What was the first thing you learned in Army basic training

[Major Tom]

Myself: how to field strip a cigarette butt
Messhall: get it, get it down, get out
Don't spit while in formation (you will pick it up and eat it)
A M14 DOES kick

[BEAR]

The recruiter lied!

[Major Tom]

The recruiter lied!

LOL

[Art]

That sleep was a luxury to be treasured.

[blackhawknj]

Keep quiet.

[Merc]

How to wash cloths by hand.

[fjruple]

Here's one that I saw take place:

Never, never say, "My mommy says" to start a sentence to a drill sergeant. The drill sergeant will respond with, "Did your mother kiss your *ss goodbye when you left home?"

[Hal O'Peridol]

Don't eyeball the Drill Sgt.

[PWC]

Not the first but....sleep was hard to come by....how to lay on the floor with my fingers hooked in the bunk springs and go to sleep. If caught laying down, I was "tightening the bunk" blanket.

[Sharpshooter]

Keep quiet.

This .. A quick punch to my gut helped me learn this. It also taught me not to say what .

[PWC]

Never pass up a chance to fill your canteen, never miss a chance to pee, never miss a chance to nap/sleep...because you never know when the next chance will come.

[blackhawknj]

Cover your face when you yawn. That's what your soft cap and steel helmet are for.

[pcox]

Pot and Pan Man is the worst job on KP. Pulled KP the first day.>

[blackhawknj]

That Army issued cold can be blamed for everything from boloing a PT test to failure to qualify.

[Story]

"In the event your platoon has to cover a Battalion withdrawal, your life expectancy is approximately two minutes thirty seconds so pay attention to the next block of instruction" - every Drill, every NCO instructor for 19 series classes at Knox.

I never suspected that moving through C.I.F. was such a critical task.