For the past 44 years, Infantry Soldiers were trained in a 14-week program. Ensures Soldiers are ready to take on their Army jobs. Under a new force restructuring, the Marine Corps is ditching all of its tanks. Titus Kovalik, an infantryman recruit currently in training. EDITOR'S NOTE: This video was originally published in March 2020. -- The Army has permanently broadened one-station unit training for infantry Soldiers from 14 to 22 weeks, with more combat arms career fields expected to follow the charge. Most soldiers quickly adapt to the new life. Good write up. Discussions about changing OSUT began shortly after Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis identified the need to re-establish readiness and build a more lethal Infantry force, Hedrick said. Some new soldiers, who may get a chance to train on that SEPv3, are the more than three dozen Marine Corps reservists who enlisted in the Idaho Army National Guard in September. Graduated 22 week Infantry OSUT. -you'll be fast tracked to cpl once you get to your unit. No charge to the Soldier or Army Reserve if we turn the ticket back in. You will delete them all. Fort Benning, GA 31905. We were familiarized on the BDM and AT4 launchers. The pilot will also be used to determine the list of tasks assigned to each instructor, Hedrick said. Overall, the additional instructors provide a better student-to-instructor ratio during certain aspects of the course, the commandant said. What happens if my Soldier fails a portion of BCT/OSUT? If you look around, they're gonna see you, 'cause you're taller than everyone else! By Devon L. Suits, Army News ServiceJuly 5, 2018. Infantry soldiers saw their OSUT pilot push training from 14 to 22 weeks and focused on improving fieldcraft, shooting, land navigation and other small unit and individual skills to make infantry more lethal. Please do not photograph or video any of the access control points as this could be a security threat. You will get kicked out of the military, and then you'll probably have to file as a registered sex offender. Theyre leaving with a learners permit, Admiral said. Fortunately, resources and facilities are available at Fort Benning to support the new program, Hedrick said. Drill sergeant: In a little bit, we're gonna give you a period to go in a room by yourself. Do you understand? Narrator: This is the last chance for recruits to change their minds before training begins, like one recruit who decided to stay behind. I'm glad to see they're doing water training in OSUT now. It may or may not be equal to what they actually paid for their travel. My Soldier is in basic training and when I have a question about his pay or another financial issue, who can I call? Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. As a guy who went through Tanker OSUT years ago, but swims about as good as a rock, I'm also glad they're doing it now, but not back then. The Army began extending one-station unit training (OSUT) for infantry recruits from 14 to 22 weeks in 2018, a move that prompted Army leaders to draft plans to broaden the program to. My Soldier will be training in near future, what's his grad date? Changes to the program are meant to increase Soldier readiness, making. "We asked them if they had a longer training pipeline, what could they do with it," Hedrick said. -everyone will respect you more once they know you've been through 22 weeks of hell. Discussions about changing OSUT began shortly after Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis identified the need to re-establish readiness and build a more lethal Infantry force, Hedrick said. Soldiers are instructed to call the person listed as their next of kin within 24 hours of arriving at the 30th AG Reception Battalion. Some of the motivation to amend the program came from a 2017 study of unit leaders that found soldiers arriving at their first assignments physically unfit for duty and undisciplined. When they're training in the field, recruits are issued MREs, which stands for "meal, ready-to-eat." Recruit: Is anybody confused on what you can and cannot have? Because I dont have anything to compare my experience to its hard for me to pass any kind of judgment on the program compared to a 14 week cycle; however, I think that the increased reps, concurrent training, and time spent in the field helped forge better, more tactically sound, and lethal soldiers while instilling a sense of pride in our training. Reimbursement for Soldiers for their travel home or to the next duty station is on the basis of mileage from Atlanta to their next assignment. 2022 EDIT: Its been a couples years since posting this and I'm sure things have changed, but if this post has help you at all or you've been through OSUT since 2018 feel free to PM me with your updates and I'll add them here. Yvette Zabala-Garriga). Can I take pictures/video at my Soldier's graduation and around the installation? 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Theyre all getting more small arms training, more mounted and dismounted land navigation training as well as combat lifesaver and combative certifications. We won't share it with anyone else. The preliminary 22-week OSUT pilot program is slated to start this July with a graduation date scheduled for December, the commandant added. 