Boot Camp Season Two Marathon

this is season two of boot camp military and law enforcement training continued in 2020. stop punching your face but with major changes across the board first we headed to the freezing plains of canada to see how future mounties get ready to protect and serve their country nunes in what year did we become the royal canadian mounted police 1920. really that's what you're gonna give me that's as loud as you can be heaven forbid the day you have to yell at someone stop police drop the knife because they're coming at you with an edged weapon there's no whispering there's no room for meek and mild in this job these cadets are training to become members of the royal canadian mounted police more commonly known as the mounties but before they don the iconic scarlet tunic known as the red surge all cadets have to graduate from the rcmp's 26-week training program which combines intense tactical training with customs and traditions that are steeped in canadian history every year about 1 000 cadets graduate from the academy before joining the 20 000 rcmp officers serving across the country [Music] on a bitterly cold week in december we spent five days at the academy where we saw different troops at various stages of the 26-week training program on day one a new troop is welcomed by the academy's commanding officer everybody wants you to be successful we're incredibly happy that you're finally sitting in these seats as members of troop 29 and we want you to be successful but we're not going to do it for you you have to do it for yourselves the application process which includes a polygraph test can take about eight months everybody took a year out of your life to finally get here we sometimes see cadets go home after 24 hours it takes probably a couple of weeks to get used to the routine so give it at least a couple of weeks work hard have some fun and good luck are we a kinder police organization that is a comment that we actually verbally say out loud now we're in the service industry we're out there to serve the canadian public so if we create that type of environment we're hopeful that the cadets will remember that and when they are out in their various communities that they will continue to work with the communities as they were trained training happens here at rcmp academy depot division located in regina saskatchewan about 100 miles north of the u.s border it's a region of canada known as the prairie where during our visit to regina sustained winds combined with the low temperature made it consistently feel about negative 25 degrees fahrenheit the starting salary for a constable in the rcmp is about 53 000 a year after three years it increases to about 86 000 applicants must be at least 19 years old and willing to relocate anywhere in canada including remote territories like yukon and nunavut the royal canadian mounted police as we know it today was founded in 1920. the canadian rockies the legendary mounties are the symbol of law and order in this vast domain although they're called mounties the rcmp isn't a mounted police force and horses are only used for ceremonial events [Music] we're not what you see in the movies from hollywood people see the red jackets pointy hats on black horses and they think that's what the rcmp is but we're police officers first and foremost and i think that's probably the biggest misconception the reality is policing back roads and small towns by yourself we are a police force that's the biggest message and it all starts here at depot i need you to stand up you're under assault the weapon where most of the training is focused on mastering police procedure practiced in realistic scenarios where cadets play the roles of both the officer and the suspect anything that you do say to me can be used as evidence do you understand yeah i just want you a little messed up i didn't mean to i'm not that type of person okay good to know did i get a 10 28 10 29 prose on a saskatchewan marker when ready go ahead we're trying to prepare them for the realities of policing do you have anything on you that could hurt me or you policing isn't an easy profession we make the program such that they will be physically and mentally prepared but they also have to have common sense they have to know their powers of arrest they have to know the law so it's a real combination of two things that need to happen all at once male and female cadets trained together at depot and even face each other in police defensive tactics training or pdt obviously in policing we don't choose our opponent we're not going to be always be matched with a normal size like you would see in a sport of boxing or mma most of our cadets come here without any backgrounds at all some of them have never been involved in a fight so it's very difficult for them to understand how to deal with a situation like that cadets are faced with additional disadvantages sometimes they're only allowed to use one hand or they're only allowed to use leg strikes another exercise requires one combatant to spin around in circles before the fight begins if you get into a fight with an opponent out there in the street it could happen that you get hit in the head and that can create like some kind of dizziness a little bit of a concussion type of uh scenario we want to make sure that they have this kind of understanding without putting them into a concussion obviously because we don't want them to be hurting themselves but with punches flying minor injuries do occur sometimes some things like that happen we try to mitigate that as much as we can so it's almost a good thing that he can feel that so then if it happens in the field he knows how to deal with it yeah that's fine in this scenario [Applause] cadets attempt to subdue an aggressive assailant and apply handcuffs but it's not easy to make the scenario more challenging cadets are matched up with assailants who are bigger and stronger than they are whose objective is to try and grab the gun and baton from the cadet's duty belt the reason that we do this is basically to allow the police officer to reassess the totality of that situation and now that jeopardy has raised for the police officer they should be able to reassess that situation communication is the big key here they want to communicate with their partner and then come up with a new plan based on their