EuroSpike said:
How realistic image goarmy.com gives about training and service in US? I guess it shows only what is officially wanted to be shown.
goarmy.com -- I just returned from Basic Training at Ft. Benning, GA and... it is nothing like the videos. Of course some of the things you do are the same, but a majority of my training has been much harder then shown on those videos. Maybe it's also because I went into Infantry, and so I am actually in OSUT (One Station Unit Training), which is basic/ait combined, so my basic training is really 14 weeks instead of 9. Also, FT. Benning allows no women to be trained for Basic/OSUT so the Drill Sergeants can "get away" with more. It's still not too bad, but you find a lot of guys who sike themselves out of it.
The hardest thing learned at Basic Training for me sounds really cheesy, but it's true. Everytime I wanted to quit, or fall out of a 6 mile run or anything, I didn't because I didn't want the Drill Sergeants to think I was a p*ssy. By not falling out, I guess I just realized that even when you think you can't do anymore, you always can, you just have to suck it up and move on.
Also, about the goarmy.com videos - They're there to get people interested in the Army. A lot of things can be changed during Basic, that the goarmy web site doesn't show. Everything is pretty close on the site, but I guess (at least for training) you have to go through it, to really know what it's like. Videos, etc. just can't show you.