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How strict is the US Army Training?

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wow so it's actually not as bad now? I always figured it was like a week straight of non stop physical activity, running through 4 foot of mud holding a 200 pound backpack, up hill, getting up at 5:00am every morning etc... Maybe I just watch too many movies. 😛
 
Originally posted by: Proprioceptive
PT tests are honestly just there to test your physical stamina and abilities. It's a good way to make sure soldiers are staying in shape. You can't receive promotions if you can't pass your PT test, among other consequences. Yes, I think it is a bit low for the Army, but standards have lowered under the idea the "The Army is training smarter soldiers now"... which I think is true in some ways, but a poor excuse to lower standards.
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Isn't basic load bigger now compared to WWII? You would think they would want the GIs to run faster and longer with full load.
 
Originally posted by: adairusmc
You want to be Army Strong?
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lol, embarrassing. His whole chain of command should be relieved. Hopefully a guard unit.


Originally posted by: Andrew1990
Well I am probably enlisting as Active Duty in the Infantry.
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Good luck, you'll certainly earn your pay. Active duty is 100 times better then guard or reserves. It's a whole different experience.


Originally posted by: Proprioceptive
Marines are much more disciplined and physically fit. They train much harder from my experience.
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In general yes. But in the Army only certain MOS's get pushed hard to be in top shape, and typically only active duty does regular PT.

We trained fairly hard in my MP unit, but all of the Infantry brigades at Ft. Campbell were in as good of shape or better then any marine unit out there.

In one unit that I knew of, the PT goal was 300 or max for every soldier. PT twice a day until everyone got to that level.

 
Originally posted by: Zebo
Originally posted by: Proprioceptive
I'm sorry... to be clear, this will be your requirement by the time you GRADUATE. All you need to do is 11 pushups and 17 situps... and be able to run 1 mile under 8:30.
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I'm almost 40 and can do that and more with the flu. Can't say how applicable it is to service unless you're special forces but that seems rather a low bar. Why even have a PT test?
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That's the minimum to start basic, not finish.

APFT standards

 
Originally posted by: Zebo
Originally posted by: Proprioceptive
I'm sorry... to be clear, this will be your requirement by the time you GRADUATE. All you need to do is 11 pushups and 17 situps... and be able to run 1 mile under 8:30.
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I'm almost 40 and can do that and more with the flu. Can't say how applicable it is to service unless you're special forces but that seems rather a low bar. Why even have a PT test?
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That isn't the PT test. That is the first test before basic training to ensure that you can go to basic training. The real minimums for an 18 year old are something like 42 pushups, 53 situps, and a 2-mile run in 15:45.
 
sometimes i want to sign up for teh army/marines just to do the basic training so i can get into top physical shape, then say im gay and get discharged. lol
 
Originally posted by: evident
sometimes i want to sign up for teh army/marines just to do the basic training so i can get into top physical shape, then say im gay and get discharged. lol
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it's volunteer military, not a draft.

you can withdraw anytime during basic.

of course u probably have to give back bonuses and such
 
Originally posted by: JEDI

you can withdraw anytime during basic.
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Uh, its not that simple. You signed a contract for a set amount of time. There are ways to withdraw in basic, but 1)you're going to take a lot of hell for it and 2) you'll spend a time longer than the length of basic sitting in a holding flight/unit. In the holding flight, you're essentially in basic training but without any goal, worst place to be. And you don't get any bonuses until several weeks at your first duty station. You don't get squat until after basic and technical training.

Edit - This was my 11 thousandth post. 🙂
 
Originally posted by: JEDI
Originally posted by: evident
sometimes i want to sign up for teh army/marines just to do the basic training so i can get into top physical shape, then say im gay and get discharged. lol
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it's volunteer military, not a draft.

you can withdraw anytime during basic.

of course u probably have to give back bonuses and such
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Haha, no you can't.
 
Originally posted by: RedSquirrel
wow so it's actually not as bad now? I always figured it was like a week straight of non stop physical activity, running through 4 foot of mud holding a 200 pound backpack, up hill, getting up at 5:00am every morning etc... Maybe I just watch too many movies. 😛
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HAha... yeah, you get up at 5:00am. You're in bed by 10:00pm. Picture this... your typical day will consist of waking up, hygiene, PT, breakfast, march somewhere, sit around doing nothing but waiting (Hurry up and wait), participate in some training, march back, lunch, repeat training, dinner, get yelled at by DS, shower, sleep. It's nothing like it used to be. It was a bit of a disappointment to me at least. I did lose 30 pounds, though. You're fed very well and worked out quite a bit, particularly if you get a grumpy DS... and they're not in short supply.
 
