Back to Basics
From the Foxhole to the Pulpit
Back to Basics
Basic Training is something that every enlisted soldier has in common. However, some enlisted soldiers remain in the military, climb in rank as a Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO), and have the distinct honor of experiencing Basic Training, over and over again. By this I mean that they become Drill Sergeants. Drill Sergeant duty is two years in length, with the option of volunteering for a third year. Most are more than ready to go back to a regular unit after two years of Drill Sergeant duty, as for me, serving a third year aligned with the circumstances of life; both for me professionally and for my family. Now, I am mentioning this for a couple of reasons. First, to point out that I do have quite a bit of experience with Basic Training and Advance Individual Training (BT and AIT); which is required for all enlisted ranks and all Military Occupational Specialties (MOS, the soldier’s specific job). As an estimate, I have been through Basic Training 12 times, once as a civilian becoming a solder, and at least 11 times as a Drill Sergeant. The second reason for bringing this up is that for the next several editions, I will be drawing specifically, from this experience to provide insight for this article; From the Foxhole to the Pulpit.
Shock-Day: The day of pick-up is often referred to as shock-day. Days earlier, civilians took the oath of enlistment, arrived a Reception Battalion, processed into the Army (ID, haircuts, medical…) and were prepared to be shipped off to their training battalion. Soon they would be face to face with their Drill Sergeants, who will be in their face for the next 13 weeks (BT and AIT for an Infantry Soldier). The term shock-day is used to describe the soldiers first arrival at their training battalion. Because it is without a doubt a shock to the system of most civilians. These new recruits are yelled at, moved about as quickly and efficiently as possible, and they are yelled at some more. They are frequently dropped for push-ups, yelled at for doing them incorrectly, placed in formation, and did I mention that they were yelled out some more. It is only after this moment of shock that things quickly calm down, soldiers are placed into their platoons and then introduced to the Drill Sergeants that they will be with throughout this phase of their training. What may seem at first like utter chaos is actually a controlled, high energy, very loud, but efficient way of accomplishing two goals. The first goal is the forming of each platoon in the Basic Training Company. The second goal is to let the new recruits understand that things are different here and life as they know it was about to change.
Shock-day may or may not exist in the Army today, after all, I entered the Army in 1984 and served as a Drill Sergeant from 1992 to 1995; things do change. However, spiritually I do believe that shock-day still exists. When I received Jesus as my Lord and Savior as a young teenager, I was shocked and remain shocked that God would choose me to be a part of His family. Paul wrote in Ephesians 1:4, “just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love…” King David expressed his shock in Psalm 8:4, “What is man that You are mindful of Him…” Shock-day for me, may have begun when the day of salvation came to my heart, but it continues as I stand in awe that our Creator is intimately involved in His creation. That God would allow me to commune with Him in prayer and that the Son of God would put on human flesh, dwell among men, and die for our sins. Like a new recruit, shock-day is a day that I will never forget. In Christ, everything is different, and my life was now changed for eternity.
Back to Basics
Basic Training is something that every enlisted soldier has in common. However, some enlisted soldiers remain in the military, climb in rank as a Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO), and have the distinct honor of experiencing Basic Training, over and over again. By this I mean that they become Drill Sergeants. Drill Sergeant duty is two years in length, with the option of volunteering for a third year. Most are more than ready to go back to a regular unit after two years of Drill Sergeant duty, as for me, serving a third year aligned with the circumstances of life; both for me professionally and for my family. Now, I am mentioning this for a couple of reasons. First, to point out that I do have quite a bit of experience with Basic Training and Advance Individual Training (BT and AIT); which is required for all enlisted ranks and all Military Occupational Specialties (MOS, the soldier’s specific job). As an estimate, I have been through Basic Training 12 times, once as a civilian becoming a solder, and at least 11 times as a Drill Sergeant. The second reason for bringing this up is that for the next several editions, I will be drawing specifically, from this experience to provide insight for this article; From the Foxhole to the Pulpit.
Shock-Day: The day of pick-up is often referred to as shock-day. Days earlier, civilians took the oath of enlistment, arrived a Reception Battalion, processed into the Army (ID, haircuts, medical…) and were prepared to be shipped off to their training battalion. Soon they would be face to face with their Drill Sergeants, who will be in their face for the next 13 weeks (BT and AIT for an Infantry Soldier). The term shock-day is used to describe the soldiers first arrival at their training battalion. Because it is without a doubt a shock to the system of most civilians. These new recruits are yelled at, moved about as quickly and efficiently as possible, and they are yelled at some more. They are frequently dropped for push-ups, yelled at for doing them incorrectly, placed in formation, and did I mention that they were yelled out some more. It is only after this moment of shock that things quickly calm down, soldiers are placed into their platoons and then introduced to the Drill Sergeants that they will be with throughout this phase of their training. What may seem at first like utter chaos is actually a controlled, high energy, very loud, but efficient way of accomplishing two goals. The first goal is the forming of each platoon in the Basic Training Company. The second goal is to let the new recruits understand that things are different here and life as they know it was about to change.
Shock-day may or may not exist in the Army today, after all, I entered the Army in 1984 and served as a Drill Sergeant from 1992 to 1995; things do change. However, spiritually I do believe that shock-day still exists. When I received Jesus as my Lord and Savior as a young teenager, I was shocked and remain shocked that God would choose me to be a part of His family. Paul wrote in Ephesians 1:4, “just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love…” King David expressed his shock in Psalm 8:4, “What is man that You are mindful of Him…” Shock-day for me, may have begun when the day of salvation came to my heart, but it continues as I stand in awe that our Creator is intimately involved in His creation. That God would allow me to commune with Him in prayer and that the Son of God would put on human flesh, dwell among men, and die for our sins. Like a new recruit, shock-day is a day that I will never forget. In Christ, everything is different, and my life was now changed for eternity.
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