BCT at Fort Jackson

[ariel2go]

I am shipping to Boot Camp on 20090805, and I was wondering if someone recently finish BCT over there.
I would like some information, like I have heard that you may get to keep your cell phone there.
Also, I was wondering if you get M16 or M4 over there.

Thanks in advance.

[PFC Lowe]

All of those questions are company dependent. You won't find out what your company does until you get there.

[HR NCO]

Try this out... http://www.nationalguard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14418

[ariel2go]

Thank you.

[WIBecky74]

I went to Jackson Sept '07 and lots has changed even in that short time. But any other type of questions id be happy to help with.

[grandseahawk]

BCT at Ft. Jackson.

I came back May 08, 2009.

As was stated earlier, much of what you can and cannot do depends on your company or even your platoon.

My company was not allowed cell phone till Sunday afternoons beginning in white phase. However, Echo Company next door to me, got them the second week and pretty much got to carry them with them every day.

I found the worst part of BCT, by far, was the 120th Reception and the civilian workers there. Extremely rude, disrespectful, and down-right nasty.... much, much worse than the Drill Sergeants. In fact, even the DSs were treated poorly by the various civilian employees during my time at BCT (DFAC:mad: , Reception uniform:mad: , and especially the bus drivers:mad: ).

Pay attention, keep your mouth SHUT (which seems to be very, very, very, very, very hard for many young soldiers) and you'll be fine.

Good Luck.

[ariel2go]

That was good information, thank you very much.

[qcomer]

BCT at Ft. Jackson.

I came back May 08, 2009.

As was stated earlier, much of what you can and cannot do depends on your company or even your platoon.

My company was not allowed cell phone till Sunday afternoons beginning in white phase. However, Echo Company next door to me, got them the second week and pretty much got to carry them with them every day.

I found the worst part of BCT, by far, was the 120th Reception and the civilian workers there. Extremely rude, disrespectful, and down-right nasty.... much, much worse than the Drill Sergeants. In fact, even the DSs were treated poorly by the various civilian employees during my time at BCT (DFAC:mad: , Reception uniform:mad: , and especially the bus drivers:mad: ).

Pay attention, keep your mouth SHUT (which seems to be very, very, very, very, very hard for many young soldiers) and you'll be fine.

Good Luck.

I used a payphone a total of 2-3 times in Basic at Jackson 3 minutes total. Barely had enough time to say hi and i love you after putting in the calling card number and stuff. :(

LUCKY! lol

[CaseyJones]

BCT at Ft. Jackson.

I came back May 08, 2009.

As was stated earlier, much of what you can and cannot do depends on your company or even your platoon.

My company was not allowed cell phone till Sunday afternoons beginning in white phase. However, Echo Company next door to me, got them the second week and pretty much got to carry them with them every day.

I found the worst part of BCT, by far, was the 120th Reception and the civilian workers there. Extremely rude, disrespectful, and down-right nasty.... much, much worse than the Drill Sergeants. In fact, even the DSs were treated poorly by the various civilian employees during my time at BCT (DFAC:mad: , Reception uniform:mad: , and especially the bus drivers:mad: ).

Pay attention, keep your mouth SHUT (which seems to be very, very, very, very, very hard for many young soldiers) and you'll be fine.

Good Luck.

Wow, didn't even see my cell phone till the day we left .. Benning and Jackson must be world's apart.

[qcomer]

Wow, didn't even see my cell phone till the day we left .. Benning and Jackson must be world's apart.

Depends on the unit. Each unit is different, it is unfair to categorize a whole post vs another post. One unit at Benning may havbe more relaxed SOP than a unit at Jackson and vice versa.

[TheSheepDog]

Depends on the unit. Each unit is different, it is unfair to categorize a whole post vs another post. One unit at Benning may havbe more relaxed SOP than a unit at Jackson and vice versa.

I can guarantee you that OSUT at Benning is universally the same. No phones until graduation. Unbelieveable how Jackson has gone so soft.

[CaseyJones]

Yeah, Infantry OSUT is a whole different animal .. and I doubt any unit at Benning would have a more relaxed SOP than at Jackson, too much of a pride thing. All you would hear about is how you're at the only real IET training in the Army and how we should 'embrace' the experience.

