What's Basic Training Like?

Sgt. Melissa Esquivel: Soon as you get off that bus, and everything’s, like, a shock to you, the only thing going through your head is like, “Where am I? What am I doing?” (laughs)

Petty Officer 3rd Class Robert Glaude: Preparing for boot camp, it really did help physically, but I didn’t prepare for being away from family for three or four months.

Senior Airman Jessica Eastburn: It’s nothing to be afraid of. Even if you’ve never worked out before in your life, you will be in shape. They will put you in shape, and (laughs) it’s not gonna be a problem. Whether you like it or not, you’re gonna get in shape.

Airman 1st Class Carlos Puga: I wasn’t prepared at all. (laughs) No, not at all. To be completely honest, yeah, I was not prepared. I probably should have taken more advice, as far as working out. That was probably the main thing, the working out.

Cpl. Christopher Vogt: Myself and my brother, we prepared ourselves physically. We would work out every day. We’d run a lot. I mean, we went off of what my dad did 30 years ago. And it was different. It wasn’t the same, but it was still tough.

2nd Lt. Amanda Morgan: I think that being an athletic person in high school did help me when I joined the Military because being physically fit is a huge part.

Staff Sgt. Jacob Poulliot: I never played any sports in high school. I never really had the interest for it. So I pretty much just worked out on my own. I talked to people who knew how to exercise, who knew how to stay in shape.

Airman 1st Class Carlos Puga: Well, my recruiter’s supervisor, he shared with me the day before, he said, “You know what? I’m gonna be real honest with you. It’s gonna feel like you might not be able to do it. You probably are gonna want to quit. But trust me, it gets better. Just hang in there, and it will get better.” So I kind of went with that mindset, and I really think that helped. That really helped me out.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Adrien Cheval: Really, the time factor – getting up at 6:00 in the morning and doing things till 10:00 or 11:00 at night – was very challenging. The days were very long, but the weeks went by very quickly. And it was a very, overall, very rewarding experience.

[End of Recording]