Surviving army basic training is no easy feat. The intense 10-week course, generally includes learning the basic skills of being a solider, physical skills of combat, how to wear your hair and uniform, and examining your physical and mental endurance. In a nutshell, it’s meant to transform you from a civilian to a soldier.
“Want to know what it’s like to be in the army? Try standing in one place, ramrod straight and perfectly still. If a mosquito bites you, don’t slap it. If sweat rolls into your eye, don’t wipe it away. And if you scratch your thigh, do 20 push-ups and jump back into position,†said Frank Pellegrini during an interview with the Time Magazine series about army boot camp.
[Related: 5 Cool U.S. Army Career Paths]
However, beyond testing your skills and abilities, the army’s seven core values are drilled into your psyche–loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage. By the end of basic-training you should have the core values memorized, and ultimately use these values every day as a guide to your problem-solving and decision-making.
If you’ve ever wondered what’s it like to go through army basic-training, watch the video below.