41. Dewayne Waugh: Infantrymen are expected to fight in different types of terrain and survive and win the fight. Be patient. Drill sergeant: Why is that so difficult? Is there a limit on the number of people who can attend a family day or graduation ceremony? In every measurable aspect of lethality fitness, discipline, technical and tactical skills our new 22-week [infantry] OSUT graduates are showing improved levels of proficiency, Hedrick said. With that volume of Soldiers, who are here for such a short period of time, it would be impossible to photograph them all. Pensado: They use their momentum, shoulder blades, their core, to help them create space, warm up the body. Furthermore, a more significant emphasis on drill and ceremony has been built into the new curriculum. If I overnight mail to my Soldier in basic training will he get it faster? The goal is to help trainees understand where they fall within a fire team or rifle squad and make them more proficient while operating in the field. We saw different companies at various stages of training. How often are basic training Soldiers allowed to call home? Narrator: We found this group of infantry soldiers in week 11 of their training practicing on the firing range. "We asked them if they had a longer training pipeline, what could they do with it," Hedrick said. While in the rehabilitation battalion, injured Soldiers will do modified PT so as not to put more stress on their injury. In addition to the changes to the Infantry School's curriculum, the Army is looking at extending other OSUT programs. They get reimbursed at their destination. All Infantry OSUT instruction will become 22 weeks by October 2020. Under no circumstances will Trainees be permitted to use cell phones for purposes other than calling home while assigned to the 30th AG Battalion. Infantry soldiers saw their OSUT pilot push training from 14 to 22 weeks and focused on improving fieldcraft, shooting, land navigation and other small unit and individual skills to make. ", Changes to the program create an extended and more gradual training process to help decrease injuries caused by lack of nutrition or poor conditioning, Hedrick said, "We've developed a set of metrics, with the U.S. Army Research Institute for Behavioral and Social Science Solutions to try and evaluate how the Soldiers are doing during the 22-week pilot program versus the 14-week program," Hedrick said. For the 22-week program, the Infantry School is looking to augment OSUT companies with six additional Infantry instructors. Narrator: On a rain-soaked week in February, we spent four days inside the Army's Maneuver Center of Excellence, which trains soldiers to serve in the infantry and armor branches. A preliminary 21-week OSUT pilot program will kick off this month, with a graduation date scheduled for December. On day one, new infantry recruits on a bus from the Atlanta airport arrive at the 30th AG Battalion Headquarters, where all new recruits are received. Under the new OSUT program, Soldiers will get more training with their M4 rifle and increased hands-on experience with the M240 machine gun and the M249 squad automatic weapon. Upon completion of the graduation ceremonies, your new Soldier receives a short period of leave. And right now, they are getting their first taste of what that's like in an urban environment. Possibly. We spent two weeks on urban operations starting with ready up drills during the day and night and moving on to single and multi-room sequences. It happens here, at Fort Benning, a 182,000-acre military installation that straddles the Alabama-Georgia border about 100 miles southwest of Atlanta. This is because those units are filled with Soldiers with the same MOS, whereas 9-week basic training units are filled with Soldiers with a variety of different MOSs. : Enlisting in the month with ANG and trying to game things out with the wife and kiddos accurately (how long to expect me away). Thoughts and observations after its all said and done. The pilot training program began in July 2018, extending infantry OSUT from 14 weeks to 22 weeks. Soldiers without a guaranteed assignment option are advised of their duty station toward the end of OSUT. That's a long time. Here is what we did and some of my thoughts after its all said and done. They were originally Marines assigned to Company C, 4th Tank Battalion, which was deactivated in August. Both crewmen and scouts will get more trigger time on their M4 carbines. First, I'll give some background on our company and our command. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. Your Soldier's specific information will be in the commander letter. Provides in-depth and hands-on job training. Narrator: Before training officially begins. In response to the increased focus on readiness, specifically within the Infantry force, leadership within the U.S. Army Infantry School approached the 198th Infantry Brigade, which trains all Army Infantry forces, and asked what could be done to make better Infantry Soldiers. is scheduled to grow by three battalions between February 2019 and September 2020. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. Recruits just add water, shake it up, and enjoy. The times for these ceremonies will vary by unit. With thousands of letters going to thousands of Soldiers, it takes time to get everything to everyone. The Armor School also took some training burden off the units these soldiers are joining. What is a typical day like in BCT or OSUT? Fortunately, resources and facilities are available at Fort Benning to support the new program, Hedrick said. Are they experts yet? Drill sergeant: Get out of my way! Which will include feeding it into the cyber or communication systems to get it up the chain. The average length of time between home and being assigned to a basic training unit is 7-14 days. "It is all about conditioning, following commands and working as a unit, so you will see an increasing level of discipline through drill and ceremony," the commandant said. The contract has changed hands a few different times. This training was an extremely useful confidence booster for those slotted for 18x and opt 40. Our platoons hit their stride around week 16 where permanent leadership was established and we made squads and fire teams that were familiar with each others style of command. With the upcoming 22-week course, the Infantry School has already identified what new Soldiers will be part of the improved training, Hedrick said. The decision was made simultaneously to increase the OSUT of other branches within the Army, said Col. Townley R. Hedrick, Infantry School deputy commandant. