[MeanWestTexan]

"If you lower the standards needed to get through boot camp, you'll get a softer army."

Who is lowering standards?

There just getting rid of the B.S. that was necessary when you have a conscripted Army or losers that "volunteered" because they could not get a job.

The kids who join now join to fight.

Having some DI play the same arbitrary, tired games just pisses self-motivated people off. It doesn't help them survive torture under Al Quada.

[Potowmack]

There just getting rid of the B.S. that was necessary when you have a conscripted Army or losers that "volunteered" because they could not get a job.

I have faith in our military's ability to train its soldiers in the best way possible.

If the Army has decided this is the best approach, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

[jospehm20]

I agree with you, I do not see this as lowering any standard. I also had the honor of serving under Col. Daly twice in my career, he is one of the best officers I have ever known. If he believes that it was counter prodcutive than I believe it too. I don't think that the short period of verbal anuse I endured at the beginning of training helped me in any way in my military career, ever. I do not see how eliminating this opportunity for mindless harassment makes basic training any less than it was before.

[Americanexpat]

I joined the Army in 1965, so I guess I am one of those losers your talking about. I did not join because I couldn't´t get a civilian job I joined because I wanted a career in the Army.

There is nothing my Drill sgts called me I didnt hear before I joined the Army. After I got to Vietnam I was glad the drill Sgt were meaner than constipated rattlesnakes.

We do not need two sets of standards for combat arms and for tech types. We need everybody in the Army on the same sheet of music.

I would rather have someone wash out of the Army in basic training than getting him in my unit and find out he is a chickenshit little turd under fire because he cant take it.

Back in 85 before I retired a colonel told me,¨Top, look at all those fine young soldiers running by they are physically fit for combat. I said, &Yes sir, they can run, the question is are they mentally fit for combat?¨