Yellow Footprints

K

KiwiBird

USAFA Cadet, Co 2025
Joined
Oct 8, 2020
Messages
287
I heard that during BCT, it is advisable to do PT if someone else is. Like, if a cadre has a classmate doing push ups, you stop and do it with them too. I am actually a fan of this idea. I was wondering if it also would apply to the yellow footprints? I know that it's just the beginning, but I wasn't sure.
 
Your footprints won't be yellow. They will be gray. C/O of 25 will be a silver class, and the footprints are painted each year to match the class color. C/O 23 had yellow and C/O of 24 had blue. On I-day, I would just stand at attention on those footprints and follow the "corrections" given that day. I wouldn't go off-script. Now, as far as later in BCT, I'll let others speak to the wisdom of your suggestion.
 
Helping classmates comes in many forms. It could mean joining them in PT. I may mean just standing there with them so they don't get yelled at alone. It may mean swarming an upperclassman as the group recites an assigned quote to create an awkward situation where the upperclassman weighs their options and elects to move on thus leaving the 4 degree alone.

Day 1 - don't be an informed hero. That will not go well for you and will attract a lot of undesirable attention.

"We are waiting for our classmates" will be something you quickly become accustomed to hearing and repeating. This could go on for minutes, but is almost always done in the front leaning rest position. In general, this is literally one of the worst things you can hear as a 4 degree because if you are not in the group yelling it, that likely means people are waiting on you and suffering as a result. The guilt or sense of responsibility tends to expedite the actions of others and these moments only last a little bit until everyone collectively has their act together. If you are in a position to help the offender rather than joining those on the ground, do it because it helps the collective group escape sooner. Example - everyone is in the hallway dressed in a particular uniform and you are ready, but your roommate is struggling to get XYZ on or fixed - don't abandon the battle buddy -- help them. It will be worse for you to abandon them and let them continue to struggle. Your roommates lack of preparation, and your apparent preparation are viewed as negatives on YOU as much as they are on the roommate.

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Sometimes you will be told not to join your classmate. Sometimes your classmate will get assigned the reps when it was YOU that did the wrong thing.
 
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