I have days where I'm so worried there will be a snag in my plan and I won't be able to join. However, I have to shrug those feelings away and continue forward. If I don't try I'll never find out.
Lately I have just been really focused on three major things, 1) to soak up the family time, leaving my husband and kids is going to be really tough, 2) studying for the ASVAB and 3) fitness.
I eat, sleep and breathe those three things. I am trying to still carve out time to appreciate the things I'll have to give up. Time to myself, time to sleep, the luxury of decided how each day is going to go.... I'm about to give up a LOT. It's worth it though. The opportunity to serve my country and the opportunity to build a career for myself are so important to me.
So... this post is going to be about how I am preparing!!! Here is a video for some inspiration up front. It's a good overview of what to expect at BMT.
First, the study guide I chose is awesome. It's kind of pricey, but well worth it for the extras it provides.
The Kaplan ASVAB Premier 2016 has 6 practice tests, online curiculuum guide and a dvd. It comes with TONS of pre-made flash cards which saves on time in a major way. It has a lot of great information about the different sections and has great tips and tricks on how to do well in each section. It was about $30, but if you want a comprehensive guide, this is the one I'd recommend. I looked at the other guides and they just didn't have as much to offer. This book actually comes with a money-back guarantee.
Check out this guide HERE.
Physical fitness is incredibly important for BMT. I know because my husband has been through BMT and watched many people come in unprepared and they struggled. Most of them still made enough improvement to graduate but it just added stress to an already stressful situation. If you're entering military service, do yourself a favor and prepare. Be able to meet and exceed the minimum standards before you even leave. Make sure you're about 5-10 pounds under the max weight for your height.
For women, the minimums are being able to run 1.5 miles in 13:56, 27 push-ups in a minute and 50 sit-ups in a minute. These are the bare minimum that you need to graduate, so while it isn't essential to be able to meet them ahead of time, I would say it is a good idea to do so.
I'm going to be really honest, my fastest 1.5 mile time recently was 15:25, so I have a lot of work to do in order to improve my time. I can do about 20-25 push-ups, so almost there with those. I can only do about 40 sit-ups so I need to work on those too. I currently am working on the Hammer and Chisel program while doing runs, push-ups and sit-ups on the side.
Also, I've read that it is a good idea to know the Airman's Creed and the Air Force Song. They aren't hard to memorize and it might save you a tiny bit of stress. Again, one less thing to worry about. You will have to memorize them regardless and they are easy to find on the internet. I have my husband's old BMT guide, and I'm going to look it over (I'll take it with a grain of salt since changes are likely to have been made in the last few years).
Here is an awesome video featuring the Airman's Creed.
That's about it for now. Make sure if you are enlisting (or commissioning) to spend time with your loved ones. You need to prepare, but you also need to live in the present moment. Appreciate the people and the comforts around you.
