I have a little less than a year before I join what should I do to prepare for the asvab and boot camp

As I suggested in the other try this on for size for the ASVAB. As far as preparing for basic training, I assume you mean physically, correct? Well you should also prepare mentally for basic training. Here are a few suggestions:

• Start doing military push ups, crunches, and back bends;
• Start try to run a little bit every day;
• If you don't already, learn how to swim;
• Make sure you understand that once you sign that paperwork, Uncle Sam owns your a$$ until it expires and a Drill Sergeant owns your a$$ for 10 weeks;
• Watch some youtube videos about boot camp and such;
• Make sure you understand the risks involved with the commitment - not only the obvious;
• Make sure you understand the FULL SCOPE of the MOS you're going for - easy is never easy

Originally Posted by crazytanker

As I suggested in the other try this on for size for the ASVAB. As far as preparing for basic training, I assume you mean physically, correct? Well you should also prepare mentally for basic training. Here are a few suggestions:

• Start doing military push ups, crunches, and back bends;
• Start try to run a little bit every day;
• If you don't already, learn how to swim;
• Make sure you understand that once you sign that paperwork, Uncle Sam owns your a$$ until it expires and a Drill Sergeant owns your a$$ for 10 weeks;
• Watch some youtube videos about boot camp and such;
• Make sure you understand the risks involved with the commitment - not only the obvious;
• Make sure you understand the FULL SCOPE of the MOS you're going for - easy is never easy

I'm sure the Sargent knows better than I! But if memory serves me right the more running you do the better!
BTW what's the back bend? We didn't do that when I was in?
If you own a rifle it might not hurt to learn how to shoot, or shoot more accurately.
If your heavy try to lose a few, It will save you a lots of discomfort.
Best of Luck

Originally Posted by JOC

I'm sure the Sargent knows better than I! But if memory serves me right the more running you do the better!
BTW what's the back bend? We didn't do that when I was in?
If you own a rifle it might not hurt to learn how to shoot, or shoot more accurately.
If your heavy try to lose a few, It will save you a lots of discomfort.
Best of Luck

We always tell recruits the first couple of weeks run as much and as far as you can. When you need to run, slow down to a walk but keep moving. As long as you don't give up, we won't give up on you either. After all, our job is to motivate you to keep going.

The back bend has been developed to counter the few negative effects of the standard (and correct) crunch. You start by standing straight up (ankles, hips, shoulders inline), and you bend backwards. You go as far as you can without hurting, and you hold it for a couple of minutes. Then you slowly come back up. This helps to counter the one-sidedness of standard crunches. Crunches only work one set of muscles and in one way. This helps to work them in a different way, and bring in the muscles in the lower back.

If you have a rifle/pistol and ARE COMFORTABLE handling the weapon, as JOC said try to work on your accuracy. Once you get to basic training, we know how to teach blind people how to hit the target. If you're not comfortable holding a weapon, hold off until basic. Chances are once you get to basic, "everything is wrong" applies. We have a specific way to train recruits to handle weapons, which is integrated throughout BCT. It starts by learning how to handle a dummy. Eventually it's a real weapon, no bullets. This continues until your final field exercise, which combines all of the training you received.

At basic training, we get people who have never held a weapon, and people who are championship shooters. Everyone, however, starts off the same in the eyes of the Drill Sergeant. Our entire program is designed to take a scared kid and turn him into a confidant soldier of the United States Army. Once you get to basic, the first phrase is called White Phase. And in this, essentially, everything you knew from your civilian life is WRONG and must be corrected by the Drill Sergeants. We take and break everyone down so that we can start building up. Your first couple of weeks, your Drill Sergeant is basically holding your hand...in our own unique style.

Think of the recruitment and training process as a giant mine. The recruiters break off giant chunks of rocks from the walls of the civilian world and send them to us. We take and chip away at the rock and get to precious gem on the inside. Then they go to AIT which takes that gem and polishes it to a shine.

I'm sure you're very nervous - that's ok! Everyone is scared and nervous their first day of basic training. That's the point. Remember that Drill Sergeants can identify hard heads, potential leaders, people who will need a lot of extra work, people who will rise to the top straight away. This process starts as soon as you step off the bus and into our care. Everything we do is designed to a T, and everything has an alternative purpose for existing. When people are scarred and nervous, these tell-tale signs become so clear that it's like a giant billboard.

Like I said...EVERYONE gets broken. We break everyone down and get rid of their fears, bad habits, and everything else that makes for a bad soldier. We can't send a ruby off to the polishing station with dirt still on it. But after ten weeks...you'll be a completely different person. Ten weeks of fourteen hour days getting yelled at by a guy underneath a hat that makes him look like smokey the bear has this funny way of producing confident young men and women.

This part is important, so pay some fu**** attention:

Get yourself some NON-SCENTED deodorant/antiperspirant. PLEASE. Otherwise, you will be the most hated person in the company. I promise. Scented deodorant is great when you're not wearing it for fourteen hours and sweating the entire time. After a fun filled day in the sun, that stuff starts to STINK. You might have been smelling like a fresh field that morning but by the time it's shower time later that night you gonna be smelling like the cows crapped all over your flowers in the fresh field. Take into account your day starts at 0430 and ends around 1900.

Is there any study guides or tips you can give for the asvab

Originally Posted by Ryne baugh

Is there any study guides or tips you can give for the asvab

I've already given you the link that I have provided, twice.

Training must have changed since I went to basic and was an AIT instructor...the first phase was called red phase, then white, and finally blue...and since I was OSUT it went to black and then gold to finish.

Anyways, for the kid...just do exactly what you're told when you're told to do it. 90% of your success is just going to consist of being in the right place, at the right time, in the right uniform...if you do that, I promise you your drill sergeants will do the rest and your transition will be less painfull. Your job is not to ask or even know the "why" you're doing something....it is to act. Remember that.

Originally Posted by brinktk

Training must have changed since I went to basic and was an AIT instructor...the first phase was called red phase, then white, and finally blue...and since I was OSUT it went to black and then gold to finish.

Anyways, for the kid...just do exactly what you're told when you're told to do it. 90% of your success is just going to consist of being in the right place, at the right time, in the right uniform...if you do that, I promise you your drill sergeants will do the rest and your transition will be less painfull. Your job is not to ask or even know the "why" you're doing something....it is to act. Remember that.

It still is - red white and blue. Did I not mention that? Sorry, I thought I had. Or maybe I was thinking that he wouldn't simply know by colors. Who knows what I was thinking?

And that's definitely solid advice. "Do what you're told, when you're told to do it."

I've decided on the navy

Originally Posted by Ryne baugh

I've decided on the navy

Best of luck to you...Navy DIs are insane. Hope you can swim!