and as good as you can too keep them off of your backside..... Adopt the blend in mode and don't stand out.... You'll be fine and look back at it as a good memory lol..... Good luck and stay safe.........

Oh and don't fall for the GI party being a good thing............hahahahahaha