Want Some Tips for Beast? Ask away!

millsbaks

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Joined
Aug 2, 2015
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51
Hello future new cadets and those curious about USMA. I am a current cadet and will be cadre for this summer's Cadet Basic Training, CBT. I am currently in my train up for beast and thought I might ease some minds with basic questions, comments, or concerns. I knew I had a lot of questions, some silly, some more serious. Please reply or send private messages.
 
1. How do they choose barracks for 'beast'?
2. What advice would you give to incoming plebes?
3. If you could do anything different from when you were at 'beast' what would it be?
 
1. How do they choose barracks for 'beast'?
2. What advice would you give to incoming plebes?
3. If you could do anything different from when you were at 'beast' what would it be?
1. There are only two barracks they use for beast and they are in great shape, so don't worry about that.
2. There are so many things to say. One, during beast, blend in, don't stand out, be a team player and remember you aren't getting graded so don't try to be a know it all and don't screw over your squad mates.
3. I would not ask so many questions. all the questions I had were pointless and made me stand out in a bad way. There are only a few questions that actually matter, but everything else can wait till the academic year.
 
What do they do with the luggage they bring in and my DS has been told to go ahead and bring his phone so he will have it there at the end of beast. Do they put all personal items including luggage in a safe storage area.
 
There will be a station where you turn in contraband items such as phones and smartwatches. they will put in an envelope and they will get it back after the march back. Do not bring too much. I am dead serious on this. A bag over 25 pounds is too much. Bring the bear minimum, because you get issued so many things and have opportunities to go to the C-Store to buy whatever you didn't bring with you. For you DS, all he really needs to bring is a razor, and underwear if he doesn't want to wear the issued stuff. Of course, there is a packing list, and you should follow that, but anything extra is going to make his R-Day miserable.
 
Do you recommend a headlamp or small desk fan?
So you might want a desk lamp depending on where your desk is. All the rooms at West Point are made for two man rooms, but we have to squeeze three to four people in there, so not every desk has a light. It is just the luck of the draw. I would bring a very small light weight one.
As for the fan, do not bring on on r day. I repeat, do not bring a fan. The barracks you will be sleeping in have air conditioning and it gets cold at night. Get a fan on A day, after you know whether or not your barracks for the academic year will have air conditioning (mine does not so I have a fan for my room)
 
Should you bring a separate shaving kit type bag for your toiletries or just stick them in a Ziploc for Beast/R-Day?
 
I spent a year at USMAPS and I am curious what is your advice for combating boredom during beast? Also, would you recommend bringing a lighter?
 
I spent a year at USMAPS and I am curious what is your advice for combating boredom during beast? Also, would you recommend bringing a lighter?
Yes that’s actually a very good point. I am not a prepster so I don’t know exactly how it feels, but I do know that the preparers in my squad and platoon weren’t good, which means that they acted like they had a chip on the shoulder because they went to prep school. Things you should do is to not use being a prepster as an excuse to be rude. Prepsters can offer a lot of help, especially the for the kids coming straight out of high school. So to combat getting bored, cadre specifically look for priors or prepsters who go out of their way to help in not a flashy fashion. During PT, if you are scared of getting bored, is the time to get all of your excess energy out. Don’t try to skimp out on the exercises even if you think you are too in shape. The more you put in, the more you get out.
There is absolutely no nicotine, juuls, or anything of that matter allowed during Beast and you will get an honor board if you are found with it. Lighters are good though for shining shoes and burning off 550 cord and extra strings on ACUS. It isn’t a must have but it’s pretty handy to have. You will probably need it more during Beast 2 than Beast 1
 
Should you bring a separate shaving kit type bag for your toiletries or just stick them in a Ziploc for Beast/R-Day?
That’s your preference. No one actually checks what’s in your individual bags. Whatever you feel comfortable with and whatever you feel is more convenient
 
I know that we will have to transfer all of our belongings from our bag into an army duffel bag. How much time will we have to do so?
 
