A technique used by many military organizations around the world is boot camp training. Recruits are subjected to extreme mental and physical stress in order to properly train them in all of the skills they will need to succeed and to weed out any recruits who are unfit for military service. A recruit will be physically fit, mentally strong, and educated enough to become a productive member of the military after completing four distinct phases. Boot camps are notoriously difficult to complete. The United States Marine Corps, for example, has a 40% failure rate during boot camp training.
Many military organizations refer to it as “basic training” rather than “boot camp training,” but the two terms are interchangeable. A drill sergeant or a training instructor is in charge of all of them. During a six- to 12-week camp, these individuals are in charge of leading a group of recruits from the basic learning stages to the completion tests.
When cadets are accepted into the United States Marine Corps and many other military organizations, the first phase of boot camp training begins. The first four weeks are designed to instill a military mindset in the cadets by teaching them to march, putting them through strenuous physical workouts, and providing them with weapons. Cadets must memorize things like the history of the particular military organization, rank structure, and various creeds, in addition to physical military techniques. The drill sergeant assists the cadets in learning the policies, culture, and rules of military life while they are in training.
Because cadets should have a basic understanding of their daily role by this point, the second phase of boot camp training focuses more on military maneuvers. Shooting competitions, tugs of war, and obstacle course races are all part of this period’s focus on marksmanship and teamwork. Cadets are also assigned jobs around the camp, such as cleaning duty or kitchen work.
The third phase of boot camp training focuses more on combat than the previous two. Recruits are forced to learn to fire under dangerous conditions during this time. Hand-to-hand combat techniques, as well as the fundamentals of military fighting strategy, are also covered. At this point, map reading, wilderness training, repelling, and other skills are also learned. This is the polishing stage, where recruits are being prepared to enter daily military life.
The final phase is a sort of exit exam, dubbed The Crucible by the US Marines and other names by various military organizations. These tests vary, but they generally put recruits to the test on everything they’ve learned in the previous weeks of boot camp. For example, The Crucible is a 72-hour combat simulation that includes teamwork challenges, mental tests, and physically demanding exercises. Acceptance into the military is contingent on successful completion of all four stages of boot camp training.