Hello everyone,
I am the author of The Ultimate Basic Training Guidebook. I will now be reading this board on a regular basis, so if you have any questions about my book or basic training in general, I will be happy to help you

We you in the military, or did you just take information from other people's accounts?

I am in the military, and used advice of my own plus hundred of other recruits to form this book. I wrote it while I was in Iraq.
Good question

I'm reading some pages from booklocker.com and it's very well written.

My best friend from back home is about to complete basic training this week, and I probably would have gotten this book from him if I knew about it before September!



I remember my dad telling me to write down everything I ever did in the military because one day I might want to write a book about it. I haven't really done so, but I have kept a record of trips, jumps, jumpmaster duties, TDYs, schools, awards stuff like that along with dates in excel that maybe one day I could use...

thank you for the compliment! It has got fantastic reviews so far. I have been offered to host a TV show even, many opportunities have come my way

i got a question for u i heard that basic training is startin to get soft like seargents cant yell at u that much anymore n stuff like that..im goin to fort sill in oklahoma if u could tell me a lil about that one that would be awesome

I have heard this too. Ive heard that they no longer have that bull-dog look either. My friends said they smile all of the time. And that if they touch you, they will get in trouble. My father said that when he was in vietnam, the drill sergeants would knuckle you in the chest when they were talking to you and stuff like that.

I have no experience (I dont leave for a couple of weeks.) but from what it SOUNDS like, the atmosphere is much easier. I guess that I won't get to see any Lee Ermey style stuff.

A good drill doesn't need to curse you or "knuckle" you to break you down.

My son got your book and one similar one before heading out and found it very helpful. I have a suggestion... If they leave the book behind (since probably not allowed at BCT) someone could summarize or add helpful tips and suggestions and include them in correspondence. They might have read and studied but weeks into grueling BCT some encouraging or insightful reminders could be refreshing. I can't remember if there is a general outline of the 9 week plan but they can be found online. Letters containing reminders relevant to the progress in BCT is my plan. I also attach a bold large print encouraging quote that he might want to keep in mind.

I just wanted to know something. If you get picked to be a squad leader in BCT is it easy to get in truble? Is it hard to do? Can you decide not to acept? Can you give me some tips?

Private - if you decide not to fill a leadership position and learn in the military, you've got a lot coming to you in your future career. Take every opportunity you can find to improve yourself. That means testing yourself and trying. Not sitting back and watching other people fall. Learn from their mistakes, and learn your own mistakes.

Alright, listen up future Privates. Don't listen to people who don't know jack about the way BCT works, especially if they have never served a day in the Army. Just prepare yourself to train and become Soldiers. Get into the mindset of a Soldier because once you get here into BCT land if your head isn't screwed on tight I will rip it off your shoulders and dump in it until you get into the right frame of mind. If you are not seriously looking to train, then don't come in the Army because it is a priviledge not a right for you to be trained by me and my fellow Battles. If you are serious, then Soldier up and step up to the challenge. I will train you only if you want to train, if you come here unwilling to train then it will be a very bad, very miserable, very long 10 week training cycle for you.

Can't wait for you to get here...
DS HERRING