Should basic training be the same across all Branches of service?

CW4 (Join to see) NO! Most my boot camp was teaching a bunch of dysfunctional boys how to march so we would not embarrass our visitors at graduation day. The rest of it was spent in class teaching us basic seamanship so we could survive on board naval vessels. Also water survival in case we we were threw overboard because we were an embarrassment to our shipmates.

no need. the differences give us each something to discuss and debate about with members of the sister services. regardless, there will always be an across the board level of military discipline\training instilled in all.

So reading the comments its obviously no. But what if we combined navy with coastguard and army with marine basic training?

Nope... Different Missions...

As a former US Army Drill Sergeant, as are some of the others that may have made posted or served as part of the training chain of command.

I have do agree, NO ... here are some points why:
+ The US Army trainees attend Basic Combat Training (BCT) or One Station Unit Training (OSUT), they start the same, however; at the end of 8 weeks BCT Solider move on to Advanced Individual Training (AIT) to learn their specific Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) to learn their specific job. OSUT Soldiers continue training at the same location and units to learn their specific job. The OSUT Soldiers do learn some, how their MOS differ, as their training is geared to a specific type training for their MOS.
+ Not every Service Member needs training on every weapon systems in the US Arsenal. Everyone should have an assigned weapon, be it pistol or carbine that appropriate to their job. Everyone should be able to protect themselves.
+ As already stated some acronyms / slang are different.
+ During my time as a Drill Sergeant (DS) (2001 - 2004) and during the beginning phases of OIF / OEF; training doctrine was changed almost as frequently as the war did. We no longer trained to (sole) conventional battle, there was no longer a front line followed by support followed by a rear area. We begin training for a 360 battle front, trying to instill that regardless of your MOS you could be instantly part of a direct assault or defend your convoy ... the introduction to IED/VBIED required us to update training as the OIF/OEF continued.

These are just every day reasons, logistics and funding would become a nightmare. Each branch has location that training and teach ... a centralized training would then require the movement of "every" new recruit. Now without exact numbers I would venture to say that 40 - 50% of each branch does not move to a new duty station of skill training.

The only possible advantage to a Multi - Service Training (my opinion) would be that all of the US Military would have core training for weapons and basic tactical defense. I saw USN and USAF augmentees working with with US Army Military Police (MP) EPW operations, I also saw US Army branches augmentee outside their MOS.

To all those service members that have posted on this blog I would like to thank you for your service in the past and present. As a retired Army veteran I have fond memories of working with members from each of the 5 branches at different periods of my active duty service. In regards to the BT topic I found myself in a online debate of the subject with a Colonel from the Marine Corps. I stand by the words I submitted but in hindsight I let the debate get personal and momentarily forgot the professionalism that was instilled in me as a former leader in the United States Army! For that reason only I apologize for losing my military bearing.

As someone who attended Army basic training and Marine Corps boot camp and served on active duty in both services, there will be many extra days (possibly weeks) added to learn the various lingo (e.g. latrine versus head (Navy speak), attention on deck versus attention, mess hall versus DFAC, etc) whether obliques should be continued or removed from D&C, the differences of Marine and Army BRM, PT test changes (would that all change to the 3-mile run test?), uniforms and base re-alignment issues. What would happen to Airborne and Amphibious doctrine and special ops concerns. Since the Air Force is the newest service, they can be assimilated back into the Army. :) The problem with today's military is that they are trying to fix things that are not broke.

There is a reason that a Marine can go to a different branch and is not required to go through boot camp again. If you came to the Marine Corps with prior service you would need to go through Marine Corps boot camp to come up to standard. That is not a coincidence but rather on purpose...and quite a bold statement I might say. OOHRAH!

Yes take the toughest of the four and start there.

I didn't look at the other comments before hand... Fair point but I think that the army at least has lost its edge. Before I got out the Discipline level of the average "New guy" was pretty low and to be honest he/she didn't know squat.

IMHO they should stay the same.

No, when is a soldier or airman ever going to use, what we as sailor have to learn and use! Marines get shipboard training as the spend time on Navy ships!!! We are all unique in what we do!! We need to leave boot camps alone!!

Put it this way, how many artillery troops took on grunt roles in Iraq. How many transport units turned haulers into gun trucks. Teach new recruits how to fight, even the clerk typist needs to understand this. Branch of service makes no difference, its about the role you bring to fight.

No. Like many others have stated each branch is fundamentally different as far as organization and basic skills that are necessary to have. Also the Esprit de corps that is fostered in basic is important

Absolutely not part of basic training is learning your service's history and mission. All four branches have different histories and missions.

Negative, over!

Don't know if you need to train a cyber warrior like you do a Marine.

Lol.

I would have to say no because each service is different. I think overall though that the one good tweeking that could be done is in the physical testing department. Maybe set a standard for PT but other aspects are too service oriented to ever be able to have a common ground.

CW4 (Join to see)

Absolutely not. As everyone else has already stated, service specific boot camps teach recruits the basics of being a Sailor, Soldier, Airman, Marine. I can't imagine a branch-wide boot camp that could incorporate all of that training, unless boot camp was 1 year long. Even if it was, by the time trainees moved on to a different phase, they would forget everything they learned about being a Sailor (or whatever branch they're joining). No, I think the current setup works just fine.

To an extent, they should.