BassPro0007
01-23-11, 09:33 AM
My time at PI: Oct. 25, 2010 - Jan. 21, 2011
1st Bat.
Bravo NATION
Plt. 1000
SDI SSgt. Pineda
DI SSgt. Hudson
DI Sgt. Mejia
DI SSgt. Beall
Well, I pulled up on the island around seven o'clock. The scene was perfect. It had just began to get dark and it was pouring rain. Lightning would strike and light up the whole island in a very eerie way. The "get off my F%&#in' bus!" speal wasn't all that crazy. I got off and got a little speach about how you only go through these portals once, not all of us will make it, blah blah blah. It doesn't quite feel real at this point. Now I dont care what people say about receiving. It is the easiest part of your time at bootcamp. Yes, you have to stay up a long time and wait in lines, but it is nothing compared to when you get your drill instructors. Recieving basically consists of getting your gear issued to you, getting hair cuts, signing papers and... well thats about it. You dont eat at the chow hall during receiving. You will eat box chows. The recieving drill instructors are pretty laid back. Mine even gave us advise for when we started training.
About three days after you arive at the island, you will be taken to your actual squad bay... then you meet your drill instructors. Dont be a weak target and you will not get messed with. Look straight ahead, talk only when spoken to, yell really loud and you'll be fine. It sounds like simple stuff, but a lot of people dont catch on the whole time they are at boot camp.
The first month at bootcamp is by far the most difficult. The schedule is jam packed and everything is new to you. Also, in first phase, you will be learning MCMAP. I know that the martial arts program sounds cool, but trust me, its not. You will be tought a bunch of useless moves that you could only use on a paralized person. The MCMAP instructors are very intense as well and closely mimick the drill instructors. One good thing about the first month is that you will be recieving a lot of classes. They last anywhere from one to almost three hours and it is a good break from the chaos.
Second phase (the second month) will really fly by. If you can make it to this point, the rest is pretty easy. You start by hiking out to the rifle range for two weeks. The drill instructors really step up thier game while you are at the rifle range, but you spend the majority of your time with your primary marksmanship instructor or on the range. The only thing you have to worry about on these two weeks is violating the safety rules. My platoon had four people get dropped during this week for safety violations. You should be nervous. It keeps you on your toes. Other then that, enjoy it. It is very rewarding to be able to shoot a human sized target at five football fields away using no scope. When you get back from the rifle range you will have team week. Your platoon will be split up into groups and do various jobs around base. Most of them are extremely easy and you are never around your drill instructors. This was by far the easiest training week in bootcamp. After you have done that second phase is over.
Third phase can hardly be considered a phase. The actual training you get, besides the crucible, is BWT. Basic warrior training is going to suck. It is drill instructor revenge time. Also you sleep out in the elements and for me the elements were 20 and 30 degree weather. Once BWT is over though, its easy until the crucible. It is just a lot of admin stuff... picture taking, recieving orders, stuff like that.
Now Im not going to ruin the crucible by telling you all the details. You will appreciate this more once you've done it. Just know that it sucks, but only for so long. You are very busy and the 54 hours really flies by. It is a very motivating expereince and even if you are completely broken, you can make it off pure dedication and determination. I had a stomach virus, was vomiting every hour, couldnt eat or drink, was dehydrated and still made it through. The feeling you get when you recieve the Eagle Globe and Anchor from your drill instructor is undiscribable. It makes everything worth it.
Tips:
1) Mark everything you own. It is very difficult to keep up with your belongings at bootcamp so mark everything down to your ink sticks.
2) Yell as loud as you can at all times. Volume is a huge thing at bootcamp. It is training your voice to be loud so you can be heard on the battle field. Yell loud and the drill instructors will not mess with you as much.
3) Accept the fact that bootcamp is going to suck. You can be the perfect recruit and still get in trouble because your platoon messes up. When you accept the fact that you are going to get I.T.'d and yelled at, it becomes a lot easier. Just go with it. The recruits that get upset and frustrated seemed to have a far worse time. It also makes you an easy target for the drill instructors.
As far as preparing physically, the best advice I could give is to put on a heavy pair of boots and sprint. You do not have a lot of PT sessions at bootcamp, but you do run from place to place in your boots. The boots are heavy and really strain your legs.
Well I hope this is some useful information. I know it is not very detailed, but that is because bootcamp is hard to put into words. Everyone will have thier own experience and I can only tell you mind. Just stick with it and remember why your doing it. Dont slime through it. Open your mind up to soak in everything you are taught and just go with it. Count down chow to chow and before you know it you will be on the parade deck.
