EBOOK
About
There is absolutely nothing in the American experience comparable to basic training or boot camp. If you haven't been through it, you can't understand it. But, if you've been through it, you never forget it.
No matter where they live, all American fighting men and women have one thing in common: They have survived basic military training. They've crawled through the swamps on Parris Island, stood in the frigid cold guarding a Dumpster at Great Lakes, struggled to complete fifteen bars on the horizontal ladder to get to the chow hall at Ft. Jackson, fought desperately to stay awake after long days without sleep at Lackland. They were shaved and screamed at, they barely ate, they marched a hundred miles, and they accomplished things they never would have dreamed were possible. They made the epic journey from civilian to soldier in eight weeks... and gained a lifetime of memories in the process.
If you've done it, you will recognize the Drill Instructors, the marching chants, the movie segments, the proper way to make a hospital corner, the jokes, the camaraderie and the shared feeling of triumph. And, those who haven't done it-yet-will understand and appreciate this life-changing experience.
Basic is the story of that training. Col. Jack Jacobs and David Fisher tell the funny, sad, dramatic, poignant, and sometimes crazy history of how America has trained its military, told through the indelible memories of those who remember the experiences as if they happened yesterday.
No matter where they live, all American fighting men and women have one thing in common: They have survived basic military training. They've crawled through the swamps on Parris Island, stood in the frigid cold guarding a Dumpster at Great Lakes, struggled to complete fifteen bars on the horizontal ladder to get to the chow hall at Ft. Jackson, fought desperately to stay awake after long days without sleep at Lackland. They were shaved and screamed at, they barely ate, they marched a hundred miles, and they accomplished things they never would have dreamed were possible. They made the epic journey from civilian to soldier in eight weeks... and gained a lifetime of memories in the process.
If you've done it, you will recognize the Drill Instructors, the marching chants, the movie segments, the proper way to make a hospital corner, the jokes, the camaraderie and the shared feeling of triumph. And, those who haven't done it-yet-will understand and appreciate this life-changing experience.
Basic is the story of that training. Col. Jack Jacobs and David Fisher tell the funny, sad, dramatic, poignant, and sometimes crazy history of how America has trained its military, told through the indelible memories of those who remember the experiences as if they happened yesterday.
Related Subjects
Reviews
"The unique transition from civilian to Soldier has always generated tall tales... about the environment, the changes, and of course the ever-present Drill Sergeant who changes your life. While the portrayed events usually grow with exaggeration and some added humor as Soldiers grow older, Jack Jacobs and Dave Fisher have captured the 'war stories' of basic training in a uniquely hilarious and moving way. Well done, gentlemen and patriots!"
Mark Hertling, Former Deputy Commander for Initial Military Training, US Army
"Movies and television shows have taught us to think of boot camp as a grueling physical challenge--and it is that--but what we take away here is a deeper understanding of the punishing psychological component as recruits learn to box up their individuality in favor of conformity and the unfaltering following of orders."
Booklist
"Provides a clear and sometimes mordantly amusing overview of the training experience, punctuating it with personal accounts from soldiers."
Kirkus Reviews