US Army BCT vs West Point Beast

[drsegway]

Class of 2027 applicant here. Just got back from MEPS, (planning to enlist in the Army reserve Friday) after the long process, found out I'm medically qualified and hit a solid 90 on the asvab, so nice! While I was trying to sleep in the hotel, I started thinking, how does US Army Basic compare to West Point CBT? My first thought was the time difference, 13 weeks vs 6 weeks. Army basic is nearly double the time of beast, but what about the overall difficulty compared? I have no idea because I have not attended either at this point. What do you guys think? Would attending Army basic leave you well prepared for your first weeks at west point?

 

[St.Katherine]

It’s a matter of perspective. My Drill Sergeants in BCT 42 years ago were all Vietnam Veterans. While at SFQC, the instructors there were also Vietnam Vets. Needless to say, I received a first class education in jungle warfare. More than likely, the Drill Sergeants now in BCT have multiple combat tours under their belts… in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Question for self reflection:
Would you rather train with hardcore combat veterans or West Point upperclassmen or both?

 

[USMAZoo98]

It’s a matter of perspective. My Drill Sergeants in BCT 42 years ago were all Vietnam Veterans. While at SFQC, the instructors there were also Vietnam Vets. Needless to say, I received a first class education in jungle warfare. More than likely, the Drill Sergeants now in BCT have multiple combat tours under their belts… in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Question for self reflection:
Would you rather train with hardcore combat veterans or West Point upperclassmen or both?

CBT is not just conducted by West Point upperclassmen. All of the training is supported by active duty Army units, usually from Fort Drum. The same goes for the second summer during Cadet Field Training (CFT). Yes, CBT is much shorter than normal Army basic training, but it is tailored towards introduction to the Army as well as introduction to the Academy. When combined with the training during CFT, you get much closer to the full scope of Army basic training. Another benefit of the Academy training process is exposure to all of the various branches throughout the summers in order to help cadets make a more informed decision.

 

[Sevastopol79]

, 13 weeks vs 6 weeks.

Interesting, I went last summer and it was only 10. Maybe with reception I could see 13 weeks being a possibility but your training period will only be 10 weeks. Anyways, I have heard that for prior enlisted, beast is much easier compared to BCT. It's a great introduction to the military and will prepare you well for Beast. If you have questions about BCT, feel free to PM me!
Can I ask what your MOS is?

 

[drsegway]

Interesting, I went last summer and it was only 10. Maybe with reception I could see 13 weeks being a possibility but your training period will only be 10 weeks. Anyways, I have heard that for prior enlisted, beast is much easier compared to BCT. It's a great introduction to the military and will prepare you well for Beast. If you have questions about BCT, feel free to PM me!
Can I ask what your MOS is?

Oh yes, looks like I was wrong about the actual training period. Haven't been able to contract yet, but I'm really hoping for 68W, with 31B as my backup. I absolutely will, thanks for the offer.

 

[Sevastopol79]

Oh yes, looks like I was wrong about the actual training period. Haven't been able to contract yet, but I'm really hoping for 68W, with 31B as my backup. I absolutely will, thanks for the offer.

Sounds good, you just need one more post in order to be allowed to message people. If you go 31B let me know, I'll tell you all about the wonderful place that is Fort Lost-In-The-Woods.