risk assessment which is always evolving nobody dies at depot this is the place to make mistakes because when police officers make mistakes people get hurt some of the stuff they see and will see is not nice and we need to help prepare them for that physically and mentally being exposed to pepper spray is a common part of law enforcement training and it's no different in the rcmp we want them to get an appreciation for using pepper spray so they understand essentially that it's painful and so they understand that it works it's effective and that they can fight through it if they are exposed to a sea spray themselves they do 50 jumping jacks so we just want to get their heart rate up just to simulate as if they were in some sort of a physical altercation perhaps they then go into the actual chamber where it's been contaminated with pepper spray you've already gone 10-19 i said just make the arrest and then they have to make and rest on the subject inside that chamber keeping their eyes open being aware of their surroundings and fighting through that painful experience but at depot cadets take it to another level after being exposed cadets exit the facility and perform an arrest in the freezing cold would you like to speak to a lawyer when we get back to the office they probably barely notice the cold when they're out there after immediately after the exposure it's only once that the effects have worn off that they've realized it's actually cold outside it actually will help somewhat with numbing that pain of the pepper spray once they get back into a warmer environment just had to adjust the volume is everybody able to hear me over there elaine what can you hear me okay you guys can hear me okay okay because the things that i say are so important cadets fire between 800 and 900 rounds during their 65 hours of training on the firing range probably fifteen twenty percent of the cadets that show up have some sort of firearms experience whether that's pistol shotgun rifle or hunting we're able to take someone with absolutely no pistol or firearms experience and make them quite good shooters and successful through the program so week two they're actually issued their service pistol smith wesson 5946 that is their pistol and it will follow them through their career until they so retire or move on to something else [Music] firearms is a very important skill set to have and if the day ever comes that you actually need to rely on your pistol to protect a human life it's going to be a situation where we hope that you're proficient and you're prepared for that day when it does come i was here yesterday i'm trying to make a living drop the knife sir you're always jacking me up okay we're gonna pause this scenario cadets interact with a video in which role players create a scenario that tests judgment sir can i see your heart and how to de-escalate a threatening situation the judgment simulation room is also equipped with what's known as a shoot back cannon which fires projectiles at cadets we can basically give them a little shot with the shootback cannon and it will remind them to go use cover so it only needs once or twice and then they quickly get behind cover every cadet is required to pass the pair test pair stands for physical ability requirement evaluation you're going to run hard everyone's going to get superior today and it's used to determine a cadet's physical ability for duty ready face yourself buddy the pair is the current job standard test that we use it's the measure of success for fitness and physical ability when cadets graduate from depot so if a cadet is unsuccessful at pair then they will not graduate from our program the cadets will run six laps of an obstacle course that includes running over a set of stairs twice in each lap as well as jumping over some lower hurdles and going over a three foot barrier laying on the ground and getting up so they go through that circuit six times and then they move into what we call the push pull station that replicates that altercation and they need to push and maneuver a weight six times the weight is 70 pounds the standard for what we call a pass is 4 minutes and 45 seconds in policing the physical demands are unpredictable and it's difficult to do your job well or safely if you are unfit cadets are also timed in scenario-specific training like this exercise where the objective is to load up a truck bed with various life-saving supplies each item weighs about 50 pounds and the goal is to safely load the truck in less than two minutes 202.9 training moves outside when cadets work with a dog handler this is bailey she was my partner as a police dog i spent seven years on the road with her as a police dog and we were partners she goes on what are called uniform runs supposed to simulate running with a dog handler pursuing a suspect or looking for a lost person come on let's go we end up going over a lot of fences when we're chasing bad guys it's just the nature of how our work is to try and get a dog over a fence the our main concern is the safety of the dog we don't want the dog getting hurt chasing somebody and so there's certain ways to get the dogs over the fence they utilize her harness so what we usually do is get one person at the top of the fence sit on top of the fence and then i hand the dog up to them and their job is to make sure she does come back over the fence or jump down the other side and hurt herself we're lucky with bailey bailey is very friendly and very easy to work around the cadets used as a bit of a learning tool to show them how to be around the dog and what the dog looks like when it's actually working what a tremendous opportunity the turning point for this troop cadets have to pass a rigorous inspection of their barracks known in the rcmp as pits cadets lay out all components of their duty belt on their beds and stand by while an officer inspects all of their clothing and personal belongings look what you have done a cow sacrificed their life for your belt of what you've done to it how they do present their pits and anthropos is an extension of themselves and it does translate to other areas across the cadet training program it is -25 right now and you're out here in a forge cap you're out here not prepared for duty this entire troop will be at learning assistance tomorrow morning at 7 30. wear your fur cap and