Do you think the basic skills you were taught in basic training and AIT were good enough for you to be deployed to combat?

2015-03-23T17:06:51-04:00

Even though I was in not by choice, knowing where I was going after, I realized that to take a couple years and receive the highly advanced training I went to, was probably going to give a bit better chance of survival. I don't know much the new army, so I can not say on what level they were trained. There was a huge push when I was in just to get troops to Nam, how is it now?

Response by SFC Collin McMillion made Mar 23 at 2015 5:09 PM

2015-03-23T17:09:55-04:00

Was not much jungle training at Ft. Knox.

Response by CSM Michael J. Uhlig made Mar 23 at 2015 5:20 PM

2015-03-23T17:20:10-04:00

We were immersed with weapons growing up, so I joined with marksmanship competence & confidence. The most important skills I learned was discipline & trusting the leadership and peers and that is vital to have preparing for an immediate deployment.

The biggest difference in todays training environment as compared to when I joined is the Soldier is given a task and have to figure out how to get to the answer with very little guidance thus the intent is to create a better critical thinker...and to rely on teamwork.

Response by SPC Nancy Greene made Mar 1 at 2020 3:44 PM

2020-03-01T15:44:23-05:00

My experiences in Basic at Ft Jackson 1983/05/12 through 1984/02/18 taught me invaluable ‘combat readiness’ skills.
It was NOT easy! Steel pots & c-rats were interesting and difficult to say the least.
AIT (75C) wasn’t exactly’a wall in the park’. However; all this experience prepared me for the Real AG mission. I entered Basic as E3/PFC because I had a BA Degree. After 4 months, I was an E4/SP4 with less than one year of Active Duty. My first duty assignment to Ft McClellan Student/Trainee MILPO was an E6 slot. I loved McClellan!
Came down on ‘Orders’ to FRG. What a ‘wake-up’ call! I was assigned to 2nd Armored Division (FWD). Joint NATO Exercises. Berlin Wall was still standing. I was in an E6 slot as NCOIC of Enlisted Promotions. Participated in ‘Crossed Swords’, REFORGER, the Army’s first and only ‘COHORT’ BN rotations.
I requested a MED Discharge after 17 months, I was assigned to MED HOLD BN, 2nd Field Hospital. Old WWII Hospital.
Will Never forget how diligent the troops were & I provided Support to those Brave Soldiers!