How Army Jungle Soldiers Are Training For A Possible War With China | Boot Camp | Insider Business

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The Army's jungle training course in Hawaii is rigorous, with only 51 out of 180 students graduating after facing challenging tests and scenarios in the jungle, emphasizing the importance of skills like Land Navigation and small unit tactics. Despite the tough challenges, soldiers value the experience gained from the course, highlighting the significance of jungle warfare and preparation for difficult environments.

Insights

  • The Army's jungle operations training course in Hawaii is intense, with a low graduation rate due to rigorous tests like Land Navigation without GPS and physical challenges like the 5K run with gear.
  • The Jungle School experience emphasizes equality regardless of rank, focusing on hands-on jungle warfare training for soldiers from diverse backgrounds, preparing them for joint operations in challenging environments like the Philippines.

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Recent questions

  • What skills do soldiers learn in jungle training?

    Soldiers learn survival, navigation, and combat skills.

  • How many students typically graduate from the jungle training course?

    Only 51 out of 180 students graduate.

  • What is the significance of Land Navigation in jungle training?

    Land Navigation is crucial due to dense vegetation and treacherous terrain.

  • What kind of weapons do soldiers use in jungle training?

    Soldiers carry M4 carbines and the M249 squad automatic weapon.

  • How do soldiers prepare for rescue in jungle training?

    Soldiers build signal fires for rescue and practice casualty extraction.

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Summary

00:00

Army's Jungle Training Course: Challenging and Crucial

  • The Army's jungle operations training course is challenging and crucial for soldiers preparing for difficult environments.
  • Training takes place on the island of Oahu in Hawaii, where soldiers learn to survive and fight in the jungle.
  • Students face rigorous tests, with only 51 out of 180 students graduating after a 12-day course.
  • Students must pass critical tests like knot tying and a 5K run with a load-carrying vest and replica rifles.
  • Land Navigation is a significant challenge due to the dense vegetation and treacherous terrain on East Range.
  • Students practice Land Navigation without GPS devices, learning to plot points and navigate using a map, compass, and protractor.
  • Small unit tactics and communication are crucial in the jungle, emphasizing the importance of hand and arm signals.
  • Students face physical and mental challenges, with some struggling during the water survival assessment and Land Navigation.
  • The course includes a diverse group of soldiers, including both enlisted and officers at different stages of their careers.
  • Despite the tough challenges, soldiers value the experience and knowledge gained from the jungle training course.

19:04

"Jungle School: Training for Military Operations"

  • The individual underwent a full career change, transitioning from a hospital clinic director to a senior intelligence officer in the Army.
  • Attending Jungle School to gain hands-on experience in the Pacific Theater, the officer aims to better understand the soldiers' environment.
  • Rank holds no significance in the jungle, treating everyone equally, even the most experienced students like number 23.
  • The school trains new Commando troops known as bushmasters, with a focus on jungle warfare.
  • The Jungle School reopened in 2013, catering to all military branches and foreign allies, prioritizing those in the indo-pacific command area.
  • Students, like number 67, with orders to head to the region after the course, are preparing for joint operations in the Philippines.
  • The jungle poses numerous threats, with students learning about booby traps and improvised explosive devices.
  • Students practice camouflage techniques in the jungle, emphasizing vertical patterns to blend in effectively.
  • Utilizing a jungle penetrator for casualty extraction, students experience riding it as part of their training.
  • Land Navigation is a critical test where students must find specific grid points within a time limit, with failure resulting in elimination from the course.

37:14

"Rangers Navigate Challenging Terrain in Jungle Training"

  • The terrain is challenging, with two strong Rangers navigating through it.
  • Partner number 59, part of the 82nd Airborne from North Carolina, is heading to Thailand for joint training with the Royal Thai Army after jungle school.
  • Students practice making rafts with ponchos and rocks for buoyancy.
  • Students learn about fire-making, water purification, and food sources in survival village.
  • Wild chickens are abundant on East Range, and students are trained to kill and prepare them for consumption.
  • Students spend seven days in the jungle, away from their families, impacting their loved ones.
  • The final test involves building a signal fire for rescue, with 4 students failing and being dropped.
  • The class is divided into squads for a three-day culminating exercise against enemy forces.
  • The squad faces challenges in the jungle, including engaging the enemy and finding a tunnel.
  • Students carry M4 carbines and the M249 squad automatic weapon, facing opposition forces played by instructors and 82nd Airborne members.

01:00:15

"Jungle School: MREs, Injuries, Evacuation, Obstacles"

  • Survival training involved students eating only MREs for 10 days, with Southwest beef and black beans being a key meal.
  • Injuries were prevalent among the students, with numbers 59 and 73 sustaining injuries during training.
  • The squad had to create a z-pulley rope system to evacuate a simulated casualty from a Gulch.
  • The final event of Jungle School involved an obstacle course, climbing Cherry guava hill, and carrying gear to the finish line at Camp Lightning.
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