carry your hat here so you can wear for class what sets the rcmp apart is its uncompromising attention to detail [Music] which is on full display in the drill hall where cadets spend hours practicing marching maneuvers and customs it's an extremely valuable component of training here because it teaches cadets that sense of discipline self-control and composure you need to see a chiropractor or something put your feet forward it's about conditioning the mind simple commands you respond you see the threat you respond even though it looks very ceremonial in nature it's all connected back to doing policing the bottom of the flap all the way down here lower it the bottom here that's where it should be why are those things important in our uniform public perception of us what happens if we have poor public perception lack of faith it's not about buttons and zippers and it's not about marching everything has a connection back to policing attention to detail in your uniform translates to looking for what's missing looking for what might be evidence when you get out into the field [Music] drill practice culminates in a ceremony known as the sergeant majors parade and every week there's a special guest in attendance a 28 year old man with special needs named matthew he has come to the rcmp depot parade on tuesdays for the past six years and it's his like ultimate thing this is what he looks most forward to is being able to come here and have this relationship that he's developed with the drill unit again on the other it's just tremendous like they've just sort of taken him under their wing and he has his own uniform you know they made him an honorary cadet although the mounties are known for their iconic scarlet tunic this is the uniform you'll actually see a modern mountie wearing on duty but the red surge remains a defining characteristic of the rcmp used as the formal attire for ceremonial events the uniform comes together here where a team of more than 20 tailors alter the uniforms to the specific measurements of each cadet we take them apart we put them together and do the alterations we like to see the smile on their faces when they come in and you know get fitted when they receive the tunics and they know that you know they're wearing a prestigious garment [Music] the week before graduation cadets attend what's known as the regimental dinner held in the officer's mess it's a tradition that according to the rcmp media has not been allowed to attend before now it exposes them to the importance of our history we adhere to some very old traditions that we've inherited from the british army and the canadian army that we've made our own to the queen one seat at the table is left unoccupied to honor the memory of the more than 240 rcmp officers who have died in the line of duty it's really a culmination of that family piece that we talk about right from the beginning that building of that esprit de corps sitting there together as the four celebrating the organization that they're just about to join [Music] before they graduate cadets take part in the oath ceremony this troop took their oaths in french after taking the oaths the cadets removed the epaulettes from their uniforms signifying that they're no longer cadets [Applause] [Music] they've become members of the mount of police they grow two inches and they look so proud and their families and their friends when they see them are so proud of what they've achieved canadians trust the rcmp and have for a very long time it's fragile and we have to make sure that we maintain that [Music] next to fort benning georgia one of the us army's biggest bases where future soldiers are trained why are you moving why are you moving this is army boot camp [Music] 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 osit it happens here at fort benning a 182 000 acre military installation that straddles the alabama-georgia border about 100 miles southwest of atlanta every year more than 18 000 soldiers graduate before joining the more than 470 000 people actively serving in the army although most of the recruits that we saw during our time there were male recruits trained together in gender integrated platoons these young men and women that volunteer to serve they show up to us as civilians and then we take them through a transformative process to turn them into soldiers let's go to position attention and you stand position of touching 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 we saw different companies at various stages of training on day one new infantry recruits on a bus from the atlanta airport arrive at the 30th a.g battalion headquarters where all new recruits are received listen up joy i want to hear from you at this point is yes real sorry do you understand yes you will pass your voters to the front the minimum age to enlist in the army is 17 and the maximum age is 35. the base salary for an entry-level private is about 20 000 a year 30 seconds hurry up once they're off the bus the first order of business is establishing the code of conduct because i promise you if you don't pay attention to what i'm about to tell you you're going to make your army career very short you treat everybody with dignity and respect regardless of race religion color national origin gender sexual orientation and all other protected categories yes yes sexual assault is any unwanted physical contact in a sexual nature so if you put your hands on another individual and you're not instructed to or you're not saving their life and they file a sexual assault and it comes down that you put your hands on this individual when you weren't supposed to that is going to be on you you will get kicked out of the military and then you will probably have to file as a registered sex offender do you understand before they go inside the new recruits learned some basic commands and standing positions everyone look down at their toes you should be able to fit a slice of pizza in between your toes if you look around they're gonna see you cause you're taller than everyone else the recruits grab the snack that's waiting for them inside consisting of a fruit cup sunflower seeds a granola bar and a juice box strength in every crisis or conflict make no mistake about it the journey you are embarking upon will not be easy but you wouldn't be here if we didn't think you couldn't meet the