Basic Training

Just as the name implies, Basic Training's fundamental focus is teaching new soldiers the basic skill set needed to function as a Soldier and survive in the rigors of combat. It's core curriculum is independent of what the Soldier's job is, and instead focuses on the base set of tasks all Soldiers must master to function as a member of the Army. Simple concept isn't it to get everyone on the same sheet of music so they can be further refined at a future date for use by Uncle Sam? But it isn't so simplistic. The mass of human beings that compose a basic training company is a complex collection of individuals, each with their own unique set of strengths, weaknesses, values, problems, and upbringing. Getting everyone to do the same thing the same way for a common purpose becomes daunting when looked at from the micro level.

As soon as a soldier gets to basic training, he or she is given their own copy of the "Smart Book" that describes each task a soldier is expected to master and how it is to be done. Though each soldier has their own copy, no one can master a skill without the Drill Sergeant. The Drill Sergeant is that larger than life, imposing, relentless figure that is never satisfied. He's the one that every soldier aspires to emulate. But no matter what you do, it's not good enough, fast enough, or precise enough. It's still dirty, wrinkled, dusty or tarnished. More and more effort must be expended to meet these impossible standards, and these trainees quickly realize that they must totally surrender their personal will and give everything to the accomplishment of the mission if they are going to make it.

For a trainee to arrive at this realization of the need for total surrender, the true goal of basic training must be met. It is the rebuilding of the person, called soldierization. Soldierization is that meticulous process by which a weak, selfish civilian is transformed into a tough, mission minded soldier who can be trusted to do the right thing in the absence of constant supervision. It is these soldiers who embody the Army Values and can muster the courage to survive interrogation when captured, who can guard a lonely outpost day in and day out with the same diligence, who don't steal Iraqi gold even though no one is looking. Something significant occured in the life of a soldier who made this transformation through soldierization and although they are outwardly the same person, inwardly their drive and values are completely different.

What gave these Generation X, donut eating, couch potato people the ability to become something different? The impetus for change.

As a Believer, are you ever frustrated by a life that's identical to the "civilian's" - those who don't know Christ? Are you ever frustrated that you make the same stupid decisions over and over again? Do you read God's Smart Book the Bible and yet the words seem heart-breakingly unable to change the decisions you make, the thoughts you think, and the life you live? Are you unable to emulate the One whom you so strongly desire to model yourself?

Do you avoid straying outside your personal comfort zone because you feel afraid of failure? Are there people who you'd love to share your faith with but don't because you fear rejection? Are our fears of rejection based on the fear of being seen as a hypocrite because our lives don't resemble the Christ of whom we speak?

Have you earnestly repented of a sin only to recommit it just a short time later? Have you ever felt that overcoming temptation is like trying to climb a steep muddy, slippery hill? Maybe someone before you was able to do it, but for you it just seems impossible now.

Well it goes without overstating that this is not God's plan for anyone's life! Certainly God did not send His only Son to die a humiliating and painful death on the cross with the purpose being a life of mediocrity lived somewhere in the margins between total failure and occasional victories.

Since thriving not just surviving is God's plan for us, how do we break free from the frustrating ruts we often find ourselves entrenched in? The answer's are in God's Word, the Bible, clearly written in love that "the man of God would be throroughly equipped for every good work".

As a young boy I was immersed in Boy Scouts thank God. It taught me how to be a man and gave me real values and real adventures in a safe enviroment. Part of Scouting was the God and Country program, where we budding young citizens were taught that a successful life came from God, not government, and as Christians we were to influence our nation. My mentor was Mr. Thipple. He gave us our first task - memorize Psalms Chapter 1. Mr. Thipple wasn't a hero or otherwise famous, in fact I can't recall a single detail about him other than he mentored us through God and Country and then disappeared to battle cancer a short time later. But Mr. Thipple was a wise man, and he knew that in the few short verses of Psalm Chapter 1 was everything a young man needed to build a foundation for a life of joy and blessing. Thanks Mr Thipple!

Subsequent posts will look at this wonderful chapter of Scripture and how 20 years later, those words still speak to me, more richly now than ever. I hope they do for you as well.