Hello Doc Jargon:
I hope you’ll take a question from a civilian with no experience with our military. Our neighbor has a daughter who wants to join the Army. She will be the first in her family to join a military service. But she has seen YouTube videos on basic training and is a little bit intimidated with all the yelling and harsh rhetoric. What can you tell me about that? What’s with all that yelling?
Signed, Concerned Neighbor
Dear Neighbor:
The profession of arms is a demanding one and requires a recruit to be thoroughly prepared for its rigors. One reality, a sobering one at that, is that Soldiers must be prepared to function – to receive and carry out orders – while under direct fire if need be. Doing so defies all logic and goes against all human instinct. So it takes an intensive period of preparation.
Everything the Army drill instructor does has a purpose. Each instructor is highly trained in shaping Soldiers. None of what is done is arbitrary. Most of the yelling comes in the early days of basic training.
Keep in mind that, within five minutes of arrival at basic training, about 200 individuals with no group training at all must be quickly taught how to listen and learn, respond to instruction, stand in formation and move as a unit.
The goal of the drill instructor is not to belittle a recruit so they cannot function, but rather to build that recruit into a successful Soldier.
As basic training progresses, the drill instructor will shape the recruit. The yelling will ease and a confident, well-trained Soldier is the result.
Anxiety about how things will go during basic training is perfectly normal and should not, by itself, dissuade a young person from enlisting. A motivated, clear-thinking person will not fail at basic training.
Your neighbor’s daughter has chosen a noble profession. I wish her well and hope she gets an assignment right here at Fort Riley one day.
Doc Jargon
Date Taken: | 08.31.2022 |
Date Posted: | 08.31.2022 14:13 |
Story ID: | 428416 |
Location: | US |
Web Views: | 4,574 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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