Hello future new cadets and those curious about USMA. I am a current cadet and will be cadre for this summer's Cadet Basic Training, CBT. I am currently in my train up for beast and thought I might ease some minds with basic questions, comments, or concerns. I knew I had a lot of questions, some silly, some more serious. Please reply or send private messages.
Here's a story from beast barracks 1970. A cadet from Florence, AZ selected by Senator Barry Goldwater. No prior military experience, was almost killed one night in the showers at the Academy. I was doing well, as confirmed by my squad leader, Sgt. Green. But one afternoon, my asst. table comm, Sgt. Brown. began a torture session that lasted 7 days. No food morning, noon, or evening. Water was available in the room. After 5 days I passed out in Morning Formation and revived with smelling salts, this happened twice. After the seventh day I rebelled, told Brown to go f himself and I started eating. After brown and the platoon leader shouted at me stop and come to attention, and I wouldn't, the top cadet arrived and took over. He asked me to stop, I did, as he was being kind in his speech and demeanor. After finding out I hadn't eaten in a week and been made to recite the chain of command at every meal, this cadet reamed brown and I thought, at least there is justice here. Wrong. That night, while asleep, several cadets covered and wrapped my head in a wet towel, picked me up, stripped me naked, pounded on me, took me to the showers, and held my head under a shower until I couldn't breathe and I began to slip away. It was a peaceful feeling as co2 built up. Like in an enclosed space, I heard someone yell an officer was coming and I was dropped on the hard floor and the cowards ran away. The regular officer refused any help and ordered me back to my room. There's more to the events, but that was my tale of the beast barracks of 1970. I left and went home to disgrace and ridicule. Those events still haunt me to this day. I'm 67, retired after 45 years in medicine, the last 38 in anesthesia. I still hate bullies with a rage and am still filled with guilt that I didn't serve my country. But I am at least happy, I wasn't turned into a Mike Pompeo, who tolerates liars, cheaters, and stealers. And he was FIRST in his graduating class at USMC. I had a nephew graduate from USMC and he experienced much less of what we did in 70. Thank god. And I hope that now days, the academy trains and motivates, doesn't bully or corrupt cadets.
 
Here's a story from beast barracks 1970. A cadet from Florence, AZ selected by Senator Barry Goldwater. No prior military experience, was almost killed one night in the showers at the Academy. I was doing well, as confirmed by my squad leader, Sgt. Green. But one afternoon, my asst. table comm, Sgt. Brown. began a torture session that lasted 7 days. No food morning, noon, or evening. Water was available in the room. After 5 days I passed out in Morning Formation and revived with smelling salts, this happened twice. After the seventh day I rebelled, told Brown to go f himself and I started eating. After brown and the platoon leader shouted at me stop and come to attention, and I wouldn't, the top cadet arrived and took over. He asked me to stop, I did, as he was being kind in his speech and demeanor. After finding out I hadn't eaten in a week and been made to recite the chain of command at every meal, this cadet reamed brown and I thought, at least there is justice here. Wrong. That night, while asleep, several cadets covered and wrapped my head in a wet towel, picked me up, stripped me naked, pounded on me, took me to the showers, and held my head under a shower until I couldn't breathe and I began to slip away. It was a peaceful feeling as co2 built up. Like in an enclosed space, I heard someone yell an officer was coming and I was dropped on the hard floor and the cowards ran away. The regular officer refused any help and ordered me back to my room. There's more to the events, but that was my tale of the beast barracks of 1970. I left and went home to disgrace and ridicule. Those events still haunt me to this day. I'm 67, retired after 45 years in medicine, the last 38 in anesthesia. I still hate bullies with a rage and am still filled with guilt that I didn't serve my country. But I am at least happy, I wasn't turned into a Mike Pompeo, who tolerates liars, cheaters, and stealers. And he was FIRST in his graduating class at USMC. I had a nephew graduate from USMC and he experienced much less of what we did in 70. Thank god. And I hope that now days, the academy trains and motivates, doesn't bully or corrupt cadets.
They are no where near what you experienced! Amazing anyone stayed back then.
 
