This was an awesome book for anyone who has someone going through the Navy Boot Camp. Knowing that the author had experienced boot camp himself in the 60's and then went back in the year 2000 and was able to go through the entire process with a Division was unbelievable helpful to me as a parent with not knowing what all is actually going on during boot camp. You have very little communication with your Navy Recruit and this book took you step by step of what they would be doing each week.

This book will give you all the information you need to know what it is like for your recruit going through Navy boot camp.

I was disappointed with this book. I believe it needs to be updated since it was written in the early 2000's and changes have been make, for example recruits no longer work the chow hall. I found some websites to be more informative of the Boot Camp process. Also did not care for the method of presentation....a bunch of interviews with recruits and instructors. I wanted to know more detail about what my recruit would be doing....it is not in this book.

This is an excellent resource for parents who have children getting ready to join the Navy and attend boot camp. It follows a division through every step of their time at Recruit Training Command. I felt much more comfortable about what my son was going through after reading this. It is getting a little old, but is still definitely worth reading to ease your worries about your child.

My son is joining the Navy. I was very interested to know what the boot camp experience might be like for him. I think this book has given me a good idea of what he'll be facing. In some ways the information was a relief and in some ways a warning. I am glad I read it.

I recommend this book for any parent who wants to experience their Navy Recruit's experience in the Training Recruit Command Program at Great Lakes (Boot Camp. It made me feel closer to my son and made the "Pass In Review" graduation ceremony more meaningful, having read the book.

Enjoyed reading the book, howver it is quite obvious special attention was awarded to the recruits while Leahy was there observing Great Lakes to write this book. I just had a son graduate on August 10, 2007 and trust me things are quite different than the book portrays.

This was my division that the book was written about. DIVISION 005. At the time I wasnt married and my name was Michelle Gray. There is a pic or 2 of me in the book. I went through bookcamp from OCT 2000-Dec 2000. Mr Leahy was there with us every day from sun up to sun down. I only recently got the book to read and it brang back sooo many memories. I think this book is great for anyone wondering how bootcamp will be. Even though things have changed alot through the yrs most of bootcamp is the same. Bootcamp has gotten easier and you get more sleep at night now!!!! If anyone needs any info or wants to know anything about bootcamp you can email me with any questions. I am still in the Navy and stationed in Japan right now. I have been in for almost 7 year and have never been on a ship out to sea. Guess you can say Im pretty luck! [...]

Wonderful account of what to expect for my son who will leave for Great Lakes in 2 weeks. Received book on Friday and did not put it down until I finished it today. The other members of the family will be reading this also. From what friends who have been in the Navy have related, this is a very accurate picture of life as a recruit.

Every future sailor in the DEP (Delayed Enlistment Program) should read this book, as should their parents and other loved ones. It provides a detailed account of the Navy Boot Camp experience, following one division from arrival to graduation. A very well written, entertaining read; each of us in our family who read it found it hard to put down once we'd started it.

A good book describing the Boot Camp experience to parents who are about to send their sons/daughters off to Great Lakes Training Command. Written in 2000, the book is already slightly dated, as I believe many of the improvements discussed in the book have been done at this time.

Written by a gentleman who was in the Navy during the Vietnam era, he was given total access to the base, from the Commander on down to the recruits and instructors. He followed a specific recruit class from their homes to graduation.

Well written, it could be read by your son/daughter if so desired before shipping out, and should be read by their parents.

A good book describing the Boot Camp experience to parents who are about to send their sons/daughters off to Great Lakes Training Command. Written in 2000, the book is already slightly dated, as I believe many of the improvements discussed in the book have been done at this time.

Written by a gentleman who was in the Navy during the Vietnam era, he was given total access to the base, from the Commander on down to the recruits and instructors. He followed a specific recruit class from their homes to graduation.

Well written, it could be read by your son/daughter if so desired before shipping out, and should be read by their parents.

Having been in the Navy years ago, and having my son just enter the Navy and going through boot camp, I thouught this would be an interesting read. I wasn't dissappointed. Since it was written in 2000, it is a little outdated, but the general jest of the experience is still all there. It will definately take you through the experience that the kids go through. It has some humor written into it, as well as the seriousness of what goes on. I really feel that if you're going in to boot camp, have a child going into boot camp, or are just interested in what goes on, this book is worth while.

I read this book shortly after my son left for Navy Boot camp. It was helpful as the letters came, that I understood some of what was going on. I wish I would have had this book earlier for him to read before he left.
It tells it like it is, I smiled and cried throughout the book. A very good choice if you or someone you love is headed to Great Lakes.

I read this book shortly after my son left for Navy Boot camp. It was helpful as the letters came, that I understood some of what was going on. I wish I would have had this book earlier for him to read before he left.
It tells it like it is, I smiled and cried throughout the book. A very good choice if you or someone you love is headed to Great Lakes.

I really liked that it gave quotes from all involved in the boot camp experience, from RDC's to recruits. Very informative!!

