what to bring

[Kyle Griffioen]

I will be joining the air force an going to BCT in texas for 8 1/2 weeks. what all should i bring with me. and i heard you can bring a cell and can use it on your free time.

[sockpuppet]

I don't know about air force basic, but in the army you cannot use your phone. You'll get a chance to put it in a box immediately and probably won't see it again for about six weeks.

Basically, bring what's on the packing list and nothing else. If you have books, ipod etc for the trip to lackland, you will get a chance to turn them in during reception.

Make sure to bring plenty of stamps, envelopes or post-cards (I liked post cards best), and black ink pens. Also a few small pocket sized notebooks.

Buy moleskin in the shopette while you're in reception. You will most likely need it very soon. Make sure you have at least a nail clipper to cut it with, but the military sewing kit has scissors that are probably allowed (other scissors are probably NOT allowed, and knives etc are definitely not allowed).

al

[Kyle Griffioen]

ya i just got done with the asvab. i had a felling the list they give you would just have basic advise on it, and was going to see what other people say to bring thats not on the list. i see i can buy the mole skin there. can i also get the sewing kit there of should i buy that before i go?

[sockpuppet]

They should have that stuff available in the shopette that you'll have to go to during reception. Or you could get it in advance if you like.

The moleskin is for treating blisters. It's best if you get the moleskin on at the very first sign of a blister starting up, NOT once you've already got a monster on your feet.

There wasn't much that wasn't on the list that you would have been allowed to keep when I went thru. Innocent items, like books, you can have but they'll be taken during shakedown at basic and you'll get them back when it's over.

They'll give you a chance to buy everything you need at reception, and with a few trips to the shopette during basic. They also give you an advance on your pay in the form of a card, so you don't need to worry about not having enough money.

They'll make you buy a whole bunch of stuff, some of which you have discretion over whether you want it or not, some which are mandatory.

Make sure you get the spandex, BTW. You'll see why when you start doing PT. You don't want to be without spandex if it's warm out and you're doing PT.

[Kyle Griffioen]

ok thanks for the help, i will be in contact if i have more questions which i am sure i will later.

[Deborah]

My son recently graduated from AF basic. He was allowed to keep his cell phone, but they took the battery. However, they earned "patio breaks", with access to phone, and it was my understanding, snack machines (I hope I heard that part wrong). He was able to call me a lot more than I thought he could, and I'm sure I was not the only one he was calling.

[sockpuppet]

Army might be a bit tougher than air force. Or at least it is if you ask people who are in the army. :-)

They're not out to destroy you tho, basic is meant to be stressful and difficult, but passable and very much designed to build you UP into a soldier. They break your civilian attitudes down, true, but being a soldier is pretty fun most of the time, so you're gaining far more than you're losing. Besides, you won't be a trainee forever, then your life mostly returns to normal.