Joining the Navy offers a lot of great possibilities to improve your life, develop professional skills as well as advancing your education. Any individual that joins the Navy must go through the Navy bootcamp that is located in Great Lakes, Illinois where you’ll learn the skills needed to succeed as a Navy sailor. When going through the Navy boot camp you’ll be exposed to things you’ve never experienced in life with some good and some bad.
When you first arrive at Navy bootcamp you’ll be welcomed off the bus that brought you to the base with drill instructors screaming at you and telling you to get against the bulkhead. For those that don’t know bulkhead means the wall. They’ll try to scare you by screaming a lot at you, but just do what you’re told and you’ll be fine.
The first week of you’re Navy enlistment you’ll not get much sleep because the drill instructors will scream at you and have you doing physical activities where you’ll be mentally and physically drained. Also, your first week you’ll get your hair cut according to military standards and learn how to eat meals according to the military rules. You can’t talk at you’re table and requests are made by hand gestures that you’ll learn really quick. Marching everywhere you go will be required and your division must all be in synch marching or you’ll spend extra time learning the requirements. In the Navy boot camp there’s no “I” in teamwork and if one person messes up everyone pays the price with physical activities such as push ups, squats and running.
Remember, the Navy bootcamp is only 8 weeks and those 8 weeks will be rough because your body will be pushed to the limits by doing a lot of physical activity and the drill instructors will mentally wear you down. The whole objective of Navy bootcamp is to give you Navy training and to see how you adapt to stressful situations. Don’t talk back to drill instructors and just do what you’re asked to do.
During your time at Great Lakes Navy Recruit Training Command you’ll learn about ship life such as fire training, security training and the history of the Navy. You’ll be required to take tests every week related to the classroom training you receive. You’ll be given a lot of information that you must learn in a short time period. Each test has a certain score you must achieve before advancing to another week. If you fail a test you’ll be set back in bootcamp and have to start the training all over.
Your time in Navy bootcamp will seem like forever because of everything you’ll have to do. Just take it day by day and do what you’re told to do and you’ll succeed. As the weeks go by everything will come second nature and the drill instructors will lighten up on you a little.
The worst part of Navy bootcamp is what is called “Service Week” and usually occurs around the 5th or 6th week where you’ll have to work in the galley or better known in civilian life as the restaurant. You’ll work up to 18 hours a day during this week with very little rest. Your body will be tired and your feet will probably swell and ache. Just push your body during this week of Navy boot camp and you’ll make it.
Another thing you’ll experience during Navy bootcamp will be the gas chamber where you’ll have to take off your gas mask and try to state your name. This is only a few seconds, but your mucus membranes will be watering and your eyes will burn. Also, you’ll be required to take a swim test and its easy just don’t try to wipe the water out of your eyes because the drill instructors will fail you and put you in remedial swimming classes.
Your Navy enlistment will change your life and remember bootcamp is only 8 weeks long. Some of the things you learn in bootcamp will carry over once you complete bootcamp and are assigned a command. Respecting rank is one of the most important Navy traditions you’ll learn and carry over into your fleet command.
The last words of advice for doing Navy bootcamp are to keep silent and push yourself to do everything that you’re asked to do. Don’t cause problems or get in trouble because the drill instructors will make your life hard. The drill instructors will scream at you and wake you up all hours of the night so be prepared. Once you’re done with bootcamp you’ll have all kinds of opportunities available to you as far as travel, education and learning on the job training so take advantage of everything that the Navy has to offer you.
Sources:
http://www.navy.mil/swf/index.asp
http://www.bootcamp.navy.mil/
