MEPS

[kpzra]

While you are in DEP, don't do anything that will create any sort of record, even a speeding ticket. It can/will delay your shipping, which in turn can affect the MOS you pick. You will also do a pregnancy test along with a drug test the day you ship as well, so be ready for that.

[Seshat]

Whether you get in or not:

Thank you.

Thank you for being willing to put your body and your sanity between civilians and danger.

[BroSCFischer]

Army huh? Things to remember then:

Go Navy! Beat Army!

Ask the guys in red berets if they got them from second hand stores.

And it's "puking chickens" NOT "screaming eagles"


(then run like hell!)

Unless you want to get the crap beat out of you by your fellow recruits for all of the extra PT, do NOT follow PepperElf's advice.

Rule #1 of ALL military branches: Do NOT volunteer for ANYTHING!

Trust me on this (former AF).

SC

[BlaqueKatt]

Why would polish be considered contraband? Were recruits huffing it to get high?

someone tried to use it as an accelerant, that stuff is mostly wax, so it burns really well.

[kpzra]

To get a really good shine you actually use a lighter to melt it into a liquid. But, as I said there is no more polishing boots in the Army unless you are in a jump status unit.

[Bright_Star]

wohoo! I thought that phrase looked familiar.

If it was like mine then it was just a couple of days of processing before wooosh off to boot camp. the only "bad" thing was the my obgyn exam was not comfortable. and then medical still gave me one at boot camp anyway.


and words of advice for boot camp:

1) they don't hate you. they get paid to yell and shock you a little into military mode.

2) tears to NOT stop you from having to do pushups. it's a great way to get assigned *more* though. (yeah all of us girls cried a little, didn't work... especially in front of the female RDC)

3) best way to shine your boots: good thick coat of polish, then use the giant brush (long brisk strokes) to bring it to a shine (we tried all sorts of gimmicks - tshirts, tampons, even got the guys buying tampons for their boots! ... after a few years i found out that the basic kit brush works best, go figure. )

4) *salute*

Don't EVER forget to salute...not even ONCE!

[Fudgethatkay]

My BF is going to Army throught MAVNEE.
Good luck :]

[dalesys]

Don't EVER forget to salute...not even ONCE!

If it moves: SALUTE!
If it doesn't move: Pick it up.
If it can't be moved: Paint it.

[tigger222]

LOL thanks guys I'll keep all this in mind. As far as the recuiters lying to you my brother is currently in the Army and anything that they have told me has gone through him so I'm getting the true story.

[Mytical]

Don't EVER forget to salute...not even ONCE!

There are times this absolutely does not apply. Even sometimes that when you do salute it will get you in trouble. However, when in doubt..yes salute. Better to get in trouble FOR saluting, then for not saluting.

I only have two real story I have from my military days (before they gave me the boot for a preexisting medical condition). One is not something to be proud of..the other..I felt like I was champ of the world.

The army likes you to eat fast. However fast you are at eating, they most likely will say "Eat faster." Not so for me. We were in processing, and they gave everybody a coupon for the McD's next store that would pay for a complete meal. Told everybody to go, eat, and report back.

I was standing around and a Lt. came up to me. "Not hungry soldier?"

I looked at him. "Already went and ate Sir."

He blinked..as we had been given this about 2-3 minutes ago. "What did you do soldier, inhale it?!"

"I heard they like us to eat fast, so that is what I did Sir!"

"Very good! Carry on!" I think he didn't believe me..but I've always eaten fast.

The other story..was pugilism. Where you are given a stick with pads on it, and told to knock the other person off. (not as in boxing).

My record was 20-1. See you stayed on until you were knocked off. I was near the end of the people to go up..and they ran out of trainees to try to knock me off. So my DI tried..and failed. Which got the rest of the DI to heckle him..and also get mad that a trainee showed up a DI. So they had to try. One by one..off they went. Which just made them madder, and more determined.

Now I wish I could say it was because I had lightning reflexes and they never hit me..the opposite was true. It was not skill that kept me up..it was balance. I had amazing balance at one time, and I can take a hit. So by the end I was bruised pretty bad. Finally, I just let myself be knocked off..because my body couldn't take much more.

The DI's did respect me after, and I was a small hero to the trainees...but I paid for it too. *laughs* The DI's did make my life miserable for awhile after that.

[PepperElf]

Unless you want to get the crap beat out of you by your fellow recruits for all of the extra PT, do NOT follow PepperElf's advice.

Rule #1 of ALL military branches: Do NOT volunteer for ANYTHING!

Trust me on this (former AF).

SC

yeah, that's why I ended it with "run like hell!"



And the "don't bring anything" part I saw mentioned earlier... yeah. In mine we were allowed to keep our underpants, bras, bibles, maybe a family photo. but pens, erasers, civilian clothes, other books... put into a box and shipped home. unless you had no home worth shipping it to, in which case you could donate it.

they issued us navy tshirts & PT shorts. dunno about the guys but for us gals we wore these underneath our uniforms at all times, just in case we had to change or something etc.

[BroSCFischer]

yeah, that's why I ended it with "run like hell!"

Running like hell won't get you very far, especially in Basic.

Another piece of advice: If you are a smoker, quit NOW. I was on an Army Training Post for part of my Air Force Technical Training, and while AF was allowed to smoke, Army was not. This was more than a decade ago, and I'm pretty sure the rules have tightened up quite a bit since then.

SC

[wolfie]

If it moves: SALUTE!
If it doesn't move: Pick it up.
If it can't be moved: Paint it.

But use common sense - otherwise you'll wind up with a VERY angry green-faced general who fell asleep in a chair at the officers' club.

Another word of advice - if you see a door with a sign stating your rank, STAY OUT.

[sms001]

tigger - can't believe I forgot this in my first message, but once you're through basic and have some kind of access again, please drop in here and let us know how you're doing; I'm sure we'd all be very happy to hear from you.

[tigger222]

Sorry I haven't had a chance to be on lately it got postponed because I was sick so I ended up going this week. They got my height 1/2 inch shorter than the recruiter did so it put me in a different weight catagory so I now have to drop 6 pounds to be able to join. My next appointment is next month.