I still think it would be a low cost, excellent way to improve the quality of recruits *before* they arrive for basic training, for the Pentagon to open “semi-private” camps for prospective enlisted personnel.
Basically, all you need are some wooden barracks, a mess hall and dispensary, and all run by *combat veterans*, surrounded by a fence. The trainees wear their own gear, and non-participation, insubordination, or other failure means they are booted out and lose their enlistment.
The emphasis for these camps would be weight loss, an increasing problem, through individual diet programs; an exercise regimen, to get those that really need it up to shape; and a remedial classroom, to insure that they are literate, can do essential math and other intellectual skills; with bonus (audit) instruction about their branch of the military’s traditions, history, and culture.
The idea is that “a rising tide raises all ships”. The better the recruits going into basic training, the better the results you will get from basic training, including improved performance standards.
As “semi-private” institutions, they are not stuck with any of the destructive Obama policies, they do not have to admit anyone they do not want to, and are in competition with other camps for *reputation*. Potential enlistees will have to compete with each other to get the camp they want.
As far as the veterans go, they can be as “Jack Webb” as they want, or they can be more laid back, *as long as they get results*. Judged by the performance of their trainees once they get to basic training. Courses could last a month, two months, or six months (for hard cases with specialty skills needed by the service).
All told, this would be a very cheap way of getting the military up to better standards, and quickly.
Very interesting proposal. I would think that a 2-3 week program of instruction and/or testing would be able to screen out those who are unfit or unsuitable for military service. The “bad apples” will show up pretty quickly in a structured environment.
Don’t know about the other branches but I think as soon as a kid is interested in signing up he can join the poolies (pre-recruit) who have signed and do PT with the recruiters.
My son, as a poolie, spent the weekend at an old WW2 POW camp in Missouri to learn what boot was going to be like. That was about 10 years ago.