What Parents Should Know About Military Barracks? First and foremost, welcome to the family. Parents, spouses/partners, and siblings are all a part of this as well. You may be a vet yourself and know the ropes, and if not, this guide is for you. The instinct is strong, and you’re going to want to send your kiddo something. That is great; hearing from a loved one when they are far away is one of the best ways to bring some sunshine in. However, there are some general dos and don’ts.
To make it easy lets put this into two groups. Basic training and Everyday living.
Basic Training: Let’s get the terms out of the way. Boot camp, or just boot, Basic Combat Training (BCT), Basic Military Training (BMT), One Station Unit Training (OSUT), and Advanced Individual Training (AIT). Different branches have different terms, and there are different types of schools, but for the most part, these schools all generally serve the same type of purpose, and that purpose is to teach.
Your kiddo will be learning a lot about their branch, their Military Occupational Specialty (MOS), which is just the military way of saying their trade. It’s what they will be doing from now on. They will be exercising a lot and pretty much running everywhere. So they will be very busy, and all this is done in a controlled environment. If they’re not sleeping, they will be working long days, so if you have not heard from them, try not to worry.
At this point in their new career as a parent, you should fight the urge to send them clothes, food, and objects. They will be provided with everything they need. Luxuries will not be allowed. Everyone eats the same thing, wears the same thing, and if they are mailed something, it’s likely going to just sit in a closet until they finish training. Letters, texts ( if allowed; I predate text messaging, so not sure if they’re allowed). The point being, please reach out to them. With long, hard days, having a letter from home is the best. And when everyone else gets on, and they don’t, that can suck.
I don’t know what your parenting style is, but my family loved to get me clothes. Maybe wait until you see them again for this. They are going to change a lot. They will be losing a lot of fat and gaining a lot of muscle, so they’re going to look different.
Every day living: This is the fun part. They are now just doing the job. When your kiddo goes to their duty station, for the most part, it’s just going to work, working out, then back home. They will not have the restrictions like Basic training. So here is your chance to spoil them, if that’s something you want to do.
Their barracks room is going to be rather small, and depending on the branch of service, conditions will vary. Generally, Air Force accommodations have been pretty good; the other branches… not so much.
If you want to help them out, think college dorm size. All-in-one products like an Instant Pot are awesome; check with them first, as their barracks may have a policy about cooking appliances. You can check out the Kitchen guide on the button below.
The big difference between a barracks and a dorm is that they live with the very people they work with and for. It’s common for their boss (usually an NCO (non-commissioned officer)) to surprise them with inspections, and some restrictions will apply. They may or may not have roommates, but unlike a dorm, they could be moved, changed, and relocated with not much notice.