I was just wondering if bootcamp/basic training changed your SO at all? Was it a change for the better, for worse, or did they stay the same as before the experience? Just curious! Thanks ladies!

well DH(then DB) graduated from boot almost 4 yrs ago, and it def changed him...for the better. He was more mature, responsible, goal oriented, passionate and overall, he became a MAN.

joe changed for the better. he got his anger under control after BCT.

Mine got to come home for Christmas after 7 weeks... he has over 5 to go now that he's back. Already I've noticed around friends here at home he is more mature.

I was worried he would become insensitive or tough but the opposite has happened. He realized he didn't want to bottle things up and he wanted to talk about things more.

He hates bootcamp but is doing really well, avoiding letting the mindgames they put them through get to him. When his bunk is perfect and all his stuff is clean and polished and they throw it all on the floor,scream, take away priviledges etc, he doesn't let it phase him. He just does it all again and jokes about it to me in letters. Other guys have gone nuts but he said most of those guys have dropped out by now.

Bonus - he looks AWESOME.. his biceps are huge from all the PT :)

well DH(then DB) graduated from boot almost 4 yrs ago, and it def changed him...for the better. He was more mature, responsible, goal oriented, passionate and overall, he became a MAN.

Exactly what she said!

Well i have been so worried about this, that it would make me macho and tuff and a big meany. But the letters are proving otherwise...he's still sweet..he wants to be a buddhist now(really ironic), a little cocky about how good he looks in his uniform, and i think he just feels more confident and more intelligent. It sounds like all good things to me, he always writes his letters "DONT WORRY! I haven't changed...just a little more muscle!" I hope it's all true. :)

Mine changed for the better! He grew up a little more and became more responsible especially with money! Other than that- he was/is still the same man i fell in love with :o)

Well, my dh just graduated in november but he got to come home for christmas. he lost like 40 lbs and has so many muscles. Which is a big plus. On the down side, he tends to be more picky about things being in order, picking up little things that fall on the floor by our son, little petty stuff that makes me mad. Like i dont clean it good enough. And then, the day he graduated we were in the car and i was just staring at him cuz i had missed him, you know. It kinda frustrated him a little that i was "all up in his face". I didnt understand that at all. So, yeah, he definitely changed.

Bootcamp was a few years before me but I have to say the further he got in his carreer I have noticed a massive change(for the better).

My dh changed for the better as well. I agree with the ladies who said their SOs became more of a man. :)

He's still in bootcamp, but from when he was home over exodus and on his con leave, I can say he has definitely changed for the better. First of all, he's grown up a lot. He used to just sort of go through life and whatever and now he's grown up, he's making his own goals and dreams that are attainable. He always had that far-fetched dream that he could never actually do, but now he's got feasible goals and dreams. For the first time in his life, he's exciting about getting in to his college classes and his degree. It finally matters to him and that is a big change for the better (in my opinion). He's become even more caring and loving. Being forced to spend time apart has really shown both of us an entirely different level of each other and also of our love for each other. We've both been in long term relationships that just continued out of convenience, and bootcamp definately showed both of us that this isn't just convenient. He's gained a new appreciation for his grandmother and aunts and everything they do for him.
and of course, the best change of all....

PHYSICALLY and he looks DAMN SEXY when he gets to wear his uniform!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

my boy was home over Exodus too, and he had definitely changed in different ways... he was more neat and tidy which is awesome! and he seemed a bit more grown up, but also a bit more distant at first. I guess he was just still in basic training mode for the first few days, but it made me a little nervous because he is usually so loud and outgoing. He eventually settled back in to being home, but i was surprised how different he seemed at first! It seems like in most of your experiences, your men have changed for the better, so that's very encouraging! :)

My DH is still in Training...Came home for Xmas...When we were on our way home from the airport i was kinda scared b/c he was acting way different but then he said "Babe- im sry if im acting weird, jus give me a lil to re-adjust"....2 days later it felt lik he never left....He was more tidy [THANK GOD!] more organized [w/ money and plans] and seemed way more mature...I was worried it'd change around his friends...but it didnt! :D

My dh changed for the better as well. I agree with the ladies who said their SOs became more of a man. :)

I agree!

He changed for the better in different ways. 1st thing I noticed was that he was saying "yes sir" or "yes ma'am":wowsers

well DH(then DB) graduated from boot almost 4 yrs ago, and it def changed him...for the better. He was more mature, responsible, goal oriented, passionate and overall, he became a MAN.

Same here.

I'm glad you ladies posted so many of your experiences, I was wondering the same thing. I'll be very thankful if those changes happen for us too. :)

DB pretty much stayed the same.