challenge listen up your last four years social after being welcomed recruits begin what's known as processing which can take one to two weeks before their actual training begins and a little bit will give you a period to go in a room by yourself first they're given one last chance to discreetly dispose of prohibited contraband like drugs alcohol tobacco and inappropriate photographs if any photo you possess on your phone is less than a bathing suit you will not have it you will delete them all recruits get rid of contraband in an amnesty room where they dispose of it by throwing it down a metal shoot is anybody confused on what you can they cannot have the next morning the recruits report to the barber shop where one barber has worked at fort benning for almost 60 years i've been here ever since 1963 that's a long time i should have been retired a long time ago but i wake up in the morning now we want to come out here and go to work recruits are issued uniforms they receive a series of immunizations and vaccines and get their official photo taken along with myriad housekeeping details that fill up their one to two week stay in processing hey sit up straight that is until processing ends and the time for training finally arrives let's go grab your bags and go we found a company of recruits about to begin training in the armor school who's a bridle these recruits are about to be picked up and taken to their barracks where they'll reside for the rest of their training [Music] let's go you guys are going to the front bus go this is the last chance for recruits to change their minds before training begins like one recruit who decided to stay behind this short bus ride from processing to their new barracks will be the most peaceful moments these recruits will experience for a while what happens next is known as the shark attack you won't rise well it's really just a little shock to the system so we can break them down to build them back shut the hell up we're breaking a lot of habits uh from the civilian world and nothing better than a little shock to the system to establish that that drill sergeant is in charge to let us start our training the recruits spend much of the shark attack holding their heavy bags above their heads which takes a physical toll why is that so difficult you can't pick that bag up you decided to join the army and you can't pick that right back right side back right side after about 20 minutes the intensity begins to subside and the drill sergeant's tone changes [Music] [Applause] [Music] after the shock and awe of the shark attack things do appear to calm down is it a video it's a movie i always wanted to be a star we found this group of infantry soldiers in week 11 of their training practicing on the firing range the mood was much more relaxed and their conversations with their drill sergeants are conducted at normal volumes like when this drill sergeant educated the recruits on the meaning of the military expression ate up it's a piece of ate up gum good you don't want something that's ate up right you want something fresh you break the seal smells like olive oil right okay that dynamic changes because we want the soldiers to become more critical thinkers at that point we are turning into more coaches and mentors we dial it back a little bit so we don't want them frightened we want them to be comfortable in any state of mind that is receptive to learning and performing at that level up to 241 hours of infantry osit are devoted to marksmanship where recruits fire about 2500 rounds using the m4 carbine as well as the m249 squad automatic weapon or saw we create lethality we create expert marksmen at their individual weapons because as an infantry soldier that's what we're asking them to do recruits get one of the most painful parts of training out of the way early once we check yourself you will not touch your promise this group of infantry recruits was exposed to cs gas or tear gas in week one of their training you're gonna continue to fall in until we tell you to stop you're gonna place your back against the wall the recruits spend about five minutes inside the gas hut [Music] upon exiting the gas hud the recruits are told to flap their arms like birds to remove excess gas from their uniforms according to a drill sergeant the effects of the gas begin to wear off after about four minutes some training moves indoors like combatives where recruits learn hand-to-hand self-defense tactics we're trying to teach them to achieve a dominant body position so get out of one negative position and then switch roles so they end up having the upper hand in a fight during combatives training recruits warm up with a particularly painful looking exercise referred to as the eo while laying on their backs they have to engage their core to wiggle across the entire room they use their momentum shoulder blades their core to help them create space warm up the body recruits work up a major appetite during training but fort benning is big and they're not always within range of the dining facility when they're training in the field recruits are issued mres which stands for meal ready to eat each comes with an entree like this vegetarian pasta with taco sauce along with an assortment of items like mixed fruit an energy bar and this instant french vanilla cappuccino recruits just add water shake it up and enjoy once they're fortified recruits return to their training recruits spend up to 60 hours in training known as mout which stands for military operations in urban terrain infantrymen are expected to fight in different types of terrain and survive and win the fight right now they are getting their first taste of uh what that's like in an urban environment rolling tea all right coming up in operations across afghanistan iraq we are conducting clearance operations and it's applicable wherever we go boom it's important for the future soldiers muscle memory because they are working as a team with minimal communication and they have to understand how that coordination works together do it again after 22 weeks of training these infantrymen are ready to leave fort benning friends and family gather to watch their soldiers graduate on noa field [Music] they look like soldiers they act like soldiers they're carrying their head high i have trainees that were not alive when 9 11 happen 