Basic Training Wasn’t What I Expected — And That Was the Point.

Before starting Basic Combat Training in February of 2025, I thought I had a good grasp on exactly what was going to happen, haven been a member of the United Naval Sea Cadets and after a short stent in the Tennessee State Guard I had it all figured out but I was most certainly surprised.

• Constant yelling, nonstop chaos
• Everything physical
• Immediate confidence
• Clear instructions all the time
• Either you’re tough or you fail

all of these were main factors, or so I thought.

The Experience.

My first day. My cycle of Basic Combat Training commenced training February 18th, 2025, after myself and fellow Trainees In-processed we were picked up by our drill sergeants, they arrived bringing with them 5–10 white, to my eyes, prison buses I can’t remember the exact amount, I remember right before they arrived the Seargeant who couriered us said “ I can already tell you all are going to be doing a lot of push-ups” this comment for whatever reason stuck with me, probably because I couldn’t do more than 20 or the fact my mile run time was 11 minutes what he said made it real, and it’s something I’ll always remember.

we arrived at our battalion, the 3rd battalion 34th infantry Regiment, at around 1:30 PM a bit behind schedule, my bus drove us to my company I remember seeing all the other company’s going through the infamous “shark Attack” we were all observing our future the same fate we’d certainly face in a couple minutes. when our bus stopped for a moment so did my heart, our drill sergeant escorting us waited no time issuing his famous statement “Get the H*** off my bus” we ran to the sound of explosions and machine-gun fired to our prospective platoon areas, I was assigned to 4th platoon “Gremlins”.

• Constant yelling, nonstop chaos

I expected constant yelling and nonstop chaos. What I found instead was structure repetitive, and deliberate. The yelling didn’t disappear, but it became background noise. What mattered more was whether you listened the first time and corrected yourself the second. your platoon mates can also shape this prospective.

• Everything physical

I also believed basic training would be purely physical. Push-ups, runs, ruck marches. Those things mattered, but they weren’t what broke people down. What tested me most was the mental fatigue being tired while still expected to think, remember, and perform small tasks correctly.

• Immediate confidence

I thought confidence would come quickly, kind of like flipping a switch. Instead, it came much later. Confidence showed up through repetition being corrected, fixing mistakes, and doing it again without being told. That pattern repeated through the first phase and into the second, and it took time for me to understand that this was the point.

• Clear instructions all the time

I went into basic combat training expecting clear instructions at all times. I assumed that if I paid attention and worked hard, everything would make sense. Instead, I often found myself unsure about timing, expectations, or what came next. That certainly was frustrating early on. It felt like I was always one step behind. Eventually, I realized that confusion wasn’t accidental. It forced me to observe more closely, listen harder, and take responsibility for figuring things out. Learning how to operate without constant clarity became just as important as learning the tasks themselves.

Looking back, basic combat training prepared me less for combat and more for being new, new to environments, expectations, and responsibility. That lesson didn’t end at Fort Jackson or Fort Leonard Wood. I’ve carried it into civilian work, healthcare settings, and every situation where learning fast matters more than feeling confident.

My cycle of Echo company, 3rd battalion, 34th infantry regiment graduated Basic Combat training April 24th, 2025.

Sometimes the reality you didn’t plan for is the one that shapes you most.