Although it did open him up alot more. He used to be this shy quiet guy but now hes worse then me :D and I LOVE IT!!!!! :dance

DF graduated from boot camp 4 years ago (wow-- I can't believe it's been that long!! :wow ) and it definitely changed him for the better. He was much more mature and more responsible.

DB finally got his act together while at bootcamp. He came out of it the same funny, ridiculous boy I knew but he is way more responsible, motivated, and appreciative. Part of me wishes he went earlier.

Mine got to come home for christmas 8 weeks into basic and the first couple days he seemed to be completely stuck in Army mode! He just wasn't quite himself, not in a bad way but he was real quiet which isn't him at all. But he loosened up and was back to himself in no time!

The military did change my SO yes...but I think they changed him for the better.

I was WAY after boot, yet after deployment DH was different. I was lucky enough to have it for the better. He was more caring, more wanting to be with us all the time and much more easy going.

BF was deffinatly more responsible and payed more attention to his surroundings,he MADE SURE that he followed ALL the rules.but i think it is definatly for the best.but he is still the same guy i fell in love with....the same DORK.lol

The navy made him a man! He was always responsible though.

my db has only been gone two days but i hope he comes back more responsible and mature!! lol.

Mine came home for christmas, and he did change, for the better...
More muscles, lots of push up for all those letters....
I worry about the change when deployed to the sand box

I really didn't see a huge change, but some. He did lose a lot of weight in basic though! lol

i guess i was wondering more about habits....
I'm hoping he comes back more organized. :)

my db has only been gone two days but i hope he comes back more responsible and mature!! lol.

what did he go in for? i mean what is his job going to be?

since i didn't know my db b4 boot, i'll speak as to how basic changed my lil bro.

there were obvious physical changes. he's no longer the tall skinny dweeb. he's put on a lot of muscle & has a deeper voice. one of the reasons he joined the army was to get motivated. i think he has much more purpose in life now. before he was just "ho hum" about everything. i still think he has a way to go, but he's definitely getting there.

well mine is still in boot camp but his letters has changed for the better, i'm wondering what it will be like when he comes back home. before he left i did see a change in how he talked to people. it was so suprising but in a good way.

My DH definitely changed for the better while in training. He did pick up some bad habits (language) while he was there that he had to change back once he got home, but attitude, personality, and thinking-wise, he was a completely different and better person. He was still the same DH, but like the new and improved version :lol DH 2.1

my DB definitely changed for the better. he's much more motivated in his day to day activities and more conscious about things he can do now to improve our life togther in the future. he talks about taking night classes and getting his bachelors degree, hes much more dedicated to me and has just been such a sweetheart. i think joining the air force is the best thing he could have done for himself. when we were at a hockey game they played the national anthem and he stood and saluted during it -made me cry like a baby!

on a side note, he definitely learned some sack-skills from his buddies in boot/tech school :teehee

I met DB after boot camp, but I believe the Army in general has changed DB for better, it's given him the ambition/motivation to do more with his life, and based on his lifestyle before the military (the things he used to tell me about) , he has more direction

mine changed as well. He's been more responsive and open. He doesn't shut himself off as much as he used to. Don't get me wrong he still does to an extent but it's not nearly as bad. It also made him realize what he really wants out of life. Before it felt like he was just kinda wandering around aimlessly

Ok officially.
HE has not changed! He's still a complainer and a total goof ball and crazy and a little bit of a klutz a few things he does do differently, he holds himself with alot of confidence and like hold his hands behind his back all the time, or in front, i've never see that before. He says "female" instead of girl and talks in bootcamp speak, there are sooooo many weird terms of all the shit they have to do. If anything hes just more confident, and espically about they navy, the way he talks about it he really knows what hes talking about, (or makes it appear that way). I was afraid he was going to be so "cold" and anti-lovey dovey, but he was just the opposite.

:thanx

BETTER BETTER BETTER....lol

1.) He just exudes this grown-up.."sailorfied" sexiness now..lol
2.) He makes a bed like no other...YES!!!
3.) He looks at things like rap music, videos, and other useless crap on tv differently...double Yes!

Too many things to list.. I am just so proud of him!!!!

my ex went to boot, washed out, and was a total jerk afterwards. but we've all figured he was a jerk to begin with and just hid it well.

dh went to boot yeeeears before i met him, so i don't know if it changed him at all.

deployment on the other hand....

It feels like DH is trying more, like he is trying to grow up, and his anger issues aren't as bad. He's also a lot more grateful for things at home and me :)

same here