Class of 2018 Female, happy to answer questions

[Red2018]

I know there is a packing list for BCT and what to bring and not bring, however some other appointees and I were wondering if hygiene items such as nail clippers and tweezers would be allowed?

Yes. Those are allowed. I would definitely get a good pair of nail clippers for cords on your uniforms.

 

[KAmelia]

Thank you!

 

[afacademychic]

For a slightly different perspective, I chose to buy more expensive and high quality sports bras, spandex and underwear so I would be very comfortable during basic. The issued spandex/compression shorts I found to be uncomfortable and was extremely happy with my choice of quality and comfort. While it is much more expensive up front, I was able to keep all my undergarments from after basic and they did not get "gross." I also bought all black spandex and underwear, and all grey sports bras. The cadre cannot and will not check them. Whites are washed completely separate from colors, but as a heads up, goodwill continues to do your laundry for the duration of freshmen year as you are not allowed to use the Laundromat. So buying expensive underwear after basic is possible, but I did have a nice lace pair ruined in December. I know popular opinion is to buy crappy undergarments to get rid of, but if you do buy higher quality stuff you can keep, I highly recommend the Nike combat pro series. They held up through the assault course and everything. No matter what you choose, bring more than the recommended amount. You begin showering twice a day on the hill, and you can never have enough sports bras. Good luck 2019!

 

[KAmelia]

Additionally, I was wondering if sponsor families were required 4th class and 3rd class year?

 

[BlahuKahuna]

Additionally, I was wondering if sponsor families were required 4th class and 3rd class year?

No, I know quite a few people who were never assigned sponsor families. But if you're not from the area, they're a nice resource...

 

[Usafamom2016]

Many freshmen do laundry at their sponsor houses on the weekend. Much better for those nicer clothes. Of course, not available during BCT but after.

 

[KAmelia]

Would a hair donut to make a bun be allowed during BCT?

 

[Red2018]

Would a hair donut to make a bun be allowed during BCT?

I don't think so. I never saw any. During the school year that's totally fine, but during basic I don't remember anyone having those. I'm not too sure so they may be allowed. I'll ask around but hopefully someone else can give more detail.

 

[runner_girl1]

I was wondering what the regulations on earrings/ belly button rings are

 

[Red2018]

I was wondering what the regulations on earrings/ belly button rings are

Runner Girl,

If you have more than one ear piercing, only one pair at a time in lower earlobes, earrings must be small (6mm diameter), spherical, conservative, and either white diamond, gold, pearl or silver earrings when in uniform. Also they must fi tightly and not extend below the earlobe. (summarized from the CSP).

I didn't see any regulations about belly button rings. I've seen girls with them, but I don't know if there are rules associated. But know that during basic there is no jewelry allowed. I wouldn't bring it with you on I-Day. Just have your parents mail it to you later.

Hope this helps.

 

[#17]

Should extra sox for boots be brought for BCT? what would be the appropriate color choice?

 

[Red2018]

Should extra sox for boots be brought for BCT? what would be the appropriate color choice?

No, you won't need extra socks. They issue you a ton. That was never a problem for me during basic. You won't need extras.

 

[NLMom]

I'd like to give my DS one pair of ABU boots prior to BCT so he can break them in and get used to running in them. I'm having trouble finding the right ones online. Can you please provide some guidance?

 

[USAFADAD2017]

NLMom.. My daughter (now a C2C) was required to use the boots that were issued during inprocessing for BCT. It wasn't until after recognition that she was able to wear the Nike boots she ordered. Again, this was squad specific,meaning that your DS would have to check with his squadron leadership to see when he can wear them. There are a lot of great boots available (must be sage green in color). My daughter prefers the Nike and the last boot she ordered was:

http://m.nike.com/us/en_us/pd/special-field-boot/pid-438376/pgid-10349210

Hope this helps. If you haven't already, I would suggest joining some of the USAFA parents Facebook pages. A lot of additional great information and parents for support.

