Questions About Reception [Archive]

TradyMagrady

September 5th, 2009, 06:41 PM

I have been wondering about reception and what you do while you're there. I've done a few searches, and couldn't really find any answers. Here are my questions...

-My main concern is how much physical activity(if any) is done while you're there. I really don't want to be just sitting on my butt the whole 1 or 2 weeks. Will they allow you to go run before getting started with everything for the day? If all else fails, i'll just flutter kick my butt off, or run circles around my room before I go to bed.

-What do you do the whole time? Is it like Meps where you just sit around, hurry up and wait, and twiddle your thumbs? Are they just making sure all of your personal info, pay, and contract is good to go before starting BCT?

-Is it at Ft. Jackson(that's where i'm going to BCT)?

-This isn't exactly about reception, but I don't like to start threads unless it's actually necessary... :rolleyes: How often to AIT cycles start? I know my MOS isn't that common, any time I tell someone i'm 94alpha, they give me a confused look. So could I possibly have to sit around for a few weeks waiting on my AIT to start?

PFC Lowe

September 5th, 2009, 07:13 PM

You will sit with your thumb up your butt for a week or two. Don't expect to be let to go run on your own. Do PU and SU in the reception barracks. I don't know how Ft. Jackson is but at FLW we only did PT on Saturday morning and it was just an intro to Army PT ways and exercises. Yes, reception is where they double check things and square you away with an ID, shots, dental x-rays, and clothing issue.

lifeline

September 5th, 2009, 07:38 PM

I just got back from Ft. Jackson. For reception you will go to the 120th AG barracks for about a week. You will then be motor moved to your basic training company. As far as the pt goes, we only ran once. They had us run six times around a track so that we could get used to the heat before basic training started. They also did some exercises similar to what we would be doing in basic, but they were pretty easy and werent really designed to give us a good workout.

TradyMagrady

September 5th, 2009, 11:34 PM

That's not good. But I guess everyone has to do it, so it's nothing I can avoid.

lifeline

September 6th, 2009, 12:04 AM

That's not good. But I guess everyone has to do it, so it's nothing I can avoid.

Well, your still going to have plenty of time to do pushups and situps in the bay. I know everyone in my bay did.

PFC Lowe

September 6th, 2009, 12:12 AM

I slept more in reception than I have in a long time. We were back in the barracks by 1830 and awake at 0600 IIRC. Throw a blanket over your face and knock out!

Another quick tip, after you get your shots make sure to stretch out.

tyler1124

September 6th, 2009, 01:07 AM

Reception ****** at Benning, during the day we sat in the main hall pretty much only doing one thing a day, weather it was getting uniform issues, ID cards, dental, etc etc.. I was at 30th AG for 11 days of ****. At night we would study our IET books, and be in the rack by 8, but were up at 330 getting smoked as an "intro to Army PT" at 430 went to chow, then right over to reception and our day would start.

I was there in March, and I know a lot of changes were being made while I was in OSUT but thats how reception was at Ft Benning

KentuckyGirl

September 6th, 2009, 11:06 AM

you will be okay GI Jane :D

TradyMagrady

September 6th, 2009, 02:27 PM

Did ya'll not get ID cards before reception? I got my ID card before my first RSP.

I'm excited about the sleeping part though. I love to sleep. But I won't get used to it, hah.

Krahn

September 6th, 2009, 02:49 PM

At Ft Sill, We got everything taken care of in 4 days, In reception for 12 days. The days we did stuff it was alot of hurry up and wait of course. Very boring... Painful shots(I hate shots). and after we finished all that we sat on bleachers ALLLLLL day.... We'd get up go sit in bleachers, go to chow, back to bleachers, go to lunch chow, back to bleachers. then dinner chow, then bleachers and at about 2000 wed go back to the barracks... and repeat!! Like I dont mind sitting at all.... but I HATED those bleachers. We fit over 200 people on 4 bleachers... it was a little uncomfortable.

And to your ID Question: I had mine as soon as I signed up cause I live by a Naval Base so i was able to get that done. In reception while everyone else was getting theres me and few lucky people got to go chill outside without any DS's around.

kirbaeus

September 6th, 2009, 03:14 PM

I spent 12 days on the Sill bleachers too... no talking, no moving, just sitting. No sleeping like other people have mentioned too? In a lot of ways Basic > reception.

tyler1124

September 6th, 2009, 05:35 PM

We got issued new ones at Benning, even if you had one.

