The Army Story
The U.S. Army comprises the most dedicated, respected, and inspirational citizens, soldiers, and Individuals. However, we like to make jokes about how the Army is for the dumb or the crazy. I believe that we are part of the one percent of Americans who have decided to join for whatever reason. Maybe not everyone has entered to be the first person that our nation calls on in time of need. Still, I know that they have joined to better their quality of life, one of the best qualities that all military personnel have. That is why I have joined, to add another experience that makes me unique and part of a group of people who want to continue to better themselves and the people around them.
So, what was basic training for me? Ugh, considering that I went into basic training during the middle of a global pandemic, it wasn’t the traditional story that most people tell you. The whole, my Drill Sergent had me outside in the heat doing push-ups in sets of fifty while at a time they scream insults about you, your mom, and the small heart that you have. Although some of them hit you with some hurtful things, it was nothing like my parents' stories when I was younger. I kind of think of it as a watered-down version of a high school gym class. With the other trainees as students that you don’t like, the drill sergeants as the failed college athlete coach that is mad at the world, and the dodge-balls are replaced with M-4 and Rucksacks. So, I guess you can look at being in the Army is like a more professional version of Highschool. So, for the younger readers out there thinking about joining the Military, get ready for Highschool 2.0. I’m telling you from experience it’s the same shit, you’ll have Déja Vu throughout the whole process.
Basic Training 2020, the cycle of the Rona, was one for the history books. It was a collection of happiness and laughter, pain and sadness, hardship, and triumph. I won’t talk about the whole process of MEPs, BCT, and AIT in this post, instead I will be talking about the key moments and give you some advice that I think you might need if you are looking to join the Army for some strange reason. Let’s break it up into three big topics; the physical and the mental. With that said and understood, let’s jump into things.
THE PHYSICAL
When you think about Army men and women, you imagine buff gym rats don’t miss a leg day…EVER. However, you do have the few that live and breathe protein powder and the sweat of despair. Everyone is out of shape when it comes to Basic training. Now, for some of you High School or College Athletes, mostly guys, that might be reading, will say;
“No, I’m in shape I [insert some stupid workout routine].” or “I wake up and run 2.5 miles every morning.” or the really cocky mofo’s will say. “I can run a 2 miles in 10 minutes and 32 seconds.”
Trust me, we had a couple that tried to flex that hard, and to that, I would respond with some smart replies like;
“No one cares, LIKE AT ALL.” or “Yeah, you’ll be the first one to cry.”
The overall physical aspect of basic training is a big part of the training. Personally, it wasn’t the hardest thing in the world, but It was a lot of stress on the body. For the training, you have to remember that you don’t have time to rest. You will be on your feet for every waking moment of your training; even when you’re sleeping, you will feel like you are still on your feet. So, you have that, but physical exercise every morning, except Sunday, at 0’dark thirty. I don’t want even to mention all the smoking or “disciplinary actions” that happened after someone did something stupid (which was all the time.) The body will start to break down at some point, and when it does, it will feel like you’re knees are fifty-four, your back is forty-two, and you are only eighteen.
THE MENTAL
One of the biggest things that I didn’t mention about the physical aspect of basic training is that it is ALL mental. If you go into basic training with the idea or fear that you will not make it or you can do it, you will run into some massive issues during those nine weeks. Always think that you can. During my basic training, they wanted to see that you were trying to push yourself and better yourself. When you are doing those push-up, you have to make yourself do ten more, and when you are running those 2 miles, push your mind and body to keep it going. As some of you might know, all of our conditioning is to prepare for the Army Combat Fitness Test or ACFT. Which is the Army newest version of the Physical Training test (PT)
PERSONAL STORYTIME
The mental aspect of basic training was the hardest thing for me. Before joining the Army, I had a terrible knee problem. While at a bar in Memphis in 2019, I might have gotten a little too wild and ended up falling and collapsing on my leg, leaving me unable to walk. Since I would be Precious if I wasn't stubborn, I just left the bar on the back of one of my friends and was carried back to my hotel room. My thinking was that it would heal on its own. Plot twist, I was unable to move that morning and had to cut the trip short. Once getting back in Little Rock, I still didn't get my knee checked out and just relied on time and natural healing. Come to find out that I had a severe case of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome, also known as the runner's knee.
It might not seem like a big deal but, when I enlisted and shipped off to basic, I was screwed; we literally hit the ground running. While doing the first ACFT, that's when I realized that it was going to be an issue with my knee. I struggled with my form when running, and honestly, I had a problem pushing myself to open my stride because I was terrified to misstep and trigger discomfort in my leg. Every time after that, I cried anytime that I had to run, just because I had the mindset that I couldn't run or the fact that I didn't want to reinjure myself.
Afterwhile, I had to get over the fear of the pain, the fear of failure, and change my mindset to get through. After a stressful two months of physical and mental challenge, not only did my knee improve, but my confidence skyrocketed.
I’m not saying that it was the most comfortable journey that I went on but, when I look back on it four months later, I have found out that it was one of the most important life events that I have been on since graduating and High-school. This is an adventure that I have been planning, and it’s been a wild one so far.
”In our quest to follow their footsteps, we miss an inherent truth: You can only walk your own path. When you follow your own path you win. When you try to follow others’ you don't.”
Currently, I am in Advanced Individual Training (AIT) in Fort Gordon, learning my MOS, which is 25B (Information Technology Specialist.) I leave with a quote from my AIT Drill Sergent says;
“Get Comfortable with being uncomfortable.” —DS WIGGINS
This is true; the best way to grow into yourself and who you need to want to be, you must move past being comfortable and force yourself to move into situations or places you would never imagine yourself to be. In the end, you will find where you need to be. If it’s not clear now, it might make sense to look backward.
