Academy starts in 2 weeks, quick advice please!

[jmatt511]

You should be running 3 times per week, 3 to 6 miles. Have two to three pairs of good running shoes and rotate them each run. Doing pushups, situps and mountain climbers is also a good intro to the Academy PT.

Agreed. Start runing and then run some more. If you can hande the academics, the hardest part will be runing in PT gear with a full Sam Browne.

[99°]

1. Know your penal codes and vehicle codes
2. Be accurate and precise with your report writting and have good spelling and grammar.
4. Keep your duty bag, gear and car kempt. Always.
3. If your going to Rio Hondo, run, run and run.

Good luck, and have the best time.

Remember, your being broken down to nothing so everyone is equal, you wear uniforms and drill in synchronization to create uniformity withthin the class, but always remember you can still stand out and shine as an individual if you push yourself to do your best. In other words, dont loose your identity by trying to hide in the group and never standout to lead by example.

[SVT-40]

Always be on time and ready to go with ALL your equipment. Keep your mouth shut and your eyes open. When you think you are not being watched...Wrong you probably are being watched. So act like a professional at all times. Be sure to ALWAYS lock your locker and ALWAYS lock your vehicle and roll the window all the way up.

Watch out for your partners. Help them where and when you can. In turn they will do the same. Just like on the street.


Have fun when you can.

[toconnor1074]

Dont screw up, keep your mouth shut and your boots glossy

[toconnor1074]

Oh and stay awake some of the stuff can get real dry and boring.

[mixicus]

With two weeks out you are not going to be able to improve your PT much. That said keep running and banging out push-ups and squat thrusts/burpees. Just don't over do it and injury your self. Stay loose.

Spend your time getting your gear ready. By now you should have a recruit orientation manual; LEARN IT. Get in contact with members of your class and begin helping each other. Such as, go for a jog together (in formation) then practice your protocols and speeches. If you are required to know X on week 1 and Y by week 2; I suggest knowing Y before week 1. Why...simple you are going to be time deprived once the academy starts. That should be plenty to keep you busy.

[veeklog]

+1 for two pairs of running shoes, and comfortable boots too.

[jamesob]

Oh and stay awake some of the stuff can get real dry and boring.

1+ on this don't

[Knight]

I'll add two points:

If you have inspections, have someone check out your uniform before you line up. Make sure there are no Irish pennants, boots are shined enough, etc. I used to show up 40-50 minutes before morning inspection just to make sure I had time to re-shine my boots, work on my uniform, or brush up on my codes before we lined up. Other academies may differ, but this was my experience.

Good luck on scenarios. Take them seriously, and practice. Beware the ethics scenario! Unlike the other scenarios, there is no remediation.

Ugh. Jwood is right. Academy was one of the best experiences of my life, but never again.

[retired]

Make sure there are no Irish pennants

If this means what I think it does, we called them ropes (loose threads).

I was glad my uniform was tan and green since the lint didn't show as much as on those who wore blue in our academy. We'd used masking tape wrapped around our hair to remove it. Those in blue seemed to miss at least one and the DIs enjoyed pointing that out, standing right in their face.

[Knight]

If this means what I think it does, we called them ropes (loose threads).

I was glad my uniform was tan and green since the lint didn't show as much as on those who wore blue in our academy. We'd used masking tape wrapped around our hair to remove it. Those in blue seemed to miss at least one and the DIs enjoyed pointing that out, standing right in their face.

Yup, that's what it means.

We had to wear blue. And yes, lint was a problem, especially if you didn't wash the uniforms right. I always had problems with this, so I had to make up for it by making extensive use of a lint roller every morning.

[gawker]

If your academy is bent in shiny shoes, get the polished already looked kind "dress shoes". Just use windex to make em shine instead of spending 30 minutes doing it the old fashion way. Sure everyone will make think your a sissy, but your spending your time more on other things than polishing shoes.

Cut any lint, strings off your uniforms.

As mentioned several times, keep your mouth shut, don't think anywhere in the academy is private. Never whine how you hate doing anything.

They are always looking for the leaders in the group, if that is what floats your boat. go for it. They will rotate you out and someone else in eventually.

exercise exercise now. don't wait the academy to get into shape. you'll be a train wreck.

[retired]

exercise exercise now. don't wait the academy to get into shape. you'll be a train wreck.

If you ever watched the 2yrs. "The Academy" was on Fox, you will realize how true that was. I was shocked that some of the cadets actually thought they could get in shape while in the academy. Some of them were so out of shape and overweight I'm surprised they passed the physical agility to be hired.

It was actually a pleasure to watch how hard they drilled the cadets. Tho we also wore suits for a couple of weeks when I went thru, we didn't do any calisthenics until we had our uniforms.

I had visited the academy a few years before the show and saw some cadets on exercycles. When I asked a DI what was up with that, he told me they had a choice between that and running. I about passed out. He just shrugged his shoulders as if to say, "Not my choice."

[NorCal*Shooter]

Just when you think you have everything squared away, they'll find something wrong. A piece of lint, a wrinkle on your bunk blanket or some BS. So, don't get discouraged. Do your best every time. Part of their job is to break you down. It's up to you how you build yourself up. Part of it's up to them too.

And don't run off to party with the other cadets at bars or clubs. It'll happen with some and I know its tempting. I know I did, but there's always a few who get in trouble. If your around you'll be in trouble for not keeping them in line. It's not worth all the hard work and time you put into to just the hiring process let alone the academy. Think of how embarrassed you'll be for getting kicked out for doing something stupid. Get your badge first, then party.

Good luck.

[Axewound]

Dont quit and grow a thick skin