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 [Music] these new infantry men don't have long to greet their loved ones or say goodbye to their friends before leaving fort benning to begin their service in the united states army soon after we visited fort benning covid 19 was declared a pandemic making an immediate impact on training this is how training changed at fort benning and other bases and academies around the country the army's mission will not stop we're going to continue to train within some limitations this is very hard i'm just going to lay it out this this is hard hard and that we're also going to continue to train our mission the kovid 19 crisis has already made an impact on training at the u.s army's maneuver center of excellence inside the fort benning military base new medical screenings and protocols are changing the way basic training is conducted every year about 69 000 soldiers arrive at fort benning where future infantry and armor soldiers go through basic combat training the footage of training in this video was shot when we visited fort benning in february of 2020 before training was impacted by the crisis as of march 28th six confirmed cases of covet 19 have been connected to fort benning according to the army the patients were not part of training operations on march 24th fort benning's commanding general gave updates and answered questions in a town hall broadcast on facebook live for the moms and dads that are out there and all the loved ones across america we do not have any positive cover 19 cases in the training base right now now i'm not going to be naive and say that it may not happen but we'll continue to screen we'll continue to offer the best protection and mitigation measures that we can for all of our soldiers every week hundreds of new recruits arrive from all over the country to begin their one station unit training usually on buses like this one according to major general gary britto new recruits will still be received amid the pandemic at this point we'll also continue to receive future soldiers although perhaps in smaller numbers over the next couple months according to britto incoming recruits get their temperature taken before they board the vehicle that takes them to fort benning and they're asked questions about where they've recently been and if they're feeling any symptoms we can make the call for when a person shows up and they may be coming from one of those states that is heavily hit like new york state at this time and move he or she directly to a safe quarantined location to ensure that we minimize the risk of any covert 19 spreads as for the thousands of recruits currently training at fort benning training will continue albeit with some limitations as you all know we're going to continue our training there's a lot of measures in place to assist us and and social distancing managing physical distance and the simple risk that our soldiers maybe open up to as you can see from this footage shot in february some of the training requires physical contact but because of the new health risks recruits are being ordered to incorporate a so-called physical dispersion of at least 40 inches which is a bit more than three feet between themselves and other recruits according to fort benning training like you see here known as combatives which requires physical contact has been temporarily suspended and for training like military operations in urban terrain or mount instructors are ordering recruits to incorporate social distancing as much as possible the commanders and command sergeant majors are empowered to keep the soldiers physically fit keeping in mind the dispersion and the group stuff just needs to stop that is something that will continue we'll have to continue to monitor and stop people if they're doing the wrong thing perhaps the biggest impact is what happens to the soldiers after they graduate all visitors are prohibited from attending graduation ceremonies which typically happen every week and the future timelines for graduates ready to join the army remains unclear as of now they will remain here at fort betting and we're working with the army through department of defense policies on how and when they will be shipped to their gaining unit i cannot put a timeline on that now according to major general britto there is no shortage of space at fort benning to house the graduates who for now cannot leave and so far it's going well for us but i don't want to be naive enough to say that the threat was not going to continue and we'll mitigate and treat it the best we can and make the prudent decisions to protect our force family members civilians and soldiers included of all ranks the best we can as well covet is very serious we're taking it seriously obviously it's having an impact like it is everywhere else in the nation that doesn't mean that we're not prepared and we're not working actively like most americans are to mitigate this thing on march 30th the washington post reported that according to anonymous defense officials between 20 and 50 positive cases have been confirmed at the marine corps recruit depot in parris island south carolina [Music] where about 20 000 marine recruits graduate from a 13-week training program every year we did have a increase in covet cases among our recruit population based on that we had everyone there in contact with already in quarantine so they were quarantined immediately with the number of confirmed cases rising the pentagon ordered individual military bases to stop providing specific numbers of covid 19 cases to the press and public out of a concern for operational security with regard to readiness hey catherine mcdonald this is graham flanagan we spoke on the phone with recruit depot spokesperson captain brian mcdonald about how the kovid 19 crisis is impacting recruits during training covet is very serious we're taking it seriously as is the rest of the dod but it's one element of uncertainty in a world that has more factors than that for sure which is why the marine corps exists the footage of training in this video was shot when we visited paris island in october of 2019 when new recruits arrive at paris island they normally step onto these yellow footprints which symbolizes the beginning of their training now amid the crisis all incoming recruits undergo a 14-day staging period before they set foot on the