my experiences at inprocessing and basic

[thebrad]

I can?t remember feeling so intimidated as when the bus was pulling into 30th AG where I would undergo ten days of inprocessing into the Army before Basic Training. I was sure that drill sergeants would be meeting us as soon as we got off.

There was only one drill there... and he didn?t drop us for immediate pushups. He lined us up by infantry vs. non-infantry and led us into the main hall for an orientation.

The details of 30th AG really are not that interesting. We arrived with hair, and left without it. They moved us from one bay to another anytime we had nothing to do, just to keep us busy. My highlight was a reaction to a Chicken Pox vaccination - they took our photos afterward - my t-shirt was soaked with sweat and my face pale except for blue around the hollows of my eyes. Those pictures never made it home. two other times I had to get the same shot, with the same reaction.

Althought only ten days, 30th AG felt like it lasted FOREVER... but finally the day to go ?down-range? to Basic arrived.

Right away the drills yelled out for the 09S?s (OCS) and pulled us aside. My fear of being singled out was already coming through. All of the other MOS?s were left together and the 09S?s were divided between the platoons. We were then bussed to our basic training. I sat in the seat directly behind our drill sergeant. He never looked back - but I could FEEL the anger radiating off of him!

Once we arrived we were told to ground our bags in a row, bag to bag... and then to straighten them... do push ups and straighten them better and the same again. A bit of some inspirational speaking and the introduction of our drill sergeants. Then we were turned over to the drills.

My first army shakedown. I had no problem, I knew better than to bring anything extra - unfortunately for the private a couple down from me he didn?t... and then tried to argue with the drill sergeant about how he MUST have his CD player or be unable to sleep at night. Some times it almost hurts to watch another get completely smoked by the drill sergeants. This particular private would eventually be put into my squad and be a constant thorn in my side. Easily the most self-serving of the entire platoon.

That day was filled with an introduction to all of the different calisthenics that we would be expected to perform at anytime. My drill sergeant wanted us to do as well as possible on the final PT test so as any punishment, it was almost guaranteed to be push-ups or one of several different abdominal workouts for our situps.

One of the oddest experiences at Basic training was that first night. Shower drill. Don?t even remember who, but one private made our drill sergeant angry while we were in our shower shoes (flip-flops) and nothing else but a towel. The drill made us do side-straddle-hops (jumping jacks). Anyone who wasn?t clapping got a little special drill sergeant attention... The Army issue brown towels are hardly large enough to get around a lot of people - there was no way to keep them on. In any other time and place doing nude jumping jacks, genitals flying, with 55 other men would have been humiliating, but in this case it was about the funniest thing I have ever seen... and as strange as it sounds: it was a bit of a bonding experience for the platoon. We were also dropped for pushups which presented a very awkward hygienic issue... I used a modified form to compensate!

The first two weeks were a blur. Constant attention of the drills and no breaks what-so-ever except for church on Sunday. We very quickly discovered who would benefit the platoon and who would be deficits.

Everyone in the military has heard a thousand gas chamber - but I?ll add mine anyway. Approaching the chamber with gas masks on and in single file I couldn?t help but hum the Storm-Troopers theme from Star Wars. Plenty of opportunity to watch everyone else come out as my platoon was last to go. By this time I was squad leader of the 3rd squad, the ?international fat squad? as the drill sergeants from another platoon named us, so I made sure to be the last of the squad to go through. Was a bit concerning to watch the other three platoons walk out covered with all kinds of gunk from their lungs and stomachs, still trying to heave out more and tears streaming all over their faces from the CX ?tear? gas that is classified as ?a non-toxic poisonous gas.? Not sure exactly what that contradiction means.

When it was my group of three?s shot to go I was positioned third - behind a private the drill dubbed ?X-Files.? We all removed our masks at the same time. I thought it best to not try to hold my breath but to breathe normally. I won?t try to sound macho - I?ll admit: the gas got me good! Since it was difficult to breathe, I just breathed harder! Our drill sergeant?s sense of humor showed through as my face burned terribly since I put on a fresh shave just before leaving with the rest of the platoon so our masks would ?seal better.?

When unmasking we were to hold our M-16 between our legs, rest our kevlar on top of the weapon and then unmask. X-files dropped his mask and the drill kicked it across the chamber. Even if spouting out my name, social and state, it wouldn?t mean a thing until the two privates before me were done. X-files stood there screaming and cussing instead of getting his mask. After I grabbed his shoulder and yelled in face to ?go get it dammit!? did it finally dawn on him why the drills were holding us all back. Maybe it was a fit of rage and anger... but sometimes it gets the job done.

I went in the chamber with cold and sinus infection, the one EVERYONE gets at basic, and left with it hanging from my nose in two long strings down to my knees. I couldn?t see until I had walked about a hundred yards. Because I was holding my M-16 in one out-stretched arm and my mask in the other I couldn?t wipe the disease from my nose so I tried to sling it off with a head-jerk - this put it right down the front of my BDU?s.

