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Calgunners in Service This forum is a place for our active duty and deployed members to share, request and have a bit of home where ever they are. |
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#1
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What items should a new recruit take with them to basic training?
First of all, my thanks to any/all that served.
A friend of my son is going into the Army and ships out to basic training in April. What items should he take with him to make his life a little easier? Can he receive packages? Are there any restricted items that we should be aware of sending to him during basic training? Someone told me that cell phones are a restricted item during basic, any truth to this. Thanks for the replies.
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"Stupid should hurt" - Armstrong and Getty show A lie about a wrongdoing becomes your future. The truth about a wrongdoing becomes your past. - Unknown |
#3
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Also I would refrain from sending anything other than letters. You can send pics and news articles just do not send pornography and DO NOT send food/cookies. During my time at lackland some dumbasses mom sent him a box of twinkles and the entire flight ha to pay for it big time.
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#5
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x Infinity. If the Army wanted him to bring something, they would have issued it beforehand.
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Former political prisoner who escaped on 9-24-23. |
#6
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Here you go, scroll down for the service he is going in to.
http://www.military.com/join-armed-f...checklist.html
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I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. |
#7
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Thanks guys, I appreciate the replies.
Johnthomas, thanks for the awesome link.
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"Stupid should hurt" - Armstrong and Getty show A lie about a wrongdoing becomes your future. The truth about a wrongdoing becomes your past. - Unknown |
#11
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the army will allow him to use pay phones on the weekends...why i dont know. he will also be given trips to the exchange every week so any creature comforts he wants im sure the army will let him buy. tell him that if he wants to grow up and join the big boy gun club, to cancel his contract with the army, go next door and sign with the Marines!
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#12
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Quote:
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#13
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wheres your son going for basic? |
#14
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Quote:
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My sons friend ships out to basic training on the 18th of April to Ft. Eustis, South Carolina. Thank you all for the advice.
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"Stupid should hurt" - Armstrong and Getty show A lie about a wrongdoing becomes your future. The truth about a wrongdoing becomes your past. - Unknown Last edited by cranemech; 03-25-2013 at 7:22 PM.. |
#15
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Quote:
-Jarred
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ARK.Huynh Last edited by Zenith; 03-27-2013 at 2:46 AM.. |
#16
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#17
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I sent my son, 3pre-stamped envelopes, 1 being pre-addressed, with each letter i sent him, I also included three blank sheets of paper. that combination was just what fit in the envelope best make sure he takes an address book, a small pad of writing paper, and a few pre-stamped envelopes, for him to send his first letters. they usually wont take those things from them. |
#18
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Like others said, a lot of training sites allow cell phone use a couple times throughout training, so bring that. I don't remember if I bought my toothbrush there or used my own. They make you wear the tighty tannies, so extra underwear were a moot point until you left... Obviously, he'll need stuff to get him through a day or two of travel to/from the training site, and that's it. Mother Army will make you buy the rest, whether you want to or not.
Care packages are pretty much a no-go at basic.
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"... You feel the anger thinking of the loved ones you will never see again, and losing your life infuriates your soul. You rage to get to your feet and grab for a weapon, any weapon. Regardless of your race, culture, or religion, you want to die standing, fighting like a warrior, an American, so others won't have to. For those looking for a definition, this is the price of freedom.” ------ SGT Thomas Macpherson KIA 12 OCT 2012 SFC Ryan Savard KIA 13 OCT 2012 "Sine Pari" |
#21
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and
thank you for your sons service, and giving him the encouragement to serve. |
#22
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If you want to pull a harmless prank on him while he is at basic you can send him a birthday card. Those always go over well with the company commanders.
But in all seriousness stick to the list the recruiter provides, when I was in boot I brought a pair of cuticle clippers. Made trimming loose threads on my uniform a lot easier. |
#23
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All I brought was a traveler's sized toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, cell phone and charger. Everything else you need they will make you purchase at Basic.
Basically, you want to arrive with as little as possible because depending on your Drill SGTs, your entire company may be told to hold your baggage in the air while you're running around with your heads cut off as you step off the white bus while the Drill SGTs give you a piece of their mind. Ask me how I know
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WTS 10/22 Lasermax laser CHEAP!!! |
#25
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so many defensive comments after one Marine makes a joke....gotta love it, and i would not have said anything about your basic training that i didnt witness with my own eyes during my time at Ft. Sill for artillery school. I havent even gotten into the overweight individuals asking their drill sergeants for 5 more minutes in the chow hall because they hadnt finished their ice cream... again, didnt believe myself until i saw it with my own eyes, but hey, like you said, bring your cell phones i guess
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#26
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like, enough toiletries to last a week. if its a summer cycle it might be a little while before they get to the PX to buy all the crap they're required to have. Everything you own thats personal gets confiscated and locked away.
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"Soldier, you need to turn your ACOG off before the batteries die." - PMI Instructor, subject matter expert |
#27
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Honestly I would take a good watch with him preferably one with dials and not digital (draws less attention) I just had a cheap casio and it came in pretty handy. I would also take a list of adresses for people he would want to write while he is in basic.
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In memory of Ricky Lee Turner, January 16th 2009 Baghdad Iraq In memory of Rogelio Antonio Ramirez, August 26th 2007 Saqlawiyah Iraq "most people quick to go to war haven't seen it."- unknown Check out my YouTube page http://www.youtube.com/user/DJCBX/videos |
#28
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I think a good watch was the first thing my son bought at basic, aside from the stuff they made him buy
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#29
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Oh
And above all else Take a positive attitude No matter what happens, how upset anyone gets, how homesick, tired, wet cold, and all that, it is all over on a predefined date. Don't let anyone get to him, the drill sgt is not out to get him, they are out to get everyone. Do his best at every assignment If he can learn some skills, like commands, ranks, compass reading, land navigation, how to zero an m16, first aid, stuff that he can do now, it won't be so new to him when it comes up, and he can help others while not being so stressed out trying to learn something new all the time |
#30
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A billfold with less than $100 cash, a calling card for a payphone and list of phone numbers of everyone on your current cel phone. Have other basic ID in there like drivers license. Maybe a small picture in there of family/significant other.
thats IT. In the early 2000's I know cel phones were considered one of the worst forms of contraband as a Navy recruit. They wanted to filter and nearly eliminate your contact with the outside world. Now, who knows. In some services I hear even live in "dorm" living spaces in basic training..
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NRA Endowment Member |
#31
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Wow...I know it hasn't been THAT long since I got through Marine Corps Basic Training but I know for a fact there was NO and I mean NO phone calls from Paris Island. You got to use the phone ONCE when you arrived and read a scripted letter that said I have arrived and am safe and will send a letter with information regarding my return upon completion of training. I do remember getting to call home about 15 weeks later(roughly a week before graduating) to tell my family when and where graduation was....damn sure no cell phones...and yeah; be careful with the care packages cuz that can get an entire platoon wrecked for one "generous" mom's idea of love...i.e. cookies and nudie mags; yeah, that went over GREAT with our D.I.'s
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#33
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Calling card and toenail clipper for uniform ropes.
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PIMP stands for Positive Intellectual Motivated Person When pimping begins, friendship ends. Don't let your history be a mystery |
#36
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Don't bring anything. My recruiter told the other recruits I was with to bring old panty hose for shining boots really well. You can imagine how that went over when they dumped everything out on the beds in basic to make sure you didn't bring any contraband. "Airman! Is that panty hose? You from California? Sir, yes sir. Anyone else bring panty hose from California? Sir, yes sir. Anyone from California that didn't bring panty hose? (that was me) Sir, yes sir.
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