Leaving in 8 days for basic at Fort Jackson

[WIBecky74]

I leave the 4th for bct/ait at Fort Jackson. I know rank, general orders, military time, alphabet, and seven values. Will I be expected to know the soldiers creed inside and out before arriving?

I wear eye glasses. Do I need to bring a current prescription for reception? I do not have insurance and my most current one is about three years old and will have written right on there...expired.

Will I be using the bag I arrive with to come home for Exodus and moving to AIT which will also be at Fort Jackson? Or do they store that away?

Any thoughts or ideas? I'll take two shorts/tees with me for reception. I'm a female, how many undergarments/pairs of socks? (how often can laundry be done kinda depends on that one for me) Pair of tennis shoes even though I understand i'll likely be required to buy new ones with the credit given to me at reception. Soap/shampoo/razor/towel/shower shoes...can i bring one of those scrunchy things as a washcloth or does it have to be a cloth? Can I bring like a Mach type razor (somewhat disposable-and although normally made for men...works wonders for me and the best i've found) or does it have to be more like a plastic Bic? I'll have a female issue at the time I arrive, so I'll bring those items for that with me to last for that time and purchase additional for future months once there. Something to write letters on and stamps. (will they allow me to keep this or will it be purchased at first visit to PX?) A small notebook. Address of anyone I dont have memorized that i'll want to write. Birth certificate, divorce decree, hs diploma, direct deposit paper, rental agreement, ss card, drivers license, any papers from MEPS they give me to take, copy of orders. I'm very boring medically and have no issues. Do I need all this or is there anything else in addition? I've seen packing lists but things seem to change so often on what is and isnt permited i'm not sure how up-to-date the lists are. I know most bathroom supplies will be purchased not too long after arriving. Will the amount of ounces the airlines allow for carry-on be enough until then?

Will I be allowed something like a spiral notebook to write in? I know personal time is limited but would sure like to write in one when time permits.

[WIBecky74]

That was crazy. About fifteen minutes after i posted that, I received a phone call from a woman concerning shipping to Bct. She asked if I received a packing list and is going to be emailing me one by "bright and early tomorrow morning". I still have a few questions from above post that I dont believe will be answered with the list i'm sent though. Thanks! :)

[CJ88]

good luck! im at ft sill in 8 too

[Jan]

WIBecky- here's the thing with what to pack... whatever you bring- you have to lug, throw, carry, dump out, repack, dump out, repack, carry some more. Your arms will ache and burn. Your muscles will spasm. You have to carry your stuff- almost running- up 2 flights of stairs.

I just brought way too much stuff, end of story. In fact, on day 2 or 3, you get to go to the PX and buy everything on the list. Even if you brought it, they might make you buy it. One drill sergeant insisted we each buy one 6 pack of socks, because we all probably brought the wrong ones anyway. I brought a HUGE duffelbag (about the size of a hockey equipment bag). Lots of people just brought one back pack.

They will make you buy new running shoes, so don't bring any.

And I'm serious, you have to dump out EVERYTHING. A few times. Even little ziplock baggies or cosmetic cases.

My packing list said bring only white underwear, but when I got there (Ft. Jackson), it was okay to have white/beige/nude/black. They only let you have one civilian bra for graduation, and it has to be white/beige-- they seriously take away all the fancy colorful ones.

Bring chapstick. I bought 24 tubes before I left- by the time BCT was done I had about 6 left. I traded them or sold them.

I graduated from Ft. Jackson 30 Mar 07. Message me with anything else!!!

[josborn1012]

Thanks for this thread guys, it's been helpful!

[Gojeero]

I met a guy in class last night that said he got out of Jackson in April. He said Relaxin' Jackson is an adequate name for the place. :(

[WIBecky74]

I have a group of friends that put in over 20 years a piece in the active army and guard. They often say how Bct has gotten so much easier...blah blah blah. It disappoints me to hear that. I dont go for another week, but through Rsp and a few other channels including this forum i've heard recent accounts from soldiers. Its not a cake walk like many now refer to it as. Yes, its changed, but its changed with society. Oh, and you cant light up a smoke during pt tests anymore or formation. lol OK, I tried to stab back a lil bit there, sorry! :)

[WIBecky74]

I did not receive that email from the woman that called yesterday and said it would arrive yesterday or bright and early today. Its 1100 already so i'm still looking for recent info on that one. Thanks!

[Gojeero]

Well good luck, have fun... are you going to be in the 34th ID? I am from MN, and I think the 34th is part of WI, part of IA, and all of MN. Red Bulls, Hooah! Oh ya, and you should definitely learn the Soldier's Creed. When we got met our real DS's to take us down range from reception, we had to recite the Creed. We messed up bad. Needless to say, it didn't make a good impression and we were all hurting by the time we got down range.

[mich_ng_girl]

Hey Becky -

I read on another thread that you are 42A just as I am... I am flying out (from Milwaukee as far as I know) on September 4th just like you... I have a question for you or anyone else that would know.

If my calculations are correct, we would only have 2-3 weeks left of AIT training after the exodus. Do you think or is it typical that they would cram the 2-3 weeks in before the break so we wouldn't have to come back? I have heard that they don't want to bring you all the way back if you only have a little bit of training left.

As for packing - I am making sure to bring the little things of Kleenex... I don't want to be stuck in the middle of the woods training without a latrine and no toilet paper.

[WIBecky74]

I go through Meps near Minneapolis, but our flights might meet up somewhere. Thats funny, your from Michigan and go through Wisconsin and i'm in Wisconsin and go through Minneapolis. We are responsible for our flights during Exodus (there is a coordinator at Fort Jackson that sets up the flights (can do it on your own but its suggested to use this person as they can find the cheapest and most reliable flights) but we pay out of pocket-you will have plenty saved up from direct deposit by then as long as you dont have lots of bills being taken out of it through your bank) and i'm under the assumption we do go back for the remainder time of AIT. Their courses are set up way ahead of time and I doubt they could condense it by weeks. There are rarely any flights that go directly to the small airport nearest me so i'll see about having a layover in Milwaukee and we could fly together! It always there, Chicago, or Detroit that they go through to get back to central Wisconsin.

I'm not possitive if its not on the list if they will allow you to bring the Kleenex but very good idea! If not i'm sure we can get it at the PX shortly after arriving. Another item that has been suggested to me are those small packets of baby wipes...I guess they come in handy also.


Hey Becky -

I read on another thread that you are 42A just as I am... I am flying out (from Milwaukee as far as I know) on September 4th just like you... I have a question for you or anyone else that would know.

If my calculations are correct, we would only have 2-3 weeks left of AIT training after the exodus. Do you think or is it typical that they would cram the 2-3 weeks in before the break so we wouldn't have to come back? I have heard that they don't want to bring you all the way back if you only have a little bit of training left.

As for packing - I am making sure to bring the little things of Kleenex... I don't want to be stuck in the middle of the woods training without a latrine and no toilet paper.

[WIBecky74]

So I was searching for a phone number for Fort Jackson to see if I could find out the dates for Exodus, found a number for their travel office and thought i'd give that a whirl. She said tentatively the dates are 05NOV-17NOV That sounds a bit strange to me especially since its over a month before Christmas. They post the dates on their website but closer to the holidays and its not listed yet.