Basic Training in the United States Army is the initial training for new military personnel typified by intense physical activity, psychological stress and the development of social cohesion. [1] The United States Army Center for Initial Military Training (USACIMT) was created in 2009 under the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command to oversee training related issues. [2]
The United States Army Center for Initial Military Training (USACIMT) was created by an act of Congress on September 24, 2009 under the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) located at Fort Eustis in Newport News, Virginia. USACIMT was created as a separate, stand-alone organization to maintain senior-level oversight of training related issues. [2]
USACIMT is the Core Function Lead for TRADOC for all initial entry training. This provides a process that aligns the development of competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and attributes) and behaviors in civilian volunteers for them to become Soldiers who are physically ready, grounded in Army Values, and competent in their skills so can contribute as leaders or members upon arrival at their first unit of assignment. Initial Military Training includes the developing baseline proficiency on warrior tasks, battle drills, and critical skills associated with their Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) or officer basic branch. USACIMT is the official command responsible for the Army's Initial Entry Training (IET), commonly referred to as "Basic Training" or BCT for enlisted soldiers (the term "Boot Camp" pertains to the United States Marine Corps). USACIMT develops policies to improve and standardize training for Basic Combat Training (BCT), Advanced Individual Training (AIT), One Station Unit Training (OSUT), and the second phase of the Basic Officer Leadership Course (BOLC).[3][4]
In 2018, USACIMT became the proponent for the Army's Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) System. The H2F System is the Army’s primary investment in Soldier readiness and lethality, optimal physical and non-physical performance, reduced injury rates, improved rehabilitation after injury, and increased overall effectiveness of the Total Army. H2F addresses the five domains of physical and non-physical readiness (physical, mental, sleep, nutrition, and spiritual) through a comprehensive, integrated system of governance, personnel, equipment/facilities, programming, and education to optimize individual Soldier readiness, reduce preventable injuries, improve rehabilitation outcomes after injury, and ensure Soldiers are physically and mentally prepared to fight and win our nation’s wars [6]. The Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT), which is the assessment of the physical domain of the Army's Holistic Health and Fitness System, [7] became the Army’s physical fitness test of record in Spring 2022[7]. In 2022, USACIMT absorbed the mission of the Cohesive Assessment Team (CAT), which was established under the People First Task Force to help address harmful behaviors and build cohesion across the Total Army. The Cohesive Assessment Team is an organization of subject matter experts in various fields who conduct organizational climate assessments further to build cohesive, lethal, and fit teams. In 2023, the Cohesive Assessment Team was renamed to the Cohesive Assistance Team, based on a recommendation from one of the units the CAT had previously visited.
The Leader Training Brigade (LTB) conducts CIMT cadre leader development and provides training development oversight in support of the Soldier transformation process. It provides leader training across the Army in resilience and fitness skills and supports the overall health and welfare of the force. It also oversees the Expert Soldier Badge Test Management Office (ESB TMO) and administers the ESB standards published in TR 672-9 (Expert Soldier Badge). The ESB TMO validates Army brigades who train, test, and award the ESB to candidates who meet the standards. Additionally, the LTB has the following subordinate organizations: the Initial Military Training Leadership School, Task Force Marshall, U.S. Army Physical Fitness School, and the U.S. Army Master Resiliency School.
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution. The oldest and most senior branch of the U.S. military in order of precedence, the modern U.S. Army has its roots in the Continental Army, which was formed on 14 June 1775 to fight the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783)—against the British for independence before the United States was established as a country. After the Revolutionary War, the Congress of the Confederation created the United States Army on 3 June 1784 to replace the disbanded Continental Army. The United States Army considers itself a continuation of the Continental Army, and thus considers its institutional inception to be the origin of that armed force in 1775.
Military recruit training, commonly known as basic training or boot camp, refers to the initial instruction of new military personnel. It is a physically and psychologically intensive process, which resocializes its subjects for the unique demands of military employment.
Fort Moore is a United States Army post near Columbus, Georgia, adjacent to the Alabama–Georgia border. Fort Moore supports more than 120,000 active-duty military, family members, reserve component soldiers, retirees and civilian employees on a daily basis. As a power projection platform, the post can deploy combat-ready forces by air, rail, and highway for their designated mission. Fort Moore is the home of the United States Army Maneuver Center of Excellence, the United States Army Armor School, United States Army Infantry School, the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, elements of the 75th Ranger Regiment, the 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade, and other tenant units.
The 98th Infantry Division ("Iroquois") was a unit of the United States Army in the closing months of World War I and during World War II. The unit is now one of the U.S. Army Reserve's training divisions, officially known as the 98th Training Division. Its primary mission is to conduct Initial Entry Training (IET) for new soldiers. It is one of three training divisions subordinate to the 108th Training Command (IET) and handles command and control of units throughout the eastern United States and in Puerto Rico.
The U.S. military issues instructor badges to specially training military personnel who are charged with teaching military recruits the skills they need to perform as members of the U.S. Armed Forces or teach continuing education courses for non-commissioned officers and officers in the military. With the exception of the U.S. Army and U.S. Coast Guard, these badges are considered temporary military decorations and must be surrendered upon completion of one's duty as a military instructor. Because of this, the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps award Drill Instructor Ribbons as a permanent decoration to recognize service members who have qualified and performed as military instructors.
The United States Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) is a major command of the United States Army headquartered at Fort Eustis, Virginia. It is charged with overseeing training of Army forces and the development of operational doctrine. TRADOC operates 37 schools and centers at 27 different locations. TRADOC schools conduct 1,304 courses and 108 language courses. The 1,304 courses include 516,000 seats for 443,231 soldiers; 36,145 other-service personnel; 8,314 international soldiers; and 28,310 civilians.