 

[NLMom]

NLMom.. My daughter (now a C2C) was required to use the boots that were issued during inprocessing for BCT. It wasn't until after recognition that she was able to wear the Nike boots she ordered. Again, this was squad specific,meaning that your DS would have to check with his squadron leadership to see when he can wear them. There are a lot of great boots available (must be sage green in color). My daughter prefers the Nike and the last boot she ordered was:

http://m.nike.com/us/en_us/pd/special-field-boot/pid-438376/pgid-10349210

Hope this helps. If you haven't already, I would suggest joining some of the USAFA parents Facebook pages. A lot of additional great information and parents for support.

Thanks. I have joined a FB parents page which has helped. I didn't see anything on it about the ABU boots so I thought I would ask here.

 

[USAFADAD2017]

I tried sending you a message here.. but I guess you have to have X amount of posts before you can message anyone?? You can find me on FB.. Adrian Sutterfield.. PM me there and I can give you some additional info.

 

[mikki]

I am not sure how daily PT works because I am not there yet so will we be left up to ourselves to do PT on our own time. (I assume if they do, there is time in our schedules right) Also, if it is done alone, do you have a squadmate that you work out with our do you work out alone? I find it more motivating when I am with someone.

Also, I know we will be broken down at basic so that we can be built up as good team members but did you ever have a moment during basic that you felt was extra hard because you were a female?

Hi Rogers,

I'm going to start with your second question, then come back to your first.

Basic is really hard. Some people aren't made out to be at the Academy and that is just a fact. Being a girl, no matter how hard you try, the guys will always be able to do more push-ups, pull-ups and other such exercises. So train, make sure you are fit when you get here. But don't stress too much. Yes, you will get singled out. I was singled out a lot, and though it wasn't for being a girl, usually it was for other things. And everyone gets singled out, guys too. But in hindsight, it was important, and that's your chance to prove that you want to be there. You will mess up. They will yell at you. What matters most is to be tough, determined and to not give up. That's how you gain the cadre's respect, that's how you gain the respect of your squad mates. It's not easy, but if you've been selected to come to the Academy, someone thinks you have it in you, don't forget that.

That said, during basic there will be no PT time. The cadre will be giving you plenty of that. But once school starts, there is no one scheduling your day for you anymore. You will have briefings and classes and all sorts of opportunities like clubs, sports and groups that you can join at your own choosing. So going to the gym will be up to you, or you may be going often with your team for practices. Now unless you are an IC athlete, or have LOS for a club that you have joined, you will have a training officer and he will be scheduling training sessions for your freshman classmates. Depending on what your training officer chooses to do with training, it may take up a lot of your time and you may not be able to go down to the gym, or feel the need to go down to the gym. Like I said, it will be a personal choice. For me personally, I play water polo on the club team here, and so I had an LOS slot. I would go to training sessions every so often, but usually I would have practice on those days, and so I wouldn't go to training sessions. Usually I would go down to the gym about one additional time on top of practice and training sessions and I prefer to work out alone. But many people go down there with friends. That's a personal choice.

I hope this helps.

as a sponsor parents if I could give 1 piece of advice incoming cadet, to prepare for basic, I will tell them to come in couple weeks earlier and do some high altitude training. Institute at the academy is over 70. if you've ever watched football game if you can't hang me from a teen who are from a stage with no altitude or sea level, you will see auction oxygen tanks. there are great places do some high altitude training in Colorado Springs from our trail, Garden of the Gods, manager inclinedthese are just a few. I know its my new lease with my new leaf, that was a major

I am not sure how daily PT works because I am not there yet so will we be left up to ourselves to do PT on our own time. (I assume if they do, there is time in our schedules right) Also, if it is done alone, do you have a squadmate that you work out with our do you work out alone? I find it more motivating when I am with someone.

Also, I know we will be broken down at basic so that we can be built up as good team members but did you ever have a moment during basic that you felt was extra hard because you were a female?

Hi Rogers,

I'm going to start with your second question, then come back to your first.