The drill sergeants started to lay off a bit once we started Basic rifle Marksmanship. Our performance here would be a reflection of the drill sergeants themselves. I can say that I?ve had enough dime and washer drills and shadowbox drills!

I usually shot just above average on the range. On qualification day I was nervous. I was in the last group to go. By the time I went already half of our platoon had failed to qualify and only two privates shot Sharpshooter (middle level), and there were no experts. I missed the very first target then hit three. Then the next five were all missed... didn?t know what happened in my head, but I knocked the rest of the silhouettes from the fox-hole supported position and then in the prone supported I hit every target. It wasn?t until afterward that I realized I had started singing to myself.

At the end of Basic I didn?t want to give up MY M-16! I thought the idea of the buffer spring to reduce kick and thus increase accuracy with repeated firing was going to be a crock, but I was impressed with how well it worked. I greatly enjoyed the ranges and can?t wait to start practicing my skills again.

I also had a lot of fun with the obstacle and confidence courses at Basic - the obstacle especially... it was one of our few chances to really get dirty and in the mud. By that time I was starting to get to the place where the more something sucked the more I loved it. The dirtier and the harder something got, the more fun it was. Getting dropped for a set of pushups wasn?t a punishment anymore, it even made me smile. This was the case for quite a few of us in my platoon.

There was one incident where the entire platoon had a smoke session on account of me (well, one I?ll mention that is!). My drill sergeant got a letter from a person he did not disclose that referred to one of his privates as ?Olive.? The drill sergeant asked me to demonstrate a ?special? push-up mentioned in the letter. Our platoon did these until about everyone dropped (didn?t take long for most). This could only have been more fun if the drill would have let me call the count! I have a feeling this was the ideal result of the letter the author had in mind. Several of the privates thought I was in deep and was being punished for something I had done before even going to basic! Surprised me that they cared since I was the mean squad leader that would command them to occasionally sweep the stairwells or dust!

With only a few days left of basic training our platoon sergeant was fired because he was finally caught at some on-going behavior that had most the platoon angry. I was also fired from my squad leader position for at the time reasons unknown. I was off of a detail at the time. The private that told me I was fired neglected to tell me it was because I was promoted. This made for an awkward moment when I stood in the middle of the formation while the drill sergeant was calling for the Platoon Sergeant. Because of this I was able to stand at the front of the platoon for family day. I still had to march at the back at graduation with all the other short soldiers though.

Can hardly hit on everything - let me know if there's any other aspects you were wondering about... gotta slow connection here but still check in! I'll add more about OCS soon.

[hooah]

Did you have any proir preperation for this, such as JROTC or ROTC?
Also, how do you avoid shin splints?

[Keith_Hixson]

It sure brought back memories of April and May 1967. I really enjoyed Basic. I was an older draftee and at that time in excellent condition (that makes a difference). The Gas chamber didn't bother me as much as most for whatever reason. I didn't like it but I didn't get sick. I enjoyed the firing range because I had been raise shooting and I done an awful lot of shooting as a kid on the farm. Much of Basic is somewhat of a blurr these days but it certainly sounds similar that which took place 36 years ago.

Thanks Brad!

Keith

[SEATJERKER]

...in the morin' at the crack of dawn,...

.....It is so nice to see the sun come up in the mornin',...

...Brad, you surpassed all our expectations with flying colors, and we all know you will make a fine officer, gentleman,...

...glad I got to help with your conditioning, and you know in your heart I like you, otherwise I would have told your DI that you were the one that kept breaking his grandmother's windows way back when,...

...keep posting, and write a book, and retire in 25/30....

[thebrad]

Originally posted by hooah Did you have any proir preperation for this, such as JROTC or ROTC?
Also, how do you avoid shin splints?

If I would have known that the Army was in my future while in school I would have gone ROTC -

The only prep I had was workouts on my own - running, lifting and LOTS of Tae-Kwon-Do. Also did a LOT of research on my own... including meeting and talking with a lot of vets from this site!

As for shin-splints... not a problem - I've always been a runner... but running shoes have good arch supports, for my high arches, unlike my always highly-shined combat boots! Try to not wear them often though - they won't let me have them at Ranger school (I think)... so I'll train without!

[BLUEHAWK]

thebrad -

EVERY graduating high school senior (and every new member of Congress?) should be required to recite this post of yours from memory before being granted a diploma.

[grasshopper]

and then???
what happened after basic????

[Boats]

Hello Brad,

It's over now you are now one of Officer's and Gentlemen we so often hear about. Just think back to a year ago where you were at and what you've gone through to this point.

You have to admit - YOU LOVE IT!! I'm glad things are working out for you I knew they would. We all did.

Keep us informed and post when you can to let us know how you're getting along.

[grasshopper]

what happened after basic Brad?????