TradyMagrady

September 6th, 2009, 09:52 PM

These bleachers don't sound like fun. I really hope they don't have any for us at Jackson.

They can give me another ID if they want. I cut off all my hair since then so it would be nice. I'll probably be a higher rank by the time I get there, so that will be updated too.

This isn't exactly about reception... How often to AIT cycles start? I know my MOS isn't that common, any time I tell someone i'm 94alpha, they give me a confused look. So could I possibly have to sit around for a few weeks waiting on my AIT to start?

PFC Lowe

September 6th, 2009, 10:12 PM

Did ya'll not get ID cards before reception? I got my ID card before my first RSP.

I'm excited about the sleeping part though. I love to sleep. But I won't get used to it, hah.

Bring it with you and you won't have to get a new one. The full time guy from RSP told me not to bring mine so when I got my new one issued there they questioned why I already had one.

PFC Lowe

September 6th, 2009, 10:16 PM

To answer your AIT question, check here.

https://www.atrrs.army.mil/atrrscc/courseInfo.aspx?fy=2010&sch=093&crs=121-94A10&crstitle=LAND+COMBAT+ELEC+MISSILE+SYS+REPAIRER&phase=

Looks like you will likely be starting on Jan 11.

TradyMagrady

September 6th, 2009, 10:22 PM

WJ71

September 6th, 2009, 11:27 PM

At Ft. Jackson during reception we got hardly any sleep. We would go to sleep at around 2300 and get up at around 0400.

cheeseman

September 7th, 2009, 05:19 AM

Ft. Benning reception

It will be the worst non-ill/death in the family week of your life.

Didn't sleep for the 1st 52 hours I was there. People do actually sleep standing up.

That is where you will be homesick. You don't do much pt other than somebody not calling "at ease" so you do get some PU's in.

I have nightmares about that place, it ***** total balls.

For those going to Benning get ready for Johnson Hall and Building 65. You won't have fun there. I'd do 18 weeks of basic over 9 weeks of Reception.

taseal

September 8th, 2009, 12:06 PM

Man... I'll be in Benning... looks like the **** week is before BCT

**** week of doing nothing!!!

:(

oh well, its alll part of the game... I just hope it doesn't take long

TradyMagrady

September 8th, 2009, 12:31 PM

oh well, its alll part of the game... I just hope it doesn't take long

Hope for the best, expect the worst. :D

cheeseman

September 8th, 2009, 02:11 PM

Man... I'll be in Benning... looks like the **** week is before BCT

**** week of doing nothing!!!

:(

oh well, its alll part of the game... I just hope it doesn't take long

I felt the hard part was over once you left reception. I don't envy the souls that are there right now. I can just picture it and it makes me stomach turn. I have never been so sleepy in my entire life. That's all basic was to me. Physically I thought it was very easy. The lack of sleep killed me.

taseal

September 8th, 2009, 03:28 PM

I felt the hard part was over once you left reception. I don't envy the souls that are there right now. I can just picture it and it makes me stomach turn. I have never been so sleepy in my entire life. That's all basic was to me. Physically I thought it was very easy. The lack of sleep killed me.

interesting... thats why I made the **** week comment/joke. the lack of sleep....

that does sound like the worst part. the part i'm not looking forward to at all

i just don't understand. how can it take 11 days for all this processing?

so its 9 weeks plus this 11 days, making it almost 11 weeks.

Hanson

September 8th, 2009, 03:30 PM

kirbaeus

September 8th, 2009, 04:30 PM

interesting... thats why I made the **** week comment/joke. the lack of sleep....

that does sound like the worst part. the part i'm not looking forward to at all

i just don't understand. how can it take 11 days for all this processing?

so its 9 weeks plus this 11 days, making it almost 11 weeks.

I spent 12 days there, 2 weekends where we just sat around and did right faces, about faces, area cleanup. Then the "newer" recruits started complaining they had been there 6 days, and we "older" recruits just said "well we've been here 12 days screw you". We all went across the tracks together regardless. When I went through it was 10 weeks, plus the 2, then AIT. Anything can happen, we had the "gung ho" guy in our reception unit, knew how to fold everything, was so excited, and a few weeks into BCT he got injured and just didnt want to be there anymore. Just try to avoid getting injured, that'll add weeks and weeks to your Basic Training experience that you don't want. Especially seeing your fellow recruits graduate while you still have weeks left.

