What it was like for me to join the service (In the USA)

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zappey1
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What it was like for me to join the service (In the USA)

#1

Post by zappey1 » Fri Nov 29, 2019 10:21 am

Before I start this draft, I want to say that not all experiences are going to be the same. Other people might have different experiences in the same situation. That disclaimer out of the way I wanted to write this for people that might be thinking about joining the service or for others that are curious about what joining the service is like. If you’re a young person working at a dead-end job it might be an option for you to think about.

I grew up in a small town in the middle of the woods. It took close to 2 hours to get to a decent size city. The population was not very diverse and since logging was no longer much of a thing the job prospects for High school graduates was abysmal. When I was 19, I knocked up my high school sweetheart. And after our daughter was born I knew I would need a better job.

After our daughter was born things hit the fan. I was working from 4am to about 12 pm doing laundry at a hospital. After I got off work from my job, I would ride my bike several miles to attend my college classes. After going to college, I would bike several miles home. I would lift (at the time I only had a bench), spend time with my family, eat dinner then start homework. I would get done about 10 pm go to bed ant start the process all over again the next day. My new born would wake up several times a night as they tend to do. After about a year of this routine I needed a change.

One day after work I stopped by my local Navy recruiter office and took the entry test to see what jobs I was qualified for in the service. I did well and qualified for a long list of jobs. I never considered myself a above average intelligence person. But according to the recruiters I had scored towards the top of potential candidates that take the test. I heard about the different jobs that I qualified for and liked the sound of “Master at Arms.” The job sounded like a mix of police and security guards. At the time I wanted to get my degree to be a police officer, so I quickly signed the paper to enter the delayed entry program.

The delayed entry program meant I would not ship out to boot camp for 6 months while I worked on getting in shape and learning basic military knowledge. First, thing about getting in shape for boot camp is that you must get good at running. I want to say at the time (2002) I had to run 1.5 miles in 10:30 to be considered as having a decent time. I thought I was in pretty good shape from ridding my bike every day and benching a couple times a week (I benched roughly 275 with a BW of 185).

After meeting up with the recruiter one Saturday and giving the fit test a try I saw that I needed to do some work before shipping out. The fit test at the time consisted of pushups in 2 minutes, sit ups in 2 minutes if you stopped during that 2 minutes you were done. After you had a 1.5-mile run and a body fat test. Your body fat had to be below 20% if I remember correctly. You had to score a high good to get promoted before boot camp. I think to qualify as a high good it was 10:30 on the run and 60 or 70 pushups and sit ups to qualify. These had to be good push ups and sit ups to count. You also had to pass a basic military knowledge test.

Fast forward a few months later. I was able to meet all the requirements to get the promotion to E-2 before shipping out to boot camp. I packed what I needed and left for boot camp in June. I left everything I knew behind and prepared to face a whole new adventure. I had only left my state a few times yet alone to travel across the country. I Packed to leave for 3 months of training to change me from a civilian to a military member. I was very nervous to state it mildly.

This part is already running long. So if people like this I will work on a 2nd part about what boot camp is actually like.

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mgil
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Re: What it was like for me to join the service (In the USA)

#2

Post by mgil » Sat Nov 30, 2019 4:28 am

I’m interested to see where this goes.

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zappey1
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Re: What it was like for me to join the service (In the USA)

#3

Post by zappey1 » Sat Nov 30, 2019 7:05 pm

mgil wrote: Sat Nov 30, 2019 4:28 am I’m interested to see where this goes.
Thanks for the support ill post part 2 in this thread next week

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Re: What it was like for me to join the service (In the USA)

#4

Post by KyleSchuant » Sat Nov 30, 2019 9:56 pm

I like you, Zappey, you're a passionate guy with a lot to say about lifting and life. Let's hear more.

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zappey1
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Re: What it was like for me to join the service (In the USA)

#5

Post by zappey1 » Sat Nov 30, 2019 10:09 pm

KyleSchuant wrote: Sat Nov 30, 2019 9:56 pm I like you, Zappey, you're a passionate guy with a lot to say about lifting and life. Let's hear more.
Thanks Kyle. :D

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OrderInChaos
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Re: What it was like for me to join the service (In the USA)

#6

Post by OrderInChaos » Mon Dec 02, 2019 2:34 pm

zappey1 wrote: Fri Nov 29, 2019 10:21 am I think to qualify as a high good it was 10:30 on the run and 60 or 70 pushups and sit ups to qualify. These had to be good push ups and sit ups to count.
That sounds like special standards (like AIRR or Diver) for minimum entry. It's Good-Low (11:00 run for alpha-males) to pass and leave Great Lakes nowadays. Also, they are distinctly NOT good pushups and situps now, lol. "The only way to fail in the fleet is to run too slow" spread to GL.
zappey1 wrote: Fri Nov 29, 2019 10:21 am This part is already running long. So if people like this I will work on a 2nd part about what boot camp is actually like.
Navy boot circa 2002 might be a little specific for this site, but I think a lot of folks (self included) would be very interested in how you started and balanced strongman with other physical standards like any MA training you did, keeping a 10:30 run and all that jazz. Navy's lack of organized PT and really shitty enforcement/CFL culture are a great environment to accidentally get fat fucked and lose your run abilities.

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zappey1
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Re: What it was like for me to join the service (In the USA)

#7

Post by zappey1 » Mon Dec 02, 2019 2:48 pm

OrderInChaos wrote: Mon Dec 02, 2019 2:34 pm
zappey1 wrote: Fri Nov 29, 2019 10:21 am I think to qualify as a high good it was 10:30 on the run and 60 or 70 pushups and sit ups to qualify. These had to be good push ups and sit ups to count.
That sounds like special standards (like AIRR or Diver) for minimum entry. It's Good-Low (11:00 run for alpha-males) to pass and leave Great Lakes nowadays. Also, they are distinctly NOT good pushups and situps now, lol. "The only way to fail in the fleet is to run too slow" spread to GL.
zappey1 wrote: Fri Nov 29, 2019 10:21 am This part is already running long. So if people like this I will work on a 2nd part about what boot camp is actually like.
Navy boot circa 2002 might be a little specific for this site, but I think a lot of folks (self included) would be very interested in how you started and balanced strongman with other physical standards like any MA training you did, keeping a 10:30 run and all that jazz. Navy's lack of organized PT and really shitty enforcement/CFL culture are a great environment to accidentally get fat fucked and lose your run abilities.
Thanks for the interest. It was 2002 and I believe I needed a (high good)for a 20 year old male to get the promotion to E-2 before boot camp. That and complete the general knowledge test at the recruiter office.

I want to get through everything up to strongman stuff. It is a long story and I will have to do it in installments. Next up is what boot camp training was like.

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OrderInChaos
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Re: What it was like for me to join the service (In the USA)

#8

Post by OrderInChaos » Mon Dec 02, 2019 2:55 pm

zappey1 wrote: Mon Dec 02, 2019 2:48 pm Next up is what boot camp training was like.
I got you, fam.
SpoilerShow
Low intensity running, loud fat Chiefs who can't run barking at you to run, people doing pullups on the bars in the laundry room to avoid getting caught by roving watch doing unauthorized physical routine, lots of mindless trainings and silly shit culminating in a big marching parade deal 8 weeks later.

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