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Son joined the Guard


jpu471

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Just a note to those who know my son from the old warehouse clinics here in Socal. He is the one of "jeeez dad its just a bunch of guys standing around washing cars" fame and the first "What kind of beer would you buy survey" Well he has joined the Cal Air Guard and will be headed of for Basic in June. I am expecting him to clean my car after he gets back and pay attention to all the details. Any words of advice from vets out there how to get through BMT?

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3 Things..

 

1. Learn Sir Yes Sir. And live by it.

 

2. Always remember, Basic will not be forever, It is there to train you to think military and to get you physically and mentally in shape. It is for your own good. It may not seem like a good thing while you are there, but down the road you will understand it more.

 

3. STAND PROUD!!!! :bow::patriot:

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I'm not a vet but in talking to buddies who are they all echoed very similar things. Going into basic just know what you're in for. Know theyre there to push you, break you down, get in your face, remold you. If you know that going in and keep reminding yourself that you should be fine.

 

One buddy also told me she realized it was best to not stand out..in either way. Don't be the fastest and DEFINITELY don't be the slowest. The less attention you draw to yourself the better.

 

Good luck and enjoy!

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I'm enlisted in the NY Air Guard!! Tell him I said thanks for his service :2thumbs:

 

I enlisted in October 2010, a month before I turned 18 and straight out of High School. My grandfather was a Crew Chief for a long time in my unit so he talked me into it. I'll tell you it's an amazing experience. Even just for being in for a little over a year (since BMT) I have done some things I never would have if I didn't enlist.

 

I was in BMT in March up to the beginning of May in 2011. 331TRS/FLT338 WOLF PACK!!! The weather wasn't too bad. It got up to 90 a day or two. But nothing unbearable. In my opinion, BMT wasn't too hard of an experience. It's a definite culture shock when you first get there because it's a very different lifestyle you have to adapt to real quick. The entire time you're there, you'll always be wrong. You'll march wrong, you'll eat your food wrong (or not fast enough,) you'll breathe wrong, you'll look at somebody wrong! And you'll be on your face (a series of push ups, flutter kicks, and squat thrusts) for it.

 

You'll have PT at 4:45AM Monday thru Saturday. The level of difficulty increases every two weeks I believe. And it was NEVER as hard as they make it out to be. It alternates everyday from running (running 15 minutes group paced (not fast at all, probably like 6 or 6.5MPH), running 10 minutes self paced (this is when everyone sped up it was that slow lol), and then (5) 30 second intervals of sprinting and fast paced walking.) And the other day is muscle and cardio consisting of various exercises of push ups, crunches, leg lifts, pyramid push ups (oh he'll love those!), etc. If I can do it, I'm SURE he can.

 

No day is the same. I can tell you that. The first week and a half or so will be pretty busy because he'll be inprocessing, getting uniforms, medical/dental, piss test, etc. After that he will start classes. These classes are taught by other MTIs and it's pretty laid back. No yelling in classes unless there's constantly people falling asleep. DO NOT DO THAT. The classes aren't hard either. Just follow along in your study guide and you'll do great. There's no homework either! Just study when you can for the EOC (End of Corse) test in 7WOT (7th Week of Training). I didn't study and got an 85 so that should tell you how easy it is :jester:

 

During his Guard unit's UTAs (Unit Training Assemblies, his "1 weekend a month",) He (should) be in a Student Flight. Here they will teach him the basics of marching, get him used to using a reporting statement ("Sir, Trainee _____ reports as ordered",) and get started on memory work. MAKE SURE HE HAS HIS MEMORY WORK DOWN BEFORE LEAVING. Trust me. He will be so ahead if he does. I can't even begin to tell you the horrors of what happens to people who don't know their memory work. Specifically, he should know the Air Force Song, Airmans Creed, and Chain of Command.

 

Just wait until you see your son at graduation. He'll be a new person, for the better though. I can't explain it, you'll just have to experience it for yourself. It'll be an event of a lifetime though. I guarantee it.

 

There's so much information that he can get online too. I probably read everything there was to know about BMT before I left. I felt like it helped a lot being that prepared, but remember that you are NEVER prepared enough for it. Like I said you will ALWAYS be wrong even if you're completely right, especially in the beginning. You just have to suck it up and 'play the game.' That all BMT is. Your MTI really isn't a SOB like you'll think he is. Trust me. I've talked to mine a few times on Facebook :jester:

 

Any other questions. Feel free to PM me. Don't be shy at all. I can imagine a parent is just as anxious and nervous as their kid is. I'm sure mine were.

 

Hope this helped!

 

 

3 Things..

 

1. Learn Sir Yes Sir. And live by it.

 

2. Always remember, Basic will not be forever, It is there to train you to think military and to get you physically and mentally in shape. It is for your own good. It may not seem like a good thing while you are there, but down the road you will understand it more.

 

3. STAND PROUD!!!! :bow::patriot:

 

NO. The Air Force hates this. It's called a "Sir Sandwich" and he'll get so much beef if he does this. Use "Yes sir" instead. Same thing for tacking a Sir at the end of his reporting statement "Sir, Trainee _____ reports as ordered sir." DO NOT DO THIS. That is very important. I had people in my flight jacking that up even half way through.. Don't make that mistake!

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Wow thanks for the info Dan, it was very kind of you to respond in all that detail but then there are lots of great folks from Buffalo like my wife. I am sure he will do fine. I wish you swirl free cars from now on. I have hope when I see young people giving back.

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