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I alternated between being proud of what I was doing and trying to remember just why the h**l I had thought this was a good idea. I remember thinking "And I was dumb enough to volunteer for this". However, if someone had given me a ticket home I would not have taken it. Almost any veteran will tell you that military service was the best thing he/she ever did, and I firmly agree. Boot camp doesn't last forever, and he will come out of it a better person if he allows himself to.
I joined the CG to avoid being drafted. A Vietnam vet was at the bus stop with me said, "The best time and the worst time of your life will be in the military". Back then, I never thought of quitting as optional. We were a team. Commune Periculum Concordiam Parit (Common danger creates unity). My guess is, it's that way again.
Never.
The more they yelled, the more I was determined to stay.
Nothing was going to keep me from succeeding.
I agree with sevenofnine, though, church is a welcome respite.
I am sure most guys/gals want to get out of there in those first weeks,
no matter what branch of service they are in, it is the time they put the pressure on most,
but it makes the success of completing it all the better. You do come together, and become stronger than ever.
It is worthwhile.
ha! boot camp was a snap. in fact, most of the craziest and funniest things i have *ever* seen--and i've seen some funny stuff--was in boot camp.
besides, army boot camp is still only 7 weeks, isn't it? this thread will continue longer than his boot camp.
tell him to make a game out of it; that's all you have to do. i made a game out of everything, how long i could stay in the build-a-house position, how long i could hold my rifle straight out in front of me by my fingertips, how many canteens i could drink at a time during waterbottle-it, etc. even when they were screaming in my face, my game was to see if i could scream louder than they could. that usually kept me from getting angry, and seemed to appease the drill instructors after a few minutes. only thing about that was trying not to laugh while they were flinging spittle in your face and saying all sorts of ridiculous stuff.
the hardest part of boot camp for me was bronchitus, and later, peumonia. as much fun as i was having, i had no delusions that it would get miserable if i got held back for medical problems. so i didn't tell anyone when i got sick (honestly, i didn't know how bad it was until the doc that was cutting out my ingrown toenail told me that i had pneumonia). that kind of sucked, especially sleeping in those cold squad bays with the windows open all night in the middle of december.
anyway, if he sticks it out, he'll have some good experiences and some bad. what he makes of it is up to him. but if he cuts out now, he--and everyone else that knows him--will never look at him(self) the same way.
lol
it's supposed to be hard or difficult (for most), the first week is one of the toughest part due to "culture" shock and adjustment but once you get in the groove of things, it gets less tough (not easier), and you learn about customs and courtesies, etc. All those are done for a reason.
that's why years down the road when someone calls out "ten-hut" you lock it up and stand at attention...that's how far it's embedded in your system...those months of training did have an effect somehow ...
No! I will admit it was rough for the first few weeks, but then I became more confident -- not cocky, because Marine DI's have a way of keeping you off balance -- and learned to go with the flow. Many thousands had gone through this process before me and made it, so why shouldn't I? It became a challenge to make the 13 weeks of training...
I will say that I wouldn't repeat it though, once was enough
It actually gets easier every week, once I was done I was itching to get back. Though I believe the "washout" rate is about 30% and hasn't changed much.
The first 7 weeks of boot camp sucked a bit. The last 6 were easier. Its all just a big game. I never would of quit boot camp. I would have been to embarrassed..........On the other hand.....There were hundreds of times throughout my tour when I was cold, wet, tired, hungry, and sore that I thought, this sucks, **** this ****, (chose your own cuss word). I don't regret it and wish I would of stayed in.
The good definitely outweighed the bad overall. Maybe that's just my selective memory. My wife tells me my memory is "selective" all the time.
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My wife tells me my memory is "selective" all the time.
