see ‘a matter of standards‘ for a description of my slack and idle QL2. However, my basic course was especially pathetic. My QL3 was a lot harder. Anyway, here are some of things that I learned.
(I apoligize if I sound pretentious, I‘m not speaking from years of experince here, but I have learned some things)
a) Help out your buddies. The people in your section are your lifeline. You depend on each other. Work together. Teamwork means the diffrence between a hellish course and a bearable one.
b)Don‘t brownnose. The instructers know that you are doing it, and it won‘t impress them. The other people on your course know, and they won‘t be too impressed either.
c)Don‘t try to stand out. It‘s not civi life. Don‘t try and assert your originality. Remain true to yourself, but try and be the gray man.
d)Be physically prepared. Every time we went for a run on QL3 I thought I was going to die. You don‘t need that. Always stay with the troop on runs, but the big thing is to never stop running. And remember that stuburness counts for more than athletic ability.
e)Always remember that life isn‘t fair.
f)Help out your buddies. I know I already said that, but it‘s incredibly important. It‘s your friends who keep you going, and one day your life might depend on them.
For me, the most difficult thing on my QL3 (which I consider my real basic training; QL2 was a joke) was interpersonal conflict. Some people on my course didn‘t like me because since I was female and didn‘t know my place. (the other girls on my course were really quiet and unassuming- that‘s not me) Or maybe they just didn‘t like me. They tried to screw me over and get me kicked off the course, and basicly made my life hell for 4 weeks. (my section was ok so I maintained my sanity) Eventually the course officer found out about this, and the fecal matter hit the rotary coolant device. What I learned from this is to be true to myself. I also believe that if I can survive that, now I can do anything.
(my roomate says the army brainwashed me)
joelp_m@hotmail.com
