What Females Can Take to PI ...

[cincymarsdad]

I can't find this information anywhere, and the recruiter didn't know, said he would get back to us. My daughter Sarah reports 22 January to PI (Louisville technically). She tells me females are allowed to bring "more stuff" than males. She has in essentially new condition official issue sea bags, ditty bag, cammy bottoms, and a few other items ...

Will she get in trouble if she totes this stuff down there? It would save her a few bucks on equipment. I have not heard from any female SDI/DI types on this site - or any other site. Any thoughts appreciated. On the other hand, my daughter might benefit from some "extra attention" ...

She said she would stuff all this into the small bag and it would be basically out of sight out of mind, but I know the terms "out of sight" and "drill instructor" don't often collide in the same sentence. Heck, she thinks she's tough, I should let her have at it.

I guess I'll pose one other question while I'm at it. She's 5'9 1/2", which makes her 5'10", and she tells me her weight limit for that ht in females is 170 lbs, and she's around 167 lbs. She doesn't want to go to the PI fat farm and is talking about losing 5 lbs. On the other hand, she is working out pretty hard and tending to gain weight rather than losing weight. She easily passes the IFT. I told her to run and stretch more and do less with the weights.

[Fortunately, I think, she does seem to "like boys" ...].

Any other advice anyone can add for females going through PI appreciated ... most of the info out there is generic or male-oriented not surprisingly.

[USMCRET6391]

Unless things have changed, she shouldnt take much. Anything she takes with her that the Corps is going to issue her will be boxed and she wont see it until she graduates boot camp....that includes underwear..........so, I would recommend a change of clothes in case she gets stuck in transit.......prescription glasses if she wears them (it takes a few days to get military issue) and a few "female" things. They used to let them take good running shoes but I am not sure they do that anymore.

[USMCRET6391]

I guess I'll pose one other question while I'm at it. She's 5'9 1/2", which makes her 5'10", and she tells me her weight limit for that ht in females is 170 lbs, and she's around 167 lbs. She doesn't want to go to the PI fat farm and is talking about losing 5 lbs. On the other hand, she is working out pretty hard and tending to gain weight rather than losing weight. She easily passes the IFT. I told her to run and stretch more and do less with the weights

I don't think she will end up in the conditioning platoon, she will loose some weight simply because of the increased exercise and not having the opportunity to eat a lot of junk food. As she looses any fat she will gain muscle mass and that might drive her weight up a bit but nothing to be concerned about.

[cincymarsdad]

Originally Posted by USMCRET6391

I don't think she will end up in the conditioning platoon, she will lose some weight simply because of the increased exercise and not having the opportunity to eat a lot of junk food. As she looses any fat she will gain muscle mass and that might drive her weight up a bit but nothing to be concerned about.

Tx - I somehow forgot about all the civvy stuff that is boxed up pending graduation. I'm going to tell her she can take it if she wants, but don't expect the stuff to be handy right when you need it, but it can serve as spares later.

On the weight thing, she already "looks" thin and runs the three mile in 23 minutes and change. I told her to ease off on the weights, which I think she has been overdoing a bit, and run more and do interval training and stretching. She is working off the Poolee conditioning guide for the most part. She avoids junk food, if Subway is not really junk food, and I never have dessert at home. I told'em both I wasn't buying any more soft drinks or chips etc. years ago.

I told her to strap on some boots and a heavy pack and do a "hump". She informed me that they no longer use the term "hump" as it has some sexual connotations that are not PC. She kinda rolled her eyes. I forget what she said they call it now. A "leisurely stroll"??

A gunny I have gotten to know well with the local unit (he's active duty) promised some more stuff for her soon - he did a recruiting jaunt a while back. She has read everything she has gotten several times. She seems very moto on this which is good, I think, and I think she is doing it for the right reasons as near as I can detect. Boy, I do worry though.

The other daughter seems more aimless though her grades first quarter were very good. She's kinda letting things happen, rather than making plans. Both are 17.5 years old, very different. I almost think boot would be a good thing for the other daughter, but of course I am not apt to nudge her in that direction, though I have said I would support her in whatever decision she makes along those lines. She sometimes says she wants to do ROTC in college and see how "it" goes precontract. I probably worry too much about'em, but I try hard not to over manage their lives. Not an easy balance.

