#24 - The rumor mill

Recruits who are waiting in the DEP (Delayed Entry or Enlistment Program) to ship to basic are generally desperate for any scrap of information on what they can expect. In the time I have been in the DEP, I've haunted several internet forums, listed as links on this page. On these forums it's possible to hear opinions and solicit advice from recent graduates of basic all the way to Drill Sergeants. In general, reading messages on these forums has been a tremendous help.

Some folks have recently returned home for Exodus. This is a break in training for the holidays. A few trainees have made comments about basic not being as difficult as they expected, and even being "low stress". According to some people, Drill Sergeants are a lot nicer, there is a lot less yelling, no cursing allowed, etc.

I'm not sure what this means... Are these the words of folks setting up those in the DEP for a big, unpleasant surprise (oh that would be a cruel joke), or could all of this be true? I am curious. It will nevertheless be an interesting experience for me to see how today's basic training compares to the BCT I went through in 1997.