Basic is really hard. Some people aren't made out to be at the Academy and that is just a fact. Being a girl, no matter how hard you try, the guys will always be able to do more push-ups, pull-ups and other such exercises. So train, make sure you are fit when you get here. But don't stress too much. Yes, you will get singled out. I was singled out a lot, and though it wasn't for being a girl, usually it was for other things. And everyone gets singled out, guys too. But in hindsight, it was important, and that's your chance to prove that you want to be there. You will mess up. They will yell at you. What matters most is to be tough, determined and to not give up. That's how you gain the cadre's respect, that's how you gain the respect of your squad mates. It's not easy, but if you've been selected to come to the Academy, someone thinks you have it in you, don't forget that.

That said, during basic there will be no PT time. The cadre will be giving you plenty of that. But once school starts, there is no one scheduling your day for you anymore. You will have briefings and classes and all sorts of opportunities like clubs, sports and groups that you can join at your own choosing. So going to the gym will be up to you, or you may be going often with your team for practices. Now unless you are an IC athlete, or have LOS for a club that you have joined, you will have a training officer and he will be scheduling training sessions for your freshman classmates. Depending on what your training officer chooses to do with training, it may take up a lot of your time and you may not be able to go down to the gym, or feel the need to go down to the gym. Like I said, it will be a personal choice. For me personally, I play water polo on the club team here, and so I had an LOS slot. I would go to training sessions every so often, but usually I would have practice on those days, and so I wouldn't go to training sessions. Usually I would go down to the gym about one additional time on top of practice and training sessions and I prefer to work out alone. But many people go down there with friends. That's a personal choice.

I hope this helps.

I am not sure how daily PT works because I am not there yet so will we be left up to ourselves to do PT on our own time. (I assume if they do, there is time in our schedules right) Also, if it is done alone, do you have a squadmate that you work out with our do you work out alone? I find it more motivating when I am with someone.

Also, I know we will be broken down at basic so that we can be built up as good team members but did you ever have a moment during basic that you felt was extra hard because you were a female?

Hi Rogers,

I'm going to start with your second question, then come back to your first.

Basic is really hard. Some people aren't made out to be at the Academy and that is just a fact. Being a girl, no matter how hard you try, the guys will always be able to do more push-ups, pull-ups and other such exercises. So train, make sure you are fit when you get here. But don't stress too much. Yes, you will get singled out. I was singled out a lot, and though it wasn't for being a girl, usually it was for other things. And everyone gets singled out, guys too. But in hindsight, it was important, and that's your chance to prove that you want to be there. You will mess up. They will yell at you. What matters most is to be tough, determined and to not give up. That's how you gain the cadre's respect, that's how you gain the respect of your squad mates. It's not easy, but if you've been selected to come to the Academy, someone thinks you have it in you, don't forget that.

That said, during basic there will be no PT time. The cadre will be giving you plenty of that. But once school starts, there is no one scheduling your day for you anymore. You will have briefings and classes and all sorts of opportunities like clubs, sports and groups that you can join at your own choosing. So going to the gym will be up to you, or you may be going often with your team for practices. Now unless you are an IC athlete, or have LOS for a club that you have joined, you will have a training officer and he will be scheduling training sessions for your freshman classmates. Depending on what your training officer chooses to do with training, it may take up a lot of your time and you may not be able to go down to the gym, or feel the need to go down to the gym. Like I said, it will be a personal choice. For me personally, I play water polo on the club team here, and so I had an LOS slot. I would go to training sessions every so often, but usually I would have practice on those days, and so I wouldn't go to training sessions. Usually I would go down to the gym about one additional time on top of practice and training sessions and I prefer to work out alone. But many people go down there with friends. That's a personal choice.

I hope this help



As a sponsor parent and long time resident of Colorado, the best advice I would give to incoming cadets to prepare for Basic, would be to come to Colorado a couple weeks earlier and do some high altitude training. The cadet area is around 7,200 feet. There are many places that are great to train, from the Garden of the gods, to Barr trail and the Manitou Incline, to beautiful towns all over the western slope, just to name a few. Speaking from experience, the number one issue my Dooleys had during Basic was the altitude issue.