Service before self. What does that mean? I didn't ask the question, but a good friend of mine who served 8 years in the Navy told me anyways. I had been peppering him with many other questions, and he got the notion I might actually enlist, so he set me straight. He said, service in the Navy means being assigned to paint a warehouse floor with 10 other people, double time, with inadequate ventilation and no protective equipment. Service before self means being exposed to food that can be worse than what they serve in prison--not because the Navy hates you, or wants you to feel cheap. It's just the way things go. Some logistics problems just don't work out for the individual. His best advice was to go straight to college, and consider OCS as an option when you graduate. I never took that option, and I am glad about that. I never suspected Americans would be so stupid as to elect Bush president (well, they actually didn't the first time). When a man of such low caliber becomes Commander-in-Chief, the last place you want to be is in the military. But if you must, the Navy and Air Force are still the best bets. There will always be some attractive opportunities for medical and legal professionals, and for those strong in math, science, etc.

Leahy does an excellent job into giving us a day to day impression inside RTC, Great Lakes. I was recommended to read this book from the experienced Sailors in the military.com forums. Not only did it answer some of the smaller detailed questions that you may not find on the Navy websites, it gave me an understanding of what the recruits of Division 005 went through, psychologically and physically.

I'm shipping off to RTC in about 5 months and I'm glad I picked up a copy of this book (as well as the Bluejacket's Manual - even though we'll be getting our own copies at boot camp). From a DEP recruit's perspective, I feel these two titles will give me an advantage of what to expect at boot camp as well as general Navy knowledge (the BJM).

I bought this book because, like most of the reviewers, I'll be joining the Navy on May. It's very clever to learn as much as you can about Boot Camp BEFORE you get there. This book covers the trials and tribulations of Division 005 as they march through Boot Camp. From the first day they step on Great Lakes until the day they leave. THIS BOOK IS GREAT. The author covers everything that you will experience in Boot Camp with graphic detail, and then he interviews both Recruits and RDCs so you can get both perspectives. As one reviewer said, not too many pictures, but the info within is really precious. If you want to see pictures, just go the the Great Lakes web site and you'll see many there. I recommend this book!

I am thinking about joining the Navy and I have been reading a million different books and articles about boot camp and the military in general and this book by far is my favorite. It tells you what these recruits were going through each step of the way through boot camp. It is very motivating and you feel so proud of these people for making it through. By the end of the book you feel so connected with them and are so excited for their graduation. I would recommend this book to anyone; if you're joining the military or not, or if you are just curious. I graduate wait from college in May and I cannot wait to ship out.

With a child currently in bootcamp this book helped me to understand what he is going through. I can follow through the weeks of his training with him and when he writes and tells me about what he is doing, I've been able to share in his experience.
It's a good book for anyone considering joining the navy or for those who have family already there.

This book is excellent for parents & enlisting people. I feel so much more at ease as a parent of an enlisting child & my son now knows more of what to expect when he enters boot camp next month.
This is ESSENTIAL reading for every person enlisting in the Navy & every parent whose child will be in boot camp for the 9 weeks!!!!

As a recent graduate from RTC Great Lakes, I was looking forward to reading this work regarding the Naval bootcamp experience. Suffice it to say, J.F. Leahy's book was a serious let down.

Rather than take the time to follow the Division on a day to day basis thus obtaining an intimate view of the experience, the author makes only the most curosry observations about the daily goings on at RTC. One gathered the impression that the author showed up at the training command for a few hours a week and then scurried right out. His constant introduction of meaningless RTC factoids, which become quite tiresome very quickly, seem as another indication of superficiality. This lack of depth was also evident with regards to the recruits themselves. He mentions them in the briefest of terms and thus makes it impossible for the reader to develop any interest in them or understanding of what they're going through.

If one is interested in reading an excellent book that not only objectively documents boot camp but also makes the reader care about those who endure it, Thomas E. Ricks' "Making the Corps" is ideal. Sadly "Honor, Courage, Comittment" is not.

I bought this book for my son who is supposed to enter the Navy in January. I'm in the Navy and I know this is the place for a kid who's not quite ready for college. I would have like to see color pictures and more of them. Most high school kids won't want to sit and read all the text without decent pics to keep it exciting.

I have read this book. I finished it on 6 Jan. 2005. I am scheduled to go to camp on 27 Jan. 2005. After reading this book I want to leave tomorrow. A lot of my friends are in the Navy and Mr. Leahy pretty much lay it out for you and tell you the day-to-day schedule. I have read a couple of other books on the Navy but none that have been as good and descriptive as this one. I think this was an excellent idea Mr. Leahy and would just like to thank you for getting me better prepared for what lies ahead. I would recommend this book to ANYONE who is entering the Navy or have relatives in the Navy.

We purchased this book shortly after our son left for Navy Boot Camp. The only problem with the book is that we couldn't put it down! It is now being read by the 4th person in our family and our son is still in Boot Camp! I only wish he could have read it before he left.

This book is full of day-to-day information and really helped us see what our son is talking about in the weekly letters he writes. Thank you, Mr. Leahy!

My son went to bootcamp last October and it was a very difficult time for me, especially not knowing what was happening to him. Fortunately, I found this wonderful book which I read 3 times while he was there. It was almost like being there. It gave me an understanding and appreciation for what he was going through. I recommend this book to anyone planing to join or who has a loved one joining the Navy.
Thank-You Mr.Leahy!