Basic Army Training
Basic Army training is a recruit's first step toward becoming a soldier. This training is 9 weeks long, plus orientation week and outprocessing week. During Army Basic Combat Training (ABCT), a drill sergeant instructs the recruits; he or she is responsible for the safety of the recruits and for ensuring that they learn all the skills necessary to live in a combat zone.
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Locations
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The Army has numerous bases that provide ABCT. The Army assigns each recruit to a basic training base according to what the soldier's Advanced Individual Training will be. For example, an infantry soldier attends basic training at Fort Benning in Georgia; a combat engineer attends basic training at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. Other basic training bases include Fort Sill, Fort Knox and Fort Jackson. Fort Leonard Wood and Fort Jackson are gender integrated.
Physical Training
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Getting into shape for Army training has to start well in advance of reporting for ABCT. Before graduating from ABCT, a soldier has to demonstrate physical ability based on a point system that factors in age and gender. There are three events used to assess physical ability: push-ups, sit-ups and a 2-mile run. For example, a 20-year-old male must do 35 push-ups in 2 minutes, while a 20-year-old female must do 13. Males and females are held to the same requirements for the number of sit-ups done in 2 minutes. However, different ages have different requirements. A 21-year-old soldier must do at least 47 sit-ups, while a 33-year-old must do at least 34. The 2-mile run requirements are based on both factors. A 23-year-old man has 17 minutes 30 seconds to complete the run, while a female of the same age has 23 minutes 36 seconds. These standards aren't limited to basic training; they are used throughout the soldier's enlistment to qualify for rank advancements.
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Red Phase
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The Red Phase of ABCT is the first phase. During orientation, soldiers complete paperwork and get shots. Once that is completed, they learn the basic skills needed for life in the Army, including caring for barracks, core values, orders of the sentry, teamwork, and some combat training including nuclear, biological and chemical warfare defense, as well as rappelling skills.
White Phase
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Once the soldiers make it through the Red Phase, the White Phase begins. This includes learning marching skills and going through the confidence course. This is also when basic rifle marksmanship training begins. Throughout this phase, teamwork is emphasized. For exercises such as the Warrior Tower, soldiers are expected to help each other, especially when a soldier is working through a fear of heights.
Blue Phase
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The final phase of ABCT is the Blue Phase. The soldiers learn how to use various military weapons, including hand grenades and machine guns. All the skills they have learned throughout ABCT are put to the test in the Night Infiltration Course. This phase ends in Rites of Passage, or graduation.
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Resources
- Photo Credit Courtesy of U.S. Army
