Big Picture - The Men from the Boys

[Music] what are you wait for this is a game of war the bullets are real make a mistake and you're dead [Music] wrong the Army calls it basic training it is in fact a time of trial a time to separate the men from the boys a [Music] separately as boys they come together here they will become men the army they say is a machine the induction process moves with production line Precision the gentleman are hear the take a Minal test this test determines what you are best qualified to do once you are inducted into the service uh score that you attain on this test will follow you throughout your military career are there any question from fathers and uncles they have heard the legend if you can walk you can March yet for every hundred accepted 45 are rejected the production line ends here in a private room your nose uh the nose was had a deviate except when you have it uh September of 1962 How do you feel General fine pretty good pretty good we're glad to have [Music] you I don't feel that good you're about to be inducted into the Armed Forces of the United States you will take one step forward as your name is called and such Stu will constitute your the average age is 23 the youngest is 19 they come from City and farm slum and mansion and almost to a man they would rather be somewhere else yet they are here gotel all right now covering the Army men's gent cover down one behind the other straight down behind each other soldiers now in nothing but name they await their transformation swiftly and efficiently it begins within 72 hours the process will be complete when he leaves here each man will at least resemble a soldier he will be clothed and tested and interviewed each man's personal history will be recorded his Hobbies classified his educational level determined he will be reduced to a number then elevated to a [Music] name 56 6928 is your identification number you are single no TI service San Francisco Cali part of each man's basic issue is a quarter of a pound of paper his 2011 personal records file the last entry at the reception station is made here at classification and assignment in terms of business management the Army is a paradox first it hires a man then it finds out what he is best qualified to do but at the beginning each man has an opportunity to influence the course of his military career okay farell I see you County school is 123 115 is passing so you are eligible mentally to apply for o County School Thomas J Farrell 21 civilian occupation student would you like to PL off County school no I wouldn't take your seats man man it's with a great deal of pleasure but I have an opportunity to officially welcome you to b43 the company where you're going to be taking your eight weeks of basic combat training a winner never quit and a quitter never wins first lieutenant Randy peer is 27 years old he's Airborne qualified and a graduate of the Army's rigorous Ranger school like almost every man in the company he was drafted on you pe CL take charge okay let's go everybody up get up get up get up let's go get up get up with those lights come on your feet Hit the Floor Week 1 day six 0500 hours 5:00 in the morning what you're about to see is part of the actual day-by-day process that will transform these young men into soldiers you will see it happen exactly as it happened nothing has been changed nothing has been added for the next 8 weeks this Barracks will be home for 48 men the third platoon of Company B fourth Battalion third Brigade US army training center Fort or California okay let's go you got about 2 minutes 2 minutes in the 5 days they've been in the company they have been issued right and field equipment and have received instruction ranging from military courtesy and first aid to the care and maintenance of personal belongings I'll be glad when every Saturday for the next 8 weeks there will be an inspection this will be their first one great this your Foot Locker here clothing looks pretty good you have a Bible are you religious yes the overhead ladder is one event of the physical combat proficiency test minimum requirement 36 runs in 60 Seconds move out it's 20 yards out and 20 yards back and 36 seconds to do [Applause] [Music] [Applause] it Bill Sergeant Jerry Crowder doesn't expect anyone to pass these tests not the first time for him they are way of finding out who needs his help the most Crowder is 28 years old he is an expert infantryman with 10 years service he likes his job the mile run ends the test series it foreshadows what the next seven weeks will demand for some the Run proves their ability to endure for others it underscores their need for Tom brgh it ends his brief career as temporary Sergeant week one is over week three day two 0800 hours step to the left R your feet a confidence apart and du to your knees place it butly in the the M14 is a 7.62 mm magazine fed gas operated air cool semi-automatic shoulder weapon it takes a little time to get used to it for 9 days Company B will all but take up residents on the rifle range 8 hours a day every day will be spent with a weapon in their hands in the 10 days of training each man must Master this basic tool of the Infantry drill sergeant Crowder can help but in the end each man must win his own lonely duel with the target cl cl back maximum score is 84 the minimum accepted 30 each day on the Range ends the way it began with A Long Walk it's 5 mil back to the barracks time allotted 45 minutes by the end of the third week the daily run has become a challenge for each man it is a chance to prove he is as good as the next man the run is also an object lesson in teamwork for those who choose not to maintain the pace drilled Sergeant Crowder has little patience you're a team you're not an individual one man on a team falls out to the entire team any effect get up there at form right for some men like Joe Hudson are slow to develop physical endurance lacking in muscle they draw strength from [Music] Pride come on the run is over the lesson is not you know you can make it out there there shouldn't be any doubt in your mind you better get in your mind you go get yourself in shape because you've got just about five rough weeks coming up five of the roughest weeks you're not going to make it if you don't do it you better get out here on your own at night and run up down this street three or four times you better start building that wind up but like I told you before we're a team we're not individuals anymore we're a team self-confidence is a byproduct of basic Fain it takes a lot of it to learn how to kill a man let two type of B at fighter which are you the [Laughter] [Applause] [Music] of the Korean campaign the prisoner of war was told that the now let me quote again week 5 day three 0930 hours in small units of squad or platoon size the men of Company B receive instruction in subjects ranging from military Justice to what to do if he become a prisoner of war the display of apparent friendship caught some American prisoners off guard and many never recovered they did not know the written tests determine the effectiveness of instruction sample question any commanding officer is authorized to impose non-judicial punishment under choose