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?

I took my Infantry training in "little Vietnam" or better known as Ft Polk, LA. in the 70's. I could care less where you earned your Infantry Cord welcome to the brotherhood.

Some people reclass to 11B because they couldn't enlist initially at first as 11B. Some hold numerous MOS's, with 11B being one of them. I'm tired of all this dick swinging in the Army. Everyone is always comparing themselves to others. Who cares??

I was an Army Infantry soldier and never even went to Army Basic/AIT/OSUT. Try that one on for size. I was a pretty damn good one, too.

Well I think people are confused on what an Infantryman is. An Infantryman is a soldier who has an indomitable spirit. It isn't the training though that helps him become what he is. It is the drive to be better so others don't have to be. In this he will go further, fight harder and more often than most soldiers.

Thousands and thousands of infantry soldiers went to BCT and infantry AIT at a post other than Fort Benning, SGT Robert Cupp. I started BCT at Fort Jackson (Tank Hill), SC on 11NOV69 and finished infantry AIT(11C) on 20MAR70, also at Fort Jackson. I've been retired a long time, but I'm positive I was a real infantryman! SGT (Join to see) MAJ Jim Woods

After being out of the military for 16 years, at the age of 41 I went into the guard and I reclassed from 12B to 11B and it was the proudest moment I had in a long time. So I'm biased, but it doesn't matter in my opinion. If a guy is a shitbag, he is going to be one whether he went to Benning or not. The key is that the standard must be upheld no matter where the training takes place, which seems to be happening less and less these days, given I am twice the age of these youngsters coming into the unit from Benning and they are mostly a bunch of puss cakes. It is embarrassing to see, I expected more.

In 1975, I took my basic and AIT at Fort Polk, LA, was awarded my Blue Cord and the MOS of 11B right. At that time, Ft. Polk also taught Infantry for their AIT. We trained in the same markup Vietnam Villages used to train soldiers enroute to Vietnam.

When I reported to my first duty station A 1/41 Inf, 2AD; the first thing out of my NCO chain of command was You took AIT at Ft. Polk didn't you? I Said yes and asked how did they know? Their reply was Polk produced better trained, discipline soldiers than Benning.

Personally, WHO CARES were a guy earned the Blue Cord or an 11 series MOS. IF you earned it, you earned it. Anyone who says otherwise is just Jealous.

Sgt Cupp - Over the years many people have received the 11B MOS without going through Ft. Benning. An example of this was in 1972, the 101st Airborne Division was reconstituted at Ft. Campbell, KY after returning from Vietnam. An Infantry and several other MOS training programs were set up at Ft. Campbell. The Infantry School at Ft. Benning established the criteria to train Infantryman and if I remember correctly, actually did the final testing. I was a brand new private and attended this training. It was actually very good training.

At Ft. Campbell, I was assigned to my final unit, platoon and squad and attended the training for 8 weeks (I had already completed Basic) before attending AIT. Everyone from my Platoon Sgt, Squad Leader, Team Leader and the rest of my squad made sure I learned the Infantry MOS. Many times, they went over and above in their efforts to "assist" those of us who were going through the training. The only area we were exempted was Mech. There were no tracks to train on. They made up for it by focusing on Light Infantry Techniques such as patrolling, weapons and living off the land (most of the instructors were experienced SF, LRRP and Rangers, which was helpful later in my career).

Another example was when the Army decided to reclassify many NCO's as Infantry during the draw down as Vietnam was winding down (1972 and 1973 were low points for the Army). One of the NCO's was a Band SSG who just showed up one day to take over a squad. To say he had a hard time, especially with my platoon, is an understatement. Luckily, our Platoon Sgt, was very experienced and after about six months of Super High Intensity Training managed to make him a passable Squad Leader.

Don't get hung up too much on where someone learned the job. If you have learned the Infantry trade, regardless of where and how, and are good at what you do -- that's all that matters. If you are a good infantryman, then you can do just about any job in the military (in the 70's and 80's, Infantryman seemed to be pulled for some really wild assignments, because they were infantry and could adapt and complete the mission). It's all about attitude and a willingness to accomplish the mission, even if it means learning a new skill and stepping up to the plate.

Don't know about that, but I could tell the new Soldiers who had gone to Basic at Forts Benning , Sill, or Leonard Wood from those who went to Jackson, and I'll leave it at that.

If the hard asses judge "real infantrymen" on basic training location I.........need I say more