What to bring to BCT, Help Needed

[JPH]

I didn’t find what I was looking for when searching, if this has been covered shoot me a PM, delete the thread, and sorry for any inconvenience I may have caused.

My recruiter has become less and less reliable as I near my ship date. Therefore I have tried to bust some Google-fu moves and get a list of what is needed for basic. Below is a list I have compiled from the web of what I am expected to bring to basic these days.

Anyone who is a recruiter, has a good recruiter, or is in the know via some other means, please look over this list and make corrections as needed.

One big question I have is this, when it says “Orders” I have a massive folder of paperwork from MEPS, which documents from that mass do I need to hand carry to BCT, or do I need them all?

• Social Security Card
• Banking account number card (all account info needed for direct deposit)
• Driver’s License
• Orders
• College Transcripts
• Long Distance Calling Card
• Running Shoes
• Personal hygiene kit
  • Razor
  • Replacement Blades (not exposed razor)
  • Shaving Foam
  • Bar Soap
  • Shampoo
  • Deodorant
  • Toothbrush
  • Toothpaste
  • Fingernail Clippers
  • Toenail Clippers
• (2x) Plain Towels
• Stationary and stamps
  • (40x) Paper that fits envelops
  • (20x) Envelops
  • (20x) Forever Stamps
  • (6x) Ink pen
• White calf length socks, no logos or color on them
• (3x) White underwear
• Shower Shoes
• Wear a pair, Pack a pair – Civilian Clothing
• Personal address book
• One Lock
• $50.00 cash, in 5’s and 10’s

Thank-you all for your time,
JPH

[Pete]

Well you don't really need the stationary supplies but a word of advice...

Daughter # 2 is not all that warm and fuzzy with the lack of the written word from her boyfriend nearing the end of basic.

Females, and that includes Mothers, like a steady flow of written things. Best to keep on their good side. Helps with care packages later on down the road.

[Shar]

I don't know how having keys or specific types of locks work at basic and my husband isn't home to ask him - BUT I do know this...

We used a padlock to secure a storage unit here on Ft. Huachuca when we first got here a few years ago for OBC after my husband graduated from OCS. It held all of his issued gear (he'd gone straight from Basic to OCS so it literally held his entire Army inventory) and everything we'd loaded in the car while we were looking for an apartment. It took one night for someone to break into it. The storage unit manager said that any time anyone uses a padlock that storage unit gets broken into immediately because they are really easy to break by hitting them at the right angle with a SHOE or hammer. We would have appreciated that information a day earlier since we had to replace all his issued gear and renters insurance only covers up to $300 or something.

If you can (and someone else will have to answer this) bring a lock that you have to use a key to get into - not a padlock. We were sort of dumb and naive and didn't think anyone in the Army would rip us off.

ETA: On written things... my husband's Drill SGT's made them write letters on Sundays. He hadn't brought stationary so he had to go to the PX and buy some high speed Army stuff. Nice!

[sfrecrutr]

Carry your contract you signed. You may have to argue a point

You will get orders when you get to MEPS

If you were given a training book that your recruiter annotated what training you had recieved take that also.

Everything else looks good.

oh yeah and plenty of motivation never hurt.

[Radar Rider]

Your list includes shampoo. You probably won't need that for the first month or so.

[jatx]

Realize this: whatever you take with you, and whatever bag you take it in, will end up being held over your head for an indeterminate period, run with, dumped and thrown, along with everything the Army is going to issue you. So save yourself the trouble and travel light.

1. Take a blank check as well as your bank card. The bank card does not have your account info on it, so you won't be able to fill out your direct deposit forms without the info on the face of a check.

2. Your orders, transcripts, etc. will be in a folder that you leave MEPS with. For other critical documents, I recommend scanning them into pdf format and taking copies on a thumb drive. If you run into issues, your DS will be able to get you computer access to print copies. This includes marriage and divorce papers, birth certificates, your contract, lease or mortgage if applicable, etc.

3. Don't bother buying new running shoes before you leave. Your DS will examine your feet and tell you what kind to buy during the first week at the PX. You will be given a "stored value" card with which to make that and other purchases. $250, IIRC.

