Hooah!! Welcome back for your Week Seven update. Get excited—your Trainee has officially charged into the fourth and final phase of Army Basic Combat Training: the mighty Blue Phase! Graduation day is now right around the corner, and before you know it, you’ll be standing proudly as your Soldier marches across that parade field. The excitement is building, and this week is packed with some of the most thrilling moments yet. Your Trainee will take on the End-of-Cycle Army Fitness Test (AFT), throw live grenades at the Hand Grenade Range, and sharpen their marksmanship skills at the legendary Omaha Range. Big milestones are here, and your Trainee is charging toward the finish line!
Week Seven Expectations: Blue Phase
If you’ve noticed a new spark in your letters or Sunday calls, you’re not imagining it—your Trainee is fired up! They are feeling stronger, more confident, and laser-focused on graduation. Army life is no longer new—it’s part of who they are becoming. This week, all of those grueling early morning workouts will pay off as they take their ACFT, putting their strength, endurance, and grit to the ultimate test. And let’s be honest—they’re probably starting to notice those muscles showing, too! With the Hand Grenade Range and Omaha Range ahead, they’ll also get hands-on experience with critical battlefield skills that few ever get to master. The pride, the energy, and the transformation are real—your Trainee is almost there! Stay motivated—the best is yet to come!
Army Fitness Test (AFT)
To start Week 7, your Soldier will take their final record Army Fitness Test (AFT). They must pass the AFT to graduate from Army BCT. This can be one of the most stressful events for your Soldier. This test will be a true testament to all the hard work your Soldier has put in every morning working out and running with their Drill Sergeants. There are five events that make up the AFT and the entire test must be completed within 90 minutes from start to finish. Each event is designed to assess and improve your physical strength, mental toughness, coordination, and flexibility, while reducing preventable injuries. The five events for the AFT are as follows:
Remember there are six events on the ACFT:
- 3 Repetition Maximum DeadLift
- Hand Release Pushup
- Sprint-Drag-Carry
- Plank
- 2-mile run
Hand Grenade Range
Your Trainee is diving into some of the most thrilling and unforgettable experiences of Basic Training as they learn about their supporting weapons systems, including the powerful M320 Grenade Launcher and the legendary Fragmentation Grenade! Just like during Rifle Marksmanship, Trainees will spend the day out on the ranges, practicing and qualifying with these incredible systems. The energy on the range is electric—Trainees typically describe the M320 and Frag Grenade ranges as absolute highlights of their entire training experience! There’s nothing quite like the excitement (and adrenaline rush) that comes with handling real explosives—and you can bet your Trainee will have some awesome stories to share about it.
One of the most memorable and nerve-wracking moments will be the very first time they throw a live fragmentation grenade. It’s a true gut-check moment—standing there, grenade in hand, heart pounding—and then pushing past fear to execute with precision and courage. Every Trainee must successfully throw two live frag grenades, and when they do, they earn a qualification badge that they’ll wear with pride. It’s a huge confidence boost and a true symbol of how far they’ve come. This isn’t just training anymore—it’s becoming a Soldier, one unforgettable moment at a time! Hooah!
Omaha Range
At the Omaha Range, the training will focus on the fire and maneuver tactics central to infantry Soldiers. The main training event is the Tactical Training Days (TTD 1-4), where the Trainees will learn to shoot, move, and communicate in two-person buddy teams. The Trainees will learn the basics of individual movement techniques (IMT), the tactical method of driving in combat. Then, they will go to the live fire range, wear protective vests, helmets, ear plugs, and eye protection, and begin practicing the lanes.
The live fire exercises (LFX) are some of the most stressful events a Trainee can experience as they are required to move and accurately fire live rounds while another Trainee does the same thing next to them. A Trainee must be constantly aware of their surroundings and keep their weapon pointed in a safe direction. Their drill sergeants continually supervise them, and once they complete the training, they have a tremendous respect for their weapons and confidence in their ability to employ them safely.
Letters From Home = Morale
Your words matter. Letters from home are fuel for the fight—they lift spirits, inspire grit, and remind your Trainee they are never alone. This will be an incredibly memorable week for your Trainee. They will never forget the first time they threw a live grenade. Be sure to ask them what it was like; they will have some stories to tell. Also, be sure to ask them about their AFT. Their motivation levels are surging as they prepare for next week’s big event, The Forge.
Don’t forget—you can access real-time training photos, order portraits of your trainee, and so much more through Fort Jackson Photography. They make the perfect graduation gift, with various gifts and photo bundles.
Don’t have the time to write as often as you’d like? Consider adding an Exchange gift card to your following letter. Then you can rest assured your trainee has everything they need to be successful each week at training. The paper gift card is sent with your Sandboxx Letter and delivered directly to your trainee on base so they can use it immediately.
The Making of Your Soldier
The journey is getting closer to the end with every day, and the road ahead still has some significant challenges—but your Trainee is rising to the challenge. Stay tuned for more insights as we walk this journey together. Stay tuned for more insights into Week Eight and beyond as we tackle The Forge! Follow us on social media for the latest updates, letter ideas, and more.
That’s a brief look at the intense but rewarding journey your Trainee is on. Let’s keep supporting them every step of the way!
You can always find me via chat in the Sandboxx app or happiness@sandboxx.us. Ask for Kris and another teammate, or I will reply soon.
Hooah!
SGM Kris Broadus, U.S. Army (Ret)