Back to basics for the Army....

Its real, alright.

I can vouch that the Infantry is, at least, still training in austere conditions. Our company hits the field on FTX after one admin day and normally doesn't emerge until recovery.

(Though even then, I had to reinstate fox hole digging and rest plan guard duty in my platoon after lots of grumbling and "the other platoons aren't doing it" comments. Cruel to be kind and all that. }:-):()
 
DocIllinois said:
Its real, alright.

I can vouch that the Infantry is, at least, still training in austere conditions. Our company hits the field on FTX after one admin day and normally doesn't emerge until recovery.

(Though even then, I had to reinstate fox hole digging and rest plan guard duty in my platoon after lots of grumbling and "the other platoons aren't doing it" comments. Cruel to be kind and all that. }:-):()
Click to expand...

The beatings will continue until morale improves.
 
I mean...a couple of days in the boonies? In a nice big tent with actual tables to eat on? And they have to dig a hole and eat bland food? And this makes them ready for what? The next power outage?
 
I pray to the Warrior God that they are never assigned to that chore. Because a couple of weeks without electronic devices will not make them the skilled killers you will need in conditions like that.
 
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In the business world, anytime you hear "back to the basics" it is code for, "People have stopped caring about my claimed efforts, and if I don't show some actual results soon, I'm out of a job. "

Usually trickled down from the exec in the hot seat, who everyone know will not go out alone and plays his new game in hope of keeping their own job.

LOL - the longer I am out, the more I realize the military is just another IBM and most senior folks are just trying to stay in the game long enough to ride out retirement.
 
Devildoc said:
Is this real? Has the Army fallen that far behind? Admittedly I have been out for a few years but I dug my fair share of holes on both coasts of the US and places beyond the shores....

Back to basics (and foxholes) for today’s Army
Click to expand...
When's the last time guys/gals had to dig foxholes?
OIF1? 2 maybe.
10 plus years of deploying, getting ready to deploy have cost us a lot of capability.
 
DA SWO said:
When's the last time guys/gals had to dig foxholes?
OIF1? 2 maybe.
10 plus years of deploying, getting ready to deploy have cost us a lot of capability.
Click to expand...

I just hope the BASICS have been tweaked off of AAR's and lessons learned, driving the next decade of training and not falling back into the shenanigans of the 90's....:thumbsup::blkeye:
 
Whatever the Army decides to do that is harder then it is now I personally will take anything. I feel the Army has grown soft and need to be revamped. If they don't change the basic requirements then they need to send everyone to infantry school. Shooting for 4 days doesn't do anything but let you learn the weapon. I would be happy if they had all branches go back through the USMC boot you will help down size and people might have a little more respect for branch and work ethic.
 
BeauRing3336 said:
I would be happy if they had all branches go back through the USMC boot you will help down size and people might have a little more respect for branch and work ethic.
Click to expand...

I don't understand the Marine Corps tie in. What is it you are trying to say?
 
That I like the way they train their basic recruits. I just wish everyone had to go through it. I have nothing but respect and only wish I could have done it myself.
 
My Senior D.I. wanted to punch the shit out of the platoon non-hack. So he lined us up in front of our racks at attention and said: "I'm gonna gut-punch every one of you motherfuckers...and you can all report me. Because they'll never believe that your D.I beat up the whole platoon." And he proceeded to go down each side of the squadbay and gave each of us a gut-punch. But when he got to the platoon non-hack, he put something extra into it.

The non-hack got the message and started getting his shit together. And morale improved because we had to do less punitive PT because of him.


Marine0311 said:
The beatings will continue until morale improves.
Click to expand...

Amen, Reverend.
 
I've been in the Army more than 21 years, including four years in the Infantry, and the only time I've ever done foxholes and fighting positions outside of a school environment, it was for punishment. I'm not saying the task isn't worth learning, but there are SO MANY other, more useful skills to be practicing in the very limited field training time we have these days.
 
The Army's lost a lot of capabilities/ corporate knowledge. Fighting positions were common task "back in the day." You don't need to be infantry to know their value for defend/ die in place and defense in depth. The Iraqi's used artillery with great effect (Haditha Dam and others I've forgotten) and I think First Recon BN described digging "Ranger graves" during their halts. "Anyone can dig a hole, Free" is a valid argument, but those of use who served during the 90's: would you rather road march out, dig a fighting position, fill it in, and then road march back or PMCS your busted and rusted vehicles for the third or fourth time that month?

Sure, the Army can do more and has many other tasks to accomplish, but it can be far worse.
 
Maintaining vehicles is a better use of time IMO. Lot more utility in mobility than in static defense in the wars we're currently fighting.
 

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