The United States Army Airborne School—widely known as Jump School—conducts the basic paratrooper training for the United States Armed Forces. It is operated by the 1st Battalion (Airborne), 507th Infantry, United States Army Infantry School, Fort Moore, Georgia. The Airborne School conducts the Basic Airborne Course, which is open to troops from all branches of the United States Department of Defense, Reserve Officer Training Corps, and allied military personnel.
The U.S. Army Combined Arms Center (USACAC) is located at Fort Leavenworth and provides leadership and supervision for leader development and professional military and civilian education; institutional and collective training; functional training; training support; battle command; doctrine; lessons learned and specified areas the Commanding General, United States Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) designates in order to serve as a catalyst for change and to support developing relevant and ready expeditionary land formations with campaign qualities in support of the joint force commander.
The United States Army Armor School is a military training school located at Fort Moore, Georgia. Its primary focus is the training of United States Army soldiers, non-commissioned officers, warrant officers, and commissioned officers. It also trains for equipment handling, including the M1 Abrams, the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, and the Stryker Mobile Gun System. The Armor School moved to Fort Benning in 2010 as part of the United States Base Realignment and Closure program.
United States Army Basic Combat Training (BCT) is the recruit training program of the United States Army, for service in the U.S. Army, U.S. Army Reserve, or the Army National Guard.
Mark Phillip Hertling is a former United States Army officer. From March 2011 to November 2012, he served as the Commanding General of United States Army Europe and the Seventh Army. Hertling served in Armor, Cavalry, planning, operations and training positions, and commanded every organization from Platoon to Field Army. He commanded the 1st Armored Division and Task Force Iron/Multinational Division-North in Iraq during the troop surge of 2007 to 2008.
The 316th Cavalry Brigade of the United States Army is the brigade responsible for the training of U.S. Army Cavalry and Armor officers and non-commissioned officers. The 16th Cavalry Regiment was redesignated as this unit in July 2010. The 316th Cavalry Brigade is currently assigned to Fort Moore, Georgia, in accordance with the Base Realignment and Closure of 2005.
The Adjutant General School and the Soldier Support Institute (SSI) are located at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. The school was formerly located at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana, until its closure. These provide training and development of doctrine and organization for Army personnel and administrative operations. Along with the U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM), United States Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) was created from the Continental Army Command (CONARC) located at Fort Monroe, VA on 1 July 1973. Today, TRADOC is the overseer of training of the Army forces, the development of operational doctrine, and the development and procurement of new weapons systems. The reconstructed Adjutant General Corp Regiment (AG) was created in 1987. The U.S. Army administration and finance specialists are trained at the Adjutant General School located at Fort Jackson. Today's AG Corps serves as human resource (HR) managers for the Army.
The 108th Training Command (Initial Entry Training) is a United States Army Reserve unit headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. At its activation, the unit was designated as the 108th Airborne Division, but in 1952 was redesignated the 108th Infantry Division. In 1956, the division was again reorganized, this time to the designation as the 108th Division (Institutional Training). Under the U.S. Army Reserve Transformation of 2005, the 108th was reorganized to is current structure as the 108th Training Command (Initial Entry Training (IET)). The command is currently one of the largest in the Army Reserve, commanding and coordinating 9,000 soldiers.
Richard C. Longo is a retired major general of the United States Army. At the time of his retirement on 22 July 2014, he was deputy commanding general and chief of staff for U.S. Army Europe. He previously served as the deputy commanding general for Initial Military Training for the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) at Fort Monroe, Virginia.
The U.S. Army Joint Modernization Command, or JMC, based in Fort Bliss, Texas, gains insights from "Fight Tonight" units about future ways of fighting, future technology, and force structure during realistic live, constructive, and/or simulated training exercises. Joint Modernization Command is subordinate to the Army Futures & Concepts Center in Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia; both report to the U.S. Army's newest Four-Star Command, the Army Futures Command (AFC) based in Austin, Texas.
An Advanced Individual Training (AIT) Platoon Sergeant is a United States Army Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) responsible for the health, welfare, mentoring, disciplining, physical fitness and Warrior-Task training of AIT Soldiers. NCOs in the enlisted grade of E6 or E7 are assigned as AIT Platoon Sergeants and incur a minimum 24-month tour of duty. The size of the AIT Platoon varies by installation and can range from 20 to 120 Soldiers, though TRADOC Regulation 350-37 states the desired ratio is one Platoon Sergeant to 40 Soldiers. An average AIT Company has between two and five Platoons. "The Army’s Human Resources Command may involuntarily select NCOs or NCOs may volunteer for AIT Platoon Sergeant Duty". AIT Platoon Sergeants are typically assigned to TRADOC locations that reflect their present Career Management Field (CMF), but can be sent to other installations if needed.
The Human Dimension is a framework for United States Army to Optimize Human Performance as part of Force 2025 and Beyond. The Human Dimension White Paper expands on the topic covered in this page.
The Expert Soldier Badge, or ESB, is a special skills badge of the United States Army. Similar in appearance to the Combat Action Badge, the ESB is awarded to soldiers who are neither infantry, special forces, nor combat medics who demonstrate their competence in various warrior and mission essential tasks, land navigation, and physical fitness. The badge was approved on June 14, 2019 and entered service in October 2019, as a way for soldiers in other military occupational specialties to certify their competence within their occupation, as well as general combat skills.
The Security Force Assistance Command (SFAC) is a division-level command element for the United States Army's new security force assistance brigades (SFAB). These units' core mission is security force assistance to conduct training, advising, assisting, enabling and accompanying operations with allied and partner nations.