What can I Expect from an Army Training Program?

When a person signs up for the U.S. Army and starts Army life, the recruit is sent to boot camp, which is also known as basic training. Boot camp lasts for 12 weeks and consists of several types of training, including how to use Army-issued weaponry, how to present the appropriate image of a United States soldier, and the initial training an Army recruit will need to be prepared for combat. The initial goal of the Army training program is to teach the recruit the Army's way of life and its expectations of a soldier in training.

Once the recruit has finished boot camp, the type of Army training program that will follow will depend on what he expects to do while in the military. Military schools set up the programs so a recruit can enter training when his commanding officer requests it. The training covers all aspects of the new soldier's job and details exactly what he needs to know. After the training, the recruit is expected to pass a test to qualify to proceed to his next post, the job site. If the recruit does not pass the test, additional training will be needed; the recruit will not achieve the pay grade of the job he wanted until he has passed the appropriate training.

Additional training is required for each rank the soldier wishes to achieve. The pay he earns will depend on how well he does in the Army training program and on the job. The recruit is required to meet the Army's job performance expectations and to get good grades in training to progress through the ranks. He must pass all tests that go with the trainings. If he does not pass, his commanding officer will determine what happens next in the soldier's Army career.

There are pre-training study guides available via the Internet and on military bases to help people train for any of the Army tests they plan to take. These guides will help by giving each person time to study before beginning the Army training program; a recruit will be able to drill himself on practice tests until he is comfortable with the material. Keep in mind that not all pre-training material will cover all the test questions, so a recruit should pay attention during the Army training classes if he intends to succeed in the Army.