Buried in all the "I talked to my cadet and they said...." and "the corps has.... in my day we......" posts above are some very good points.
Just recognize:
- Like most things West Point, it's probably directionally accurate, but not not be specifically accurate for your squad/company/year/barracks/chain of command
- The individual details won't make a big difference
- It's probably OK to plan, but if it crosses into worry/fretting it's not productive
- You could show up with nothing physically and still get through CBT. That does not mean you will be happy you did, but it can be done
As stated a dozen times in various forms, anything critical you'll be issued, can buy at the cadet store, or can be requested via letter.
So does that mean you should not prepare? Absolutely not, it's just a different form of preparation. Talk to a large sample of cadets and cadre and you'll find some common themes around preparation:
- Don't start sleeping in when school is out. Staying on your school schedule will make the transition to CBT much easier with less sleep deprivation
- Keep training.... you'll want to max the APFT if possible, and don't ignore the other exercises. The standards are published, and remember maxing it is just an A-. And you'll need that to offset your C+/B- DPE grades. Which impacts your cadet rank
- Attitude makes difference. Be flexible, it will be different every day. You won't know the plan. The plan will change. Help your squaddies, even if they annoy you. Don't be a "Blue Falcon". All common sense stuff, but there are those in every squad who don't.
- Boots and Low Quarters matter... there is a reason WP has you get them ahead of time, lists specific models, suggests fit, and has you break them in.
Unlike most appointee issues, these are entirely in your control. And make a difference....
Ex: Poor boot/shoe fit -> Blisters -> drags your squad down -> lower APFT -> Lower Mil Grade / Physical grade -> Lower 1st semester cadet rank -> Worse MIAD options / leadership options (PPW, etc)
Same for fitness, same for sleep schedule. And for sure attitude.
Does getting a blister lock you out of opportunities or doom you to low cadet rank? Absolutely not. Can not getting blisters or becoming a profile ranger help in the above? For sure.
And there are perks as well. Helicopter rides for the top platoon or company, etc. You want to be part of that!
No one is miserable in CBT because they forgot a lighter. Many are miserable because they can't keep up due to fitness or blisters.
And sometimes that's hard to recover from as your rep in CBT does continue to a certain extent though your plebe year. I know of cadets still trying to recover from being labled a profile ranger in CBT. Not just by squaddies, but also by their chain of command.
Every year there are plebes who did not get the MIAD they wanted due to cadet rank or did not get a pass because they were too low on APFT. I hear from their parents and the cadets themselves at times. A certain amount of that is just part of the system. But you want to hedge your bets if at all possible.
So in your natural desire to plan, start working on the things that do matter. The rest will sort itself out. (Though having your favorite underwear brand rather than issue is also a common yuk recommendation to appointees)