Originally posted by: TallBill
Originally posted by: JEDI
Originally posted by: evident
sometimes i want to sign up for teh army/marines just to do the basic training so i can get into top physical shape, then say im gay and get discharged. lol
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it's volunteer military, not a draft.

you can withdraw anytime during basic.

of course u probably have to give back bonuses and such
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Haha, no you can't.
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Sorry, JEDI... but that' is so wrong it's laughable. I don't know who told you that, but you cannot just "withdrawal" and head home. You have to have some serious mental problem or some kind of disqualifying medical issue. Even then, they keep you around for a long time. You get stuck in the paperwork black hole. If you're fine and just want to go home, good luck. We had several guys who were in a holding battalion for over a year and a half before they got to go home. Yes, it is a volunteer military, but you ARE signing a contract and you're expected to fulfill that contract. Getting out of this contract is VERY difficult to do.
 
You can bail BEFORE you ship to basic, but once you're there at reception, they have you for a good, long time.
 
just remember that the army is where life's rejects end up, so they really can't be very strict in their requirements consoderomg they are forced to scrape the bottom of the pot..
 
Originally posted by: BrownTown
just remember that the army is where life's rejects end up, so they really can't be very strict in their requirements consoderomg they are forced to scrape the bottom of the pot..
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Thanks for your support.
 
Originally posted by: Proprioceptive
Physical requirements???? Holy crap, man. They hand out waivers for that crap left and right. We had so many dead beats at basic training, it was a JOKE. They pencil pushed the guys who were on the border by graduation time. It was pathetic. I went to Basic back in Feb '07 at For Knox. It will NOT be nearly as challenging as you think it will be in the beginning.

They will build you up with the physical ability, though. Start working out now. The better you are before you go, the easier it is there. Every DS is completely different in their work ethic and punishments. Promotions are dependent on so many different things. PM me if you have any questions. I could go on forever about this.
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Jeez those are huge changes from when I started basic in '93. Waivers my ass!

Do they build you up? Oh fuck yeah - they feed you 6000 calories a day as you exercise from 6am to 8pm 6 days a week. Humping a ruck, kevlar, web gear, and M16 is an easy 60lbs of gear and you will be putting some miles on those new boots they give you!

2-mile run time for you is 15:54 seconds and is usually not done on a track but a relatively flat 1-mile up and back course.

42 push ups in 2-minutes by military standard.

53-sit ups in 2-minutes by military standard.

I started weight training - nothing serious at all - just hitting a gym an extra 2-3 days a week aside from morning PT and was able to max my push-ups pretty easily. From my experiecne cardio will be a huge plus so work on that & a bit of weight/strenght training if you really want to be well prepared for basic.

The mental crap & exhaustion was much worse than the physical requirements from what I remember.

 
Originally posted by: BrownTown
just remember that the army is where life's rejects end up, so they really can't be very strict in their requirements consoderomg they are forced to scrape the bottom of the pot..
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Go away you troll.
 
Originally posted by: Proprioceptive
Originally posted by: BrownTown
just remember that the army is where life's rejects end up, so they really can't be very strict in their requirements consoderomg they are forced to scrape the bottom of the pot..
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Go away you troll.
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don't hate me for speaking the truth...
 
Originally posted by: BrownTown
Originally posted by: Proprioceptive
Did you go to Basic? Were you in the Army?
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do you think i would be saying that if I had?
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No. Yes, there are some rejects that go through, and it's regrettable. But to make a general statement like that is disrespectful and ignorant. I, for one, certainly am not a reject.
 
Originally posted by: Proprioceptive
Originally posted by: BrownTown
Originally posted by: Proprioceptive
Did you go to Basic? Were you in the Army?
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do you think i would be saying that if I had?
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No. Yes, there are some rejects that go through, and it's regrettable. But to make a general statement like that is disrespectful and ignorant. I, for one, certainly am not a reject.
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all I'm trying to say is at my high school 99% of people went to college, the other 1% went to the army, those 1% were the lowest achieving kids.
 
Originally posted by: BrownTown
Originally posted by: Proprioceptive
Originally posted by: BrownTown
Originally posted by: Proprioceptive
Did you go to Basic? Were you in the Army?
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do you think i would be saying that if I had?
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No. Yes, there are some rejects that go through, and it's regrettable. But to make a general statement like that is disrespectful and ignorant. I, for one, certainly am not a reject.
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all I'm trying to say is at my high school 99% of people went to college, the other 1% went to the army, those 1% were the lowest achieving kids.
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Understood, and before this becomes a flaming mess, I will certainly agree that the army is populated with underachievers. To say these people are rejects, though, is going too far in my opinion. Officers, particularly, are required to have college degrees. I did have to deal with some real pieces of work at BCT, but the majority of the men I served with have been honorable. One thing you must understand is that some people join to prove that they can indeed make something out of themselves, and many learn a lot about themselves and grow quite a bit in the process. Some of these men (and women) didn't have the positive influences some of us grew up with.
 
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