I was told that you aren't a real infantryman unless you went to basic training at Fort Benning. What are your opinions on this?

When my NG went from FA to Infantry, the majority of us were sent to the Arkansas NG Infantry training course in Little Rock. Their instructors were career infantry and were certified to teach the course by Ft. Benning. My 1059 was also recognized by the regular army. So to agree with another poster, doesn’t matter how you got here, just that you did.

Everyone knows you're not a real infantryman unless you went to the School Of Infantry at SOI West (San Onofre), or SOI East (Geiger), or their predecessor schools, ITS and ITR. The only REAL Infantry is MARINE Infantry!

I took BCT at Fort Ord Ca., Jump school at Fort Benning, then AIT at Fort Bragg, assigned to the 2nd 508 Inf 1972, assigned to the 2nd Inf DMZ Korea 1972/1973, and then back to Fort Bragg with the 505th Inf 1974/75.
Somewhere I must have been Real Infantry, "FOR REALS". Lol

After reading this I dug out my Blue Cord. It's beyond dirty, just from dust, but definitely not ready for a class A uniform. Has anyone ever washed theirs, or should I trust a dry cleaners?

Got my Blue Rope in 1954 and passed it on to my son in 1982!!!

As someone who deployed with infantryman who both went to Ft. Benning and those who didn't, I will say it matters little what schoolhouse you went to when the bullets start flying. Schoolhouses in many different MOS's convert, change, and move, all the time. If someone is so fixated on where you did your initial training, then they likely have nothing else to base their experiences on. Just my opinion.

I myself served in the infantry for 5 years active duty. Two tours in Iraq. I'm now a 42A - Human Resources and I love it. I will agree that for those who went to Fort Benning for basic training did received a harder training physically. Does that make them a better Soldier, not necessary. I had to work with other Soldiers who were support and actually performed the same or better that those who went to Benning. I think it would be unfair to generalize everyone. If you hold the MOS, you own the title.

I took ait 11b at FT Polk...Just as hot and nasty there as in Georgia after freezing my ass off at FT Leonard Wood for basic

I am speaking only for myself here as an 11B Vet who doesn't consider himself "real infantry.

Every soldier may need to be "rifleman first" according to what Gen Peter Schoomaker said in 2003. That however doesn't mean they are actually "real infantrymen". real infanrty train regularly in combat tactics in garrison and when in theater they are the ones on the front lines every day humping an 80 to 100 plus pound ruck plus their weapon and their kit.

Just because someone went to basic and trained in basic tactics way back when they first enlisted doesn't mean someone is "real infantry". Frankly even though I was an active duty deployed 11B in 2011 I do not consider myself to have ever been "real infantry". The reason is very simple, I was not in a line platoon when I deployed. I deployed as a member of HQ Platoon of B Co 2/34 in 2011. Despite my MOS being 11B, taking fire from the enemy on multiple missions and receiving a CIB I do not consider myself "real infantry".

The men I consider to be "real infantry" were the guys in Reaper Platoon who were in the suck every day doing dismounted patrols around COP AJK, or my squad leader who did ten years as an 11B. Or the guys in 2nd platoon that came off doing a company level air assault assault and within hours of getting back got spun up on QRF missions. Even the tankers in first platoon were more "real" infantrymen than I ever was.

Again speaking only for myself here but I consider it insult to them for me to call myself "real infantry" when the guys in third were down there at AJK in the suck everyday sleeping with their boots on while when I got done with a mission I got to go back to my air conditioned tent on FOB Azizullah. I didn't go through what they did, not even close.

I try to show a little self respect by not going bar crawling telling all the girls I was an infantryman. I was a glorified POG with 11B on my ERB. End of story. I consider claiming anything more than that an insult to the guys in my company who were in the suck on a daily basis.