Gift for Basic Training (Question for

H

H M Lintz

Joined
Dec 19, 2005
Messages
8
Hi. First post in a few years. My younger brother just joined the Army; he leaves for basic training on January 11 (great birthday present for me). So - a question for those who have served:

If you could buy a knife currently on the market, go back in time, and give it to yourself while you were in basic training, what would it be? Ideally, it will still be the perfect knife when he's serving, but, for now, I want him to be happy with it for 13 weeks. If it matters, his specialty will eventually have something to do with the operation of an MLRS (one of these things: http://www.namsa.nato.int/gallery/ws_mlrs_e.htm)

Realistically, I probably need to keep it under $125, which is a lot more than I'd spend on myself at the moment. I also guess it can't be automatic, since it's supposed to be a surprise. I don't trust autos as much, anyway. Never will.

Thanks for the help,
Howie
 
I seem to recall reading that new recruits are not allowed any knives during basic training.
 
Correct!

No recruit at basic training may have a knife of any kind. If you give him one, it will be confiscated and he will get an article 15 at the least.
 
Oh. Well, I'm glad you guys told me. I'm surprised, though I can't say it strikes me as a bad idea. Guess I'll get him a ... um ... a cake?

Thanks,
Howie
 
jackknife said:
Correct!

No recruit at basic training may have a knife of any kind. If you give him one, it will be confiscated and he will get an article 15 at the least.
Click to expand...

Don't bother getting one until you can maybe bring it to him on family day, depends on where he is for ait. I bought a Dragonfly at the px before graduation, no art. 15 for me.
 
How about presenting it to him as a graduation present when he is finished? For $125, a Spyderco Manix would be a good choice for a soldier.
 
I never thought that maybe I would not be allowed a knife in basic training. I had carried a knife from the time I that I could remember. I got on the bus that day with a practically new Case 3 bladed knife in my pocket. When the bus stopped at Fort Polk and we started getting off they had a barrel on the ground and the Sergeant said to pass by the barrel and drop all the knives in. I quickly noticed that noone was being searched. Most of the guys were chunking in their knives. I decided to just forget I had one on me and walked right by. I packed that knife all through basic training, two years at Redstone Arsenal and then for years after I returned to civilian life. Didn't make any sense that they were going to let me walk around with loaded guns but did not trust me with a little knife.

Nolan
 
Hey, Nolan...

They didn't let you keep your rifle in your locker did they? I am very glad that they did not allow knives in Basic. We had a lot of conflict between trainees that knives could have made much worse. This was a long time ago, maybe things like that don't happen these days.

Nick
 
VegasNick said:
Hey, Nolan...

They didn't let you keep your rifle in your locker did they? I am very glad that they did not allow knives in Basic. We had a lot of conflict between trainees that knives could have made much worse. This was a long time ago, maybe things like that don't happen these days.

Nick
Click to expand...

oh they do, they certainly do.
 
Get him something for his graduation from basic! I'd go w/ a Ritter Grip or BM 550....thats the knife I wish I had been carrying during my AD time!
 
If you want to get him something he'll really use, pick out a good multitool, one of the high-end models with saw, file, and scissors, along with blade and screwdrivers and all.
 
He can't have anything meaningfully personal besides the bible and pen and paper during basic. :barf:

Buy him about 40 dollars worth of candy and junk food for graduation, he'll probably eat it all. I did.

As far as useful post-basic and ait presents go, try a nice multitool, leatherman charge, sog powergrip, or swisstool.
 
My nephew is in basic now and I am getting him a knife as a gift too. I have the same price range as you. I can also confirm that no knives are aloud at basic. I planed to surprise him too but I decided against it. (fixed?, folder?, auto?, multi-tool?) I think he will be happier if he has some say in it so I wrote him a letter explaining my intentions and enclosed pics of knives I thought he may like. (BM 710,520,525,5000,140,145 Spyderco paramill, manix, mini-manix, leatherman, swamprat) I told him we could pick one when he comes home for Christmas and I would deliver it to his graduation. I think every soldier should have a good pocket knife. All the ones I mentioned are built tuff. I liked the axis lock enough that I had to buy myself a 710HS but I was alerted to the fact that it may not tolerate sand well. For a young guy autos seem like an invitation to get into trouble to me. From what I read many soldiers are not permitted to carry fixed blades and most are restricted to a specified size. I have never had a need for a multi-tool as they are a "jack of all trades and master of none." I always have a tool bag full of what I need when I am on the job. I have read that they are very handy and popular for solders. You could get both a Leatherman Wave and Spyderco Native at the dreaded Walmart and still be in your price range. I hope this helps you.
 
Here is some light reading:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=375015&highlight=iraq

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=274793&highlight=iraq

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=376086&highlight=iraq

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=377426&highlight=iraq

http://benchmadeforum.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/638106573/m/895104183/r/267104183#267104183


http://benchmadeforum.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/638106573/m/603105327/r/561105827#561105827

http://benchmadeforum.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/368106573/m/453102673/r/653102673#653102673

http://benchmadeforum.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/638106573/m/895104183/r/806104183#806104183

http://benchmadeforum.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/638106573/m/812106183/r/532106183#532106183

God bless you brother and I thank him for his service.
 
Once your son finishes A.I.T., then you could give him a knife. I'd recommend a folder of medium to small size. (3-4" blade). Speaking from experience, a fixed blade has a good chance of getting stolen and large folders could be frowned upon by a his C.O.. Maybe a classic like the Buck 110 or a Spyderco Delica/Endura. If you want to get him something for a bit more money, maybe one of Benchmades Axis-Lock folders. Tell your son thankyou for serving. I started to think that the recent generation of young men were weak and lazy. Afghanistan and Iraq have proved me wrong.;)
 
VegasNick said:
Hey, Nolan...

They didn't let you keep your rifle in your locker did they? I am very glad that they did not allow knives in Basic. We had a lot of conflict between trainees that knives could have made much worse. This was a long time ago, maybe things like that don't happen these days.

Nick
Click to expand...


Nope, but they let me run up and down hills shooting the thing! And the time I am talking about was a long time ago also. The rifle I was running up and down hills with was a Garand M1. And we had recruits from country farm boys to Chicago gang members and we had no trouble. In basic it was all of us vs the army. That is why they cut your hair all off and make you wear the same clothes.
 
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