[abninf05]

Alright guys, we all know Benning is the standard, but this is a thread about Jackson. Let's not hijack it:p

[WIBecky74]

Only a year and a half ago at Jackson I got use of pay phones three times during Bct, for a very limited amount of time after each of the three phases. We had PT each and every morning. We were smoked constantly. They didnt baby us. As stated, privilages are not dependant on the base, its on the unit.

[SeanAL123]

I can guarantee you that OSUT at Benning is universally the same. No phones until graduation. Unbelieveable how Jackson has gone so soft.

I don't mean to thread hijack, but i can't help myself.

I'm at airborne school at Benning right now. In my class there is about 40 people that just graduated OSUT at Benning. I asked them about their experiences and a majority of them got to use their cell phones often for sometimes up to an hour on Sundays all throughout OSUT. At Jackson in the fall, i never once used my cell phone and i never got to make a call on the pay phone for more than 5 minutes. This just proves that it definitely varies depending on the unit.

[ariel2go]

Maybe they never let you use your cell phone because you talk too much :)

Just kiddin', you did hijacked my thread :) :) :)

[CaseyJones]

I don't mean to thread hijack, but i can't help myself.

I'm at airborne school at Benning right now. In my class there is about 40 people that just graduated OSUT at Benning. I asked them about their experiences and a majority of them got to use their cell phones often for sometimes up to an hour on Sundays all throughout OSUT. At Jackson in the fall, i never once used my cell phone and i never got to make a call on the pay phone for more than 5 minutes. This just proves that it definitely varies depending on the unit.
I'm left here, speechless - I never saw mine once! WTF!?

[TheSheepDog]

I don't mean to thread hijack, but i can't help myself.

I'm at airborne school at Benning right now. In my class there is about 40 people that just graduated OSUT at Benning. I asked them about their experiences and a majority of them got to use their cell phones often for sometimes up to an hour on Sundays all throughout OSUT. At Jackson in the fall, i never once used my cell phone and i never got to make a call on the pay phone for more than 5 minutes. This just proves that it definitely varies depending on the unit.

Very disturbing information. I guess times change. I believe you though considering all the shenanigans I have been hearing about from recently graduated soldiers.

How are you enjoying your 3 week vacation? Is Sergeant Vanesch still there?

[Ababb17]

I have to admit I thought the same thing for a long time, but in my packing list it said bring my cell phone, I was like "seriously Sgt?" and my recruiter(Whos has been infantry for 17 years) goes "yep, times have changed bud. Youl get to use your cell prob on weekends" I was like O SHI-

[grandseahawk]

Interesting points of view....

Yah know, the thing about cell phone and their use, well yes, it does depend on the unit, but I will disagree it has anything to do with "being soft."

I the real world it's called "moral." The United Stated Army has learned that one too. In this day and age of young soldiers being very intellegent (more so than my Generation X, but less mechanically inclined and with less common sense) and being extremely, technologically savy, and the fact that we are at war and most of these soldiers will go to a combat zone.... the Army has decided this is one way to perhaps improve moral.

My platoon was allowed to use our cell phones infrequently...however we did loose that "previdge" when we screwed up too. When we did well, we recieved rewards. That's how things go in the real world and the Army is no different. In fact, the Army is also, as a whole, getting away from "negative re-inforcement", why, because it DOES not work.

Study after study has shown that a soldier (even a recruit) WILL perform better and suffer far less pshchological damage if their moral gets a regular boost. Why do you thing they drill all the bennifits of the MWR or Military One Source into us?

I'm not saying the Amry needs to be touchy-feely. Yes, we need to **** it up and move on. But, something like a cell phone or phone call to family is downright ignorant to withhold in this day and age. Times have changed.

My 2cents.

Rock On...

[SeanAL123]

Very disturbing information. I guess times change. I believe you though considering all the shenanigans I have been hearing about from recently graduated soldiers.

How are you enjoying your 3 week vacation? Is Sergeant Vanesch still there?

I'm not sure about Sergeant Vanesch. I'm in A Co. and D Co. was closed down for barracks renovations, so not too sure.

As far as vacation, not too bad!! It's good training!!! It's shocking to see all of these guys failing the PT test and quitting though. There is over 100 ROTC cadets in my class, so actually having been to BCT and AIT, SGT Airborne tends to treat the joes a little bit better!!!! Great Barracks too!!! haha