No matter how clearly recruiters describe it, Army boot camp is a shock to those who enlist. There, soldiers-to-be must survive nine weeks in a highly regimented training program before they are sent to the field to fight our nation's wars and serve in contingency operations. It is not easy. The training program is designed to inflict physical, mental, and emotional stress on the soldier.
Here are five of the most stressful aspects of BCT.
The Gas Chamber
According to many graduates of Army boot camp, this is the most painful experience in the program. At the gas chamber site, drill instructors lead groups of 20 to 30 soldiers wearing protective masks into a room where a haze of chlorobenzylidene malonitrile (CS) gas hovers. Immediately the poison begins to tingle the skin. The tingle becomes an itch, then a burn.
Trainees are then ordered to remove their masks and breathe in the CS gas, which usually results in a burn in the lungs.
Soldiers quickly replace their masks, and with confidence in their utility, enter the main gas chamber filled with thick plumes of noxious fumes . The previous ritual is repeated with soldiers removing their masks and breathing in. Some vomit, some cry, some choke, but all cough violently. Trainers then order recruits to state their name, or recite a line, before heading out for fresh air.
Standing at Attention
At BCT, soldiers stand around for long stretches at a time usually at the position of attention. There is an Army manual that defines and describes the position of attention: "bring the heels together sharply on line, with the toes pointing out equally, forming a 45-degree angle.." Legs are straight, chest and head are erect, shoulders square, and the chin turned slightly up. There is even a correct way to hang hands at the hip. Above all, soldiers remain still and silent.
That may be the hardest part. It is not unusual to be at the position of attention (or an alternate position, "parade rest) for three or four hours out of the day. It takes an incredible amount of discipline, patience, and sometimes ability to block pain.
Working With Different People
Young men and women enlist from all over the country, representing myriad races, ethnicities, socio-economic backgrounds, and even ages. The top priority for drill sergeants is that their platoons cohere into a team whose members can rely on each other for motivation and problem-solving.
Team orientation is a new skill for many young recruits, but a valuable tool in business and life, and a necessary one in combat. It is often extremely difficult for trainees to get past thinking and performing for themselves.
Yet, the training program cares little for individual performance. Platoons (elements comprising 30 - 60 soldiers) are judged, rewarded, and punished collectively. Successful platoons and successful soldiers put personal differences aside and work with one another.
Cleaning the Barracks
Young people make up the vast majority of new enlistees, and many have never been responsible for the cleanliness and order of their living quarters. In Army Basic, trainees are entirely accountable for doing daily chores such as cleaning the latrines and showers, making bunks, organizing lockers, and mopping and waxing floors.
Cleanliness and neatness are a hallmark of military living mainly for health and safety reasons. Up to 60 soldiers living in a single, open barracks can facilitate the spread of illness, so deep cleaning and disinfecting can easily keep an entire platoon from coming down with the same diseases. Bedding is changed regularly, and equipment wiped down after use. Cleaning is a regular activity, and sometimes a difficult one for recruits to get used to.
Sleep Deprivation
The biggest difference between civilian life and the nine weeks in Basic Training is the sleep regimen. The reality is that trainees don't get much sleep. Training commanders recommend seven hours, but that is often not realized because of the time it takes to bed down, early wake ups, and guard duty.
Every soldier at Basic needs to perform guard duty regularly. During a typical shift, the guard will make frequent head counts, log activity in the barracks, and wake the soldiers covering the next shift. Recruits should plan on waking up for an hour on each night they have guard duty, which may be about twice a week.
Moreover, drill instructors have the prerogative to wake trainees up at any time; sleep deprivation is sometimes used as punishment. This happens infrequently, but when it does, coping can be arduous.
Most soldiers who complete Army Basic Training find it rewarding in the end. Though it is a rude awakening for many, it is all by design. By getting prepared mentally for these five components of Basic Training, recruits will have a leg up and a more fulfilling experience training to become United States Soldiers.
Richard Stowell - Rich Stowell teaches educational technology at the University of San Francisco and high school math at a charter school in Richmond, ...
