Dear Family,
Don't get me wrong...and please don’t take this the wrong way but. I AM JUST FINE!
This will be the hardest thing I have EVER DONE!
This will be the BEST thing I have EVER DONE!
This will teach me more about myself than I have EVER KNOWN!
I’m pretty sure that this will be a life changing event. I’m sure it will be something that I will look back on for the rest of my life. I will look back and know that it was the thing, the decision that changed my life!
I’ve been hearing a lot about what BCT used to be like.
Just 45 years ago, recruits - from the time they got on the bus for MEPS - had no contact with home for over 2 weeks. Getting on that bus was their goodbye. They had no reception calls, no airport calls, nothing.
They were 'shark attacked' getting off the bus when they got to base. (They no longer do this)
They were yelled at, swore, at and ridiculed for the first 3 weeks of training.
The whole platoon (up to 50 people) all slept in one open bay.
Their bunks were regularly ripped apart, thrown around and then they had 30 minutes to put everything back 100% (They learned how to work as a team).
They spit shined their boots, they washed, starched, and ironed their own uniforms (Yes, their uniforms really were starched so heavily that they stood up on their own).
Why am I telling you this?
Because this is the best thing that has ever happened to me.
They had no chance to call home and complain. (If I do, just encourage me and remind me it’s just a few weeks, and that you are proud of me).
When they did finally get the chance to call home, they got 2 minutes on a pay phone. Yep 2 minutes...there was a line of trainees waiting behind them, and a Drill Sergeant with a stopwatch next to them, yelling.
They survived.
They had it a lot harder than us and they survived.
I will survive.
Their families had no contact with them every Sunday, few of them had anyone at graduation. Most of them went on to AIT, and Permanent Duty stations with only talking to their families 2 or 3 times.
One of the DS here had a brother who had gone to Vietnam, they only got 1/2 dz letters from him. Mail was often lost or destroyed. They used to watch for his name every night, at the end of the news. (They scrolled the names of casualties there). I can’t imagine.
Fast forward a few years.... their son was in BCT when 9/11 happened. The base shut down all communications. They brought them in from training, told them what had happened and had them write letters home, and prepare wills.
They didn't hear from him for almost a month.
All of these prior to me survived training. They all made it through training. Their grandkids, son in laws and daughter in laws have all made it. They didn't have the FB family support groups; they didn't have access to the information that you do now.
That Drill Sergeant is now sending grandkids to the Army.
I will survive training, and it will make me a stronger, better person!
Take heart!
Don't worry!
When you find yourself worrying - PRAY!
That's your reminder to pray for me.
This is the best thing I will EVER DO!
Encourage me!
Stop worrying about DS's yelling at me.
They are preparing us.
Encourage me!
Tell me to stay strong, remind me it is only 10(ish) weeks.
Oh, one other thing:
We’ve heard stories about families coming to graduation, and not following direction from the MP’s, Drill Sergeants and others putting on graduation for us.
Some families have actually yelled at these leaders.
Please don’t be one of them.
If you choose to cause problems, I can suffer the consequences. That episode can follow me to my AIT, and my permanent duty station. Please follow directions, and do what you are told. This is a military installation, and my world has different rules than your world does. Please make me proud!
Two things that Drill Sergeant’s brother told her when she left for BCT, that she has never forgotten, and I don’t think I ever will:
- They can't kill you and eat you - you'll get through it.
- When I complained about something he said "did it kill you or did it make you stronger?”
Be encouraged. Encourage me, write me, remind me to stay strong!
9 comments
This was a great read. Thank you so much for sharing. It’s been hard not to worry about my son but things like this have helped me alot. Reassurance from other moms helps tremendously. My son is at AIT and we attended his graduation from basic and truly understood the importance of being able to attend and show respect to all that have helped our soldiers be prepared.
Thank you for sharing this very touching blog. I miss my son so much but I know he is in good hands.Its the best decision he could of made And we are so proud of him.
As I read this it brings tears to my heart. I am a Grandparent of Our Trainee, Who We have raised this child. So its double hard for me. But this is so true, And an understatement. Yes it will be hard, Yes it will be different, Yes its a different World, And in the End it will be a life altering experience, That will be forever embedded in her. A Great one at that. for the Person it will prepare her to be. It’s a constant reminder that we to Need to be strong for her, As well as we expect her to be strong. Thank You for Sharing. God Bless…..
Thank you for sharing this! My son just returned home from BCT and AIT on Dec 10th.
I did belong to a FB support group and my husband and I traveled to see him graduate BCT. I am well aware that these were privileges. My FIL has shared his army experience with us when he enlisted during the Vietnam War. BCT was different from what my son experienced, but there were also some similarities. It’s been meaningful hearing stories from both.
Again, thank you for sharing this story!