The very word bootcamp is wrapped in mysteries and fear. Many have heard different rumors and stories about bootcamps. As someone who went through the system, I can testify that most of these so-called “horror stories” are urban legends, often fueled by enemy propaganda.
Of course, there are different bootcamps and different instructors, and my experience is not universal. But the general ideas of bootcamp are the same everywhere. It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that changes both body and soul, unearthing hidden strength you never knew existed – and restoring your faith in humanity.
Joining the army
I joined the Armed Forces through the 3rd Navy Recruitment Center. They were looking for a journalist, and with more than 20 years of experience in journalism – and working as a war correspondent since the beginning of the full-scale invasion – I was a perfect fit for the position. The army needs people with many different skills.
But you can’t be just a journalist, or just a cook, or just a driver in the army. First and foremost, you are a serviceman. That means you have to know how to use your rifle, understand tactics, learn tactical medicine, and get yourself into proper physical shape.
Mobilized and volunteers
There is absolutely no difference between those who were mobilized and those who joined voluntarily. Instructors treat everyone equally. The only real difference is organizational: people who were mobilized need to use their time in bootcamp to find the unit they want to serve in. If they don’t, they will simply be assigned to whichever unit has the greatest shortage of servicemen.
What to bring
There are many videos and posts about what you should bring to bootcamp. The real answer is simple: a toothbrush, toothpaste, one piece of soap, a metal cup and metal plate, anti-bug spray, sanitizer, and any medicine you generally take – plus anti-inflammatory pills, anti-diarrhea tablets, and painkillers just in case. That’s it. You will get everything else: a few sets of uniforms, three or four pairs of socks, a few pairs of underwear, a plate carrier, body armor, and more.
The best approach is to first see what you are issued, and if something is missing, order it through Nova Poshta, Ukraine’s very successful private shipping service. Always remember that you will have to carry everything you brought plus everything you are given, so think about your back. Occasionally – though rarely – there may not be footwear or clothing in your size right away. But one way or another, you will receive everything you need, even items you didn’t realize you would need before bootcamp.
Once you put on your combat boots, you are no longer a separate individual.
Trust-building
In bootcamp you realize that the famous proverb “один в полі не воїн” (one man in the field is not a warrior) is not only true, but fundamental. Once you put on your combat boots (which, by the way, are very comfortable for field movement once your feet get used to them), you are no longer a separate individual. You become part of a team.
In the army, a single person cannot exist outside the unit – and likewise, a unit cannot exist or successfully complete tasks without every single person in it. From the first day, everyone learns to help and watch over each other. A true military brotherhood, in miniature, is formed.
Discovering hidden strength
You can do much more than you think. During the first march in full military gear, I honestly thought I was going to collapse. My back, my muscles – every bone in my body was screaming with pain. But that was the moment when true teamwork revealed itself. The guys from my unit kept cheering me on, pouring water on my neck, refusing to let me quit. Every step felt like it could be my last, yet I reached the destination because I wasn’t alone.
When I finally had the chance to rest – sitting in the shade of a tree, drinking ordinary water – it became one of the most beautiful and valuable moments of my life. In that simple pause, I felt pride in myself and deep gratitude toward my team and instructors who made it possible.
The next marches got easier, not because my body hurt less, but because I knew I wasn’t going to die or faint. My brothers-in-arms simply wouldn’t allow it.
Asceticism
In bootcamp you also learn a kind of asceticism. You begin to cherish the simplest things: a sip of water, a gentle breeze, five minutes of rest, a bowl of plain food, or any amount of sleep you can get. A bed without an orthopedic mattress and orthopedic pillow is still a bed – and you can sleep tight on it as well. You realize that you can survive – and even live well – with only the basics. The newest iPhone or pizza for dinner suddenly stop feeling essential to your well-being.
Learning to endure and focus
Another lesson I learned is that pain will not kill you. You can endure it, tolerate it, and keep moving forward. During training “operations,” when we were split into two teams – one defending a building, the other storming it – I didn’t feel pain at all. My entire focus was on the mission.
That is another philosophy of the bootcamp: focus. When you work with firearms, there is no room for distraction. You must remain sharp at every moment – not only to complete the mission, but to ensure the safety of your brothers-in-arms and yourself.
The intensity of this routine connects you to reality in a way that doesn’t allow for depression.
Bootcamp cures depression
It really does. For years I suffered from dark moods and flashbacks of painful moments in my life. But here, you simply don’t have time for that.
The rhythm of each day leaves no space for dwelling on the past. After lectures and exercises, you still have work to do – washing your clothes by hand, the way our grandmothers once did.
Then there’s the stove to heat the water for what we called our makeshift “sauna-shower.” You have to fill the tanks above it before you can finally wash yourself.
And somehow, in between, you try to steal a few minutes to practice shooting stances or tactical formations before lights-out at 22:00.
At 05:30 sharp, the cycle starts again.
The intensity of this routine connects you to reality in a way that doesn’t allow for depression. There’s no room for empty thoughts – only the task in front of you, and the team beside you.
Getting into shape
And then there is the physical transformation. By the end of the bootcamp, you find yourself in a completely different shape. I lost 15 kilos and with them my so-called “pregnant belly.” No amount of regular workouts could have taken me to this point. The best workout you can ever get is going through the full spectrum of exercises in the bootcamp.
Still, no matter how hard the training feels, it’s important to remember that the bootcamp is only the first step in a much longer journey toward becoming a soldier. After it, you will receive professional training and continue developing with your unit long before you ever get close to the front line.
Growth comes through the pain
This is my experience and my perception of bootcamp; other people might see and experience it differently. I weighed 105 kilos (231 Ibs), and I was neither physically nor mentally fit for this experience, but it changed me. I can tell you that it is the best personal growth course you can ever get. Bootcamp made me a better person.
Yes, this growth came through a lot of pain and stress, but all good and real things are costly. One pays a much higher price by trying to avoid military service – living in fear and uncertainty. But in the end, everyone is entitled to choose whatever they prefer.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s and not necessarily those of Kyiv Post.