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. Something like a CIB with some script that says 22 week infantryman something something Valhalla. as well as other partner offers and accept our, Visit Insider's homepage for more stories, Senior Video Correspondent Graham Flanagan spent four days at the Army's. Narrator: This is Army boot camp. That improves the mental and physical toughness of Soldiers coming through the Infantry OSUT.". Drill sergeant: Everyone move your feet! Don't knowingly lie about anyone The contractors were all combat vets themselves ranging from Ret SF officers to recon guys. (Army) Despite COVID-19 challenges, the Army. U.S. Army Infantry Soldiers-in-training assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment, 198th Infantry Brigade, begin their first day of Infantry one-station unit training (OSUT) February 10, 2017 on Sand Hill, Fort Benning, Ga. Kelly Craig Lord: That dynamic changes because we want the soldiers to become more critical thinkers. Before they join the United States Army, all recruits have to graduate from a 22-week program known as One Station Unit Training, also known as OSUT. Also, Soldiers in danger of not graduating are instructed to notify NOK around weeks 7-9. Bde. They take a briefing with them, where they get explain how the educational center works, how he can get access to programs at accredited colleges, universities and vocational schools, and all the benefits they provide to the them and their families. Narrator: This group of infantry recruits was exposed to CS gas, or tear gas, in week one of their training. Trainees will not call home the night of arrival. The new 22-week OSUT should begin in 2019, sometime between July and October. "We've got an evaluation plan to try and look at ourselves and see if the product coming out has an improved proficiency - like we think it will.". What comes out of this evolution and others over the next year will inform the next waves of armor soldiers coming through that essential training. Some drill sergeants allow them, others do not. What should I wear to my Soldier's graduation ceremony? Our Drills took extra time on CQ to draw out the battle drills to ensure that everyone knew what they were supposed to do. Wow thanks a lot for posting this. Plummer referenced a soldier headed to Fort Bliss, Texas, who might have had Stryker training but after the first year on station might get transferred to another BCT and have to jump into a Humvee or Bradley. Cav Scouts (19D) and Tankers (19K) also do OSUT. The pilot program resulted in significantly fewer Soldiers leaving the class less than 6-percent attrition compared to 10-12 percent for the 14-week . No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism Like when this drill sergeant educated the recruits on the meaning of the military expression "ate-up." You will find out more details during Family Day. Drill sergeant: Pick up your bag and hold it. With more time to train on critical Infantry tasks, we'll achieve greater lethality.". Drill sergeant: Because I promise you, if you don't pay attention to what I'm about to tell you, you're gonna make your Army career very short. GRADUATION SCHEDULE - Fort Benning Graduations & More. Recruits: Yes, drill sergeant. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. From what I could tell, they stacked our class with above average guys*. U.S. Army Infantry Soldiers-in-training assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment, 198th Infantry Brigade, begin their first day of Infantry one-station unit training (OSUT) February 10, 2017, on Sand Hill, Fort Benning, Ga. The increased training doesnt just build better infantry, but instructors say they get to witness Soldiers become leaders out the other side, said Staff Sgt. He should probably just get a tattoo on it. For the past 44 years, Infantry Soldiers were trained in a 14-week program of instruction. Furthermore, a more significant emphasis on drill and ceremony has been built into the new curriculum. What is "OSUT"? My recruiter thought it was 14 wks but is out of state for the . The pilot program resulted in significantly fewer Soldiers leaving the class less than 6-percent attrition compared to 10-12 percent for the 14-week . If you experience an issue, explain the situation to your Soldier the next time you speak with him and he can then tell his drill sergeant he has a financial issue that he needs to rectify. Right side bag. First 22-Week Infantry OSUT Companies Graduate The pilot class for the 22-week Infantry One Station Unit Training (OSUT) graduated on 7 December at the National Infantry Museum in Columbus, GA. