{"id":37152,"date":"2019-01-02T17:10:47","date_gmt":"2019-01-02T17:10:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2019\/01\/02\/new-in-2019-the-armys-basic-infantry-training-is-about-to-get-longer-and-it-could-be-a-sign-of-broader-changes-to-come\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T03:09:17","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T03:09:17","slug":"new-in-2019-the-armys-basic-infantry-training-is-about-to-get-longer-and-it-could-be-a-sign-of-broader-changes-to-come","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/training-sim\/2019\/01\/02\/new-in-2019-the-armys-basic-infantry-training-is-about-to-get-longer-and-it-could-be-a-sign-of-broader-changes-to-come\/","title":{"rendered":"New in 2019: The Army\u2019s basic infantry training is about to get longer, and it could be a sign of broader changes to come"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Army basic training got a major face lift in 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Early in the year, Fort Jackson<\/a>, South Carolina\u2019s basic training program of instruction was updated to encourage more fitness and discipline in new soldiers, while infantry one-station unit training<\/a> at Fort Benning, Georgia, was extended from 14 to 22 weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Senior leaders have said that extension will be made permanent in 2019, along with extensions for OSUT for the other combat arms, such as armor and engineer. Also under consideration: changes to the length of basic combat training<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have packed a lot into basic training \u2014 we have \u2014 and we need to extend it,\u201d Sergeant Major of the Army Dan Dailey told reporters in June. \u201cWe know we can make a better product.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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(FORT BENNING, Ga.) \u2013 U.S. Army Infantry soldiers-in-training assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment, 198th Infantry Brigade, dig into a fighting position May 1, 2017, during a field training exercise (FTX). (Photo by Patrick A. Albright, Maneuver Center Photographer)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Longer training will require more drill sergeants, so before a decision is even made, the Army has started a push to hire more cadre and decrease the ratio of instructors to trainees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe want to essentially cut those ratios in half,\u201d Army Chief of Staff Mark Milley told Army Times in October, while adding a platoon sergeant and officer platoon leader to each training unit.<\/p>\n\n\n\t