 

[RogersCO'19]

I am not sure how daily PT works because I am not there yet so will we be left up to ourselves to do PT on our own time. (I assume if they do, there is time in our schedules right) Also, if it is done alone, do you have a squadmate that you work out with our do you work out alone? I find it more motivating when I am with someone.

Also, I know we will be broken down at basic so that we can be built up as good team members but did you ever have a moment during basic that you felt was extra hard because you were a female?

Hi Rogers,

I'm going to start with your second question, then come back to your first.

Basic is really hard. Some people aren't made out to be at the Academy and that is just a fact. Being a girl, no matter how hard you try, the guys will always be able to do more push-ups, pull-ups and other such exercises. So train, make sure you are fit when you get here. But don't stress too much. Yes, you will get singled out. I was singled out a lot, and though it wasn't for being a girl, usually it was for other things. And everyone gets singled out, guys too. But in hindsight, it was important, and that's your chance to prove that you want to be there. You will mess up. They will yell at you. What matters most is to be tough, determined and to not give up. That's how you gain the cadre's respect, that's how you gain the respect of your squad mates. It's not easy, but if you've been selected to come to the Academy, someone thinks you have it in you, don't forget that.

That said, during basic there will be no PT time. The cadre will be giving you plenty of that. But once school starts, there is no one scheduling your day for you anymore. You will have briefings and classes and all sorts of opportunities like clubs, sports and groups that you can join at your own choosing. So going to the gym will be up to you, or you may be going often with your team for practices. Now unless you are an IC athlete, or have LOS for a club that you have joined, you will have a training officer and he will be scheduling training sessions for your freshman classmates. Depending on what your training officer chooses to do with training, it may take up a lot of your time and you may not be able to go down to the gym, or feel the need to go down to the gym. Like I said, it will be a personal choice. For me personally, I play water polo on the club team here, and so I had an LOS slot. I would go to training sessions every so often, but usually I would have practice on those days, and so I wouldn't go to training sessions. Usually I would go down to the gym about one additional time on top of practice and training sessions and I prefer to work out alone. But many people go down there with friends. That's a personal choice.

I hope this helps.

as a sponsor parents if I could give 1 piece of advice incoming cadet, to prepare for basic, I will tell them to come in couple weeks earlier and do some high altitude training. Institute at the academy is over 70. if you've ever watched football game if you can't hang me from a teen who are from a stage with no altitude or sea level, you will see auction oxygen tanks. there are great places do some high altitude training in Colorado Springs from our trail, Garden of the Gods, manager inclinedthese are just a few. I know its my new lease with my new leaf, that was a major

I am not sure how daily PT works because I am not there yet so will we be left up to ourselves to do PT on our own time. (I assume if they do, there is time in our schedules right) Also, if it is done alone, do you have a squadmate that you work out with our do you work out alone? I find it more motivating when I am with someone.

Also, I know we will be broken down at basic so that we can be built up as good team members but did you ever have a moment during basic that you felt was extra hard because you were a female?

Hi Rogers,

I'm going to start with your second question, then come back to your first.

Basic is really hard. Some people aren't made out to be at the Academy and that is just a fact. Being a girl, no matter how hard you try, the guys will always be able to do more push-ups, pull-ups and other such exercises. So train, make sure you are fit when you get here. But don't stress too much. Yes, you will get singled out. I was singled out a lot, and though it wasn't for being a girl, usually it was for other things. And everyone gets singled out, guys too. But in hindsight, it was important, and that's your chance to prove that you want to be there. You will mess up. They will yell at you. What matters most is to be tough, determined and to not give up. That's how you gain the cadre's respect, that's how you gain the respect of your squad mates. It's not easy, but if you've been selected to come to the Academy, someone thinks you have it in you, don't forget that.