Semper Fi
Pvt. Williams
1st Bat.
Bravo NATION
Plt. 1000
SDI SSgt. Pineda
DI SSgt. Hudson
DI Sgt. Mejia
DI SSgt. Beall
Well, I pulled up on the island around seven o'clock. The scene was perfect. It had just began to get dark and it was pouring rain. Lightning would strike and light up the whole island in a very eerie way. The "get off my F%&#in' bus!" speal wasn't all that crazy. I got off and got a little speach about how you only go through these portals once, not all of us will make it, blah blah blah. It doesn't quite feel real at this point. Now I dont care what people say about receiving. It is the easiest part of your time at bootcamp. Yes, you have to stay up a long time and wait in lines, but it is nothing compared to when you get your drill instructors. Recieving basically consists of getting your gear issued to you, getting hair cuts, signing papers and... well thats about it. You dont eat at the chow hall during receiving. You will eat box chows. The recieving drill instructors are pretty laid back. Mine even gave us advise for when we started training.
About three days after you arive at the island, you will be taken to your actual squad bay... then you meet your drill instructors. Dont be a weak target and you will not get messed with. Look straight ahead, talk only when spoken to, yell really loud and you'll be fine. It sounds like simple stuff, but a lot of people dont catch on the whole time they are at boot camp.
The first month at bootcamp is by far the most difficult. The schedule is jam packed and everything is new to you. Also, in first phase, you will be learning MCMAP. I know that the martial arts program sounds cool, but trust me, its not. You will be tought a bunch of useless moves that you could only use on a paralized person. The MCMAP instructors are very intense as well and closely mimick the drill instructors. One good thing about the first month is that you will be recieving a lot of classes. They last anywhere from one to almost three hours and it is a good break from the chaos.
Second phase (the second month) will really fly by. If you can make it to this point, the rest is pretty easy. You start by hiking out to the rifle range for two weeks. The drill instructors really step up thier game while you are at the rifle range, but you spend the majority of your time with your primary marksmanship instructor or on the range. The only thing you have to worry about on these two weeks is violating the safety rules. My platoon had four people get dropped during this week for safety violations. You should be nervous. It keeps you on your toes. Other then that, enjoy it. It is very rewarding to be able to shoot a human sized target at five football fields away using no scope. When you get back from the rifle range you will have team week. Your platoon will be split up into groups and do various jobs around base. Most of them are extremely easy and you are never around your drill instructors. This was by far the easiest training week in bootcamp. After you have done that second phase is over.
Third phase can hardly be considered a phase. The actual training you get, besides the crucible, is BWT. Basic warrior training is going to suck. It is drill instructor revenge time. Also you sleep out in the elements and for me the elements were 20 and 30 degree weather. Once BWT is over though, its easy until the crucible. It is just a lot of admin stuff... picture taking, recieving orders, stuff like that.
Now Im not going to ruin the crucible by telling you all the details. You will appreciate this more once you've done it. Just know that it sucks, but only for so long. You are very busy and the 54 hours really flies by. It is a very motivating expereince and even if you are completely broken, you can make it off pure dedication and determination. I had a stomach virus, was vomiting every hour, couldnt eat or drink, was dehydrated and still made it through. The feeling you get when you recieve the Eagle Globe and Anchor from your drill instructor is undiscribable. It makes everything worth it.
Tips:
1) Mark everything you own. It is very difficult to keep up with your belongings at bootcamp so mark everything down to your ink sticks.
2) Yell as loud as you can at all times. Volume is a huge thing at bootcamp. It is training your voice to be loud so you can be heard on the battle field. Yell loud and the drill instructors will not mess with you as much.
3) Accept the fact that bootcamp is going to suck. You can be the perfect recruit and still get in trouble because your platoon messes up. When you accept the fact that you are going to get I.T.'d and yelled at, it becomes a lot easier. Just go with it. The recruits that get upset and frustrated seemed to have a far worse time. It also makes you an easy target for the drill instructors.
As far as preparing physically, the best advice I could give is to put on a heavy pair of boots and sprint. You do not have a lot of PT sessions at bootcamp, but you do run from place to place in your boots. The boots are heavy and really strain your legs.
Well I hope this is some useful information. I know it is not very detailed, but that is because bootcamp is hard to put into words. Everyone will have thier own experience and I can only tell you mind. Just stick with it and remember why your doing it. Dont slime through it. Open your mind up to soak in everything you are taught and just go with it. Count down chow to chow and before you know it you will be on the parade deck.
Semper Fi
Pvt. Williams