Hopeful; "If the military wants you to have a Crap; they'll issue you one".
TIPS:
1. ANY feelings you have when you get there or during BCT, relax!!! There's 1300+ other trainees who have the EXACT same feelings as you. No matter what they are!!!
2. Most important thing is to remember that you are a team. Most activities and such are designed to force you to work as a team. You can only survive and succeed if you do it as a team.
3. There's 1300+ "A-Type" personalities. You're no longer a Big Fish in a small pond. The Cadre "Upper Class men"; are the "Whalers". If you try to be the "Big Fish", you will be the one that gets harpooned. Fish survive by swimming TOGETHER in a school. See #2 above.
4. In line with #2 and #3; don't speak about all your accomplishments in high school. Everyone there had similar or same accomplishments. Definitely don't talk about Scouting and CAP; especially with the attitude that it somehow has prepared you for what you are about to experience.
5. Each person in your team has skills they learned up to this point. Get to know your flight and learn who is good at what. Don't be afraid to say you "Suck" at something. Encourage those who have certain skills to use them to benefit the flight. (Team).
6. Learn to "Look Through" your cadre. Simple terms: Don't let them see you are scared, but also don't let them see you are "OVER Confident". When they are in your face, let them forget who you are 5 minutes from now.
7. Encourage you flight/team mates. Don't tell them cliches like "It will be OK". Help remind them, and YOURSELF when needed; how TOUGH you were to beat out every other person to get to where you are. And focus on the goal and price at the end. Getting accepted to the academy should not have been your GOAL. It is a means of REACHING your goal. Focus on that goal/prize.
8. Write home often, but DON'T use your family/friends as a way to vent. It will come across a lot worse than it really is, and it will put stress on your family/friends. In other words, tell them the good things and keep the crap there. Your family/friends will have no way of understanding or empathizing with you anyway. Confer with your bunkmate, flight, etc... Talk to each other about the hard times.
9. SLEEP and REST are 2 different things. You don't need as much SLEEP as you need REST. Find a mantra or some SIMPLE picture or thought to focus on when you go to sleep or have time to rest during the day. Try not to think of people. Maybe it's a mountain scene back home; ocean waves; flying a kite; an aquarium; etc... something simple and peaceful. Think about this for a couple minutes when you close your eyes to go to sleep. It will clear your mind; reduce ALL stress; you'll fall right to sleep; and you'll wake up as if you slept in for 10 hours. But if you go to bed thinking about tomorrow, friends, family, pain, and other stress; you'll burn yourself out and become a zombie.
10. Finally; remember how special you really are. Not only have you decided to serve your country and defend our way of life, but you've chosen to do it in one of the most prestigious places in the world. The United States Air Force Academy. 10,000 people initially applied for where you are at. 6500 were considered qualified to be called applicants. 2800 were qualified enough to be called Candidates. And eventually 1300-1400 were considered the best of the best to be called Appointees. And on August 5th, you'll be ACCEPTED and qualified enough to be called CADET!!!!
Best of luck to all of you. Don't forget to come back and say hi to us once in a while. Visit some of us at the Home Falcon Football games. (Thudgate). And THANK YOU for being willing to serve. Later... Mike.....