That said, during basic there will be no PT time. The cadre will be giving you plenty of that. But once school starts, there is no one scheduling your day for you anymore. You will have briefings and classes and all sorts of opportunities like clubs, sports and groups that you can join at your own choosing. So going to the gym will be up to you, or you may be going often with your team for practices. Now unless you are an IC athlete, or have LOS for a club that you have joined, you will have a training officer and he will be scheduling training sessions for your freshman classmates. Depending on what your training officer chooses to do with training, it may take up a lot of your time and you may not be able to go down to the gym, or feel the need to go down to the gym. Like I said, it will be a personal choice. For me personally, I play water polo on the club team here, and so I had an LOS slot. I would go to training sessions every so often, but usually I would have practice on those days, and so I wouldn't go to training sessions. Usually I would go down to the gym about one additional time on top of practice and training sessions and I prefer to work out alone. But many people go down there with friends. That's a personal choice.

I hope this helps.

I am not sure how daily PT works because I am not there yet so will we be left up to ourselves to do PT on our own time. (I assume if they do, there is time in our schedules right) Also, if it is done alone, do you have a squadmate that you work out with our do you work out alone? I find it more motivating when I am with someone.

Also, I know we will be broken down at basic so that we can be built up as good team members but did you ever have a moment during basic that you felt was extra hard because you were a female?

Hi Rogers,

I'm going to start with your second question, then come back to your first.

Basic is really hard. Some people aren't made out to be at the Academy and that is just a fact. Being a girl, no matter how hard you try, the guys will always be able to do more push-ups, pull-ups and other such exercises. So train, make sure you are fit when you get here. But don't stress too much. Yes, you will get singled out. I was singled out a lot, and though it wasn't for being a girl, usually it was for other things. And everyone gets singled out, guys too. But in hindsight, it was important, and that's your chance to prove that you want to be there. You will mess up. They will yell at you. What matters most is to be tough, determined and to not give up. That's how you gain the cadre's respect, that's how you gain the respect of your squad mates. It's not easy, but if you've been selected to come to the Academy, someone thinks you have it in you, don't forget that.

That said, during basic there will be no PT time. The cadre will be giving you plenty of that. But once school starts, there is no one scheduling your day for you anymore. You will have briefings and classes and all sorts of opportunities like clubs, sports and groups that you can join at your own choosing. So going to the gym will be up to you, or you may be going often with your team for practices. Now unless you are an IC athlete, or have LOS for a club that you have joined, you will have a training officer and he will be scheduling training sessions for your freshman classmates. Depending on what your training officer chooses to do with training, it may take up a lot of your time and you may not be able to go down to the gym, or feel the need to go down to the gym. Like I said, it will be a personal choice. For me personally, I play water polo on the club team here, and so I had an LOS slot. I would go to training sessions every so often, but usually I would have practice on those days, and so I wouldn't go to training sessions. Usually I would go down to the gym about one additional time on top of practice and training sessions and I prefer to work out alone. But many people go down there with friends. That's a personal choice.

I hope this help



As a sponsor parent and long time resident of Colorado, the best advice I would give to incoming cadets to prepare for Basic, would be to come to Colorado a couple weeks earlier and do some high altitude training. The cadet area is around 7,200 feet. There are many places that are great to train, from the Garden of the gods, to Barr trail and the Manitou Incline, to beautiful towns all over the western slope, just to name a few. Speaking from experience, the number one issue my Dooleys had during Basic was the altitude issue.

Thanks for the tips, sadly I will be shipping in on the 24th so I will be forcdd to adjust during basic

 

[Rocko]

You will be fine Rogers. My DS showed up the night before BCT and managed just fine. Just make sure you are in good shape coming in and you will do great. Enjoy your last few weeks with your family and friends and good luck at BCT and the Academy....

 

[RogersCO'19]

You will be fine Rogers. My DS showed up the night before BCT and managed just fine. Just make sure you are in good shape coming in and you will do great. Enjoy your last few weeks with your family and friends and good luck at BCT and the Academy....

Thanks Rocko!