which basic training philosophy is more effective? the old school approach of in your face discipline.........

Question

or the new thing i read about, the recruit looks upon his/her military instructor as a "mentor" and be "taught" combat skills without the stern discipline?

Answer 1

I came in in 1994 and thought it was soft then. A little screaming never hurt anyone. Based on the junior enlisted I get in my units these days, it's a joke. Kids today are pretty spoiled and whine a lot. Some are troopers but a lot still need the ***-kicking they never got in Basic.

Answer 2

I suppose that the training has adjusted to the style of battle. Today is much more analytical than in the past. The intel is better because of increased technology, ordinance can be placed with scarry precision and military people must be computer literate. Thus more mentoring.

Before, it was "Take that hill" and it didn't matter if you were out numbered 20-1; you just took the hill.

During Nam an AF General was quoted as saying, "Nuke them ALL and let the LORD sort it out". His career was OVER and he rode a desk in some NASTY place until he retired.

I actually went to a school for a week where I was taught to YELL and SCREAM without getting a sore throat; the vein popping is self taught for effect.

If our troops were trained that way today they would either FREAK or soil the linen. Most of them have grown up in the Entitled Generation with "time-outs" and participation trophies. It was ALL about self-esteem so the military had to adapt their style to that mind set; you play the hand that you are dealt and make the best of it.

I was raised in the "leather through loops" generation and deserved EVERY whipping that I ever received. HAH, I only got ONE for every unique transgression. I made the mistake of taking a swing at my dad and ended up on my donkey out cold. I came to, he helped me up, got me some ice and said, "Don't start something that you can't finish boy". It taught me to argue with him with reason and it worked out a lot better.

That was then and now is now and we adapt accordingly.

USN 1964-1968 in country
"Honorary" Marine Corps DI

Answer 3

well...

in the Air Force, at one time all the DI had to look and get a feel for the young persons character was six weeks. that's not a lot of time to get to know how a person could handle the unique pressure that could arise in a military situation.

So the DI or TI compensated for it by being in your face 24/7. It very quickly brings out the good or the bad...at least it brings out the honest ways the recruit will handle pressure. most outsiders of the military thought it a cruel process, but i can vouch for the fact that if a recruit couldn't hold up to that over a six week period, usually they couldn't cut it at all.

Personally..the mentor thing can wait till the trainer has a proven case to work with. I go with the in your face attitude.

A Survivor of the in your face school of hard knocks"

Answer 4

i still support the old fashion way. and this is coming from a depper. bootcamp these days, you can raise your hand and call time out whenever you get tired. it all really depends. some people need a little more yelling and "in your face" for them to straighten out. others need a little more nurturing tactic. but now a days, there's less of the yelling and shouting (unless you're a marine and certain army DIs are still hard core) and little more teaching/mentoring going on. but honestly, as far as what's best for the recruits, it depends on individual people. i still like the hard core yelling days.

Answer 5

Namby pamby techniques can only get a soldier killed faster in combat. They have to be hardened to face the stress of combat. The in your face discipline is an absolute must. This is why, it hasn't change from the beginning.

Answer 6

There's a half-joke, that there's three different types of Drill instructors:
1. the guys that want to be there, to make the future of their branch brighter
2. the guys that were put there, not because they wanted to, but because there was a need, and
3. Sadists

I suppose they all still have thier places.

Answer 7

Like sports figures. you can't coach them like the old days(Well Maybe Bobby Knight Can).. The same applies to the new generation of recruits.. The in your face doesn't work.. You need a softer kinder approach these days. .Same applies in the work force.. Might be actually better too.