Basic Training Redux
For some reason there are lot of folks looking at my post on Basic Training
To make a long story short, a friend of mine e-mailed me a story about how Basic Training or as it was called when I came in Initial Entry Training has evolved and changed with the goal being to graduate more of the people who begin the training.
As I'm not involved with that portion of the Army pipeline, it's difficult for me to comment on the specifics of what may or may not occur during basic these days. I have noticed that a lot of people focus on Drill Instructors screaming at and intimidating the new soldiers. Some long for the return of this type of training while others fail to see the value in it. Personally, there was nothing the Drill Sergeant could do that I hadn't already experienced via football coaches or other life experience prior to the Army. Additionally, the value of DI induced stress has been questioned and sometimes pronounced counter-productive.
Unfortunately, as has been demonstrated by recent events the battlefield is not a forgiving place and our enemies are not forgiving nor do they give any quarter. Basic Military Trainingshould MUST include stresses to weed out those who can't or won't be able to handle what may occur in their unit when they get to the field. Since actually shooting at soldiers is dangerous other ways need to be found to stress the new soldier. This process isn't necessarily pretty and feelings will be hurt, but does that mean it's un-necessary?
Does that mean I favor DI's striking solders? No...that isn't even necessary if the program is well thought out and implemented. My worry is that given the products I've seen on this end of the pipeline, the process weeds out little to no chaff, and unfortunately that means someone could pay the price somewhere down the line...and it's not always the deficient individual that pays that bill.
Bottom line, all training is always changing and evolving based on feedback from the field...lets just hope they tighten up the shot group a little (or a lot depending on your POV).
To make a long story short, a friend of mine e-mailed me a story about how Basic Training or as it was called when I came in Initial Entry Training has evolved and changed with the goal being to graduate more of the people who begin the training.
As I'm not involved with that portion of the Army pipeline, it's difficult for me to comment on the specifics of what may or may not occur during basic these days. I have noticed that a lot of people focus on Drill Instructors screaming at and intimidating the new soldiers. Some long for the return of this type of training while others fail to see the value in it. Personally, there was nothing the Drill Sergeant could do that I hadn't already experienced via football coaches or other life experience prior to the Army. Additionally, the value of DI induced stress has been questioned and sometimes pronounced counter-productive.
Unfortunately, as has been demonstrated by recent events the battlefield is not a forgiving place and our enemies are not forgiving nor do they give any quarter. Basic Military Training
Does that mean I favor DI's striking solders? No...that isn't even necessary if the program is well thought out and implemented. My worry is that given the products I've seen on this end of the pipeline, the process weeds out little to no chaff, and unfortunately that means someone could pay the price somewhere down the line...and it's not always the deficient individual that pays that bill.
Bottom line, all training is always changing and evolving based on feedback from the field...lets just hope they tighten up the shot group a little (or a lot depending on your POV).
posted by Outlaw 13 at 20:37
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