Quote:
Originally Posted by Starkizzer
What I have never understood, is why not have an extended boot camp regime for those that are overweight or less fit but still really have the urge to enlist.
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A program like this has been in place since at least 2003. Upon reception to your basic training post, everyone enters processing. Part of processing is a modified physical fitness assessment. IIRC, the standards were something like being able to do 20 push-ups and sit-ups in a minute, as a 1 mile run in under 12 minutes. Those who failed to meet the standards were sent to Fat Camp.
From what I understand, the overweight recruits were put on a severely restricted diet, the underweight recruits were given a calorie/protein heavy diet. Everyone participated in formal physical fitness training in the morning and evening with the rest of the day consisting of strenuous random activities until they could meet the pre-entry physical fitness standards. I think a recruit could spend up to 6 months in Fat Camp before being booted from the Army.
Quote:
Originally Posted by chriswin8
I would love the Boot camp life thing. I always wanted to join the military but they wouldn't take me when i graduated from HS. I have a heart issue that medically dqed me.
I think its great that they are re working there PT program. There are easier ways to get the same results, and now they are learning that. I know the old PT was more for breaking a persons will more then there health but if your going to be badly injured from it perhaps there are other ways of doing that.
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Nobody loves Basic. It's 3 days of intensive training, that after being slowed down to cater to the lowest common denominator, is stretched out to 3 months of intense boredom. Also, the purpose of the PT program was never to break a recruit's will; it was to improve their level of physical fitness. There are plenty of hours left in the day for the silly psychological games the Drills like to play.
Echoing Slims; God help these sad bastards when they get to the real Army.