one Summary Court Marshal Article 15 under the uniform code of military Justice special Court marshal or company sop s group graded exercises in the manual of arms are conducted by each drill sergeant for most men in the third platoon the proficiency tests provide an opportunity to prove to Sergeant Crowder that they have listened well inspection your left hand to get the balance of the weapon entire group p huh what up report to me as your commanding officer Pew reports as ordered sir on it seems so simple the act of saluting so unimportant yet through this simple ritual of military discipline each man learns a respect for authority and perhaps an understanding of it for each man one day may be called upon to lead other men and it is a truism of military history that to command one must first learn to obey Commander the relief post number five Joe Hudson is 21 years old when he was inducted he weighed 176 unevenly distributed pounds he has lost 28 of them a veteran of five weeks Joe has so far met every demand the Army has set for him now he must pass a test of his own [Music] choosing this is the confidence course no one is ordered to attempt these obstacles each man is free to accept or refuse the challenge they offer some men ignore them but for a man of Pride there can be but one choice to try got it Jo kick off the side pole would you believe me three times a quitter never wins Lieutenant peer said and a winner never quits Joe Hudson is ready now to put the slogan to the [Music] test hey come on you guys BL up let him [Music] [Music] climbing a ladder walking a beam and sliding down a rope may not seem like much of an accomplishment but for Joe Hudson it marks a day that would otherwise be known only as day two week [Music] six week 7 Day 2 1430 hours get online lock your we this is the closest thing to real training ever gets live ammunition five Man Fire TS and a park marked Hill deep within the Military Reservation close combat they call it for the men of the third platoon it's an afternoon in the sun Cocky and Confident they think of themselves as battle heartened veterans move out time was when a run like this would leave the men of the third platoon exhausted now it's a way to work up an appetite for two nights and 3 days during the seventh week There's a camp out called a bivak look at that the food's hot and there's plenty of it lots W you can just pour it on both dick Callie and Gary steelberg have discovered the two-way magic of Army Food Cy has gained 8 PBS Gary lost 10 are we going to move out of here Ed Hendrickson and Jim Hawk are a study in contrasts Ed is a high school dropout draft this is the last night of bivwak all that remains is the gentle walk that will take them back to the barracks in the morning week 7 Day 4 0800 hours breakfast was served at 0530 Sunrise was 0618 field equipment was packed and checked at 0745 missing three Field Jackets four protective masks and two mes kits not a bad record for veterans Tom brgh basic is compressed into seven weeks the experiences of a lifetime he rose to leadership Was Defeated yet remained to learn and mature from the raw material of Youth drill sergeant Jerry Crowder has begun the process that may shape them into men it began in fear graduated to respect and perhaps may end in Friendship No Matter How It Ends however one thing is certain they will never forget it make sure you check it before they put back in after 44 days Sergeant Crowder's job is almost [Music] done it will end as it began here on the dusty ground of physical training area number one no man can graduate from basic training without meeting the minimum requirements of the physical combat proficiency test any man who fails will be given one additional chance the following day if he fails then he will be recycled and must undergo additional training until he can on this field on the afternoon of day 6 week 1 the men of the third platoon found out what the Army expected of them the expectation must now be fulfilled come on maximum score is 100 Ed Hendrickson made 70 go you're up with this one's easy brgh picks up a few extra points Gary steelberg is averaging 80 points in event more than enough to [Music] pass Tom Farrell scores the minimum you'll have to pick up points on the next event it down move out the enemy is time the distance is only 40 yard but for a maximum score it's got to be done in 23 seconds come on bar to pass you must do it in 36 seconds take Jack the mile run is the wind up the last chance to meet the minimum 300 points or be [Music] recycled 44 45 35 the official score will not be known till morning each man however has kept his own tally Tom brgh 307 dick Callie's 456 Gary steelberg 464 Bobby Hubbert 472 Joe Hudson 303 Jim Hawk 410 Tom faroh 317 Ed Hendrickson Without a Smile For the First Time scored 327 they all made it day4 week G I have assignment instructions the speaker is company B's top Sergeant Arman be I will call off the names and I will call off the MOs that you're going to be trained in or if you're going to OJT on the job training to keep me from having to stand here and tell each and every one of you what the MOs means means you can go up yourself and look on the board find that MOS and you can see what that training is Right MOS 91 E1 Telly here Sergeant OJT MOS 51 D2 barell here OJT MOS 70 A1 I got a supply yes made I don't have how you doing I'm going to be a dental specialist in Fort Riley Kansas what I'll be is something like a a company clerk but that's on the job training I don't have to go through any AIT these were actual assignments 48 men in the third platoon 41 will be in combat support seven in combat arms in their class a dress uniforms for the first time the men of the third platoon abandon the Barrack this is the last time they will March together no longer will The platoon be a team today is graduation day day five week eight [Applause] all of the parents the wives and the families and the friends of these new soldiers who you new soldiers this is your ceremony a ceremony which is designed to recognize publicly your change of status from that of basic trainee to trained soldier of the United States Army to each and every one of you the very best of third Brigade good luck [Music] the Army is full of slogans and time honored cliches and perhaps the saddest one is this transfer cancel friendships until the next post do we meet in a typical basic training unit like Company B about half the men will go to Advanced individual training in armor artillery engineering infantry or signal core and many will end up in combat arms units in Vietnam or elsewhere for every man in combat however there are seven men who back him up in Supply transport Medical Aid food and Equipment those are the odds about one man in every eight will serve in the combat arms and it's the man at the front ultimately who gets the job done [Music] what you have just seen was a true story eight weeks in the lives of 48 new soldiers and the men who trained them for lieutenant Randy peer and drill sergeant Jerry Crowder there will be other Cycles other young men for the moment however duty hours are over today is Friday September 23rd [Applause] tomorrow it begins again that's [Music]