when i was talking with my recuriter about ft. benning and basic down there for the infantry, and he mentioned something about "the fast track." i was just wondering if anyone else has heard about it and what does it take to make it to the fast track.

Also i was reading an article on the net and it mentioned something about some phases of the trainging down in Sandy hill have changed. hopefully they tightened the belt a couple notches more and made it harder. I've been hearing that its gotten alittle bit softer then it was back in the day.

How did he use "the fast track" in a sentence?

Maybe he was talking about fast tracking... which is gaining rank and position faster than the normal soldier.

yeah, he was talking about the fast track to rapid promotion. I was wondering if there is fast tracking in basic, but i'm already at E3. And so far i haven't heard of anyone coming out of basic higher then that. I'm sure its been done, but is it a common thing to fast track in basic and possibly get my "hard strips" during my OSUT at Benning.

Some soldiers come in as a SPC (E-4) but that usualy requires a degree. When I went through the only promotions were to PV2 or PFC (one really interesting event was a PFC who received promotion orders to PV2) You also might see soldiers who are reclassing or prior service with more rank but they will probably be seperated from the other trainies. Promotion to SGT in infantry OSUT is not going to happen (or at least I sure hope not)

There's no way in hell being promoted to Sergeant in OSUT will happen.

Not even E-3 to E-4. There's something called time in service and time in grade.

yeah, i would hope that it takes a few years to get to SGT. i was just wondering making it too Corporal. So since i am already at E3 it doesn't make a difference if i get on the fast track. I guess i would probably be a better infantryman in the end if i did. But anyways thanks ya'll. I'm sure i'll have more question that u guys can answer. Thanks again

the fast track is not always the best track. Yes, some people will think of you as a high speed Soldier for fast tracking, but the fast track sacrifices one important thing:

experience

almost EVERY soldier ive ever met that was 'fast tracked' was a complete moron. no leadership skills, couldnt do their job worth a darn. usually a minority of some sort, wether it be female or male, or a race other then white/caucasion or whatever they like to call us crackers haha j/k

I agree with everybody else here: don't bother with being "fast tracked."

Sure you'll look real purty on graduation day, but you won't know a thing. It'd only serve to undermine the whole Chain of Command in the end. Why should your soldiers respect or look up to you if you don't know the answers. But that's just my opinion and I could be wrong.

I spent twelve years learning Okinawan Kenpo and one of the first things my sensei ever told us: if you're just here to earn your black belt go ahead and leave now. I'll give you one if you want right .

He had a whole box of them too. Truth be told I wanted one, but I wasn't about to take it and run. Nine years later when I finally earned my black belt, I was exceptionally proud. Actually felt like I'd accomplished something; to wit, it's that easy sense of confidence that'll make you a better NCO. That'll come with experience.


-KS, whose getting an all expense paid vacation to Heidelberg!

Just in time for World Cup 2006!


P.S.- A buddy of mine went in as a PFC nine years ago. He's just now up for E-7. So maybe that'll give you some sense of the time frames you're looking at.

I went to OSUT as an E3. Blue Falcons fly high, right? 11 1/2 months later I graduated PLDC. That's pretty fast considering most in PLDC got to go as a re-enlistment bonus. (and most were pissed at me about it) I can understand why, but my scores reflected why I was sent. I was in the top 5 of my class and my troop leadership scores were as high as anyone else's. Luckily, I've had good leaders to show me how to lead. It has helped a lot to have those NCO's in my career. If you want to "fast track" the best advice I can give is to keep your mouth shut, eyes open, and know your job.

I take offense to the reply that "fast-trackers" are morons or some type of minority. I am a white male who has fast tracked and I have done so by taking hard assignments and working my proverbial ass off. Its people with your attitude, that can not fast track. I do not lack experience either 4 years in with 3 deployments and a hardship tour to Korea.
Fast Tracking is not an excuse to use when someone else is doing the right things and you are not.

Another method to fast track is to go Ranger. Once past Airborne school, RIP & assignment to a battallion Rangers will attend the 2+ month Ranger course within a year. After that they go to many different schools such as sniper, scuba, pathfinder, & numerous others. Each course you complete & each badge you wear is good for promotion points.
Top out.

Saint,
I hold sandan rank in Chinese Kenpo, Goju Ryu & Ching Sai Do as well as a shodan in judo. I still coach judo at our local judo club & my Ranger son is a nidan & national judo champ from that same club.
Lots of hard work gettin' that belt, huh? Of course nowdays all one has to do is pay your $250, go to a seminar given by a "master" & walk out with a black belt complete with certificate. Most uncool. In my opinion when black belts are given to 8 year old taekwondo students the whole thing is cheapened.
This editorial presented by Top.

Top,

Ayup. Plenty o' hard work.

Of course my situation was unique; that is, our sensei was quite often the grandmaster of our form. Our usual sensei was a jarhead who studied directly under the grandmaster- Seikichi Odo- and whenever our sensei was deployed he would fly in from Okinawa and drill us. The man was around his seventy-ish and could toss me around like it was nothing...

One difference I can point to: the art or spiritual side is quite often ignored in today's dojos. In my observances all you have to do is throw a couple of pretty kicks and punches and they'll grant you the next neon colored belt. At every rank we had to read a specific treatise and write about it before we could test the 'martial' side of things. Before I was allowed to test for my 1st stripe I had to read the Tale of Genji.

But that's just me; I'm a different breed of cat.

-KS

We once had a 14 year kid come wanting to train with us. The policy is that a new student has to watch one class before participating but this guy showed up in his gi from one of the local TKD McDojos with it's huge colorful patch on the back and his black belt with what looked like Air Force rank on it. He said he wanted to learn "grappling" I found it to be rather silly.

Only 3 belts here; black, white, and used to be white.

Top, you're a bad dude. Props.