Army Pre-Boot Camp Course Expanded as Recruiting Challenge Looms

The Army is expanding its pre-basic training course this month so that soldiers who fall below the service's physical fitness and academic standards can try to clear both hurdles at once -- rather than choosing one or the other track -- before entering boot camp.

And a new Army pilot program that is part of the so-called Future Soldier Preparatory Course, or FSPC, will also provide the pre-boot camp help to a small number of candidates whose entrance test scores fall below even the substandard scores required of others in the course.

The pre-basic course is designed to help recruits who are physically out of shape or have trouble taking tests -- and to get new soldiers into the Army as the service struggles with a historic recruiting slump. Until now, recruits could attend fitness or academic pre-basic training programs.

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After several months of experience with the pilot program, and a success rate well over 90%, leadership is tweaking it to get more out of the pre-training by offering the two combined programs to prospective recruits. That means help getting into shape and scoring well on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, or ASVAB.

"The graduation rate for both tracks is greater than 95%," Lt. Col. Randy Ready, a spokesperson for the U.S. Army Center for Initial Military Training, said in an email statement to Military.com. "From August 2022 to early May 2023, more than 8,500 students have attended or are currently attending the course, of which 6,188 students have already graduated and shipped to basic combat training."

Meanwhile, an adjustment to the academic portion of the FSPC has expanded eligibility to nearly all prospective recruits.

When the pre-basic training course was established in August, it was open to recruits with an ASVAB score between 21 and 30. An expansion to Fort Moore, Georgia, in January opened it to recruits with scores between 31 and 49. Now, a small pilot program that is capped at 100 has been started for recruits with ASVAB scores between 16 and 20.

"The recruits in the limited pilot are not eligible for Dual Enrollment," an Army official with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army, Manpower and Reserve Affairs, wrote in an email to Military.com. "They will only participate in the Academic Track of the FSPC."

It's an urgent problem encountered by military recruiters: trainees who have trouble meeting body fat standards, and those scoring low on the Army's job placement test.

The pool of civilians available for recruiting has shrunk to the lowest levels in years. The lack of qualified civilians has hurt recruiting, and Army leaders worry that it will affect readiness at a dangerous and chaotic moment in history.

Recruitment is "a critical readiness priority for us right now. We are challenged by the fact that a small number of young Americans, 23%, are qualified to serve," Gen. Randy George, vice chief of staff of the Army, said during testimony at a House Armed Services subcommittee meeting in April.

The FSPC was designed to alleviate two big stumbling blocks to joining the military: body fat requirements and low scores on the ASVAB, a test that gauges recruits' suitability for various jobs. By expanding the pool of people who could become pre-recruits and locking them into a training pipeline, the Army hopes to put more than 10,000 potential people per year in uniform.

Furthermore, it hopes to do so in a way that allows recruiters flexibility in matching recruits with interesting employment.

Recruits who have trouble with weight can focus on developing their fitness level. They have a discrete amount of time to reduce their body fat percent to within 2% of the required standard, after which they are sent to basic training.

Recruits who have trouble achieving a satisfactory score on the ASVAB go into a program focused on the basic academic skills needed to perform adequately on the test. Those who test lower than they would like are also offered an opportunity to go through the course. Upon finishing, they are offered an opportunity to renegotiate their contract, having qualified for other jobs.

While the FSPC promises substantial improvements to the recruiting pipeline and force generation, it doesn't solve a bigger dilemma facing the Army: how to grapple with cultural shifts.

The number of eligible prospective soldiers has been falling for more than a decade. About 71% of Americans were assessed as ineligible for service in 2017, and a Pentagon study in September found that 77% of young people would not qualify for military service without a waiver due to being overweight.

The decrease from already troubling numbers between 2017 and 2022 has been attributed partly to the pandemic -- when many young adults were not able to play team sports. Also, the end of the war in Afghanistan in 2021 played a role, reducing the perception among eligible young civilians that there was any urgent need to join, as there wouldn't be any fighting.

