If there's one skill you need most at basic training, it's mental toughness. Successful service members are not only physically strong, but also mentally strong. Overcoming doubts, worries, or concerns that could hold you back from success is a huge part of building mental strength.
Red phase is the starting phase and is typically considered the hardest part of training. The entire phase, which is 3 weeks long, is devoted to constant calisthenic exercise and you will be spending much of your time in the push-up position.
There's no way around it, basic training will challenge you mentally, emotionally, and physically, but don't look at those challenges as a bad thing.
With all the pressure that comes with boot camp, it's no wonder people cry. Crying isn't looked at as a bad thing, though some drill instructors give the recruit grief if they think he's just feeling sorry for himself. But in most cases, you are not considered less of a marine if you cry.
In particular, the psychological effects of military training alter the personality, emotional stability, and social function of the individual. These alterations can cause anxiety, insomnia, and other mental health conditions, which often lead to substance abuse.
The most common reason why people fail basic training is that medical issues prevent them from doing so safely. If this situation arises, you'll be medically separated from the Air Force but depending on how long you serve, you may still be entitled to some veteran benefits.
Yes, it is possible to fail basic training. You could go through the trouble of leaving your home, job, family and friends and come back a failure. In fact, this happens to about 15% of recruits who join the military every year. Too many recruits I speak to think that it is impossible to fail basic training.
In addition, military training was associated with changes in personality. Compared with a control group, military recruits had lower levels of agreeableness after training. These levels persisted 5 years after training, even after participants entered college or the labor market.
Boot camps are intended to be less restrictive than prison but harsher than probation. In most U.S. states participation in boot camp programs is offered to young first-time offenders in place of a prison term or probation; in some states a youth can also be sentenced to participate in such a program.
They don't hit or physically assault recruits, ever. They come close, but they never physically hurt or even touch recruits. Another thing that is important is that everything they do is for a purpose, a rehearsed, manufactured, and engineered purpose.
It is mostly an act by these drill instructors to instill aggression and help military people cope with combat stress without actually experiencing combat.
Expect homesickness
Everyone at basic training is missing his or her loved ones. Keep reminding yourself basic training is only a couple months long. Bring a few wallet-sized pictures with you and a notebook. To ease the homesickness, write letters often and encourage letters in return.
To recap: The hardest military branch to get into in terms of education requirements is the Air Force. The military branch with the toughest basic training is the Marine Corps.
Counting the half-week you spend in forming (in-processing), you'll spend a total of seven-and-a-half weeks in Coast Guard basic training at Cape May, (N.J.,) the shortest basic training of all the services.
But studies show it can play a part. Most mental health professionals aren't ready to say that boot camp causes PTSD, but some do. Research shows some psychologists and mental health professionals feel it is possible for recruits to have the “PTSD seed” before they enter the military.
Basic training is tough on couples, but going into it with the right attitude will keep your relationship in a healthy spot from the start. Whether you feel ready or not, preparing your mindset in advance will help you get through this challenging yet exciting time.
During the 7.5 weeks while your loved one is at BMT, he/she will be authorized to use his/her cell phone or pay phones to make outgoing calls to family members. Trainees are encouraged to maintain their cell phone service while at BMT and to bring a calling card.
If you're having difficulty with a specific aspect of basic training, you will be “recycled.” This means that you will be put into training with another unit that's in an earlier part of the basic training cycle. As a result, this will extend the amount of time that you will have to spend at basic training.
Across Branches of the Military
The Navy, Army, and Marines have recruits drop out at roughly the same rate as each other, between 11 and 14 percent annually. Contrary to what many think, the goal of officers in basic training isn't just to push recruits to drop out.
More often than not, if you get hurt at basic training, you'll be able to nurse the injury back to health while still training alongside your platoon or group. Sometimes, however, you may be sent to another unit, like a rehabilitation batallion, until you can get back on your feet.
Entry-Level Separation
After you arrive at boot camp, your fate still isn't sealed. Even though you're now on active duty, Army command can let you go without penalty during your first 180 days of service. The official term for this is entry-level separation.
Don't send pornography or 'pin-up' or nude photos, off-color or racist jokes or comics. These items can get your soldier, sailor, marine, airman or guardsman in serious trouble. Don't send packages of goodies.
It's a tough process, but a rewarding one that many service members value for life. To succeed in boot camp, you should prepare yourself physically and mentally. Daily cardio, weight training, pushups and situps are a must. You should also practice arriving early on a regular basis and sticking to a strict schedule.