This is a continuation of Episode 004, which covered what to pack for shipping to basic training. This video goes through mostly suggested items or additional items you should purchase for your convenience while in basic training. Some of these items are actually required, but you'll often hear me suggesting that you buy extra of a lot what is gone over in the video.
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:
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 got back from training on December 1st, but this is not a video about any of that yet. This is just a quick "Hey! I'm fine" and I'm working my way back to normalcy as a civilian. Very basic. :)
About two weeks ago Ilka Luna posted a great video with some helpful Army tips and suggestions from her experiences so far and I find her to be very motivating. It's for this reason that I chose to share my story in video and blog too. Also, below her video is Jonathan Cruz who has some great knowledge to share with other future Airman wanting to join or are waiting to ship to Air Force BMT. Check'em out!
It is 12:27am as I start writing this and I'm about to go to bed because I'm yawning to no end. So this will be brief and to the point.
Counting today now that it's passed midnight, I have 34 days remaining of freedom (lol) before I have to report back to the MEPS station to ship off to basic combat training, followed by advanced individual training. I most certainly will not lie nor hold back in saying that I am a bit nervous and hope that I will be successful. I have heard seemingly countless stories from soldiers at my unit during drill weekends, and have been given an overwhelming amount of advice, almost strictly in the form of "Do's" and "Don'ts". Every soldier has been absolutely encouraging to me, in word and deed. I feel that I am in the right place and honestly cannot wait to complete my initial entry training to get back to my unit to be and do what a soldier does. All in all, I am very excited! David
I was instructed to practice and have The Soldier's Creed memorized by the next Future Soldier Training day. So I set my camera up and practiced with it recording.
I spent the better portion of Wednesday morning through the afternoon visitin my unit, getting my pay paperwork taken care of, got my schedule for doing drills with my unit, starting April 11. Had the great fortune of learning that I may be able to reclassify to Military Police prior to basic training--which would be SO AWESOME! I'm so hyped and hope that this really works out! Finally, I went to the park and ran three quarters of a mile, and next week I plan to run one complete mile. Onward, ever upward. Forward, never backward! Go David Strong! HOOAH!!
Here are the videos that took me a month to get done, only because I'v been busy and I had to sort through and organize a lot of the footage and make sense of it. Let me put it this way...I literally rambled and had to turn my crazy talk into a cohesive whole for a viewer to follow. lol So if it still seems like I'm talking a whole lotta nothing...well sorry. I tried. eh :/
Anyway, here is both parts one and two.
Part 1
Part 2
This is part one of a rather long video on different aspects of going to a Military Entrance Processing Station to enlist. It is a rather long process and so I took my time to just highlight some of the more memorable and important things I experienced over the course of both my visits.I will be uploading part two of this LONG video sometime soon, as I anticipate being very busy this weekend. So it may end up being next week that I get around to editing and uploading the second half. So watch for it. Meanwhile, the question to you for this video is...What was MEPS experience like, if you've gone already?For any immediate questions please feel free to email me: godavidstrong@gmail.comAdd me:
Blog: http://godavidstrong.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/godavidstrong
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Go-Davi...Thanks so much in advance for watching and supporting!References:
USMEPCOM: http://www.mepcom.army.mil/enlistment...
USMilitary.about.com: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joinin...
Hooah4health.com: http://hooah4health.com
Color Test: http://www.archimedes-lab.org/colorbl...
Been a bit busy these past few days, when I fully intended to make a second video about my MEPS experience. I know I already blogged about it, but some people might not want to read that long post. So, I am going to try to spread the word via video. Give 'til Monday the 1st to get the video done and uploaded to YouTube. So suffice it to say, watch for it soon, even though it's late.
Later :)
Hi! I'm David Moore and I am an American Soldier. On February 5, 2010 I enlisted into the United States Army Reserve, and completed Initial Entry Training (IET) in December of 2010. I've been sharing my experiences since the day I enlisted and will into the future. Present goal: Army Officer Read more...
Common Acronyms used in posts:
APFT = Army Physical Fitness Test
BCT = Basic Combat Training
AIT = Advanced Individual Training
IET = Initial Entry Training
BWC = Best Warrior Competition
UA = Unit Administrator
OPSEC = Operations Security
MOS = Military Occupational Specialty
PT = Physical Training
D&C = Drill & Ceremony
MEPS = Military Entrance Processing Station
OCS = Officer Candidate School
MP = Military Police
NCO = Non-Commissioned Officer
CO = Commanding Officer
AT = Annual Training
