Have you been through Basic Training in the Army?

[B2G]

I so, I have a question. My nephew starts basic training in October. We're having a goodbye party for him and I want to give him a care package that he can actually take with him.

For those of you who have been, what items can I give him that he can actually take and would be beneficial for the 5 months he's there? I know he can't take much at all, but I've thought about a card I can buy online that he can use at the Exchange, etc.

Any items that you wished you had at the time that are allowable to take?

TIA!

[Brother Buzz]

1. Really, not a damn thing

My basic training was only two and a half months long, and there wasn't time to do much of anything.

A subscription to the local newspaper might be cool. Same for magazines.

[Throck]

2. Write letters of support.

Be positive.

[underpants]

3. 4 months Ft. Knox early 90's. Toiletries is about all.

They give you everything else. From socks to underwear.

I took a carton of smokes with me like an idiot and had to put them in the amnesty box. This was in the same flag room that was in "Stripes". One guy who joined as an E2 didn't give up the bottle of vodka that he'd brought and ended up getting demoted his first day in the Army. True story.

[left-of-center2012]

30. You spent 4 months in basic?

Must have included AIT

[Aristus]

4. About the only thing I was allowed to bring in to training with me,

was a boxed-set of stationary and pre-addressed envelopes my mother prepared for me before I left, so I could send home letters. This was thirty years ago, so things may have changed since. We only had a short "personal hour" at the end of the day before lights out, and it was largely taken up with hygiene, polishing footgear, and preparing our uniforms for the next day. We were encouraged to write letters home, but there was usually only time for a short note.

Everything else, books, magazines, other small personal items, were locked up in a storage area and not returned to us until after graduation.

[Brother Buzz]

6. Forty-five years ago we could keep personal items....

a long as it all fit in an AWOL bag (excluding contraband, of course).

[trof]

40. Damn, that's what my mother sent me off to summer camp with when I was 9.

Pre-addressed and stamped postcards so she would know I was OK.
Did I send one?
No.

[Aristus]

41. I was only 17.

My mother had to sign her permission for me to enlist, since I was under 18. I was her eldest son, my sister was far away at college, my younger brother was getting into all kinds of legal trouble, and my mother had just been through a messy divorce. I guess Mom wanted to keep in touch so she wouldn't feel like her family was falling apart. (The fact that we didn't fall apart in the wake of a crippling divorce is due entirely to my mother, and an inner strength she never knew she had until life got nasty.)

[trof]

42. I understand. My mom was single, divorced when I was 4. 1945.

[TexasProgresive]

5. I was usaf

Wait til he gets his next assignment before sending care packages. Write lots of letters with news about family friends and stuff happening in town.

[B2G]

7. He has nothing. What about

Razors, socks, clothing of any type? A book? Toiletries? I've heard cough drops are gold. Lol. Maybe I should Google what he can take an get him some of those things.

I love him and I'm worried for him.

[DashOneBravo]

10. They will take care of him

The first place he will go is called the reception station. They have recruits that show up with nothing. If you are worried about him not having things to start off with. Send him 20 or 30 dollars. They take all the civilian clothes away from him. Shave his head. He'll get uniforms, socks, tshirts, underwear, boots, etc. I think I took a pair of running shoes. And my fathers boot shine kit.

You can send him packages once he gets to his training company.

I hope he does well.

[NeoGreen]

18. On the 2nd day...

...we were all given a ~$20 advance on our pay to get things like razors and shaving cream, he will literally need nothing from home while in basic, except a few letters.

[murpheeslaw]

8. NO CARE PACKAGE!! My son went two years ago - they do NOT let them keep their phones in Basic

[link:https://www.goarmy.com/soldier-life/becoming-a-soldier/basic-combat-training/introduction.html|

A lot depends on the specific Sergeant in charge of the training. So listen to what your nephew tells you he can have. If you color outside the lines he will pay for it!

They were going to let my son keep his wallet (see below) but everything else is replaced from the skin out. No vitamins, no drugs (not even aspirin or cough medicine). He sent us a letter: “it’s hard and I am spending my energy keeping up with the platoon, DON’T send food or anything not on the list: only paper, envelopes, pens/pencils, stamps, letters” (suitable for public consumption)".