Here's a story from beast barracks 1970. A cadet from Florence, AZ selected by Senator Barry Goldwater. No prior military experience, was almost killed one night in the showers at the Academy. I was doing well, as confirmed by my squad leader, Sgt. Green. But one afternoon, my asst. table comm, Sgt. Brown. began a torture session that lasted 7 days. No food morning, noon, or evening. Water was available in the room. After 5 days I passed out in Morning Formation and revived with smelling salts, this happened twice. After the seventh day I rebelled, told Brown to go f himself and I started eating. After brown and the platoon leader shouted at me stop and come to attention, and I wouldn't, the top cadet arrived and took over. He asked me to stop, I did, as he was being kind in his speech and demeanor. After finding out I hadn't eaten in a week and been made to recite the chain of command at every meal, this cadet reamed brown and I thought, at least there is justice here. Wrong. That night, while asleep, several cadets covered and wrapped my head in a wet towel, picked me up, stripped me naked, pounded on me, took me to the showers, and held my head under a shower until I couldn't breathe and I began to slip away. It was a peaceful feeling as co2 built up. Like in an enclosed space, I heard someone yell an officer was coming and I was dropped on the hard floor and the cowards ran away. The regular officer refused any help and ordered me back to my room. There's more to the events, but that was my tale of the beast barracks of 1970. I left and went home to disgrace and ridicule. Those events still haunt me to this day. I'm 67, retired after 45 years in medicine, the last 38 in anesthesia. I still hate bullies with a rage and am still filled with guilt that I didn't serve my country. But I am at least happy, I wasn't turned into a Mike Pompeo, who tolerates liars, cheaters, and stealers. And he was FIRST in his graduating class at USMC. I had a nephew graduate from USMC and he experienced much less of what we did in 70. Thank god. And I hope that now days, the academy trains and motivates, doesn't bully or corrupt cadets.
Secretary Pompeo was first in his class at USMA. "Stealers?" Kelvin? Bobby?
 
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This seems irrelevant 50 years later even if it is true. Maybe just an excuse to make a political comment, which is not what this forum is about.
 
Here's a story from beast barracks 1970. A cadet from Florence, AZ selected by Senator Barry Goldwater. No prior military experience, was almost killed one night in the showers at the Academy. I was doing well, as confirmed by my squad leader, Sgt. Green. But one afternoon, my asst. table comm, Sgt. Brown. began a torture session that lasted 7 days. No food morning, noon, or evening. Water was available in the room. After 5 days I passed out in Morning Formation and revived with smelling salts, this happened twice. After the seventh day I rebelled, told Brown to go f himself and I started eating. After brown and the platoon leader shouted at me stop and come to attention, and I wouldn't, the top cadet arrived and took over. He asked me to stop, I did, as he was being kind in his speech and demeanor. After finding out I hadn't eaten in a week and been made to recite the chain of command at every meal, this cadet reamed brown and I thought, at least there is justice here. Wrong. That night, while asleep, several cadets covered and wrapped my head in a wet towel, picked me up, stripped me naked, pounded on me, took me to the showers, and held my head under a shower until I couldn't breathe and I began to slip away. It was a peaceful feeling as co2 built up. Like in an enclosed space, I heard someone yell an officer was coming and I was dropped on the hard floor and the cowards ran away. The regular officer refused any help and ordered me back to my room. There's more to the events, but that was my tale of the beast barracks of 1970. I left and went home to disgrace and ridicule. Those events still haunt me to this day. I'm 67, retired after 45 years in medicine, the last 38 in anesthesia. I still hate bullies with a rage and am still filled with guilt that I didn't serve my country. But I am at least happy, I wasn't turned into a Mike Pompeo, who tolerates liars, cheaters, and stealers. And he was FIRST in his graduating class at USMC. I had a nephew graduate from USMC and he experienced much less of what we did in 70. Thank god. And I hope that now days, the academy trains and motivates, doesn't bully or corrupt cadets.
USMC is the United States Marine Corps. Not USMA which is the United States Military Academy. I call this 🐂.
 
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