CBT and Keeping a Journal

AcademyHopefulOne

5-Year Member
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Jan 21, 2014
Messages
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SAF,

Will New Cadets have time to keep a journal and make updates in the evening or more often? I'd like to have a record of my experiences and thoughts about them. As I understand it, we spend a week off post in a bivouac situation. Could I take a small, 3" x 5" journal and keep it in an ACU pocket or something like that?

Thank you.
 
You better have a pad of paper and pen with you at all times...as a new cadet, cadet and as an officer, at least until you get an aide who then has to take notes for you.
 
We sent ours off with a small Write-in-the Rain spiral pad and Space Pen they could keep with them all the time. Notes, dates, reminders, schedules, journaling.....
 
You are required to bring a steno notebook and I assumed (since no size was noted) that it needed to fit in his ACU pocket so I got him a 3x5 steno notebook. Maybe just bring two. ACUs have plenty of pockets. :)
 
I knew of several USNA classmates, back in the day, who managed to keep plebe summer journals - short entries, sometimes scribbled, but they did it. We plebes were also required to offer at least one daily reflection - don't know whether this is a training objective for BCT. Since officers in training always have a notebook and pen, you'll have the means! You will need to supply the motive (-ation) and find the opportunities - opportunities being "time." But, one thing you'll get really, really good at during BCT is using every possible moment. So, yes, plan on keeping a BCT journal!
 
Great! This gets me excited.
I didn't realize there were small steno pads, so I'll have to go shopping again. :)

Thank you all!
 
I found the Field Notes brand online and saw a weatherproof memo book. I'm considering that, but I've always been partial to gel pens like the G2 from Pilot.
 
I noticed that Rite in the Rain makes a waterproof notebook/space-type pen combo product specifically for military use, for $34. Would this be worthwhile to purchase, or would a regular pen and pad work well? I just wouldn't want my notes to get soaked and ruined.
 
I always used the waterproof notebooks and just regular pens while in the field. You will lose pens left and right. The waterproof notebooks were good for the rain, but you will encounter more sweat issues during BCT than rain with your notebooks.
 
I noticed that Rite in the Rain makes a waterproof notebook/space-type pen combo product specifically for military use, for $34. Would this be worthwhile to purchase, or would a regular pen and pad work well? I just wouldn't want my notes to get soaked and ruined.

From the little research I've done online, I've found that ballpoint pens work well in these all-weather books. I haven't looked at RitR, but I'm sure that would be a nifty set to have. Ballpoint would probably just save some money.
 
I will probably use ballpoint with a waterproof notebook. Thanks.
 
I noticed that Rite in the Rain makes a waterproof notebook/space-type pen combo product specifically for military use, for $34. Would this be worthwhile to purchase, or would a regular pen and pad work well? I just wouldn't want my notes to get soaked and ruined.

A ziplock bag costs a few cents and pretty much keeps everything dry. Just saying, you could fill a lot of regular pads (and will with useless information like lunch for the 12th of July is....) covered with a ziplock for the cost one notebook that is waterproof
 
A Moleskine is also a great investment. Maybe not the best for withstanding the elements but thought I'd just throw that in the discussion here.
 
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