Experts have described this situation as a threat to the all-volunteer military.

Leaders hope that optimizing FSPC will help the Army achieve its recruiting goals, though time will tell whether it can produce enough soldiers to offset the problem of finding fit recruits.

"The secretary of the Army and the chief of staff of the Army have been clear that we are not going to trade quality for quantity," Ready said. "The basic standards for becoming a new soldier have not changed; rather, this program helps [provide] those young men and women who are struggling to meet the Army accession standard the help they need to overcome their personal challenge."

-- Steve Beynon contributed reporting.

-- Adrian Bonenberger, an Army veteran and graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, reports for Military.com. He can be reached at adrian.bonenberger@monster.com.

Related: Army Expanding Pre-Boot Camp Course for Overweight and Low-Scoring Applicants

5 Ways Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp Is Perfect for the Switch

It’s been a long time coming, but Advance Wars is finally back — and back on the Switch! This Sci-fi strategy game continued to capitalize on the fantastic turn-based tactical genre made popular alongside Fire Emblem. Advance Wars has many layers of strategy while providing an appealing art style and an engaging story full of likable characters. Originally released for the Game Boy Advance, these titles port over nicely, so here are 5 Ways Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is perfect for the Switch.

Advance Wars felt right at home in a pocket form factor on the Game Boy Advance. The sprite graphics and animation style provided plenty of Nintendo charm and anime influence. Everything scaled excellently on the small screen and the 8-bit DAC dual stereo sound was catchy and made for some fun retro music today still. Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp captures the original spirit of the game with new enhancements.

With the Switch’s console gimmick, players can still enjoy the game in portable form, but they can also sit down and enjoy the game’s aesthetics on their larger television screen or monitor. Thanks to the Switch, pick-up-and-play sessions are better than ever. Having the option to grab a home console that you just epically played on a large screen, and then being able to take that same game on the go, makes for a unique experience unlike any other. Hybrid for the win!

On the GBA, Advance Wars was ingenious in the way it handled multiplayer. You could use the GBA link cable and play console to console, or take turns passing one console between any combination of players both human or AI. Additionally, the DS entries introduced local wireless play for up to 8 players with a tag team option. The latest sequel to date, Days of Ruin, introduced online but didn’t last long.

With the Switch, you can still pass a single system between players or play local wireless with up to four players, but now you can finally compete against a human opponent online anywhere with a consistent and robust network. This opens up the possibility to test your skills against the widest variety of opponents ever and will allow you to discover how you truly rank on a global scale.

The graphics and art style of Advance Wars are key to its victory without a doubt. Thankfully, the graphics and art have all been revamped and enhanced, but nothing is lost from the original series in the translation. It might not be as extreme as the original low-res pixel graphics or fully detailed 4K 3D models, but it does make an elegant compromise. This is a remake after all, but it’s important to note that there are 3D graphics that blend seamlessly into the experience overall.

The soundtrack has been re-recorded and remastered, while still providing the same catchy retro feel. As a result, the entire experience feels fresh and brand new for veterans who want to take advantage of the Switch’s larger screen accessibility and modern technology. And for the first time, players can hear the voices of their favorite characters in the heat of the moment with an all-star cast.

Combining separate entries into one cohesive package is quite the feat. And the developers made sure that this title still has the same balance of entry-level gameplay and challenging advanced missions. The remake takes things one step further by adding new units and gameplay mechanics that help keep the game fun and balanced strategically. Part of the game’s charm and strategy stems from picking your Command Officer (CO) and using their unique CO Power to the best of their ability.

The best part about all of Advance War’s goodies coming together, is how the franchise is now available to a wider audience like never before. Players too young to have known about the original series can finally be introduced to the games on a modern console. Although the original retro experience is special, it can be difficult and costly to scrounge together older Nintendo systems and copies of the game. And now, thanks to the Switch, it’s super easy to get access to this classic. Best of all, there’s always the possibility that this release could garner enough sales and fans to merit the production of a brand-new entry in the series! Fingers crossed.

