Posted on 10/10/2006 5:50:58 PM PDT by neverdem
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Hollywood may have to tone down its portrayal of the military's screaming, in-your-face boot camp drill sergeant. In today's Army, shouting is out and a calmer approach to molding young minds is in, says the head of Pentagon personnel. The Army says it has reduced by nearly 7 percent the number of recruits who wash out in the first six to 12 months of military life.
"Part of it is changing the nature of how it treats people in basic training," David S. Chu, undersecretary for personnel and readiness, said Tuesday.
That means "less shouting at everyone, in essence, which some of you may remember from an earlier generation as being the modus operandi," he said.
The changes started about a year ago, as defense officials looked for ways to make drillmasters more effective, said Lt. Col. Mike Jones, head of Army National Guard recruiting.
He said the old way was to "talk loud, talk often, get their attention" _ shock treatment to teach discipline and mold the newly recruited civilian into a soldier.
But trainers found today's generation responded better to instructors who took "a more counseling" type role, Jones said, using strong tactics when needed but keeping them the exception instead of the rule.
The approach has had two positive results, he said: It has lowered attrition among those who go through training each year and has eased one of the greatest fears of recruits _ their fear over whether they can make it through basic training.
Other changes aimed at improving graduation rates include such things as letting recruits with injuries or minor medical problems remain in the service, heal, and then go back to training. Before, an injury would have meant discharge, training officials said.
Numbers differ from service to service and depend on what the recruit is being trained for. Those training to be Navy SEALS or other special forces may wash out at the rate of 70 percent. Those training to be truck drivers may have an 80 percent graduation rate.
But Chu said that across all services, generally, some two-thirds of recruits finish their enlistment period _ typically three or four years.
Of the third who don't make it, half bomb out in the first six to 12 months, Chu said, adding that the attrition rate is better than most private sector firms.
Keeping a balance in the number flushed out of the service is important. Too many dropouts and you lose people you really want to keep. Too few dropouts, and you are keeping people you should have let go, Chu said.
Both the military and police academies are moving away from harder-edged approaches to training, he said.
"However much it may be satisfying from the shouter's perspective, it really isn't the best way to shape young people for the future," Chu said.
He made the comments as he announced that all active duty services had met their recruiting goals for the budget year ended Sept. 30. The Marine Corps Reserve met its goal and the Air Force Reserve exceeded its goal, but they were exceptions among guard and reserve forces, some of which have seen "heavy use" due to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Chu said.
On the Net:
Army Training and Doctrine Command
Not from me, lady. I thought your comments were right on.
That's a great story. Sounds like your DS was a top notch NCO. I totally agree about the yelling and screaming NCO. More often than not, the NCOs who have to command respect and the ability to get others to listen to them by screaming all the time are the biggest know-nothing dumbasses around. The NCOs who are able to remain calm and unflappable, and who can command more respect from a simple glare than from stomping around like a child on a power trip, are the ones who have the most to offer their soldiers. I learned this quickly and remembered it when I became an NCO.
They were also very deficient in time management because it was alway double time here, double time there. It was like we were forever almost late for whatever gathering the Army had planned for us. Had these instructors planned out their time schedules more thoroughly, we would not have had hurry to our next class. Since they had no such skills, we had to deal with the wrath they were dealing out to us due to their lack of planning.
Talk about scapegoats, we were it...........
Long time, archy!
As I recall from my training, the life of a Soviet conscript was pretty tough. Those senior beat and robbed the newbies and this was ingrained into their system. It didn't do the newbies much good to get CARE packages since they usually got stolen, too.
It's one thing for bloodstripes and bloodwings but sometimes those ceremonies got out of hand and devolved into beatings and sometimes worse.
I think you've watched too much tv.
Outside the initial shock greeting of the reception station, screaming in people's face just to get under their skin doesn't prepare them for combat.
Lts and Captains don't spend time doing that, either and they certainly don't order privates around. That is the NCO's job and by that time it isn't an 'in the face' exchange by any means.
Too much tv; too many movies, too little time around troops.
I am mildly amused we are both around to celebrate it. Slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, and all that.
As I recall from my training, the life of a Soviet conscript was pretty tough. Those senior beat and robbed the newbies and this was ingrained into their system. It didn't do the newbies much good to get CARE packages since they usually got stolen, too.
Yeah, easier to get away with on scared newbie recruits, less so on kontrakti and afghantsi who've been around the block a few times and know what it's about. But note that it's less-commonly Russian combat veterans making life brutal for the 'cruits, but REMFS hiding in rear-echelon training formations.
It's one thing for bloodstripes and bloodwings but sometimes those ceremonies got out of hand and devolved into beatings and sometimes worse.
I've known of it to go waaaay beyond bloodwings even with some US outfits, especially AFTER hard-core training was over and spilling a little of someone else's blood was seen as a entry key into *the club.* But that was more commonly with someone outside the unit, not the brutalization of one just beginning such training. Though some military academies used to be pretty rough on plebes/Rooks/dumbjohns , well beyond *Level C* SERE training.
What years, please? Not a dig at you, just professional curiousity.
When I was at P.I. in 1994, our D.I.'s used to make fun of the female recruits marching off in the distance while the females were screaming: "Aye Ma'am, Aye Ma'am." Then they'd pit us for even looking at them. Summer at P.I. was great. I lost about 34 lbs. (something I can only dream about right now!)
Ah..Precision Drilling!
Did I also here that their motto will be changed again?
From:
AN ARMY OF ONE
To:
AN ARMY OF SOME PRETTY NICE GALS AND GUYS
Now for that Casons Go Rolling Along song - too militaristic. Gotta try something new
4/69 - 1/72 but it's in my profile. FWIW, it was my attempt at humor.....
lol...thanks for the debrief. By the by, I appreciate your style- you idiot! ;D
Don't know if you saw this one, so pinging you to it.
Thanks I will check it out.
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