yellow footprints during staging they are medically screened multiple times a day regardless of whether someone's asymptomatic or not when they arrive on the depot they'll be in a holding pattern for two weeks until they come out clear on the other side of that but new recruits won't be arriving at paris island for at least a week as of march 30th the shipment of new recruits is temporarily suspended according to the recruit depot new physical distancing measures are being implemented like in the squad base where recruits sleep there must now be six feet in between each rack or bed recruits also practice physical distancing in the chow hall where more space is being opened up and utilized for recruits to safely eat their meals but training will go on and as you can see from these pictures taken on march 24th some exercises require close physical contact like martial arts according to mcdonald physical distancing is being implemented in training at the discretion of the instructors there are folks in various stages of training that have been here for weeks it's been assessed based on medical input and various other factors that their overall risk of covert exposure is quite low relative to folks who are coming out of the depot but people also need to be trained how to fight how to shoot how to swim to do all those things that that we do as marines graduations like this one will continue to occur but they're closed to all visitors according to mcdonald physical distancing will be implemented into marching formations with space between each graduate following graduation the new marines will ship out of paris island and head to the training that subsequently occurs on other bases companies currently on the depot right now the plan is that they will continue to train in a modified and responsible way covet is one uncertain factor in the world full of uncertainties which is why we have a marine corps so it's definitely important to us that we take care of our recruits it's certainly not easy but i would attest that it's not easy for most folks around america trying to figure out how to grapple with this [Music] what's happened over the last couple of months is we've had to modify almost every aspect of training stop punching your face we still have the same mission to turn civilians into the future of the coast guard to the same standards to get out there to conduct coast guard missions but we've had to modify quite a few things according to captain kathy felger of the united states coast guard there have been zero confirmed cases of covid 19 at the training center in cape may new jersey but recruit training has seen drastic transformations because of the pandemic the coast guard provided this footage that shows what recruit training is like during the crisis when they arrive we do temperatures we look for symptoms we ask the same basic questions under the guidance of the cdc they're monitored daily and anybody that does present symptoms fever coughing etc will get tested for covid19 upon arrival in cape may a new policy known as restriction of movement or rom keeps incoming recruits quarantined for 14 days before they begin their training and training looks a lot different from when we visited cape may in november of 2018 long before physical distancing became the norm [Applause] this is what it looked like when recruits arrived in 2018 and this is what it looks like now our normal company size is anywhere from 100 to 120 and under this new process we're only bringing in 48 to 50 and that's based on safety basically and what we could isolate here in the event that we did have an outbreak of covid so we've reduced the size of the company significantly this officer right and how can you tell them so during this two-week restriction of movement period the staff that's working with them they can still instill the discipline in the squad bay but not in a intense disciplinarian environment the lessons that they're getting are about obeying orders following rules learning their coast guard recruit regulations a little bit of light physical fitness so they're getting some of the content of the curriculum in this period without the intensity once rom ends recruits begin their regular six-week training program albeit with some limitations after the two weeks it's presumed you know we've mitigated the risk as much as possible the company commanders will be maintaining that physical distance if the company commander needs to engage and be closer than six feet to a recruit they will wear a mask and engage that way but the recruits themselves will still be in close quarters training that's part of the team building getting them to march together close order drill one place physical distancing is strictly enforced is the galley where recruits eat their meals or chow this footage from 2018 shows what chao used to look like and this is what it looks like during covet 19. one of the biggest impacts is how the crisis has affected graduations as you can see in this footage from 2018 graduation ceremonies are normally an emotional celebratory occasion attended by friends and loved ones but amid the pandemic it's a much different affair each ceremony is live streamed on facebook on a normal graduation we might have 100 views recently i think we had up to 900 because all the families aunts uncles grandma and grandpa are watching from home having watched parties instead of being there to celebrate in person that's been the biggest change for us and we don't see that changing for the foreseeable future we're trying to still put the same product out to the coast guard that we have young men and women ready to operate ready to conduct coast guard missions and we have to be able to assure that they're meeting those graduation standards so we have not really modified the product that we're giving out just the way that they're training in some environments [Music] in july 271 incoming freshmen or suaves arrived at the united states coast guard academy where future officers prepare to be commissioned into the u.s coast guard right it marked the beginning of swab summer a challenging seven-week training program that all future cadets are required to complete only this year amid the covet 19 pandemic things are very different but training goes on we've never done this before as the whole adage goes man plans fake laughs so