The fifth reason why Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is perfect for the Switch is because of all the performance-enhancing extras. These quality-of-life upgrades give you the ability to fast-forward battle animations, reset previous turns, and play the game faster making the game even more enjoyable and overall more seamless. Hachi’s shop is back, too, with more unlockables and content to purchase that brings the game to an advanced level of immersion.

This updated Advance Wars experience has a myriad of terrific benefits, making it the perfect pocket strategy game for owners of the Nintendo Switch. With the new fast-forward controls and reset turns, this game can easily be played in small bite-sized chunks of gameplay without too much worry about making minor mistakes and feeling like you lost because you rushed into a bad decision. These new features allow you to rush through missions during limited play sessions, when you just have to get your strategy gaming fix in. And you can also quickly take things a step back when you accidentally make a major error.

With all of these factors packed in, players should find it easy to get hooked on this intricately designed and elegant classic that remains as relevant as ever for those who want a pocket strategy game with them wherever they go. There are limitless amounts of replayability here with all of the multiplayer options and the returning feature to create your own custom maps. As you can see, these 5 Ways Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is perfect for the Switch prove that this game belongs in your collection.

Thesis Boot Camp

Applications for Thesis Boot Camp are now closed.

Thesis Boot Camp is an intensive writing environment for late-stage PGRs to make significant progress on the first draft of their thesis. It does not provide specific advice on editing, restructuring, or polishing a thesis. The focus is on overcoming writer’s block to produce a large number of words with the mutual support of a co-working peer cohort. 

In addition to ample writing time, the programme will include breaks for physical exercise and to socialise with other PGRs at the same stage of study.

The next Thesis Boot Camp will be in room 4.10 on the top floor of 35 Berkeley Square over three days on the 22 - 24 May: 

Participants are required to attend all 3 days to support each other as a cohort and complete preparatory tasks in advance to maximise results. There will also be the option to attend a 30 minute 1:1 consultation with a writing tutor within the writing blocks during the event.

A list of common queries about how the Thesis Boot Camp works and how to apply. 

Thesis boot camp (TBC) is only suitable for late-stage PGRs as it challenges you to write a significant number of words for your thesis/dissertation in a structured environment with peers at the same stage. Writing together with others in a supportive atmosphere has proven to be an effective strategy for many, rather than the more ‘traditional’ route of writing your thesis alone.

The next Thesis Boot Camp will run in person in 35 Berkeley Square from Monday the 22nd to Wednesday the 23rd May 2023. Applications closed on 2 May. Applications which arrive after the deadline or which are not on our TBC application form will not be accepted.  If you experience any difficulties accessing or filling out the application form on this webpage, please email doctoral-college@bristol.ac.uk for assistance.

You must attend for the full duration of TBC so that you and the entire group can benefit from the momentum and support of each other. We anticipate high demand for TBCs and thus cannot guarantee places for everyone who would like to attend. We therefore like those who do attend to be able to get the most out of their attendance. 

Due to the high demand for TBCs we prioritise PGRs who have not previously attended. If you have attended, and would like to do so again, you may be able to as a TBC Veteran Helper. This will require you to help with some simple tasks over the boot camp. Please complete the application form and answer 'yes' to question 3.

For the most part, yes!  This is an intensive event and you will need to be focused on achieving as much as you can on your writing. However, in reward for your hard work, we provide refreshments and frequent breaks for you to get to know your cohort. There will also be some activity breaks where you will have the option to do some gentle exercise or other off-screen activity.  Please wear comfortable clothing which allows you to move for that reason.

We run monthly hybrid Writer’s Retreats which are day-long supported writing workshops as well as other writing training. Visit our Writing and Referencing events on myPGR for more information. Our online Thesis Mapping resources can help you plan a timetable that maximises your chances of delivering on time. You can also follow the guidance on our Focus on Writing page and for tips to run your own Writers Retreat with others.