Changes in Army basic training

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_new_basic_training


Distance running and bayonets are out, core training and sprints are in.
Three Bags and anyone else with military experience: Is this a good thing?

 

Will everyone get a trophy?

 

I was in the Navy, so have no real experience with Army basic, but I can't imagine it would be good. Those guys do long distance marches, so distance is good. I'd say the last bayonet charge was Korea maybe, but you never know when it might come in handy. When it comes to combat, less training is never a good thing.

 

I don't know if it's a good thing for the Army, but when I was in, I would have much rather done quick sprints to long-distance runs.

 

"The core, the core"

 

Been thinking about this one since I saw it the other day. I have some mixed feelings about this one, and my platoon sergeant and I have been talking about this for quite some time. The typical soldier has changed drastically in the past five years. Believe me when I say I understand our culture has changed. My first platoon sergeant grew up in the Vietnam era. Imagine how much shit he gave me ... born in 1978 and in the Army at 18.

But these kids are seriously different. Overweight, couch potatoes, crybabies and just plain soft (as my grandfather would say). But, they're better with technology, can program the helicopter GPS in a minute flat, for example, and can multitask much better.

So, we have to make the concessions to deal with the soldiers our culture gives us. Me, my platoon sergeant and one of my section sergeants all came in about the same time (I've been around a little longer than them, though) and are a little more old school. We're pretty strict disciplinarians, although I'm the most touchy-feely of the bunch, and have experienced some serious problems over the past year with these kids. So much so that we've gotten rid of three and are working on kicking another one out. Lots of them -- who are in support roles like my soldiers are -- just don't conform.

Thus, I've given up on the basic training model. They can't weed them out. They're under such pressure to push them through that I get left with some serious chaff and much less wheat. They can send me all they want, but I'm gonna keep what I need to accomplish the mission. The young ones get two choices the first time I see them (and this isn't me trying to be a hard ass, I'm just trying to separate those who want to accomplish my mission from those who don't). They can do the things that soldiers do. Or not.

Physically, sure, soldiers REALLY don't need to be able to run eight miles. But the ARMY standard (not the basic training standard, mind you) is four miles in 36 minutes. If they can't do that when they get to me -- to the 101st Airborne Division -- they're gonna have an awful ugly platoon sergeant up their ass, who has my blessing.

And here's why.

When my helicopter is forced to land in bad-guy country and we have to run for an hour to get away, I don't want some out-of-shape Xboxer slowing down the rest of the crew. That's what it's all about. You HAVE to be in good shape if you're in the operational environment. Hey, if you're a finance clerk, have at it. Eat that other doughnut. But when you're on a crew that constantly goes outside the wire, you're ass better be in shape. And you're gonna be if you're on my team, no matter what they tell you in basic training.

 

And don't eat pineapples before one of your PT sessions

 

Is the APFT 4 miles now instead of 2? Or is that the standard in light infantry/air assault? Of course, I was attached to mech infantry 20 years ago, so what the hell do I know.

 

Yeah, I'm pretty sure we only had to do 2 miles in the Navy way back when. It was easy really other than when you had to do it hung over wearing flight deck boots. That was the best part. They'd round us up once or twice a year (I can't remember) off the ship and find somewhere on base for us to do the run first thing in the morning with guys hung over (guilty) or still half plastered. We always used to argue that our run shouldn't have to be more than 450 feet - the length of the ship. ;D

 

I'll be interested to talk to my brother this weekend when I see him. He graduated Basic Training about a year ago. I don't know exactly what kind of running he did, but I know it was a lot. Dude dropped 20 pounds and turned into a freaking rock during basic.

This is a pretty bold move by the Army.

 

Just curious. Does the Army have different standards for being in shape depending on the job you do (i.e. Special forces vs. finance clerk) or do they use the same standard no matter what your job is?

 

With some of these new rules sounds like you could end with a combat team made up of 3 fat guys munching on snickers and Lance and Bruce holding hands. Hell of a way to go into battle.