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US Army Basic Training

Initial Entry Training (IET) or United States Army Basic Training is a rigorous program of mental and physical training, which is required in order for an individual to become a soldier in the United States Army Reserve (USAR), United States Army or Army National Guard. It is designed to be highly challenging and intense, and is carried out at several different Army training centers. However, by reading these you will not only learn the basics of how to act like a soldier, you will slowly but surely become a soldier. You will also become self-confident, physically fit and able to tackle any difficulties that comes your way.

Army Basic Training is divided into two parts –

  1. Basic Combat Training (BCT) – BCT is a nine week training period that teaches identical skills for all Military Occupational Specialties (MOSs). BCT is divided into three phases –
  2. Red Phase (Patriot Phase or Phase I) – Recruits meet with the drill sergeant, and they are given a haircut, issued Army uniforms and are ready to start training–
  • In week 1 of this phase, recruits begin their training with the exercise bag drill in which all the recruit’s duffel bags are dumped into one large pile, and they are told to find their personal duffel bags simultaneously. The exercise is designed so that the soldiers fail in their task and must keep trying again, until they realize that they must work together in order to complete the task within the time limit.
  • Drill and Ceremony trainings like body movements and marching are also given in week 1.
  • In week 2 of this phase, recruits begin combative training, also referred as Ground Fighting Technique (GFT), hand-to-hand combat or unarmed combat training. They are also instructed in compass use, land navigation and map reading.
  • In week 3 of this phase, recruits begin training with pugil sticks. It is a heavily padded training weapon used by military personnel for bayonet training.
  • Recruits are sent to the CS gas chamber while wearing their protective masks. They are forced to unmask just before exiting the chamber, so that they can briefly experience the effect of the gas.
  • Recruits are also introduced to their standard weapon, the M4 carbine or the M16A2 assault rifle. It includes BRM (Basic Riffle Marksmanship) fundamental training, as well as maintenance tasks like cleaning, reassembling, disassembling, etc. of the rifle, but not firing.
    1. White Phase (Gunfighter Phase or Phase II) – In this phase, weapon firing training is given to the soldiers.
      • In this phase, soldiers with the service rifle M16A2 start firing at various targets, which are gradually farther-and-farther downrange, making each consecutive target more difficult to hit.
      • Soldiers are also familiarized with other weapons like M203 grenade launchers, M67 fragmentation grenade, 240 and 249 SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon), M2.50 caliber heavy machine gun and armor/anti-tank weaponry.
      • There is continual drill and ceremony training as well as intense physical training (PT).
    2. Blue Phase (Warrior Phase or Phase III) – This phase is the most challenging and the culmination of all training phases.
      • In this phase, final PT test is conducted, which consists of the Standard Army Annual PT Examination. A minimum of 150 points is required to pass US Army PT Examination. Soldiers that pass will move to Field Training Exercises (FTX) or Bivouac (camping). However, soldiers that fail are not allowed to go into the field with the rest of the platoons.
      • They are also required to demonstrate their ability to act, look and think like a soldier without detailed supervision, and also the knowledge of Army traditions, heritage, history and core values.
  • Advanced Individual Training (AIT) – After you successfully complete BCT, you are ready for the next step. In AIT, you will learn the skills that are required to perform your Army job. In AIT school –
    • You will receive hands-on field instruction and training, which will make you expert in that specific field.
    • You will gain the work ethic and discipline.

    • Daily Schedule
    Times can change depending on the commanding officers, drill sergeants or location.

    Time

    Activity

    0500 hrs

    Wake-up

    0530 hrs

    Physical Training

    0630 hrs

    Breakfast

    0830 hrs

    Training

    1200 hrs

    Lunch

    1300 hrs

    Training

    1700 hrs

    Dinner

    1800 hrs

    Drill Sergeant Time

    2030 hrs

    Personal Time

    2130 hrs

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