When it came to packing for Basic Training I will confess that I was the one that overpacked because I wanted to be prepared. I found it hard believe that packing one day's worth of clothing and basic hygiene products was going to be sufficient, but trust me when I say that the packing list I'm about to share with you is probably exactly what you need.
Some of the things that you will see listed below were not listed in the video because they were thought of long after the video was created. So if you're reading this, lucky you! lol
My packing list:
Pack one day's worth of clothes, including a jacket (males you may wear boxers for now, but that will change after reception).
Bring all basic hygiene products.
If you have prescription eyeglasses, bring them.
Photo ID (driver's license and/or military ID
Social Security Card
Birth Certificate (probable)
Debit Card
Checkbook (optional)
Credit Card (optional)
Any required medications
Cash not to exceed $50
Combination Lock for your temporary stay at reception battalion
Extra copy of enlistment contract (optional, but recommended)
Packet from recruiter
Sharpie markers (to put your name on everything you own)
Any religious reading material you feel you need.
I hope this benefits you and brings some reassurance. And as usual, for any questions or concerns hit me up by commenting on this post or emailing me at godavidstrong@gmail.com.
I've been having some major technical hiccups with my computer and editing software. This isn't a long episode by any means but the video footage is HD and therefore overtaxing my fairly old laptop.
Please bare with me on the delay and I'll get this episode up as soon as possible. ... Hopefully some time today. :/
Last night I was up until midnight working on all things Go David Strong because I just haven't put in enough time or anything (sarcasm). But really, I actually hadn't put any dedicated thought into how I'd continue with the episodes, let alone what I'd present, since July 2010. While BWC is not behind me and very much still an ongoing affair that requires a lot of my time at night, I will sacrifice the time each evening along with studying to record a new episode each week. There! I said it, which makes it an official promise to put out an episode for the next seven weeks. Why seven? Because I actually brainstormed and came up with seven topics to research and share based exclusively upon my personal experience in Army Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training. So rest assured, all of the forthcoming episodes are dedicated to helping future soldiers to gain as much inside information as possible before shipping, from a recent graduate like myself while the info is still relevant (the Army is forever evolving to no end).
So look for an episode to be up starting next week on Monday January 24th, and six more Mondays thereafter. As for what will come on the eighth week, I really don't know. If you have suggestions or pressing topics you'd like for me to cover, just shoot me an email to godavidstrong@gmail.com or leave your suggestion/idea/recommendation in the comments on this post.
I really and truly appreciate all of you guys and hope that your Army careers are off to a good start--mine definitely is! I really want to be of help to you all so that others aren't as in the dark as I sorta felt when I first started toying with the idea of enlisting. It truly is scary in the beginning and sometimes hard to float the idea of joining the military to your parents, no matter how old you are!
Before I end this post I have some things that have been on my heart for a while. These are matters that have begun to bother me and I feel strongly about. I want to take some time to address various comments, and archaic ideologies, beliefs and/or perspectives that have been thrown at me since I joined the military from civilians--even my friends (no offense to them).
Let's start with when people learn of your plans to enlist or that have enlisted. This is directed at people who are informed about a close friend or relative's choice to join the military. Personally, the response has been, "that's crazy" or "you're crazy"--even "they're all crazy"--"they" being the military service members. When you get someone who reacts that way--excluding parents, as their reaction is understandable--but anyone else it is insensitive, to say the least, and a slap in the face to any person who has served America since the military became all voluntary. The statement, "that's crazy" to a person who heard the call and felt conviction to become a soldier, marine, airmen or seaman smacks of ignorance, somewhat selfish and highly ungrateful. It is ignorant and ungrateful because the American way of life is, believe it or not, sustained by a large degree of military might even in peacetime. Our freedom to have chill lives with our Caramel Machiattos, tapping our iPads isn't held together by "Kumbaya" circles and free hugs. That's just reality. It's somewhat selfish because in the guise of concern, their is a failure to see the decision from the military volunteer's point of view--not what you would do, or wouldn't do in this case. Stop projecting. Listen to him or her explain why going the route of the military has become important. Don't give opinions where it wasn't asked. This has happened to me on many occasions before and after I enlisted. I was very offended, but I said nothing in return. I probably should have spoken up.
The Army (don't know about the other branches) has really changed, and the civilian perspective or view of the Army is both sorely outdated and quite morbidly wrong in a lot of ways, excluding families of service members. I mean no offense but there are civilians who will try give you unsolicited "insight" (doing the quoty fingers lol) into what they know, or think they know about how horrific and deranged the military can make you. And they say it as if you actually asked and want to know. And despite their best intent, it can sometimes become offensive (but personally in keeping with my temperament, I swallow it and let it slide).
They will, if you let them, scare the hell out of you and further sensationalize what truths do exist in their ignorant misguided and half-truthful "advice" or "info"--no matter how well-intentioned they may be. Sometimes this will be your friends who will do this. The conversation usually starts with "My *insert family member/friend here* was/is in the military...." blah blah blah psycho mind-freaking (euphemism). Don't listen to them! Find someone who is currently in the Army and has been in for at least 8 to 10 years to see the change that has happened up to now. Yes, the dangers of war are very real for each and every soldier, but NO ONE joins ignorant of this fact. So when conversations like this start among your civilians friends or family, it's probably worth tuning out for your own sake or be up front (I should do this myself) and say, "Hey, I appreciate (thinking: not really) what you're trying to say, but I honestly prefer we not talk about that." Something to that affect. Or cut them off and change the subject to subtly, but emphatically convey your discomfort. ...or maybe that's just me. lol idk
Let me dispel any belief, if it still exists, that the Army is anything like "Full Metal Jacket". For one, the film follows civilians who become marines (let's state the obvious up front LOL). Secondly, drill sergeants are NOT to speak nor hit a private as depicted in that film...well some bend the rules to the breaking point but not like the film referred to here. OH and that is all Hollywood too. This is not the 1960s, 70s or earlier. We are in a time of modern warfare and abuse and degradation are not the methods espoused in Army training. Tracking? My drill sergeants broke me down and built me back up without all of that abusive nonsense.