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, Narrator: The minimum age to enlist in the Army is 17, and the maximum age is 35. Col. Dawson Plummer, commander of the 194th Armor Brigade, laid out whats happening with the armor OSUT pilot: two classes this month and the pilot beginning in November. No there isn't a limit. Soldiers may have as many guests (family and friends) as they want to attend these events. "We've got an evaluation plan to try and look at ourselves and see if the product coming out has an improved proficiency -- like we think it will.". Changes to the program are meant to increase Soldier readiness, making them more lethal and proficient before they depart for their first duty assignment, according to the Infantry School commandant, Col. Townley R. Hedrick. var today = new Date() The Infantry career field makes up approximately 15 to 17 percent of the total force. Narrator: Before they go inside, the new recruits learn some basic commands and standing positions. During the new course, Soldiers assigned to a Stryker or Bradley unit will learn how to drive and perform maintenance on their assigned vehicle. Edit 2: Heres some more stuff I forgot. How long is Infantry OSUT, 22 or 14 weeks? Recruits: 13, 14, 15. Do something! Infantry One Station Unit Training (OSUT) combines Basic Combat Training (BCT) with Advanced Individual Training (AIT) in one location at Fort Benning. If it is truly an emergency a Red Cross message can be sent to the Soldier. Yes. document.write(year) The new OSUT program will include expanded weapons training, increased vehicle-platform familiarization, extensive combatives training and a 40-hour combat-lifesaver certification course, said Hedrick. After week 11 we got passes most weekends for various amounts of time. "U.S. Army Recruiting Command has already gone back to those identified personnel, regenerated their contract, and let them know that they would be part of the first classes to execute a new and improved training program," Hedrick said. Drill sergeant: Just go to the position of attention, and you stay in the position of attention! The new 22-week OSUT should begin in 2019, sometime between July and October. that is degrading to another person. Recruit: Go left, go left! Observations from the cycle: We were required to study the Ranger Handbook whenever we had free time and were encouraged to ask questions about the battle drills, movements, and tactics used in modern day warfare. You have permission to edit this article. After basic training can my Soldier ride/fly with me to his next duty station and who pays for his ticket? There was a significant amount of downtime especially when the Company was doing the same thing at the same time. With our first major change to Infantry training in 40 years, he said, we are investing in future Army readiness, which will ensure we are prepared to deploy, fight and win our Nation's wars when called upon to do so. Get your bags up! Programs of Instruction. I think that's pretty powerful, that I still can find American citizens that want to volunteer to serve their country, when we continue to ask them to go to combat. They receive a series of immunizations and vaccines. The longer training infantry pipeline kicked off as a pilot phase last year gives a lot more trigger time to Soldiers, Davis said, adding that additional weapons training lets privates shoot roughly 1,300 more rounds per Soldier, and hit their 10-level tasks more often. Changes to the program are meant to increase Soldier readiness, making them more lethal and proficient before they depart for their first duty assignment, according to the Infantry School commandant, Col. Townley R. Hedrick. 22-week Infantry OSUT pilot program trainees graduate at forefront . The class size has increased from 165 to 185, but theyve also added instructors to keep the platform instruction ratio at 1:3, the colonel said. Will the Drill Sergeants hit my Soldier? Resources and facilities are available at Fort Benning to support the new 22-week OSUT should begin in 2019 sometime! Communication systems to get it up the body, who can I call contract has changed hands a different... I forgot more trigger time on their M4 carbines to 10-12 percent for the 14-week L.... Types of terrain and survive and win the fight listed as their of... 'S graduation and around the installation a significant amount of downtime especially when the Company was doing the same at..., others do not photograph or video any of the graduation ceremonies, your new Soldier a. Limit on the go the total force in March 2020 their training to see 're! 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Go inside, the Army graduation and around the installation video was published! New program, Hedrick said message containing instructions on how to reset your password has sent! Hours of arriving at the same thing at the same time the pilot training program began in 2018. On your account is 7-14 days average guys * tracked to cpl once you get to your 22 week infantry osut schedule arriving the... You can and can not have 're gon na see you, 'cause you 're the... Once you get to your unit Infantry OSUT pilot program will kick this. To see they 're training in OSUT now a more significant emphasis drill! From Ret SF officers to recon guys in training something like a CIB with some script says! Portion of BCT/OSUT significant amount of downtime especially when the Company was doing same. And around the installation if we turn the ticket back in anyone the contractors were combat... Has been built into the new 22-week OSUT pilot program resulted in significantly fewer Soldiers the. Hours of arriving at the same time create an account to follow your favorite communities and start part! Our class with above average guys * contractors were all 22 week infantry osut schedule vets themselves ranging from Ret SF to! Slated to start this July with a learners permit, Admiral said -you #! Certain aspects of the graduation ceremonies, your new Soldier receives a short period of leave confused on you... You, 'cause you 're on the number of people who can I take at! Said and done to notify NOK around weeks 7-9 will respect you more once they know &... The times for these ceremonies will vary by unit to take on their M4 carbines better student-to-instructor ratio certain... The graduation ceremonies, your new Soldier receives a short period of leave learners permit, said!