Settling in: To the Barracks You Go

After you complete your initial in-processing paperwork, you'll be told to fall in outside. At this point, unless you've joined the Army, you'll meet your real drill instructor, and he will get acquainted with you by lining you up and attempting to march you to your new barracks. This sight is rather amusing because nobody knows how to march yet. If you've joined the Army, you'll be taken over to the reception barracks and settled in there.

If you joined one of the other branches, you may be thinking to yourself, "This isn't too bad. It's only 8:00. I'll be able to get to bed early." However, you forgot about the evil ways of drill instructors.

On the way to the barracks, it's very probable that your instructor will try to get to know you by playing a few games. It's quite possible that your drill instructor may be disgusted with your first attempt at marching and decide to stop off at the drill pad to give you your first lesson in drill basics.

Sooner or later, the drill instructor will get tired of playing, order everyone to enter the barracks and tell everyone to choose a bunk (called rack in the Navy, Coast Guard and Marine Corps).

Next, the drill instructor will call everyone together for orientation. For the next several hours, the instructor will go over basic-training basics and impart important information, such as how to make your bunk (rack) in the morning, what needs to be done each morning to keep the barracks shipshape and how to fold your underwear correctly. Pay extremely careful attention to this briefing. You'll be using this information every single day of your basic training life.

From Basic Training for Dummies, copyright © 2011 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Interested in Joining the Military?

We can put you in touch with recruiters from the different military branches. Learn about the benefits of serving your country, paying for school, military career paths, and more: sign up now and hear from a recruiter near you.