Hanson

September 8th, 2009, 04:46 PM

I spent 12 days there, 2 weekends where we just sat around and did right faces, about faces, area cleanup. Then the "newer" recruits started complaining they had been there 6 days, and we "older" recruits just said "well we've been here 12 days screw you". We all went across the tracks together regardless. When I went through it was 10 weeks, plus the 2, then AIT. Anything can happen, we had the "gung ho" guy in our reception unit, knew how to fold everything, was so excited, and a few weeks into BCT he got injured and just didnt want to be there anymore. Just try to avoid getting injured, that'll add weeks and weeks to your Basic Training experience that you don't want. Especially seeing your fellow recruits graduate while you still have weeks left.

Exactly. Injury is your worst friend. Saw a lot of people who would get injured, and then just wash out. PTRP is brutal to guardsmen, as you get stuck around for a LOT longer then you had planned on being around.

TradyMagrady

September 9th, 2009, 07:47 AM

When you saw people get hurt, was it because they over exserted themselves? Or was it usually a twisted ankle or something?

Hanson

September 9th, 2009, 08:17 AM

When you saw people get hurt, was it because they over exserted themselves? Or was it usually a twisted ankle or something?

A little bit of both. Stress fractures were fairly common, though could be worked with. So if someone ended up with those, it was typical that they'd continue training, and when they came off profile for "being better" they'd still need to pass their PT test to graduate. On the other side of the coin, you'd see some of these people nursing the injuries and becoming Sick Call Rangers, and eventually being chaptered out, usually EPTS for something minor. It's all about drive - if you get injured and you want to finish your training, you'll be given the opportunity to do so.

I'd say just get in shape before you ship so the initial physical shock don't put you out of the game. Don't rely on the army to get you in shape, be ready, and you'll be fine. :)

TradyMagrady

September 9th, 2009, 08:32 AM

A little bit of both. Stress fractures were fairly common, though could be worked with. So if someone ended up with those, it was typical that they'd continue training, and when they came off profile for "being better" they'd still need to pass their PT test to graduate. On the other side of the coin, you'd see some of these people nursing the injuries and becoming Sick Call Rangers, and eventually being chaptered out, usually EPTS for something minor. It's all about drive - if you get injured and you want to finish your training, you'll be given the opportunity to do so.

I'd say just get in shape before you ship so the initial physical shock don't put you out of the game. Don't rely on the army to get you in shape, be ready, and you'll be fine. :)

Oh ok, thanks. I don't want to have to go to sick call at all, and that's my goal. If anything I'll probably end up getting a cold or something. I just don't want to get hurt and be completely out of the game, and that's why i'm getting in shape now. It kills me when I go to RSP and I hear these girls say that they haven't been working out between drill weekends. I try to tell them they're just making excuses, but they just kind of shrug it off.

Hanson

September 9th, 2009, 09:56 AM

On the same note (I'm not going to argue the ethics or morality of this) when I went it was cold season, so everyone was getting colds/the flu. Anyone going to sick call would say they had whatever they were going for (ie, foot pains, back pains, migraines, whatever...) and then say they also had a cold, so they could get the cough drops and then share them with the platoon.

Stay away from sick call. It's the devil :P

TradyMagrady

September 9th, 2009, 02:27 PM

cheeseman

September 10th, 2009, 04:34 AM

interesting... thats why I made the **** week comment/joke. the lack of sleep....

that does sound like the worst part. the part i'm not looking forward to at all

i just don't understand. how can it take 11 days for all this processing?

so its 9 weeks plus this 11 days, making it almost 11 weeks.

You will see. It just takes a long time. I was there 7 days and I was lucky. Depending on what side they file from you could be waiting for over an hour to eat. Whatever you do don't skip over to get in the file that is moving (those DS's do that **** everyday, they see and LOOK for it everyday) Just embrace the **** with reception. Don't be nervous when the DS's come and pick yall up. The worst is over. I'm telling the truth 100 percent. Your experience will be different since you're a gun bunny. That basic is probably tough. I felt physically mine was really easy. Can't think of many places worse than 30th AG. I wouldn't do that place for a thousand a week.