What To Bring To Boot Camp
Although the question of what to pack and what not to pack is an agonizing one for anybody who is planning a major trip, this is especially true when it comes to new enlistees packing for boot camp. Keep in mind that the Army recruiter does supply you with a list of what can and cannot be brought to boot camp. However, just as in civilian life, there are those who like to push the boundaries of the ‘do’s’ and ‘do not’s’, but this is definitely a bad idea when it comes to basic training drill sergeants.
A certified copy of college transcripts: GED or high school diploma
Certified college transcript (if applicable).
Social Security Card.
Valid photo I.D. or driver’s license.
ATM or debit card.
Bank information, to set up direct deposit.
Certified copy of marriage license (if applicable).
Certified copy of divorce decree (if applicable).
If your current spouse was previously divorced, bring a certified copy of that divorce decree as well.
Certified copy of spouse’s birth certificate and photo I.D. (if applicable).
Certified copy of your children’s birth certificates (if applicable).
The prescription for your glasses. You will not be allowed to wear contacts or your civilian issued glasses while you are in boot camp.
A letter from your physician listing all prescribed medications.
Any lease agreement or rental contract (this will primarily apply to married enlistees whose families travel with them).
Any child support documents.
Should an enlistee’s spouse also be serving in the military they will need their social security number and military address.
Proof of citizenship (if you were not born in the United States)
Be sure to have all copies of orders and documents issued by your unit recruiter and/or MEPS. These orders must be delivered by you and by hand. ravel and meal tickets will be provided.
NECESSARY MEN’S CLOTHING ITEMS
A single outfit of casual civilian clothing is recommended. Some people try to take two outfits, but as limited as space is in the foot locker, you may not want to do that. This is a situation where less is definitely better.
White underwear: A good rule of thumb is to bring five pairs. Although new recruits will be issued clothing and allowed to purchase anything that isn’t issued, it may take a few days before you can purchase anything you might need that isn’t issued to you. Besides that, having extra underwear can come in handy, depending on an enlistee’s laundry schedule.
Running shoes: One pair of running shoes will be sufficient.
Athletic supporter: This is self-explanatory due to the extremely physical nature of the training.
White calf-length athletic socks, with no logos on them: Although there will be opportunities to do laundry, having extra socks will come in handy, especially for keeping your feet dry and clean, which will help to control any type of issues such as Athlete’s foot. It is recommended to bring at least six to seven pairs to supplement what will be issued.
Shower shoes: These are highly advisable as enlistees use communal showers. Just be certain that they are solid black, to avoid any regulation issues. It is usually recommended to take just one pair. If anything happens to them, you can buy another pair at the PX. You don’t want a second pair taking up space when it isn’t really necessary.
Eyeglass band: This is important to avoid losing and potentially breaking prescription eyeglasses. A sturdy athletic band is the wisest choice because of its durability.
NECESSARY WOMEN’S CLOTHING ITEMS
As with men, women are advised to bring a single outfit of casual civilian clothing.
White underwear: In a female’s case, new recruits may want to consider seven pair as opposed to five, mainly because of the possibility of issues caused by their monthly cycle.
Bras: It is strongly recommended that women bring at least two sports bras in addition to at least four regular bras. You may want to take a full week’s worth, due to the potential difficulty of doing laundry.
White calf-length athletic socks with no logos on them: Female recruits will be performing the same physical activities that the males will. The same six to seven pair of socks is recommended, for the same reason of keeping your feet dry and clean, to help control any type of issues such as Athlete’s foot. Also, opportunities to do laundry are limited, so having extra socks can be an advantage.
Running shoes: One pair will be sufficient.
Shower shoes: Again, this is like the recommendation for men. These are highly advisable as enlistees use communal showers. Just be certain that they are solid black, to avoid any regulation issues. It is usually recommended to take just one pair. If anything happens to them, you can buy another pair at the PX. You don’t want a second pair taking up space when it isn’t really necessary.
Eyeglass band: This is important to avoid losing and potentially breaking prescription eyeglasses. A sturdy athletic band is the wisest choice because of its durability.
Full-slip: One should be sufficient but it will be needed for full dress occasions. Make sure it is approximately knee length since uniform skirts are tailored to your height.
Flesh toned pantyhose: For full uniform dress occasions, one pair should be sufficient, but it is recommended to have two pair, so that if a pair begins running, they can be quickly replaced.
While it is a good idea to have backups, just in case, keep in mind that enlistees will be issued most of their clothing items, as well as having access to the base stores. However, as the opportunities to go shopping are limited and may not happen for a couple of weeks, having these items beforehand will save a great deal of frustration, as well as making certain that enlistees are fully prepared from the start.
NECESSARY MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
Disposable razors.
Shaving cream.
Toothbrush with a case, and make certain to put your name on both the brush and the case.
Toothpaste.
Dental floss.
A small bottle of mouth rinse.
A hairbrush or a six-inch black comb.
Deodorant.
Soap and a soap case: Bringing a spare bar of soap with you might not be a bad idea.
Q-tips: Not an absolute necessity, but they can come in handy.
Cotton balls: These are helpful for several reasons, but, again, they are not actually necessary.
Cough drops: While cold medication is not allowed, these can help avoid sore throats and coughs. You may need to verify with your drill sergeant that you are allowed to have them.
A cheap watch: This can be a good investment. While some drill sergeants do not particularly want recruits to have a watch, there are others who insist that it’s a necessity. It’s better to be safe than sorry, so bringing a cheap digital watch is a good idea, just make sure you verify with your drill sergeant whether or not they will allow you to wear it.
