Psychological Preparation for Military Boot Camp: 10 Tips

Boot camp, or military recruit training, is a rite of passage for all enlisted soldiers, guardsmen, sailors, Marines, airmen, and coasties. The main goals of boot camp are to prepare recruits for the high-stakes job of defending the country with a focus on teamwork, collaboration, basic military skills, discipline, and stress management. Because of the importance of the job and the dangerous situations service members will find themselves in, boot camp is physically and emotionally demanding.

Recruit training is both physically and mentally challenging.

Source: U.S. Navy photo by Sgt Sarah Luna, in the public domain

While, for many, boot camp is the single most challenging experience they will face up to that point in their lives, there are ways to prepare. For most, the physical challenges are not the hardest part of boot camp, but the emotional ones, the demands that involve extreme stress, fatigue, and the need to dig deep into one’s self. What follows are 10 tried and true techniques to get your mind ready for boot camp.

1. Get in shape. Yes, this post is about mental preparation; however, you will struggle if you show up to boot camp out of shape. You will begin behind everyone else; this will affect your mental outlook and confidence, as well as your class standing, your ability to engage in the training, and others’ perception of you. You don’t have to be the top jock in boot camp, but you must be able to keep up and not risk injuring yourself.
2. Get your body ready. I’ve already mentioned the need to get in shape. Likewise, your body needs to be ready not to have caffeine, nicotine, and workout supplements, and to expect reduced sugars and carbs. Because the mind and body are undeniably linked, if you are managing caffeine withdrawal or you depend on fast food (as examples), you are going to be significantly challenged. You may or may not have access to caffeine and nicotine, and if you do, it won’t be consistent. Complete the physical withdrawal before boot camp, and start eating more as you will in training.
3. Learn as much as you can about what happens at boot camp before you go. Going into any situation with realistic expectations will help you more easily navigate that situation. Each military branch provides pre–boot camp training events to include Q&A meetings with recruiters, mock physical fitness tests, and family sessions, and each service has significant online resources related to recruit training. Take advantage of these resources (and be careful about unofficial sources of information).
4. Practice spending time without your phone. Plan on having no access to your cell phone at boot camp, though, depending on the service, you may get limited privileges at times. Practicing no-phone time will help with this transition, and make sure your family and friends understand that you will be out of phone/text contact. You will be able to write letters home; be sure to know important mailing addresses, learn how to address an envelope, and take some stamps.
5. Keep your eye on the ball. Why did you enlist? To be part of something larger than yourself? For patriotic reasons? To continue a family tradition? To prove yourself? You will need to think about this often because, when faced with frustrations, remembering why we are doing something can help us manage difficult situations and achieve goals. It’s fine to join the military for the pay and benefits, but these sources of motivation will not get you through tough times as well as an internal source of inspiration will.
6. Expect adversity. You are going to be hot, cold, dirty, rushed, yelled at, achy, tired, hungry, criticized, ordered around, uncomfortable, frustrated, upset, and stressed. Just like managing expectations of things you will be required to do, it is important to manage your expectations about the range of emotional experiences you are going to have.
7. Have a plan for managing adversity. Self-doubt, a lack of confidence, and/or concerns about your own abilities to succeed will surface. Be ready. Show up with a strategy for coping with these moments. Techniques you might have on hand are to remind yourself why you are there (see Tip #5); tell yourself that you can and will accomplish the task; focus on what is in your control, which includes how you view a task (e.g., “this is a challenge at which I can succeed” vs. “this is impossible”); and use your peer-support network.
8. Expect to earn it. Boot camp is hard; that’s the whole point. During your time in the military, you will be entrusted with the lives of others, and you will have to trust those same people with your own life. Boot camp should be hard. Embrace that fact. Only 1 percent of the U.S. population at any given time is serving in the military; only 7 percent of the U.S. population is a veteran. The short-term discomforts of boot camp are worth the distinction of becoming a service member.
9. Don’t consider quitting. Boot camp is going to push you. When you encounter a task that is so difficult that you aren’t able to complete it the first time, don’t give up. If you show heart and motivation, even if you don’t achieve the immediate objective, the training cadre will notice. They are looking for heart and motivation, so if you give everything you have, you are more likely to make it.
10. Remember that everyone at boot camp will be experiencing similar emotions and thoughts. Part of boot camp is to teach the benefits of collaboration and how to be a team player. If you played team sports, you already know how powerful this can be. Remember that a team works best when people are in sync with each other, and that means getting to know each other, opening up to each other, learning from one another, and supporting each other. You will feel all the feels in boot camp. Be ready to celebrate the highs and the lows with your peers. This strengthens the team and helps each individual overcome their own challenges.

Boot camp lays the foundation for your military service. It is necessarily challenging in order to get you out of your comfort zone and to start teaching you how to be an effective service member. Embrace the challenges; boot camp is a formative experience you will remember and value for the rest of your life.