Posted on May 10, 2017
What do you think is lacking in the Basic Training/ AIT process?
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I joined a little over five years ago, ever since I graduated my IET I keep hearing from senior leaders that soldiers arriving to the unit are less prepared/ trained upon competion of IET. What aspects of Basic Training do you personally think are no longer being taught or are no longer being enforced to the same standard as say 10-20 years ago? Idealy how could the system be fixed?
Basic Combat Training (BCT)
Leadership
Drill Sergeant
AIT Instructor
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 23
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Your always going to hear that point of view because generally earlier graduates want you to believe they had it tougher. I went through in 1982 back when the Drill Instructors still beat on the recruits, I remember low crawling under barbed wire while the Drill Instructors threw Artillery Blast Simulators at the slower recruits (fairly cruel and that would never be tolerated today). Having said all that and looking at the full Infantry OSUT course. Today's graduates have it tougher and more challenging because even though they eliminated some of the abuse........Ft. Benning was careful to replace it with more challenging training that was more relavent. Such as the administer IV to fellow soldiers part, the combative training (which unlike hand to hand is much more physically exhausting), all the hours we spent on Drill and Ceremony also trashed in favor of rubber shoot rooms. So Infantry OSUT is more physical today than it was when I went through and more relavent to a combat environment.........I would probably go a little farther and say it requires more physical fitness than in my day as well (1982).
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CPT Lawrence Cable
I agree. At least in the Combat Arms side of things, they got rid of the stupid abuse and added tough and more realistic training. You don't have to hit someone to smoke them. Tough incremental and realistic training makes better soldiers than abusing them ever produced.
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How we just start with the minimum standard for the APFT upon graduation. Achieving that minimum standard requires several of the factors discussed already, discipline to work out and get more physical, heart, to continue regardless, and a multitude of other combinations and factors. I am not going to say that the PT was harder, but the Drills obviously had more fear power back in the day to "pump you up" to get you going. Knowing the rigors of the Army, before going to basic I started training as I was really out of shape going in at 222 pounds. I left basic 167 and a fighting machine. Not sure that is the result these days. maybe its the focus and direction of the Army or the inclusive idea that everyone is made for the Army. We all know that is not true. .02
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LTC Trent Klug
Basic training graduates don't even have to meet the 60% minimum threshold for the APFT. They can graduate with a 50% score in every event. Think about that for a minute. The minimum standard isn't the standard anymore where basic trainees and physical fitness, as tested by the Army, are concerned.
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SFC Kelly Fuerhoff
It's 50 points in each even in basic to pass. I went to basic after college. I hadn't really worked out before I went to basic. I was 22. I managed to pass. I did have issues with situps but that was purely form. I figured it out.
PT wasn't harder - they just could smoke the shit out of people a lot more than they can recently.
PT wasn't harder - they just could smoke the shit out of people a lot more than they can recently.
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#1 thing I feel is lacking is pride. Without pride, discipline suffers. It snowballs from there. The new generations don't have a personal sense of pride to the degree of those before. They are becoming more reliant upon outside recognition for even the smallest thing/task done. They crave recognition for doing things that are expected which in turn, cheapens the recognition for things done beyond what's expected.
How to fix this? In my opinion, stop rewarding mediocrity. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
How to fix this? In my opinion, stop rewarding mediocrity. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
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1SG (Join to see)
You are absolutely right, look at the awards given for doing nothing. We give AAM's for Soldiers who get 90 points in each event. When I was growing up in the Army 90 points in each event was something you thrived for because it would get you NCO off your back (A little bit). I remember the term 50 meter Soldier and 300 meter Soldier.
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SSgt (Join to see)
Agreed! Pride is something that must be focal point! A Mediocre performance should never rewarded regardless. However, addressing this issue has to start elsewhere. We must give them the knowledge of what they should even be proud of in the first place. Teach them our history. What we have learned throughout our battles and what we can do better! There is so much down time at basic that can be taken advantage of. This is where it should start. Quit giving out koodos to those who barely meet the standard and explain why exceeding them helps propel greatness in the carrying on of the traditions and values of the Army in general.
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SSG Stephan Pendarvis
You are spot on SSG! They don't see the task but the reward to feed their ego. That is why I always have hated medals and ribbons. I call them "false motivations". While it is good to recognized...we cannot forget that there is a mission. I wonder if they stopped giving ribbons would service members stop performing to their best to get a mission accomplished? The mission is always first....whether praise is given or not.
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