[Batgirl]

cincymarsdad, I'm surprised the recruiters haven't given your daughter a handbook outlining which items she can take with her and those items that are strictly forbidden. It may be slightly different for her branch but where I am, there are extra items females are allowed to bring in, specifically undergarments and hygenic products while items like jewellery and toiletries aren't allowed. Re: her physical preparation, I would recommend she focus more on her running training. While weight training is beneficial, it's more important she has the cardio conditioning. If your daughter has any other questions (from a female perspective) feel free to drop me a PM and I'll give you my contact details here if she wants to get in touch.

[Grimmy]

I think a good guidline would be for her to take only what she will need for 3 days in items (as long as they can all fit in her pockets) and 1 change of civvies. I'd suggest she take no personally purchased military gear.

As per workout. It'd be a good thing if she changed to cardio calestenics (sp) vs bulk strength training.

As a fitness readyness check, you and her can do a project

have her begin running in place, then you call out "get down...." (insert pushups begin, or situps (crunches or what ever it is now) begin, or bends and thrusts begin...or what ever exercise comes to mind) and she drops and does what ever was ordered...then after a couple mins, you call out "get up" and she jumps up and resumes running in place...do this for about an hour.

something like that is often the start of a day and it tends to get worse from there.


edited to add: of course, for WMs it might be different. Not ever having been one, I cant really say what goes on there.

[Vulture6]

I have to concur about not brining any military items -- seabag, utilities, etc... She will be issued those items, and even if she took them, they'd go in cold storage. They will, however, be useful later once she leaves MCRD.

On the exercise and weight thing - backing off the weights would be a good idea and instead focus on body weight exercises -- pull ups / flexed arm hang, dips, push ups, sit ups, rope climbing (this is a big source of failure for many recruits). These are the types of exercises that she will be doing at MCRD. As far as weight, if she is in good shape it shouldn't be much of an issue. Increase cardio workouts and cut back on weights -- things will balance out in recruit training because the rate at which she burns calories will definitely increase. The only way that she will get sent to the fat body platoon is if she is not able to keep up physically. Other than that, they may restrict what she can put on her tray in the chow hall, but that is about as bad as it would get.

I'll do some checking on what gear is allowed, but she should be getting something either from her recruiter or from MCRD.

[cincymarsdad]

Thanks, again. The information she was given by her recruiter (and he is doing a good job, IMO) is all male oriented not surprisingly. We're getting into "what she has heard" versus what is written, and she has been told women are allowed a larger "carry on" than males.

I'm going to ask her recruiter directly when I get a chance and he can verify everything hopefully in detail. I can perhaps report back on her experiences as she tells them to me. I believe about 8% of the recruits are female, all trained at PIRTD in 4th battalion.

She told me a Capt. Brothers who interviewed her for the ROTC s-ship said is she gets it she will NOT go to MOS training. I'm still not sure what her technical status would be - discharged or whatever, while she is in college. I kinda wonder as a taxpayer the merits of spending the money on her basic training if she is not going to serve as an enlisted person, but whatever. The s-ship offer comes in Jan/Feb and she may well be "there" when it arrives. I think the WP appointment could come - if it does - while she is there as well. This could get tricky comm-wise.

Thanks again for all the advice, I will try the get on the floor stuff with her soon. Would "zero-five" be a good time for it? I could start on the "20-19-18-17-...." timing for her to get dressed in the am perhaps? I'm sure any feeble effort on my part to "get her adjusted" would pale next to the Real Thing. Should be interesting.

[Grimmy]

You can verify this or debunk it with any of the former DI's here but I seem to remember the countdown going more like

10-9-8-3-2-1 STOP! YOU BETTER BE DONE!

[SpongeJuan]

San Diego goes like this
DI: "10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 you should be"
Recruits: "Done, sir!!!!"

PI goes like this
DI: "10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, aaaaaaaaand 1"
Recruits: "Done, sir, done!!!!"

I'm pretty sure some companies might add a sir infront of it, but my DI said he didn't want a sir sandwich.