Ya forgot all the "stylish" clothing - for free! 

 

WTF? They charge for mess hall meals now?

The food better be damned good for $350/month!

 

For the most part, recruiters are the most hated people in the military - right after 1st Lt.s fresh from "the factory"!

My son just enlisted, I'll probably pick your brain about things they don't tell you.

((hugs))

Tell him I  said good luck. And I'll b glad to answer any of yours or his questions.

Well, I guess he goes to MEPS on Monday, and ships out Wednesday the next week.  He says he can take his cell phone to basic training,  What other other personal things will he be allowed to have, and what things wont he be able to take?  Can he take his own soap, shaving cream, etc? He is going to OK for Basic and then to AL for AIT.  

They let us take our cell phones, but they took them and locked them up and gave them back to us the day before we graduated. Umm, we were only allowed to use bar soap, no body wash. And shaving cream is allowed and long as there is no alcohol in it...I don't know if there is. We were only allowed to have crest mouth wash cause it doesn't have alcohol in it.  He can bring pictures of family, friends and pets...or whatever. We were only allowed to hang up 5 pictures in our wall locker. They issue most of the stuff...like male underwear. I'm pretty sure the males are only allowed to wear the underwear they are issued. He should bring shampoo, conditioner, razor, shaving cream, deodorant(not the spray kind though)  no colgone or any kind of body spray. Should also bring his toothbrush and toothpaste.  If he wants, he can bring his own laundry soap, but they gave us a chance to get that stuff in reception.

My first week there, reception, is when we got issued all our uniforms. Then they took us to a shoppette and thats where they made us buy new shoes. They gave us a list of things that we'll need, and if you already have them, obviously you won't need to buy them. When you're at the shoppette thats when you buy towels, socks and all that crap.

Don't have him bring his own towels, there is a certain kind and color you have to have and same with wash rags. No loofa's or anything like that, so again, he can't bring that.

umm...............no civlian clothes. We had to put ours that we had on in the same bag as our phones and they all got locked away.

Theres really not a lot he can bring with him. I brought hygiene products and thats pretty much it. My recruiter gave me a packing list...have your son ask his for one.

 

And make sure he knows that it's just the first 3-5 weeks that are rough...depending on the person. But he'll get the hang of things and he'll notice that there is a routine. And eventually he'll get used to being dropped(had to do push ups, or some other crazy exercise that hurts like hell) and the D.I.s yelling all the time.  After awhile, the DI will become cool, almost like your friend, but he needs to remember not to treat them like that. They are always testing you, and he must make sure he is showing the proper respect. It eventually becomes fun. There will be things he'll enjoy, and things that will make him want to shoot himself, the other soldiers will get on his nerves at times, but he'll also make friendships there that will last atleast the rest of his career. I still talk to a few people from basic training, and it's been almost a year.

 

It's a good experience, and as long as this is what he wants, he won't regret it.  I can't stess this enough, don't join if you're not positive. They're gonna test him, physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and if this isn't what he wants, they'll break him and this will be hell.

 

If there is anything else you need, let me know.

well, I have no idea if he took anything at all actually, he didn't say goodbye.  He left this morning.

awe, I could not have left without saying goodbye. That was the hardest thing I've ever done!!!