Combination lock: Bring two of these. There are locks that allow you to program your own combination, so you are less likely to forget it. Although key locks are permitted, keep in mind there is always the possibility of either losing the key or locking it inside the foot locker. A combination lock can help avoid this problem.
Writing paper, envelopes, pens or pencils and stamps: You need these in order to write letters to friends and family. There are times when it will actually be suggested that you write to your family, so having the necessary supplies would be very helpful.
Phone cards: In order to make calls back home.
Foot powder and foot cream: You can use these to help keep any foot issues such as Athlete’s foot down to a minimum and possibly help prevent it. Bring only a small amount. You can purchase more if you need to.
Shampoo: For the female recruits it is best to bring a bottle to boot camp, even if they should choose to cut their hair. For the male recruits, this might not be an issue as they will receive extremely short haircuts. Still, a small bottle is advisable.
Bobby pins, black barrettes and pony tail holders: These items are for the female recruits who have long hair. Army regulations require that if a female has long hair, her hair must be put up and out of the way as it can create potential problems.
Sanitary products: A small package for the female recruits is advisable, until they become familiar with the base stores, just to be on the safe side.
One black duffel bag or suitcase with no logos: While both are acceptable the duffel bag would be best for easy transport.
Wash cloths: You will be issued these, but it’s a good idea to take some with you, in case it’s a few days before they’re issued. Two should be sufficient.
Towels for showering: Again, these will be issued to you, but they are very small. If you don’t take a couple with you, you may want to purchase the larger towels available at the PX. Two should be sufficient, although female recruits may want to consider three.
A small supply of laundry detergent and dryer sheets for laundry needs: Two to three rolls of quarters would also be advisable: These will come in handy for doing laundry and the snack and drink machines. You may also want to bring some cash, $10, but no more than $50 in cash.
Although new recruits will be granted access to the base stores, that may take a couple of weeks to happen. Having a small supply of the above necessities will make things go a lot smoother at the beginning of basic training. Should there be any further items that are required, there is always the option of having them sent from home by family members until access to the base stores is allowed.
WHAT SHOULD I LEAVE AT HOME?
While there are several items that are a necessity for basic training that need to be brought to boot camp, there are also several items that are definite ‘do not’s’ when it comes to packing for boot camp. Keep in mind that a large part of the drill sergeant’s job is to create a stressful environment in basic training. This is not to be cruel, but to prepare you for a future in the Army. Being a soldier can force you into stressful situations and the purpose of basic training is to prepare recruits for this type of life. The best way to avoid becoming a drill sergeant’s ‘temporary teaching aid’ is to adhere to the rules and try not to incur too much negative attention. Some negative attention is unavoidable, since it is a part of the boot camp experience, but you want to minimize it, to the best of your ability. The following is a list of items that should absolutely not be brought to boot camp.
Food: Meals will be provided and there are snack machines available. There will not be places to store food in the barracks and, if left out, food can draw some very unwanted roommates such as mice, roaches and ants. Bringing in these types of bunk mates can make a recruit very popular with the drill sergeants and extremely unpopular with fellow recruits.
Family members: This should really be self-explanatory. Suffice it to say that the drill instructors would not be happy with the idea of Grandma sitting in the barracks, knitting, while everyone else is on maneuvers. Some recruits have family members that choose to stay near the base while they are in boot camp, but they cannot actually stay in the barracks with the recruit.
Pets: As with family members, bringing a pet is a really bad idea. Drill sergeants tend to frown at the idea of Fluffy curling up on the bunk to take her cat nap.
Weapons: The Army will issue any necessary weapons needed for training. No firearms or knives of any size are permitted.
Private vehicles: The base is pretty much self-contained, so that anything that is needed can be obtained there. Another aspect for consideration is that there are hundreds of recruits on the base and there are simply not enough parking spaces to accommodate that many vehicles.
Steel hair picks: These can be used as weapons and are frowned upon.
Pocketknives: These may be small but they are still knives and are also considered as weapon.
Pornographic materials: These items are considered corrupting and are not permitted.
Playing cards: Although they are a good way to pass time, cards also have a tendency to encourage gambling, which can cause problems such as fighting among recruits and, therefore, are not allowed.
Dice or dominoes: These are also frowned upon as they also tend to encourage gambling.
Tobacco products: Tobacco is frowned upon for a couple of reasons, such as health and breathing issues. No tobacco products, including dip and snuff, are allowed.
Batteries: These will not be needed for anything as electronic devices are not allowed.
Non-prescription drugs: Any medications that may be required will be administered by the base physician.
Jewelry: Aside from wedding rings, simple post earrings for women and a cheap digital watch leave the remainder of your jewelry at home. This will help avoid any potential issues, such as theft.
Electronic devices: Items such as MP3 players, cameras, cellphones and laptops will be taken away upon arrival, so save yourself the trouble and leave them at home.
Cellphones can be a rather gray area, but it is still recommended that you leave them at home. They will be taken away upon arrival, but will be returned later so you won’t lose the phone, but you still won’t be able to use it while you are in boot camp. The best advice, when it comes to the cellphone issue in basic training, is for you to suspend the service for the length of your basic training and just leave the phone at home.
While some of these items may seem rather obvious ‘do not’s’, it is still a good idea to make certain that the rules are fully understood. Regulations can also change, so it is important to check with your recruiter and verify that these lists are still current. There is one vital aspect of the Army that needs to be fully understood by all recruits and that is the fact that when it comes to rules and regulations, each aspect is fully explained, so any infraction of those rules and regulations is dealt with in a strict manner.
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