What NOT to bring to Basic Training 🙅🏻‍♀️

[lordclark]

Don’t bring your ego. You won’t be needing that shit there 😂

[ethanpoole]

Bruh you the YouTube algorithm keeps recommending me army shorts. We finna go to war bruh

[ronrunner]

Brought a bible. The DS was tossing everything out my duffel and when she saw my bible she picked it out my bag handed it to me then proceeded to toss everything else. Instant respect.

[RavenTheBlackford]

"Don't bring too much cash" AHEM I joined to pay off my debt and they were the only one hiring.

[jpdive]

Make sure you bring your recruiter's phone number so you can call them 3 days in and let them know that you made a mistake

[MasonBills]

if you do decide to bring your soul, reception will take it away from you and you’ll never see it again.

[kevinc.cucumber]

This dude in my basic brought a louis vuitton bag

[althor]

Marine Corps basic things to bring.
Clothes on your back.
$20
Meps paperwork

[pineappleginseng]

If you have to ask yourself, "Should I bring this?", the answer is probably, "No". All you need are the clothes you're wearing when you're shipping out, your wallet (ID, SSN card, debit card, and MAYBE some cash), and any pertinent paperwork from your recruiter and MEPS.

Good luck and Godspeed to all the new recruits! We're proud of ya, and we're rootin for ya!

[jyamez]

The food doesn’t get thrown away the drill sergeants just eat it all 😂

[tdrewman]

I remember one guy came in with shorts and T-Shirt, wallet, pair of shoes.. He also had a small hand held travel bag with a tooth brush, toothpaste, razor, deodorant.. The next day, all he had left to take with him into the barracks was the little travel bag. He told us, he was warned by his brother not to take anything because they were going to take it all away. I wish somebody would have told me that..

[kevinbasilio]

"Dont bring too much cash". Lmao like i even have cash to bring maam.

[CharlesHuse]

I was USAF BMTin 1990. Our DI told us he had a guy in the previous flight who needed clothes iron. So the guy tells his brother in his weekly 3 minute phone call, “Send me an iron.” A week later, dude get this package from his brother thinking it’s the iron he asked for. It was an iron alright….he opens the box and immediately takes it to the DI. It was a “shootin’ iron”. His brother sent him a .38 revolver.

[lansselanguisher]

Don’t bring new pairs of running shoes, make sure they’re broken into before you get to basic. Also it’s gonna be a bit scary at first but remember that you made a life changing decision that most people don’t have the courage to even take. You got this, time will fly by and you’re going to get the best sleep you ever had in basic. I promise. -SrA Blace

[Backyardmech]

Bring yourself and nothing else but your wallet. Extra socks, underwear, deodorant, and toothbrush. You will be pushed through lines to gather bare essentials, and be given others. The less you have to carry the better off you are with being smoked, or lost possessions.

[juelzd]

Marine corp boot camp. Just bring you and your wallet

[middknightdream]

Despite what she said bring extra cash a little bit of money that they give you for your advanced pay to buy stuff at the PX isn't always enough personally when I went through my shoes cost extra cuz I have large feet I had to pay an additional 30 bucks out of my own pocket in order to get all the stuff that they required me to get on the list. Here's a short list of things that you want to bring with you because the reception PX either doesn't carry it even though you're going to need it, or they are out of stock and they almost never seem to be back in stock.
General list for men and women: Mini pocket notebooks, click Bic pens, sharpie, pocket religion book (for those that applies to), baby/body wipes (first day or 2 no showers, nuff said), toothbrush and toothpaste (you won't go to the PX until usually the end of the second day or sometimes the beginning of the third day depending on how you were reception battalion does things), moleskin bandage pads ( most people end up getting massive bloody blisters from the inside heel of their boots because they're not used to wearing boots a good thing to do before going to basic is buy a pair of cheap boots and get used to the way it rubs on your heel), combo lock ( cheaper to buy your own stuff instead of paying the inflated prices at the PX. You can look up on Google the PX shopping list you will be given and you can purchase most of that stuff ahead of time and take it with you to basic and save yourself some money on your prepaid card).
For the women: I'm a guy, but this was something major when I went through, the girls we're not allowed to wear any form of Lacey lingerie or regular bras before you go find some basic black sports bras that fit you comfortably take two or three pairs a lot of girls when I went through had to deal with only having one single sports bra to use, because they use generic categories of small, medium or large. Same idea for underwear get used to wearing granny panties because that's what you were going to be issued may as well take a few pairs that fit you. You'll also want to take an extra box or two of tampons because of the cost in the PX. Also take your preferred shampoo, because the only shampoos that they have is dove or head and shoulders, same with soap, Irish spring or ivory soap.
For the men: honestly the only thing guys really got to worry about if your feet bigger than size 12 get some long socks that fit your feet because basic only carries one size of socks that being 6-12.
Now a general heads up the reception PX where you will first get your access to necessary items do not grab candy sodas or anything that's considered contraband and put it in your cart otherwise when you get up to the register at least in my experience you will be forced to be the last person out of the PX you'll stand at attention while everybody else finishes you will then be told to put back the contraband. Another major thing if you have any piercings regardless of where on your body it is remove it before you go to basic because you will not be allowed to keep any piercings in this goes for both men and women. If you are someone who visits adult content sites stop doing so now before you leave because some people have an addiction and cannot give it up cold turkey. Same idea if you smoke or drink you're going to have to give that up before you leave for basic because any form of withdrawal symptoms you have the drill sergeants will not care. Something that is also majorly important to do memorize the soldiers Creed, there will be times when neutral sergeants and a form of NJP, will make you stand there and recite it a lot of people don't bother memorizing it same with the Army song learn the song learn how to sing it because at random times they will expect you and the people you're training with to break out with the song at their request. As for do's and don'ts don't get a cup of coffee when you go in the dfac the first day I drove sergeants will have a test to see who grabs cups of coffee anybody who grabs coffee will be made to go to the end of the line even though they've gotten their food they will have to go to the end of the line even if they're still people outside and they will stand there with their food on their tray with their drinks and have to wait until the everybody else has gotten their food and sat down before you will be allowed to eat remember this may or may not have it your base were you train but it happened at mine. Another thing you can do before you go into basic is look up as many YouTube videos as you can on basic training and see everything that people have experienced and recorded through basic and use that to your advantage the more knowledge you have on stuff that you may or may not have to do and learn during basic will help you out because it'll allow you to gauge how far along in your training you are. Also get used to the battle buddy system whoever you end up getting paired with do your best to become a good friend with them so that you at least know you got someone you can trust to have your back. One last bit of advice if you're not willing to lose something or have it stolen from you leave it at home all right if you have a special necklace or special watch or anything that is extremely valuable to you and wouldn't be to anybody else leave it at home, because thievery happened a lot in the barracks especially when it comes to jewelry or religious mementos.

[michiganrailfan]

Don't bring family members military awards. A guy in my basic flight (Air Force) brought his grandfather's purple heart apparently trying to get some type of favoritism from the instructors. He just got smoked worse.

[peterpierce]

I brought my New Testament, A Toothbrush, a Lock, two Clean Handkerchief, a Notebook and a Box of Crayons.

[mcoleman]

My best advice to someone heading to basic: "If you bring it, YOU WILL CARRY IT." Keep it simple.