Is basic training at Fort Jackson a walk in the park?

Question

My brother-in-law recently went through basic training at Fort Jackson. From what he tells me, they were not allowed to cuss, smoke or make them do PT in their Pro Masks. Everything else he told me about basic training seemed to be indicating a walk in the park.

I went to Fort Knox for OSUT, and everything they were not allowed to do to them they did to us. Could it be because of the fact that females train with males at Fort Jackson and Fort Knox is mainly if not all males. Or is it because Fort Jackson is a multi MOS basic training camp, while Fort Knox is more of a one MOS Combat Arms Basic training.

Answer 1

I was in Basic at Ft. Jackson close to four years ago now, and from what I've heard, it's vastly different than it was than when I was there, and that really wasn't that long ago. When I was there, you're damn right the drill sergeants cussed--and why shouldn't they? Everyone in the Army cusses. If you don't like cussing you're in for a rough time merely beyond what you'd hear in Basic. Everything else I have to say is based on my own experience there, a little less than four years ago, so bear in mind some things might have changed. Recruits could NOT smoke, could NOT eat things mailed to them (the drill sergeants kept them and often ate them), could only make phone calls once they got out of Red phase and went to White phase and Blue phase (latter phases when increased priviledges were earned by platoons and companies individually). The only reading they were allowed was a Bible or something else of a religious nature, although newspapers were allowed on Sundays. You had brief, infrequent, monitored trips to the shoppette, and what you bought there was inspected to make sure you weren't trying to be a sneak and buy things like candy... even orange-flavored cough drops were prohibited.

I realize that people who went to Basic at Ft. Benning, Ft. Knox, Ft. Leonard Wood, Ft. Sill, and other places all consider Ft. Jackson to be the easiest, but I found it to be pretty tough, most of the time--and I realized even then (and appreciated) just how much things had changed from the days when my dad was in the Army during the Vietnam days, when drill sergeants could still beat you to a bloody pulp for being a dumbass, or for any other reason. It was far easier by the time I got there, and I have no doubt it's even easier than that now, and that's isn't a good thing. All these restrictions on drill sergeants and on what they can or can't do or make recruits do usually come from complaints made by parents and civilians and others who have little or nothing to do with the Army, and frankly have no business whining about how Basic is conducted. It's SUPPOSED to be hard, it's SUPPOSED to weed out people who don't belong there; there are SUPPOSED to be people who drop out or are removed. And they aren't soldiers until AFTER they've completed Basic. Would you call a guy on his first day of flight school a pilot, or a first-day med student a doctor? Some titles are earned, and "soldier" and "warrior" and certainly "veteran" should still be among those reserved titles. Let those who know the Army best, and have proven themselves as competent leaders, make decisions on how training should be run... if you've never served, you really have no business telling an E-7 drill sergeant that he can't yell at some dumbass recruit who can't even wash himself.

Answer 2

I have no idea what BCT is like at Ft. Jackson. I can tell you that here, it's not that way. It's nothing like when my hubby went through 18 years ago, but it's not that easy. The Drill Sergeants still get in your face and push you as hard as they can. Here, they're not allowed cell phones, over the counter meds, music or any of that other stuff. Nothing that makes life "easy". Recruits can't smoke either. The Drill Sergeants do though in their own area. Many things have "eased up" so to speak, but it's no walk in the park.

We have heard rumors that Ft. Jackson was implementing some new training. There was a memo that even said that music was piped through the bays. We also don't have the co-ed training here. There was a female Drill here over summer and she was harsh. I'm not sure what their training is like at Ft. Jackson, but I hope it's not that easy. It would explain the decline in the quality of our soldiers.

Personally, I think we should go back to the good ole days. I think it's crazy that these recruits are catered to. I couldn't believe it when my hubby told me that can't call them "girls" or "sissies" or any of the fave old terms. Now, recruits are called soldiers or warriors. I'm sorry, but that's the last thing they are in training. We have heard of some cases where the recruit has more rights than the Drill. At a time of war, that's the last thing we need.

Answer 3

Tank Hill Fort Jackson

Answer 4

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RE:
Is basic training at Fort Jackson a walk in the park?
My brother-in-law recently went through basic training at Fort Jackson. From what he tells me, they were not allowed to cuss, smoke or make them do PT in their Pro Masks. Everything else he told me about basic training seemed to be indicating a walk in the park.

I went to Fort Knox for OSUT,...

Answer 5

It's more of the latter. I wouldn't exactly call Ft. Jackson a walk in the park, but Fort Jackson is a multi MOS basic training camp. what that means for our civilian readers is you can get training in a lot of different job skills; whereas, and I have no experience at Ft. Knox, but I know what my thirteen weeks at Ft. Benning were like, The Home of the Infantry.

Basically, if your not in a combat arms specialty then after the first six weeks it's a lot of classroom stuff about whatever job you happened to sign up for cook, telephone specialist, mechanic...etc. I salute any Solider whatever he or she signed up to do.
-Kevin82abn

Answer 6

All basic training in the U.S. is crap today. If they used the same criteria they used during the Viet Nam era, not only would the troops be better prepared for what they are going to face, but they'd think better, be faster and meaner. The same goes for advanced training in the Special Forces divisions of the different military camps. The Navy Seals of yesterday are about ten times as bad as the Seals today. Because if a trainee gets killed in training the politicians made it so the training is easier. Stupid ideas like that will get some one killed quick in war.

Answer 7

I think any basic training is tough. My daughter trained at Fort Jackson and it was "no walk in the park."

Answer 8

Gee, Jeep Freak, you could have been my drill at Jackson (Summer 1990). Don't know why they call laxin Jackson. We certainly didn't relax there. Victory Tower is a blast-rope bridges and a rappelling wall. Tank Hill sucks-steep hill of sand not bad going down, but going back up is sure to give you trouble. The firing range is good but watch out for the bugs. You can hear the roaches crawl across the floor at night. Just kidding, but they are big. It's the ants you really need to look out for. Just watch where you sit, and don't lean against any trees. Good luck and God bless!! (FYI, I am female too.)

Answer 9

Fort Jackson has a lot of the jobs like truck driver and other non combat jobs. Its a lot different than a place like Fort Benning where all the Infantry troops go.

Answer 10

I went to Basic Training at Ft. McClellan under the very first integrated basic training batallion (males and females mixed). My drill sgt was a female that had to be PMSing the entire 6 weeks! She was TOUGH! I don't think it has anything directly with the gender integration but more with a trend of political correctness. Seems a bit soft to me!