Tips for DEPshits when at osut....

BadMuther · Post by **BadMuther** » March 26th, 2004, 3:02 pm

Figured I'd start an informal thread for everyone to throw any kinds of tips these little fuckers way before they head off.......Harris (my bitch) is leaving soon.....

So, here goes, throw it all out!!!

Be the "grey man".....excel at everything that you do, but try not to stand out...improves your chances of making it all the way through......

Wall locker inspections....use tape on the bottom of your items to keep them from moving around in your 3-drawer chests...This is your "static" display.....keep your real shaving kit in your personal shit.....Your laundry bag makes a great spot for hiding shit before inspections....Most drills don't like digging through your dirty shit.

Airborne school.......don't drink during the week......drink sparingly on the weekends, if at all.....plenty of time to drink AFTER you have made it to Batt....

The spitshine dude at Airborne School.....If you ever want to use your leg boots for anything again (you prolly won't, but he knows) do not pay that guy to shine your shit...it's a waste of money, and the stuff he puts on ruins your boots.

Saving money.....eat at the chow hall whenever you can-this goes throughout your career...you can save some serious cash that way.....

Someone else???

Spartan · Post by **Spartan** » March 26th, 2004, 3:11 pm

Don't volunteer to do any 'barracks projects' like painting or stripping the floors over a weekend. While you're doing that, everyone else will be outside writing home, BSing, or talking on the phone - if phone time is allowed. If the DI's drop everyone until someone 'volunteers' to do these BS tasks, don't do it. Let someone else cave in and do it.

BadMuther · Post by **BadMuther** » March 26th, 2004, 3:16 pm

Spartan wrote:Don't volunteer to do any 'barracks projects' like painting or stripping the floors over a weekend. While you're doing that, everyone else will be outside writing home, BSing, or talking on the phone - if phone time is allowed. If the DI's drop everyone until someone 'volunteers' to do these BS tasks, don't do it. Let someone else cave in and do it.

Good call......100% of the things they asked for volunteers in my basic for was pure BS.....not anything fun. Like peeling potatoes....

Neutron · Post by **Neutron** » March 26th, 2004, 3:45 pm

Thank you Ranger Spartan and Ranger BadMuther! I'm leaving here kinda soon, I try to soak up every bit of knowledge you veterans got!

BadMuther · Post by **BadMuther** » March 26th, 2004, 3:49 pm

Try to get your ass to sleep at night in osut...Night time is your only "free" time, so there is a tendency to want to stay up and get a little personal time.

For some reason, OSUT is like some religous experience and everyone feels the need to stay up writing everyone they know into the wee hours of the morning....DON'T. Write the occasional letter, but the folks that care about you will still be sround-even if you don't write them EVERYDAY!

My osut, we got off around 8 at night and had PT at 430....sometimes 330...I have no idea how it is now.

PT is pretty weak in OSUT...it's all a mind game, so use your free time to improve your body.

BadMuther · Post by **BadMuther** » March 26th, 2004, 4:02 pm

Check the ceiling tiles for old "fuck books"......

BRanger91 · Post by **BRanger91** » March 26th, 2004, 4:24 pm

Don't just listen, absorb what DI's tell you when it comes to training. Ranger Bad Muther is right too. Stay away from booze as much as possible. The first tendancy is to go get loaded at a club once you are in Airborne School. Resist it! You will be better off in the long run. Instead use your time to rest and read/study some. There will be plenty of time to drink once you get to Bat. While in ABN I actually got a piece of rope and practiced tying knots and studying the Bible (Ranger handbook) and even though I didn't understand alot of it at the time it helped out alot later when I got into RIP and Bat. Most of all stay focused and don't get mixed up with 'clicks'.

Blacksrt4 · Post by **Blacksrt4** » March 26th, 2004, 5:32 pm

Not much for me to say than, thanks for these little tips and such. We (DEP's) really appreciate this because we know we have a slight advantage over the rest of the DEP's. Thanks again.

