The ultimate basic training guidebook: tips, tricks, and tactics for surviving boot camp

Anyone who has undergone the transition from civilian to soldier will tell you that basic training is a lot tougher and more challenging than any new recruit can imagine. Michael Volkin discovered that fact soon after 9-11, when he vowed to "serve my country" and enlisted in the U.S. Army. Volkin quickly discovered he was utterly unprepared for the new world of the military--"a completely different environment full of unknown exercises and acronyms, where can't eat or talk without permission." During Operation Enduring/Iraqi Freedom, Sgt. Volkin interviewed hundreds of soldiers with the hope that "no one else would have to go through basic training like I did--completely unaware of what I was about to endure, and without the knowledge I could have gained to make my transition into the military much easier." The result is The Ultimate Basic Training Guidebook, a unique and utterly indispensable guide for successfully coping with and thriving in today's military. Volkin's book is a comprehensive easy-to-follow survival guide written for everyone about to enter any branch of the armed forces. Its step-by-step approach includes helpful charts and graphics to help you prepare physically and mentally for boot camp, and an eight-week fitness program designed to improve your fitness test scores. The Ultimate Basic Training Guidebook was written by a soldier for men and women who want to become soldiers. No one should enter boot camp without having read this book--twice.

Foreword by Brigadier General Douglas A. Pritt -- Preface/Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- Drill sergeants : the mental game -- Fitness -- Prepare yourself early -- Schedule breakdown -- Battle buddies -- The gas chamber -- Day 1 -- Make the most of your meals -- Dress faster than Superman -- How to... -- Study guide -- What do I take with me to basic training? -- Top 15 most common "do not's" for recruits -- Interview with a drill sergeant -- Tips for success -- Where's my poop? -- Frequently asked questions -- Update your resume -- Conclusion: Read this book again -- Appendix 1: Acronyms and terms -- Appendix 2: Body weight exercises -- Afterword -- Index.