And he was going to have to pay 20 push-ups for each piece of mail (from his first phone call) and 20 push ups for each item of food sent that the sergeants share amongst themselves.

His first phone call was pretty rushed. It sounded like they all had to use the same phone and had a limited amount of time to get everyone in the squad a few minutes to let a family member know they were alive. (Team building exersize?)

Starting out he could not have outside reading material other than letters - no books, magazines, etc. That may change he gets farther into training.

For the first two weeks he had only the change in his pocket to spend at the PX. He accidentally put his wallet with his civilian clothes and they were to be locked up until Basic was over. Lucky for him someone higher up needed something out of the lock up and he was able to get it out early.

The first part of training is the Red Phase. Part of that is the Red Phase Flu which is what you get when 500+ people from all over the country show up with their colds, flu, intestinal issues, etc. and live VERY close together for weeks. There is a special pocket in the official Army uniform for a small bottle of Purel hand cleaner. They learn to use it religiously!!

I made the mistake of sending a package of homemade cookies to him in MOS training (the actual job training after Basic at a different base, education in his specialty). He got ONE cookie the sergeants got the rest - they said the cookies were very good : (

[B2G]

13. I was thinking like foot powder, gel insoles

A good razor, phone cards, things like that. And of course cash. I just don't want to give him anything right now he can't take.

God I hate this. His mom is a hot mess.

[cwydro]

20. Look at it as an adventure.

Be positive for him. A positive attitude is essential in Basic.

[Major Nikon]

27. Stationary and stamps

That's probably one of the few safe items that won't get taken away. Other items to consider that may or may not get taken are toiletry items, shower shoes, athletic shoes, and the other things you mentioned.

A good information resource would be his recruiter.

[aka-chmeee]

9. In 1970, nearly everything I had taken with me was put in a box and mailed home nt

[Kaleva]

11. Back in 1977, the Navy took everything including my shoulder length hair.

[AncientGeezer]

12. Ditto everything above. I went in '80...Wait until AIT.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

16. The OP predicts 5 months of Basic Training

It's probably some new-fangled combination of Old Basic and AIT. Still, you're right, hold off the care packages until such things are permitted, probably 2 months in.

Plus, after 2 months of Basic, the old clothes may not fit.

[VMA131Marine]

14. When I went through Marine Corps basic in 1983

The only things I was able to keep that I had brought with me was a pair of sneakers for PT. They provide everything else.

[onethatcares]

15. as that kindly drill sargeant says,

"I will take care of you because your ass belongs to the U.S. government now".

I could just imagine 90 recruits with smart phones on the second day of basic.....

He will require nothing. When they have the first visitors day you'll be able to gift card him

[DemocratSinceBirth]

21. Were the drill sergeants strict or gratuitously mean ?

I see a difference.

[onethatcares]

24. strict,

they were trying to teach us that we might get killed over there. (VietNam)

[DemocratSinceBirth]

25. That makes sense.

I read that if you had a legitimate concern you could bring it to your superior's attention. Is that true?

[onethatcares]

39. yes

and they would act on it. My basic was at Ft Dix NJ March 1972

VOLAR began at some point in 73 and the war started winding down. We were no longer under the stress of thinking that "here we go". See Paris Peace talks.

I never saw people wearing their uniforms or anything like that after they were discharged. The people I knew that served in Nam, Korea or in WW2 didn't need to hear< "Thanks for your service". Or maybe I missed something.

I consider myself a VietNam era veteran, there are people that need the Veterans Administration more than I ever will. They can have my benefits. To me it is that easy.

[NeoGreen]

17. I was in the AF 30 years ago...

...don't send anything other than letters that would be ok to have read out loud.

The copy of Catch-22 my dad gave my before I left did NOT go over well.

However, a letter or 2 might be wise, it was noticed after the book incident that I hadn't received any mail (I had told my Dad on my 1st phone call "cease and desist, please" ).

As was mentioned above, wait until next assignment after basic, you'll likely get a list of requested items.

[cwydro]

19. I went through Air Force basic.

The first day, they take every single item away from you that they think you don't need, which is pretty much everything.

If memory serves, we didn't even get to go to the BX until several weeks in, so he won't need that card for awhile anyway.

I would imagine it's still the same.