we're making adjustments as necessary we're charting uncharted waters right now this whole first squad get back sometimes you don't get to pick the situations you're in sometimes the situations pick you this is their swap summer this is their reality and this is what they're working through [Music] after arriving at the academy all suaves entered a 14-day restriction of movement period or rom and got covid 19 tests before their actual training could begin 271 students tested them twice in the 14 days that they've been on board zero positive tests every test has come back negative [Music] looks like you want to be here prom is finally over [Music] for the class of 2024 day one of swab summer was actually day 15 since their real training began after their two-week quarantine the day begins with a morning meal get in line but before they can eat swabs are stopped by members of the cadre a group of leaders comprised by juniors at the academy assigned to instruct them during swab summer swabs are asked to identify different members of the cadre which is easier said than done yeah you're not going down right now you're a male i'm a man ramping up the stress helps those folks realize that they are in a different environment and they have to align with our values oh my god they have to demonstrate to us that they respect the woman and man standing to their right and staying to their left and the service that in the nation that they're going to serve [Music] when you're performing the test you will not be required to wear your mask after breakfast the first order of business is the physical fitness exam or pfe test will begin in five four three the three-part test begins with push-ups up down conducted at a cadence two down oh it's on your core push-ups are followed by planks [Applause] then a one and a half mile run let's go after the pfe male swabs stop at the barber shop and the barbers protect themselves with masks and additional personal protective equipment and disinfect the chairs after each cut you need situational awareness swap hop if somebody walks past you you should be able to see them in the peripheral vision if i'm over here and i'm walking do not notice that there's a blue blob at the bare minimum one of the most important pieces of equipment the swabs are issued is a little blue book known as the running light keep studying swabs are expected to memorize hundreds of facts found in the book and to be quizzed on them at any moment where's article six of the code of conduct sir article six of the code of conduct is i will never forget that i'm an american everything that you need as a swab is right in that little book and you can fit in the back of your pocket sayings that you're supposed to practice the ethos of the coast guard it's just a knowledge book compressed so that you can sit there and read it and learn and develop yourself on your own time it's a very important tool in suave summer the swabs are issued uniforms i'm gonna give you this one too including three pairs of shoes boots athletic shoes and sperry top ciders or boat shoes which come in handy very soon [Music] part of swab summer is focused on seamanship not every swab is a seasoned sailor so they're all taught the basics of boating this is the boom and this is the mast and they'll soon get underway on 13-foot sailboats used for training so when our young women and men graduate from the coast guard academy they will go out and begin service to the nation as officers of the united states coast guard the vast majority of them will go to coast guard cutters literally around the nation and around the globe some will go off to flight school and prepare to become pilots every single one of them has a job and every single one of them will start serving day one the united states coast guard academy sits on 103 acres along the banks of the thames river in new london connecticut about halfway between boston and new york city it is the united states coast guard academy those gates are open only to young men with sound bodies stout hearts and alert mine tuition at the academy is free but the cadets commit to five years of active duty service after graduation cadets also receive a salary of one thousand one hundred fifty dollars a month you literally got into the united states coast guard academy it's academic excellence you don't know you're right from your left that is unacceptable the overall average of the appointed class was 3.7 gpa so it's pretty high and about 13 percent of the applicants received appointments the academy began admitting female cadets in 1976. today about 36 percent of cadets at the academy are female yes ma'am go let's go and about 35 are underrepresented minorities but the academy recently came under scrutiny due to what the department of homeland security inspector general described in its report as a failure to properly address complaints of racial harassment that occurred between 2013 and 2018 i was not here when those cases happened but what i took away from that it's a moment in time right now with the racial injustice and the awakening that we've had as a nation we need to take action we need to continue to move forward not move on i think the report came at an important time to inform us as a community we're going to learn from it and we're going to move forward if you come out here not respectful and do not perform we will find something to do with this time aye aye as swab summer continues not all swabs will be tested for covet 19 on a weekly basis the academy will instead pivot to a method known as surveillance testing where smaller groups of swabs and cadets are randomly tested we can't guarantee there'll be no covid and we know that there will be covet but what you want to do is put systems and structures in place to help reduce the likelihood that it'll be transmitted [Music] as these future officers start their careers in the coast guard their journey begins differently than any class that's come before i think they're going to think of this and look back at it and say it was the challenging times we got past it and we did it together because we're stronger together i think they're going to look at it as a badge of honor [Music] one of the largest changes in military training had nothing to do with covet 19 back at fort benning the u.s army altered a tradition dating back to the vietnam [Music] [Applause] and put it over your era man do you understand me yes yourself this this is the shark attack a mandatory rite of passage for every future u.s army soldier on day one of basic training at least it used to be in september the army announced that the shark attack will no longer take place this year we developed a new training event for our initial entry soldiers let's go instead the shark attack has been replaced by what you see here an event called the first 100 yards i think there was a time and a place for the shark attack we already know it's a cultural thing but i think we can make this better right there right there business insider recorded this footage of a shark attack inside fort benning in february showing future soldiers beginning their training in the armor school you know we're breaking a lot of habits from the civilian world and nothing better than a little shock to the system to let us start our training you decided to join the army and you can't pick that bag with the armies announced change this may be some of the last footage of a shark attack to ever be recorded and according to the army when this footage was recorded in february the plan to transition away from the shark attack was already in motion fortenberry said he began to re-evaluate the shark attack at the request of his superior officer he said rob what do you think about the shark attack i'm like sir i've struggled with that thing my whole career because it doesn't speak to an all-volunteer force loyalty duty honor selfless service and the shark attack was completely counter intuitive to that so how did this become a regular part of army training in the early 60s we were not a volunteer army we were a draft army so you had people that had no desire to ever be a part of the service that were drafted into the military to serve in vietnam there was dominance that needed to be established early on to really kind of weed out the less than desirables or quite honestly those that might turn against the drill sergeants as they were going through training the draft era ended in 1973 and the army returned to being an all-volunteer force but the shark attack remained an undocumented part of basic training why are you moving why are you moving it has never been written down in any historical document so it's literally been tribal lore and just passed on from generation to generation and i think that's really important what was it designed to do what were the outcomes of the shark attack and it's almost a trick question because i did my homework and it's not codified anywhere there are no outcomes for a shark attack pick it up pick up your bag and hold it pick up your bag and hold it aside from the yelling one of the basic components of a shark attack is trainees being ordered to lift and hold their duffel bags above their heads it was mass punishment so there was nothing to achieve there was nothing to gain it was quite honestly it was survive it just survive whatever was getting thrown at you but it didn't result in any success or failure it was just survive an hour of just getting screamed at yelled at holding a duffel bag [Applause] it's almost like the shark attack allowed you for that moment in time to not treat somebody with dignity and respect how do you still not understand this he just said that's a great example how it betrays the trust and i'm going to humiliate you as a man as an individual or as a woman and then literally once this event is done i'm going to tell you how you need to believe in me [Applause] as a drill sergeant my job is to build trust with you so that when i say something or when i ask you to do something you believe in me because you know i have your best interest at heart it's leadership 101 right this is what's replacing the shark attack the first 100 yards or as it's known in the armor school thunder run fort benning provided this footage of the event in action and while the tone is different it's clear the drill sergeants aren't taking it easy on the trainees you better stand the off yes we still scream we still yell we still drive intensity and momentum because we want to have that shock we want to have that confusion stop wondering with your eyes the difference is is that there's an outcome to be achieved versus during the shark attack it's just yelling and screaming to determine who the less desirables are all right the event takes place over two and a half hours it includes a mock battlefield resupply mission one minute get a good look at it everybody get a good look at it their first thing when they get that resupply mission is the drill sergeant leads them in leads the platoon with a simple follow me let's go first communication is key this is a team let's go he's driving it he's leading it he's leading by example the event also includes competitive fitness tests featuring exercises from the army's combat fitness test like leg tucks push-ups and the standing power throw it's two and a half hours of straight physical exertion so you know as you go through these events if you lose you get smoked or you do corrective training there are consequences to failure there are consequences to loss one of the last phases of the first 100 yards features a demonstration of an infantry squad in action we show them what a real infantry squad looks like and this could be you in 22 weeks through your determination and your desire to succeed this could be you so let's start the journey i want to put them through a challenging test where winning does matter i want them to taste success if they've applied to the best of their ability what they've been able to achieve through physical hardship and the results of that is they've tested themselves they've been tested themselves the first time hi i'm graham flanagan producer of business insider's boot camp series we've got some very exciting plans for season three of boot camp but we want to hear from you where should we go next both here in the united states and abroad let us know in the comments and be sure to subscribe to this channel so you won't miss the next episode of boot camp

Channel: Business Insider

Views: 962,460

Keywords: Business Insider, Business News, boot camp, marathon, military, law enforcement, army, coast guard, marines, mounties, usa

Id: _BbgfWtwuog

Length: 63min 46sec (3826 seconds)

Published: Sun Dec 13 2020