Finally, No matter who you are, in the Army we are all green and called by our rank and last name. In other words, regardless of your race, color, creed, or who you love, you will be surprisingly shocked at how close-knit the Army can be. We are Army Strong. Yes, you will inevitably run into the bigots and hypocrites in uniform, but the Army's core values and regulations have changed and improved such that many and varying people can serve their country without fear of malicious reprisal--both from peers, superior ranking officers and non-commissioned officers. More to the point, you'll find the the majority of today's soldiers live by the Army values and regulations with a strong sense of moral character and pride. Again lot has changed and I, for one, am very proud to be an American Soldier in today's Army.
Anyway, enough rambling! See you guys on YouTube January 24th!
On 14 January I received an email from my Unit Administrator (UA) pertaining to my army career. I would like to just post a quote of the email, and while it is an unclassified document, I don't feel it to be appropriate so I'll summarize. Basically I submitted an application for pre-qualification for a direct commission as an officer in the US Army Reserve--which I did qualify and I'm currently awaiting further direction from higher up the chain of command. However, my unit is preparing to mobilize for deployment to Afghanistan and a lot of training is forthcoming throughout this year. In fact, I already have a week of training coming up in February. Also prior to deploying we have about thee months of training in another state. The process of commissioning can be very lengthy and frankly the chances of getting commissioned and trained in time for deployment in January 2012 is slim-to-none at the rate the process is going. Ideally, it would be great to commission and finish officer school prior to deploying, but as I've already stated... Suffice it to say if I continue with the direct commission I would be placed on an order of merit, which would make me "non-deployable".
When I read all this I couldn't help but think something along the lines of "It can never be a singular and simple path, but forks in the road every so often."
So after much discussion, careful and prayerful thought on the matter, this was my emailed reply to my UA:
This may seem incredibly personal to you but I've prayed about this, sought advice from my mother and thought even longer on the matter. I can't shake the desire to deploy with the unit. I feel that in the long run becoming an officer after enlisted experience while deployed is invaluable and I'd be remiss to pass it up. I think I'll be a better officer after doing so. Therefore I've decided to hold off on going to officer training school until we return from deployment. I feel very strongly about it and believe that it is the right choice. But YES, ideally if the opportunity were to avail itself to commission and complete officer school prior to deploying, I'd do it! :)
Finally, to answer your question about attending schools for deployment, yes.
Thank you!
SPC Moore
We shall see what happens in the coming months following this.
So that it is clear, all of this is a recap of the last weekend from January 7th to January 9th as it happened.
This past weekend, as you know, I had to go to Tampa, Florida to do the battalion level Best Warrior Competition (Agh! I am so bored and burnt out with even hearing that title). Before leaving I literally ransacked my bedroom to find things in my luggage that I brought back with me from training. For the record, my bedroom doesn't look like this on a regular basis. I just had to dig out only the items that I thought I needed for the weekend.
I left with my sponsoring NCO later Friday afternoon. I drove and we studied using the iPhone Army Study Guide app the majority of the way to prepare for what turned out to be not as stressful as expected.
Fast forward and we are arrived in Tampa and I was dead tired. I didn't get to bed until late.
To be continued...
P.S. I've been extremely busy between teaching all day, physical training and working and shooting videos for my YouTube channel, I'm pretty burnt. But preparing for the BWC is what had to take most of my time. But I'm trucking right along.
It's late and I'm going through and editing a few photos that I took since having left for BWC (Best Warrior Competition) in Tampa. I'll upload some of the photos taken soon. It was a relatively good day, lots to share. But I will say now that I wasn't allowed to photograph or shoot video during the events today, nor tomorrow. Without belaboring the point, it's an OPSEC precaution. Fair enough.
Weapon disassemble and reassembly of the M16/A2 rifle (with and without light--in the dark)
Essay writing (my topic was based on two questions: "Which Warrior Ethos and Army Value is most meaningful to you and why?")
Overall, I enjoyed my experience thus far. Tomorrow morning we have an APFT test. ...speaking of I need to go to bed. It's 2335 and I have to report to the field at 0650.
I've been sitting up late like this in my bed for the past four days studying for the board of the Best Warrior Competition happening this weekend (January 8-9). I am soooooo tired right now it's not funny. It's 2:04am... Tomorrow morning I have to report to my unit to do mock sessions of going before the board in terms of the procedures and then the oral questioning on various subjects of Army knowledge. The latter is the part that has had me stressed out. The good part is that SSG Amaya, one of my detachment squad leaders, assured me that the board is aware of me having just graduated as a new soldier and will be asking basic questions. Phew! But still in the back of my mind, I know to plan for the worst, hope for the best. *fingers crossed, saying lots of prayers* It's just how I'm wired. lol
