Army Basic Training: Be Smart, Be Ready [Paperback]

Raquel D. Thiebes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2001

This book is an insider's view of Army Basic Training. If you ever wondered what it was like or are planning on enlisting in today's Army, this book will take you there. Find out what to expect and how to prepare. You'll discover things that you won't find in any Army manual or recruiter's pamphlet.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

The author graduated with honors from Sweet Briar College near Lynchburg, VA. After graduating in 1989, she was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the US Army, Corps of Engineers. She served in various posts throughout Germany during her tour of duty there, mainly as a platoon leader and a construction officer. Her experiences as a basic training company commander in Ft Leonard Wood, MO are the inspiration for this book. She currently resides near Ft Polk, LA with her husband and two children.

Product Details

• Paperback: 153 pages
• Publisher: Xlibris Corp (April 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738857424
• ISBN-13: 978-0738857428
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,155,701 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Be Smart, Be Ready, January 21, 2002

By 

Shelley Gammon "Geek" (Kaufman, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Army Basic Training: Be Smart, Be Ready (Paperback)

This book helps you do just that. The photos are really poor quality, but they show enough to get the point across. The Author, Raquel Thiebes, tells you in plain English what will happen before, during and after Basic Training (Basic).

After September 11, 2001, I felt frustrated that I was too old to join the military... but then I found out I was wrong and I can still get into the Army National Guard up until my 35th birthday. I already knew that I'd have to lose quite a bit of weight and get into good shape, but I still had so many questions... what will I really be getting into if I decide to enlist?

The author thoroughly examines each step along the way... things you should be able to physically, memorize and understand BEFORE showing up at Basic.

As a woman, I found it frustrating to find other books on the subject omitting information about what it's like to be a female recruit. This book has quotes from different recruits and officers, both male and female... quotes on everything to how to prepare before Basic to how they think gender integration affects training.

An included chart tells you how many sit-ups & push-ups you'll need to do, as well as a minimum speed for a 2-mile run... for both males and females, and per different age ranges. Recruits in Basic will range from 17 year olds to 35 year olds... the Army is realistic in knowing at 35 year old body is not as fast or as energetic as a 17 year old one.

It was comforting to know that the Army wants you to succeed and while they yell at you and make you sweat your butt off, they emphasize teamwork, loyalty and selfless service.

I still have a long way to go before I'm physically ready to enlist, but after reading this book, I feel much more confident and definitely ready and less intimidated. I know that no book or person can totally prepare me or anyone else for the challenges in the Army, but I do feel far more at ease about my decision to join.

The author clearly not only relied on her personal experiences, but also on research and interviews with current and former recruits, sergeants and officers. She includes a number of websites for reference as well as her own and invites those with additional questions to e-mail her directly.

Whether you've already enlisted or if you're just thinking about it, you owe it to yourself to read this book. As I was pondering my decision, I asked 2 male friends of mine who had been in the Army about their experiences... they both told me what they knew and what their experiences were, but I still felt like I wasn't getting the whole picture... this book makes me feel like I do have the big picture.

As more people join the military in response to 9/11 and demand for this book increases, I hope the author includes even more information in the next edition... including diagrams of how to perform certain exercises and how to salute, wear different types of uniforms, etc. ... and an index! Nonetheless, this is a five-star effort and a tremendous resource I will definitely consult again in the future as I get closer to my fitness goals before enlisting.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent insider's account of Army Basic Training, January 30, 2003

By 

Richard Marino (Knoxville, TN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Army Basic Training: Be Smart, Be Ready (Paperback)

Mrs. Theibes' book, Army Basic Training: Be Smart, Be Ready is a concise, cut-to-the-chase, factual account of what Army basic training is really like. Her first-hand experience as a basic training company commander has proved indespensible in the amount of information gathered in this book. It also provides tips and suggestions for aspiring recruits on how to effectively prepare for the rigors of basic training, including effective work out plans, and tips about how to be mentally prepared. If you are a current/prospective recruit about to go to basic training, or are just curious about what training young men and women go through to join today's U.S. Army, then this book is for defenitely for you.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Valuable guide to Basic Combat Training, August 29, 2003

By 

James G. Greenhill "Jim Greenhill" (Durango, CO USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Army Basic Training: Be Smart, Be Ready (Paperback)

I read this several months before shipping out to Ft. Knox, Ky., for Basic Combat Training. Now I've graduated Basic (& Advanced Individual Training, at Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo.) & can attest to the book's accuracy & usefulness. ... Simple preparation is a key to Basic success: Talk with soldiers who've already completed the training; read Capt. Thiebes' book; do regular push ups, sit ups & running; glean all you can from your recruiter; attend a Non-Prior Service School or similar if one is available in your area. ... Surprisingly few resources are available like Thiebes' book, & hers is the best. She was a BCT Company Commander, so she is extremely familiar with what she's writing about. ... Strengths of the book include that it avoids over-dramatizing what's ahead; it encourages being physically prepared; it gives a good sense of what to expect at Basic, including a sample training schedule; it gives broad points of view (male, female ... cadre, trainee) & it has lots of useful snippets of information, such as in the Q & A section. ... Be wary of the book's packing list: My drill sergeants would have confiscated half the stuff recommended -- bring as little as possible. Even if you think you brought the right stuff, you'll end up buying it again at the PX anyway because the one you brought was the wrong kind (i.e. a solid colored soap dish when a clear one is required, etc.) ... The photos are poor quality, but otherwise this is a useful book. ... A separate book about AIT is unnecessary since AIT is essentially a continuation of BCT & specifics vary widely depending upon the trainee's Military Occupational Specialty. The best advice about AIT is not to believe the stories that say it's more relaxed & less disciplined than Basic. ... And if you're wondering if you can make it, "you can": I was 38 (I got an "exception to policy" after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks). Basic success is heavily dependent on positive mental attitude & a genetic inability to quit. This book will help. Hooah!