Neutron · Post by **Neutron** » March 26th, 2004, 5:34 pm

Rangers, I two questions for you guys. 1 - When in basic/abn/rip, what were your biggest challenges? (I'm not sure how long ago this was for most of you) 2 - Was there anything in paticular that you did when you were stressing (in basic/abn/rip) to focus and keep yourself motivated?

Rangers, these tips rock (I appreciate everything), but RIP and everything else seems almost inhuman. I'd like to hear what kind of struggles (if any) you guys had, and how you overcame them. I worry about how I'm going to perform when I get there, hearing about how other peoples training went and how they struggled seems like it will help somehow.

BadMuther · Post by **BadMuther** » March 26th, 2004, 5:47 pm

Neutron wrote:Rangers, I two questions for you guys. 1 - When in basic/abn/rip, what were your biggest challenges? (I'm not sure how long ago this was for most of you) 2 - Was there anything in paticular that you did when you were stressing (in basic/abn/rip) to focus and keep yourself motivated?

Rangers, these tips rock (I appreciate everything), but RIP and everything else seems almost inhuman. I'd like to hear what kind of struggles (if any) you guys had, and how you overcame them. I worry about how I'm going to perform when I get there, hearing about how other peoples training went and how they struggled seems like it will help somehow.

RIP inhuman? You don't want to hear my RIP stories then!!

To be honest, I had no biggest challenge.....except for maybe self-doubt, but that is only human.

Stressing? I can't say I ever really considered myself "stressed" at all in training/RIP...scared the RIP instructors would fucking kill us? Oh Yeah!!!!

I didn't have a problem with motivation....having to face all my peers at home if I didn't make it was motivation enough.

I grew up with a group of like-minded hooligans...with the exception of two guys who had injuries, the rest of us realized all our dreams......two Rangers, a SEAL, an ANGLICO Marine, and a S/S Marine......

The two guys who had injuries now make a shitload of money-commercial pilot and Deputy Sheriff.....

McD · Post by **McD** » March 26th, 2004, 5:50 pm

Keep your lockers LOCKED at all times! There are always some thieves around. I use to soak my new brass for awhile to get the lacquer off it. New brass looks shiny but its not! Shave every day! Shave before you leave home! Don't be the guy that does some stupid shit (sneak to the PX or something like that) that gets your squad/platoon smoked... the boys will get you. Like BadMuther said keep a low profile.

Madrat · Post by **Madrat** » March 26th, 2004, 6:09 pm

I especially liked the one about old fuck magazines in the ceiling tiles Ranger Bad Muther. I'd forgotten that one. Our first inspection the DS found a box of contraband candy bars stashed there. The entire platoon got to pay for it and I had the privilidge of doing extra push ups since I was the Platoon guide. What memories :?

Looon · Post by **Looon** » March 29th, 2004, 7:30 am

My first weekend after the first week of RIP, I scored with one of the few 'hot' chicks in ABN school. She thought it was so cool that I was going to be a Ranger.............well you know how that and RIP went for me.

Spartan · Post by **Spartan** » March 29th, 2004, 7:31 am

Neutron wrote:1. When in basic/abn/rip, what were your biggest challenges?

No thinking about sex 24/7 cause it was so boring there was plenty of time to let the mind wander. For some of you, it helps that you've actually had sex a time or two before you go.

Neutron wrote:2. Was there anything in paticular that you did when you were stressing (in basic/abn/rip) to focus and keep yourself motivated?

Kept in mind that if I didn't stay focused I was going to have to go to some unit that sucked. A unit where each person got to shoot $18.23 worth of ammo a year, instead of $46,250.96 in ammo and more each year thereafter; a unit that helped the post by pulling area beautification by walking the roadways of the installation hunting for stray cigarette butts instead of training up for the next overseas deployment or doing cool shit that you couldn't talk to any of your friends back home about; a unit where everyone complained about having to go to the field twice a year, instead of a unit where everyone complained about only getting enough ammo this one time for each man to shoot 1200 rounds a day during close quarters shooting drills.

Yeah, the one thing to remember is that you'd better goddamned make it, cause anywhere else you go is going to suck hard. Just ask PHR - he's an 11B and assigned to the motorpool.