4. Keep the hygiene kit simple and stick to travel sizes.

5. One small towel should suffice. You will only use it for a couple of days until you get your Army issue towels.

6. You can buy stationary at the PX, but the stamps are a really good idea. Take a full roll - you will use more than 20 and can use the others as currency. Even more importantly, pick up a plastic organizer with internal dividers and an elastic closure. This will help you keep everything organized, including the mail you receive once there.

7. If you buy shower shoes, make sure that they are plain black and have no logos of any kind.

8. Buy yourself a couple of Rite in the Rain pocket notebooks and write your key addresses and phone numbers in the back of one. They are waterproof and will save you some grief. Also, Drill Sergeants like it when people write down what they say (especially if you become a PL).

9. Use a Sharpie to mark every item that you have with you during BCT. Take an extra Sharpie to help your buddies. You are about to witness crazy acts of thievery. I have seen soldier's dirty underwear go missing while they were in the shower.

10. Pick up a red lens Photon Microlight and put it on the chain with your dog tags. It will come in handy and you'll use it much more than the crappy L-shaped lights available in the PX.

11. Gold Bond foot powder. Gold Bond crotch powder. Buy them at the PX.

12. Carry everything in a small book bag or day pack, organized in gallon ziplocs. It will get dumped during shake down and this will make your life easier.

13. If you have a cell phone, take it. It will make life easier on Family Day.

[Kyobanim]

I have seen soldier's dirty underwear go missing while they were in the shower

I put mine on with a tiny snowball in them. That really hurts.

[Books]

Everything everyone said sounds good JPH. If what you have is not allowed they will either store it for you or mail it back home for you (that's what they did with my civi clothes at Navy boot camp).

jatx's comment about the thumb drive is spot on. The sooner you can get your paper life scanned and SECURELY stored, the easier life will be later on in your Army career. Look for a thumb drive that has an integral encryption system (many do).

Good luck, keep a sense of humor, and just know that it's going to suck for a while.

Drive on.

Books

[JPH]

Thanks everyone, if anyone thinks of anything more then keep the post coming...

Books -- I hear you there, see my thread -- http://professionalsoldiers.com/foru...ad.php?t=15283 for my idea. having all my paper files scanned is one of many reasons I wanted the best...

JPH

[incommin]

Put these on your list:
Patience, an open mind, determination, positive attitude, a desire to help those slower than you, and some pride in what you are doing.


Jim

[Books]

Incommin really hit the nail on the head. BCT is where you learn that before you are any fancy MOS, you are first and foremost a soldier. As discussed elsewhere on this board, a soldier is many things, none of which are selfish, small minded or mean. Good luck and keep the faith.

Books.

[FearMonkey]

Maybe some kind of Vitamin C booster a couple weeks out just before you head off into the wild blu -- er, green yonder. That *might* help the case of Ft Benning Crud you're inevitably going to contract. I think I spent 9 out of 14 weeks hacking up thick green mucus. The other 5 it was red.

[zuluzerosix]

A Big Fat THANK YOU from me and my family for serving this great country. We keep a candle lit for all of you.

[Scimitar]

Great question JPH & superd advice jtx and others

Most appreciated

Thank you

Scimitar

[JPH]

Just a quick update here, I am in AIT now and have a bit more freedom to communicate with the outside world so I thought I would update this for whoever comes down the road next…

It was three weeks before I was allowed to go to the PX and buy additional personal hygiene items. This situation is company dependent, meaning it depends totally on where you go to BCT and then which company you are in. I know of soldiers in other companies, just down the road from me on Sand Hill, who were marched to the PX within 3-5 days. So pack light, but a full-size deodorant, extra travel size toothpaste, and a full-size bar of soap wont make you reach mussel failure any sooner than leaving them at home and you will be much better prepared (happier), because trust me you wont want to ask your dirty battle buddy if you can use his nasty bar of soap, but you will if you don’t have any left yourself.

On having your documents squared away… BE ADVISED, I am the product of three very complicated military paperwork SNAFUs… having hard copies AND digital scans of my documents saved my butt and kept me out of a holding company for 2-3 extra weeks… If you don’t own a scanner spend 1-2 hours at Kinkos and make a good quality scan of EVERYTHING you have been given or signed from your recruiter, MEPS, and School… Also get on to AKO if you can and download the PDF scans they have so you can see what they have and don’t… your record is your responsibility. If you get to keep your 201 file while you are at an AIT holding company get copies made and sent home, you can scan them the next time your home.

That’s it for now,
Hope this helps,
JPH