“There is at least one thing worse than fighting with allies, and that is to fight without them.”
—Winston S. Churchill
One of the most important lessons you will learn in the military is to look out for each other. When in combat, the person to your left and right could save your life, working as a team will benefit everyone. To teach you this lesson, your Drill Sergeants will assign you a battle buddy. You will be responsible for how your battle buddy looks, acts, and performs (and vice versa). If your battle buddy does something wrong, then you have done something wrong, too. If your battle buddy isn’t wearing an article of clothing correctly, guess who else is to blame? Right—you are.
Do not be surprised if your battle buddy is not the same race, ethnicity, or age as you. Commonly, Drill Sergeants will pair up two individuals who are completely opposite of one another. You must learn how to work closely with someone with a different background.
Before every formation, make sure your battle buddy is wearing his/her uniform properly. A formation is when recruits assemble in an orderly manner (i.e. to prepare to march somewhere). If there are patches on the uniform, make sure they are in the proper place. Most importantly, make sure your battle buddy doesn’t forget anything for formation (i.e., canteens, paperwork, etc.).
It is common for Drill Sergeants to pair up two individuals who are completely opposite of one another.
Make a mental note of what your strengths and weaknesses are compared to your battle buddy’s. For example, you might be able to get dressed faster than he can, but you might be slower at making your bed. By noticing these small differences, you will be able to give advice to each other. Think as a team. Think as one.
Your battle buddy will be someone you will never forget. Make a conscious effort to be tolerant toward that individual. Ask anyone who has attended basic training about this. If they didn’t get along with their battle buddy, they didn’t have a good experience in basic training. It is really that important.
A good relationship with your battle buddy could make the difference between a miserable or valuable basic training.