I just received an e-mail from a relative who has a friend who enlisted in the Army in May 2007. He was then deployed July 7, and was KIA on Sept. 5. Is this possible? Can the Army deploy someone SO QUICKLY? What happened to training? They think that 1 month of training is enough before shipping them off to war? Any Army vets, please tell me that this is a fabricated story. I mean, the story claims that this recruit DESPERATELY wanted to go to Iraq at the soonest time possible, but I thought Basic Training was longer than 1 month.
2007-09-15 17:16:23 · 15 answers · asked by Matt R 4 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
We had guys join our unit straight from AIT while we were in Iraq. But the time line your describing is impossible! Basic is 8 weeks! That is 2 months alone! The he has to go to AIT! Which could be anywhere from an additional 7 to 56 weeks! So let's say minimum everything :
Basic training: May 1st (right down range , no time in reception)
leaves Basic June 30
Begins AIT 7 weeks later graduates
That puts him even being eligible to deploy Mid August
All of this is with no "hurry up and wait time". Which comes standard issue with the Army.
In other words whoever told you this either embellished or just plain lied.
2007-09-15 18:26:02 · answer #1 · answered by Tusker9E 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am uncertain about the story, that IS four months or so, time enough to train and go over.
Mattman was right, there is a 2 year plan with 20k sign on, and it may have different terms. Military.com is being updated, so I couldn't get it that info from them. Perhaps Army will have it.
I feel that any soldier going over there is not paid enough, and most of the families are struggling. There is also the fear of a draft. What kind of soldiers are reluctant soldiers? We need to keep the volunteer system, they choose to defend our country.
From a family member's experience, just getting into training may even be delayed if there are holidays, etc. so nine weeks can even stretch out to twelve...or more. Can you find a link to an actual news story about the person? Let us know.
2007-09-15 18:03:47 · answer #2 · answered by MsW 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Seems the Army takes 14 weeks to train an Infantry Soldier. That would be around 6 months just to complete Basic and AIT.
Josef Goebbels said "If you repeat the lie often enough it will become the truth"
Takes a truly corrupt person to to lie about anything.
2007-09-15 17:50:09 · answer #3 · answered by Stand-up philosopher. It's good to be the King 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I mean no disrespect if I am missunderstanding something here. My condolences if I have misunderstood. But this story smells like rotten cabbage. Army basic training is apx 11 weeks. Then after basic, there is MOS training (military occupational specialty). This will take some weeks or months, depending on the MOS. Then there would be assignment to a Army unit, and likely other training to prepare for desert environment combat duty. So this sounds to me like a fairy tale.
2007-09-15 17:28:57 · answer #4 · answered by Charles S 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
That doesn't sound right, but who knows now a days. When I was in the reserves, basic was about 8 weeks, and MOS training for my job was about 8 weeks also. I can't imagine any training being less then a month long, but suppose it's possible. But, it still takes them awhile to get your paperwork through, and you have to wait a few days before you're settled in at your location before getting your orders to deploy out.....I just don't see that happening that quickly, this is the government we're talking about..... Regardless of how badly the recruit wanted to go to Iraq.
2007-09-15 17:22:05 · answer #5 · answered by tikitiki 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
For the reasons stated by many members, it's painfully obvious that this story is made up. I know which one you're talking about though. I got a variant of the same e-mail. It was junk mailed by anti-war protesters as an attempt to garner sympathy for thier argument, but obviosuly penned by someone who has NO knowledge of the working military! How do I know? Because I know the person who "sent" it to me (it uses a program to shotgun the message to everyone in that persons mailbox) and the details don't add up. Anyone who knows anything about mil training can see through this ruse!
2007-09-15 18:42:18 · answer #6 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is clearly an example of anti-war propoganda. This story is impossible.
>Army Basic Training is 9 weeks. (Actually it totals 10 weeks if you count reception.)
>AIT is at the absolute minimum 4 weeks.
>Following AIT, at least one week, in most cases, two weeks of leave is granted for soldiers to get their affairs in order at their first duty station.
So, at the VERY MINIMUM we are looking at 16 weeks before even the possibility of a soldier being deployed. Even then, weeks of pre-deployment training is required before the unit actually leaves country.
2007-09-15 17:29:55 · answer #7 · answered by Voice of Liberty 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
This is impossible. Basic training for the Army is 9 weeks long. AIT (training for your job) is at least another 2 months if not more. This is a totally fabricated story.
2007-09-15 17:20:16 · answer #8 · answered by ? 6 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Basic training is 9 weeks long. When I was in Iraq we had a soldier come in after he completed his schooling as well. I find this story to be BS and it is sad they would make up something like this.
2007-09-15 17:22:49 · answer #9 · answered by kimco10155 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Fabricated story. Army Boot camp is 8 weeks long. Even the shortest school is 4 weeks ( am guessing a bit here) and units get training before they go over.so 4 months should have passed...
2007-09-15 17:21:08 · answer #10 · answered by Bob D 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