Joining the US Army is a very important and admirable decision. US Army Basic training will likely be the hardest ten weeks of your life, but you will be incredibly proud of what you have accomplished when you graduate. Here are five tips for basic training that are sure to help you succeed.
1. Make Friends
Your buddy will be by your side while you eat, sleep, train, and fight. It is important to make friends with this person. Your individual success is not as important in the army. When your buddy succeeds you succeed, and vice versa. Learn to get along, and find a way to work as a team.
2. Listen More Than You Talk
The best way to work on your basic training preparedness is to practice listening more than you talk. Do not argue with your drill instructor. It will get you nowhere. Listening to him will keep you from getting extra duties during basic training, and listening during a mission will save your life.
3. Follow the Rules
The rules exist for a reason. If you follow them your life will be much easier. Breaking the rules may not seem like a big deal at the time, but the consequences will not be worth it. If you break the rules too many times the Army may not see the value in continuing your training, and you could be sent home.
4. Be Organized
Before you leave you will want to make sure everything back home has been taken care of. Do you know where your mail will be delivered? Do you know how your bills will be paid? Does your family know how to reach you if there is an emergency? All of these matters should be taken care of in advance. Otherwise you will be stressed out about issues back home and unable to focus on your training.
5. Stay Motivated
It will take a lot of hard work to complete basic training, and a lot of people do not make it through. The best way to succeed in the military is to stay motivated. Remember why you joined. Remember what you want to accomplish. Focus on those thoughts, and repeat them to yourself over and over again if you need to. There will be times that you want to quit, but if you keep focusing on your motivations you will make it through.