**A thread for the Girls**

chrissyjean

10-Year Member
5-Year Member
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Jun 3, 2009
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So I've been getting a lot of PMs from girls with questions about BCT. I'm an upcoming third classman from 2012. I definitely know that when it comes to preparing girls for BCT, USAFA leaves a lot out. So I thought I'd go through and give some of my advice that I learned last summer.

1. What kind of underwear do I need to bring? Yes, boys are issued their underwear, but girls are not. I know that the packing list says something like 8-12 pairs of white underwear. As for the type, it can be any kind you like. The most important thing is for you to be comfortable. So I suggest that if there's a type that you've been wearing for years, bring that. Second, bring more than that! My flight only did laundry about 3 times during basic, so it was nice to have a little bit more than necessary. If you can't find that many white pairs, bring what you can find. I wouldn't suggest say, neon pink, but generally, any neutral color or gray/black etc is ok. Most of your cadre are men, and they're not that concerned with your underwear. Also, bring sports bras. Your fancy Victoria's Secret stuff has no place in BCT!

2. Hair? Make sure you figure out what you're going to do with your hair ahead of time. If you have long hair and are planning on cutting it short but haven't yet, DON'T! It's not a good idea to cut your hair right before basic, because then you're not used to putting it up, it may be at an awkward length, etc. Long hair is actually easier to put up than it is trying to keep short hair at the right length/out of your face. Make sure you can put your hair up in around 2 minutes. If you use elastic bands/bobby pins/hairspray or gel, bring it with you. And bring enough for the entire 6 weeks. The cadet store is very limited on what they have. What worked well for me, is I french braided my hair at night when it was wet, and hairsprayed the heck out of it. That way all I had to do in the morning was throw a uniform on. You WILL NOT have time to put your hair up in the morning. If you have questions about hair regulations, shoot me a PM.

Squeamish men, refrain from reading below :smile:
3. I can't stress this enough- bring your own feminine products. Again, the cadet store is limited, and the most important thing is your comfort! Bring enough to last you- basic has been known to screw up your cycle, so be prepared. Bring what you're used to. Basic is definitely not the time to try something new.

4. Keeping up with the men. This may or may not be a worry for some people. It's a relative fact that generally, the females will be the ones that tend to fall behind. Don't be that girl! Make sure you're physically preparing yourself now. However, if you find yourself struggling, ask for help. Don't just sit there breaking, because that hurts the flight as a whole. The big emphasis of BCT is teamwork. Help each other, and let others help you when you need it.

For now, that's all I can think of. Anymore questions, and just shoot me a PM. Good luck girls :)
 
Ladies and gentlemen, always put out as much as you physically can. If you do that, you will gain the respect of those around you. Remember this during your freshmen experience as well.


Best of luck :)
 
About the hair issue
i am bringing my things in a carry on so i dont have a lot of hair gel and idk if my b&b family will be able to take me to get some
will there be hair gel at the C store and do we go there fairly soon after getting to the Academy or should i get regular sizes and check my bag?
 
yes, there is gel at the c-store. However, I'm not sure when you'll make your first c-store trip. We didn't go until about a week and a half in... So if it's absolutely necessary, bring it with you and check your bag. If it's not absolutely necessary, go ahead and wait.
 
I'm sorry but this made me lol.

Anyway I'm sure the girls will keep up just fine. :thumb:

You think it sounds like common sense, but it really isn't, lol
You'll have an all new sense of what "putting out" is after you're finished.

I'm not saying girls can't keep up, but we're definitely more of a target when we can't.
 
souns like its fun

but can you give me some details on your most unforgettable experiences? hmmm

that would be nice isnt it
 
Would you suggest showing up on I-Day with hair in a bun? Or would that not be necessary?
 
I would definitely suggest coming with your hair within regulation (if you don't want it cut). If your hair is in regs when you get there, the cadre running the station likely won't make you take it down and demonstrate that you know how to put it up. I came with mine in french braids, and all they did was ask me if I did it myself, and let me go past.

Here's some hair guidelines:
-To be safe, make sure it's off your collar.
-If you wear it in a bun, make sure it's low enough that it doesn't obstruct wear of a hat.
-Buns also cannot exceed 3 inches in "bulk"
-Only use hair ties and pins that match your hair color.
-Make sure your hair is a natural hair color (i.e. not bleached, colored, etc)
 
I just checked the current Cadet Sight Picture, and it says that they must match your hair hair color. Obviously, it's not going to be perfect. I have orange hair- kinda hard to match, so I just go with brown since it's as close as I can get.
 
Thanks so much for putting up some information I've been scouring the threads trying to find information for females and there isn't really all that much. This helped so much and makes me feel a little more prepared for BCT...well as prepared as you can be for something like BCT
 
Just bumping this post I wrote awhile ago back to the top. Might be useful for new female appointees.
 
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