Basic training in the military

Each branch of the US military has its own requirements and training, but where do prospective Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen go to train?

United States Army

US Army Basic Combat Training (BCT) is split into two phases: Basic Combat Training is 10 weeks long and consists of training recruits to be soldiers in the army; the next phase is Advanced Individual Training. AIT is where new soldiers learn their MOS, or military occupational specialty. AIT, depending on the MOS, lasts anywhere from 4 to 52 weeks.

The Army has four sites where BCT is conducted:

-Fort Benning (Columbus, Georgia): BCT, along with Infantry and Armor AIT
-Fort Jackson (Columbia, South Carolina): BCT, largest of the army's training sites
-Fort Leonard Wood (St. Robert, Missouri): BCT, along with Corps of Engineers, Chemical Corps and Military Police AIT
-Fort Sill (Lawton, Oklahoma): BCT, also Artillery AIT

Training

Soldiers are trained by drill sergeants. A drill sergeant is typically an NCO (rank E5-E7) who is on his or her second enlistment. Drill sergeants do 2-year tours in the drill field, and have an option to stay on for another tour once they are done, similar to recruiters. Drill sergeants teach soldiers drill, how to properly address superiors, military culture and history, and army regulations. Drill sergeants are with soldiers for the entirety of their training and are responsible for their safety.

Basic training in the army consists of three phases (Phase I, II, III). Phase I is when soldiers begin to learn basic drill and marching, barracks upkeep, military customs and courtesies, and unarmed combat tactics(such as Combatives, or Ground Fighting Techniques). Phase II is when soldiers begin to fire and become familiarized with weapons, such as the M-16 rifle. Unlike other branches, soldiers will also fire machine guns, grenade launchers and antiarmor weaponry during their basic training.

Throughout BCT, soldiers are subjected to physical conditioning and receive corrective action for even the slightest infraction.

US Marine Corps

US Marine Corps Recruit Training is the longest training of any branch in the US military, running for 13 weeks. Recruit training is where prospective Marines, called 'recruits' learn the basics of Marine Corps life and culture. Once they have completed recruit training, newly branded Marines attend either the School of Infantry (for infantry) or Marine Combat Training (for non-infantry). SOI is 10 weeks long, and MCT is 4 weeks. Non-infantry marines, upon completion of MCT, go on to their respective MOS schools, which range anywhere from one month to over a year. Infantry marines go to their units once they finish SOI.

The Marine Corps has three sites for basic training:

-MCRD San Diego, CA: all males west of the Mississippi River
-MCRD Parris Island, SC: all males east of the Mississippi River, and all female recruits
-MCB Quantico, VA: Officer Candidate School, for all prospective Marine officers

Training

Recruits are almost entirely trained and supervised by Drill Instructors. A Drill Instructor is typically a Marine NCO (E5-E7) on his or her second enlistment, who does a 3-year tour as a drill instructor. Once they complete their first tour, they have the option to return for another tour. Drill instructors have a reputation as being the harshest trainers in the military, and as such, Marine Recruit Training is the most difficult of any branch.

Recruit training is divided into three phases (First Phase, Second Phase, Third Phase). First Phase is where recruits learn about Marine Corps history, regulations, customs and courtesies, and drill. Recruits spend the most time with physical conditioning during this phase. Second Phase consists of swim qualification and rifle range qualification, during which recruits fire their M-16 rifles. Recruits are not exposed or familiarized with other weapons systems until they attend SOI or MCT. During Third Phase, recruits qualify for their tan belt in the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP), pass final inspection and drill, and conduct the Crucible, a 3-day field training event where recruits have to work as a team and utilize their training to get through obstacles. Upon completion of the Crucible, recruits are awarded the Eagle, Globe and Anchor emblem, and officially earn the title of United States Marine.

US Navy

Recruit Training in the Navy is 8 weeks long.  Sailors are indoctrinated and trained by company commanders, which are typically navy chief petty officers (E7 or above). Like the other services, sailors are taught basic drill, navy orders and regulations, customs and courtesies, and physical conditioning.

There is only one site for Recruit Training in the Navy:

-RTC Great Lakes, North Chicago, Illinois

The Navy formerly had sites in San Diego and Orlando, but they were shut down in 1999. Great Lakes is often called the "Quarterdeck of the Navy" because it has been in use since 1911, making it one of the oldest basic training sites in the US.

Training

Navy recruit training is divided into weeks (Week One through Week Seven). During this training sailors are only taught to qualify on the Mossberg 500 shotgun and the Beretta M9 pistol; the Navy discontinued M-16 qualification, which is done once a sailor joins the fleet and depending on their job. Sailors also learn swim qualification, watchstanding, customs and courtesies, and physical conditioning. Sailors also learn shipboard firefighting and damage control procedures, basic seamanship, and drill. Upon completion of recruit training, sailors are sent to apprentice schools, or "A-School" to learn their navy job, or rating.

US Air Force

Basic Military Training is conducted at Lackland AFB in Texas. Airmen are trained by Training Instructors, or TIs, who are Air Force NCOs (E5 and above). BMT is 8 weeks long and consists of drill, physical conditioning, and firearms safety (airmen don't qualify on the M-16 rifle until the middle of BMT). BMT, like US Navy RTC, is divided into weeks (Week One through Seven). Unlike other branches, BMT is when airmen sit down with job counselors to select their military job, typically during Week Two. Also unique to the Air Force, BMT teaches airmen about post-deployment life, after they attend the BEAST in Week Five (Basic Expeditionary Airman Skills Training). Upon completion of BMT, airmen are sent to tech school to learn their military jobs.


US Coast Guard

While it is not part of the Department of Defense, the Coast Guard by definition and tradition is a military branch. Its recruit training is conducted at US Coast Guard Training Center Cape May, New Jersey, and is 8 weeks long. Recruits are instructed in basic seamanship, firefighting, drill and customs and courtesies. Unlike other branches, recruits are instructed in the use and qualification of the SIG P229R pistol. Unique to the Coast Guard, the branch upholds high physical standards for enlistment, making them particularly strict on who joins the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard Academy in New Haven, Connecticut is also the only service academy that has competitive admissions, which means they only choose the most qualified men and women to become officers.  Upon completion of recruit training, also unique to the Coast Guard, new Coast Guardsmen are automatically promoted from Seaman Recruit (E1) to Seaman Apprentice (E2). They also attend A-School (depending on the job, ranging from 2-6 months and located in either Petaluma, California or Yorktown, Virginia). Coast Guard company commanders, who train Coast Guardsmen, are usually ranked E5-E8.