Hooah!! Welcome back to your Week Two training update. By now you may be wondering what this word Hooah means. Let me tell you! Hooah is a universal Army term that means just about everything. It can be a simple replacement word for “Yes”, “Understood”, “I’m excited” or almost any other thing you can think of. Hooah is the universal battle cry for the United States Army and a word that you will become very familiar with in your Trainee’s new found vocabulary.  

I know these last few weeks have been difficult, but don’t worry, your Trainee is in good hands and the weeks will go by before you know it.

Week 2 Expectations – Yellow Phase

Your Trainee has just completed their first week of Army Training. Last week they spent a lot of time learning and getting acclimated to Army life. By now they are getting accustomed to the early mornings and long days.

Week two will be a very busy and exciting time for your Trainee. This week will be all about building confidence. This week they will tackle the Obstacle Course, The Rappel Tower, and the always exciting Confidence Chamber, also known as the Gas Chamber.

This week they will begin exploring outside of the company area and complete a series of training events designed to challenge them mentally and physically. This will be one of the most memorable weeks of training for them. This week will truly test their limits and help instill confidence in their abilities and their equipment.

The Gas Chamber

First up this week is one of the most anticipated combat scenarios of their time at Fort Benning, the Confidence Chamber (also known as the gas chamber). This is their first introduction to Chemical, Biological, Radioactive, and Nuclear (CBRN) training. They will learn how to properly wear the M50 Protective Mask (also known as Gas Mask) as well as employ a variety of cleaning supplies specifically designed to treat contamination. 

The final practical exercise of this training event is the gas chamber where your trainee will learn to trust in their equipment. Don’t be alarmed, this is a controlled environment! They will put on their gas mask, and enter a room filled with harmless but very uncomfortable tear gas. While they are wearing their mask, they will be unaffected by the teargas, but they will proceed to remove their mask and experience the effects of tear gas briefly before exiting the chamber. This experience helps them understand how to maintain their composure and remain focused on what needs to be done even when they are under distress.

The Confidence Course

The Confidence Obstacle Course (COC) helps instill Army values, build confidence and raise personal courage between trainees. The Confidence Obstacle Course is designed to test trainee’s endurance, stamina and willpower to boost their confidence in their ability to perform under trying conditions.

The Confidence Obstacle Course is all about overcoming obstacles and, as the name implies, building confidence. It also requires the trainees to face innate fears they may have such as a fear of heights.

US Army Alpha 1-19 Confidence Obstacle Course (COC)

Eagle Tower

Trainees will also get the chance to tackle the Confidence Rappel Tower also known as Eagle Tower. The Confidence Rappel Tower is an exercise typically done early where trainees can develop the personal courage and confidence in their equipment, giving trainees the ability to realize they can overcome just about any obstacle thrown their way. Trainees must navigate through several obstacles at extreme heights, including climbing and traversing rope ladders and bridges, and rappelling down a 50-foot wall.

This week also marks the completion of their first phase, the Yellow Phase. They are now ready to transition to the second phase of their training, the Red Phase. This is where they will take their first physical fitness assessment and begin to learn their basic Soldier tasks.

Letters From Home = Morale

Ready to write a Letter? Sandboxx makes writing from anywhere easy, and every Letter includes a color photo. 

In your letter to your Trainee this week, ask them how they did on the Rappel Tower or the Gas Chamber. I am sure they will have some great stories to share with you. Also, be sure to wish them luck on their first physical fitness assessment.  

Remember, Sandboxx Letters arrive the next day with return stationery, a pre-addressed envelope, the return postage paid, photos, and an option to add a gift card. But if you don’t have the time to write as often as you’d like, consider selecting the Daily Drive as a letter add-on, this way your recruit will receive daily mail to encourage them throughout their journey.  

The Making of Your Soldier

Stay tuned for more insights into Week Two and beyond. Follow us on social media for the latest updates, letter ideas, and more.

If you are looking to connect with some Army Families going through the OSUT journey, please consider joining the Fort Benning),GA-U.S. Army Basic Training/OSUT Support group.

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 — just ask for Kris, and myself or another teammate will get back to you as soon as we can.

Hooah!

SGM Kris Broadus, U.S. Army (Ret)