The State profiles a pilot basic training program at Fort Jackson, S.C. designed to better prepare recruits, especially those going into support units, for actual combat.
Although the Army’s firepower proved overwhelming in the opening weeks of the Iraq war, commanders found soldiers in support units — most trained at Fort Jackson — lacked the skills to patrol streets, fight house-to-house or protect convoys.Half of the soldiers now in boot camp will head to Iraq or Afghanistan in the next year.
“This is the time for them to train up before they’re deployed,” said Capt. Barry Carlson, commander of Delta Company, which completed the pilot program Thursday.
Many of the trainers in the pilot program also brought a sense of urgency. About half of the trainers in the pilot program were combat veterans, said Carlson, a veteran of Desert Storm and the Iraq war.
One of the lessons trainers tried to teach Delta Company’s troops was how to take the initiative and improvise. That is because in places like Iraq, there are no front lines.
Army units also operate with a smaller number of soldiers and sometimes can become isolated from each other.
The U.S. Army is taking its mission seriously, as noted by Gen. Peter Schoomaker in The Way Ahead.
Our Army is serving a Nation at war. This war requires that all elements of our national power be applied in a broad, unyielding, and relentless campaign. This campaign will not be short; it will require deep and enduring commitment. Our Army is a proud member of the Joint Force expertly serving our nation and its citizens as we continuously strive toward new goals and improve performance. Our individual and organizational approach to our duties and tasks must reflect the seriousness and sense of urgency characteristic of an Army at war. Our Soldiers and our nation deserve nothing less. This is not business as usual.
One of the elements of basic training is to learn The Soldier's Creed.
I will always place the mission first.
I will never accept defeat.
I will never quit.
I will never leave a fallen comrade.
I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills.
I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself.
I am an expert and I am a professional.
I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy the enemies of the United States of America in close combat.
I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life.
I am an American Soldier.
The Soldier's Creed is also presented in Flash.