[shockey80]

22. I was in the army.

He doesn't need bring anything except some cash. He will not have to stand in line for a cash advance after he gets there. He will have to stand in line plenty during boot camp. They bring you to the PX and tell you what you need to buy. The best thing you can give him is some advice.

Tell him to listen to the drill instructors carefully. Do exactly what they tell you to do. They will not lie to you. A tiny mistake can lead to a lot of pain, a lot of pushups and extra duty.

When I was in boot camp we were not allowed to have newspapers. Everyday at the mess hall there was a paper boy trying to sell us a newspaper. I started boot camp at the start of football season. I was dying to find out how my team was doing. One day I bought one. No one saw me. I hid it in my shirt. Later that evening I got caught reading it. I had to do so many push ups I thought my arms were going to fall off. I learned to listen.

[Madam45for2923]

23. Maybe save your care package for afterwards in case he gets sent overseas.

And then you will know what Americans miss depending on the location.

[GreenEyedLefty]

26. My friend's son who joined the Marines

Took only the clothes on his back, some cash and his driver's license... not sure about the Army but I suspect it's not that much different.

[ExciteBike66]

28. I brought a bunch of stuff, and it ended up all locked in a closet.

That said, we ended up breaking into the closet (drop ceilings ftw) around halfway through basic training, so I had my CD player and other stuff for the balance of my visit to Ft. Benning.

[Turbineguy]

29. Write letters

My Son was in the Marines, but basic training would not be that much different. They were given time to read and write letters. We enjoyed getting the letters.

Before he left one of my oldest friends, who had been a helicopter pilot in Vietnam, came over and told him, "Combat is the worst experience a human being can have." He should know.

I gave his some advice too, "I know you never take my advice, but take it just this one time: Don't fuck with your Drill Instructor!"

The first letter we got was kind of bizarre as it seemed more like a ransom note. A typed copy that everybody sent. I still have all his letters.

Dear (fill in parents name)

I have arrived at MCRD in San Diego and have been placed in my training platoon. I am fine and in good health. While at recruit training I am not allowed to receive certain items such as vitamins, alcohol, pornographic material, gambling devices, tobacco products, and combustibles. Please do not send any packages (ie. cookies, candy, socks, underwear, etc.). Also prescription medication cannot be sent under any circumstance. All medication needed will be provided to my by a medical officer authorized to treat recruits. While here at Recruit Training I will not need you to send any money, I earn enough to cover all expenses that will occur while going through day to day training here at MCRD San Diego. I apologize that this letter is short but in the beginning we are somewhat pressed for time. I promise to write more later.

(Address)

Sincerely, (fill in your name)

[shockey80]

31. Tell your nephew, get ready for a hell of a ride.

I could write a book about my three years in the army and I did not serve during a war period. It was the best and worst time of my life.

[pwb]

32. 20 dollars to buy toiletries at the P X.

everything else gets shipped home.

[Baconator]

33. Copenhagen...

If he makes it through, he'll be the most popular...

[Unrepentant Fenian]

34. I went through Army Basic in 1973...

So I don't know what they allow now. Someone above suggested stamps and stationary. That would have been nice to have. After a certain amount of time, they let you go to the PX. So maybe cash or a prepaid Visa.

[B2G]

35. Thank you for all of your feedback!

I decided to get him a dog tag style cross with a bible verse on the back (he's rather religious). He'll love that and can wear it in basic.

Will also be putting together a box with Gold Bond foot powder, sugarless menthol cough drops, gel inserts for his boots and athletic shoes, moleskins for blisters, pre-stamped envelopes w/ stationary, a phone card, flavorless chap stick and baby wipes.

Things I'm pretty sure won't get taken away and he probably won't think to pack himself.

[Weekend Warrior]

36. Don't have anything to share.

Kicking for the thought.

[UCmeNdc]

37. Basic Training he should not need or take much.

He will be provided everything except toiletries. Maybe a you can give him a little spending money. (And when I say little I mean a little) During his basic training have him write you and be sure to write him back with positive news. Find out when his basic training graduation day is and come out and cheer him and his platoon on. Next he will go to advance training there you can give him a few items as a present he can use like some new Civilian clothes for off duty time etc. He is still in training and will not need much other than your letters and good wishes support. Good Luck to him.

[B2G]

38. Thank you so much! nt