Posted on 03/16/2010 4:12:45 AM PDT by decimon
FORT JACKSON, S.C. – At 5 a.m. on the Army's largest training base, soldiers grunt through the kinds of stretches, body twists and bent-leg raises that might be seen in an "ab blaster" class at a suburban gym.
Adapting to battlefield experience in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Army is revamping its basic training regimen for the first time in three decades by nixing five-mile runs and bayonet drills in favor of zigzag sprints and honing core muscles.
Trainers hope the switch will better prepare soldiers physically for the pace of combat, with its sudden dashes and rolling gun battles. They also want to toughen recruits who are often more familiar with Facebook than fistfights.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Only 12 miles?
In 3/4 back in the early 80s we had 35 mile humps twice a year. Daily PT varied, but sometimes included 10 mile runs when we were at LeJeune.
Exactly. Case in point: in the Falklands the British troops had almost no helicopters, so had to ‘yomp’ across country carrying 200lb packs.
The troops stripped down for actual assaults, but the fact remains: the ability to carry a lot of weight cross-country is a classic infantry skill.
Nope.
Around 125 for the bigger stuff.
200 lbs? Including the soldier, maybe.
IMHO, that was the most worthless training I received in basic. I would have much rather spent that time on the rifle range or the obstacle course........
During our forced march at Ft. Knox when I was in basic, my dumbass DI forced me to take salt tablets which ultimately led to my getting violently ill........
Hey,it came in handy for me.Just ask my late brother-in-law!
(Just kidding)
Yep. Same here. We were always fighting. About once every two weeks and it was always among 'friends'.
Even after Grade School. In HS I averaged one a year, but those weren't with a 'friend'.
Heck, I had some of my best fights with my two best friends. And they're still my best friends. And I still only have two of 'em ;-)
“The idea of a bayonet on an M16 is pretty ridiculous”
I went to a speech given by a member of the 82nd Airborne. He used his bayonet in Grenada. Sure its a very rare event, but it does have a purpose.
I will say that we did bayonet obastacle courses with fake bayonets, we did rifle drill with M14’s with chromed bayonets, but in 9 years in the Army, I never took a real bayonet out of the arms room.
Nope ! ... 200 lbs.. that is the body armor, helmet,rucksack with all equipment needed for three days... Avg is @00lbs
To see a kid of 18-20 years weighing 180lbs soaking wet,humping that load, is quite inspiring.
I was there in Feb. when my son graduated, saw it with my own eyes as well as a briefing from the Btn Commander (a LT Col)
These kids aren't your 1960-80's soldiers
It doesn’t weigh 200 lbs, not even close, not even with the body armor.
Might that have been either SSG Freehauf or SGT King? (Ft Knox Nov/Dec '69,Echo/13/4).
When I was in school, we had the real thing!
(at least until they disbanded the rifle teams in the '60s)
In this age I’d figure you’d be more likely to get hung up or even hurt with the thing than ever use it to any advantage. The negatives outweigh the positives at this juncture. I’d rather rely on a knife or my fists.
Now see, you'd have gotten extra points if you'd say you gotten violently ill ON him...
;-)
I know that is the general explanation but our troops, no matter where they are deployed, aren’t that far away from supplies for any length of time. They also aren’t away from supplies long enough to face rapid weather changes other than hot days and cold nights or sudden showers. How did troops of the past survive without all that?
These are not special forces who are dropped behind enemy lines to survive under the conditions you describe. In fact, the special forces who are dropped behind enemy lines DON’T carry all that stuff.
“The idea of a bayonet on an M16 is pretty ridiculous.”
Lots of Air Force Officers thought putting guns on Phantom jets was ridiculous since they had missiles. They were proven wrong.
Isn't that the idea?
But how will they know what makes the grass grow?
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