Having Second Thoughts About Joining the Military?

By SGT Volkin

It’s normal for all recruits to think at one time or another that they have made a mistake by joining the military. Usually this thought occurs during the first week of basic training. Some trainees will find it hard to avoid thinking about their cushy civilian life. If you think you may be one of those recruits that lay awake at night dreaming of your family and friends, keep these tips in mind:

Tip #1

Understand the first week of training is the hardest.

Yes, everything is new and no one seems to likes you. Don’t worry, you aren’t doing anything wrong. Everyone is feeling the same worries and fears. At this point, just understand what is to be expected of you and try your best to accomplish those tasks.

Tip #2

Hurting yourself or others will not get you home sooner.

As crazy as it may sound to you now, there are recruits desperate enough to leave basic training that they will hurt themselves to get discharged. Unfortunately this tactic doesn’t work. As a result, the recruits who self inflict an injury spend more time away from home stuck in military medical facilities while the other recruits have graduated.

Tip #3

You’re not alone.

Even though you are living night and day with fifty plus other people, at first you may feel like you are going through hell and you’re all by yourself. That’s because you have not yet connected with the other recruits. After the first week of training, you’ll find that you have built a friendship with the other recruits.

A parent of a military recruit who is currently going through basic training asked me “What will the military do if my son doesn’t want to finish basic training?” My answer to that is – the fastest way out of basic training is to graduate from basic training.

For more basic training tips and tricks from Sergeant Volkin, go to UltimateBasicTraining.com and buy the best basic training book available: The Ultimate Basic Training Guidebook.

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February 1st, 2012

About... SGT Volkin

This author published 82 posts in this site.
Sergeant Michael Volkin is a U.S. Army veteran and one of America's most successful military authors focusing on basic training. He served in Operation Enduring/Iraqi Freedom as a Chemical Operations Specialist and received an Army Commendation Medal for his efforts and for the military fitness programs he designed to help his fellow soldiers. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Science from Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas and also a Real Estate Brokers Degree. Note from the author: "I knew absolutely nothing about the military when I entered basic training. I had no immediate military family history and no prior desire to ever join the military. It was on the tragic morning of September 11, 2001 that I realized what I was taking for granted all these years. Freedom, as wonderful as it is, is an uphill struggle, and comes with an enormous responsibility. It wasn’t so much a decision, but a calling, that I joined the military - the Army Reserves. I departed for basic training without an ounce of military knowledge one month after September 11, 2001. However, I used this lack of knowledge to my advantage. I took notes on everything, with the ambition that no military recruit would have to go through boot camp like I did, with no knowledge of what was in store for me. I listened to hundreds of soldiers share their advice, tips, and tricks on surviving basic training. When I was deployed shortly after basic training to serve in Operation Enduring/Iraqi Freedom, I had the time to organize the notes, add to them, and assemble the most practical basic training guide ever written. The Ultimate Basic Training Series is straightforward, easy to understand and applies to every branch of the military. Take advantage of the military fitness routine in these books. Many hours of research and trial and error went toward creating the program. I believe there is no other fitness program that can get you in shape for basic training faster." SGT Volkin is currently a real estate broker and marketing consultant.