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 Combat Fitness Test (ACFT), throw live grenades at the Hand Grenade Range, and sharpen their marksmanship skills at the legendary Buddy Team Live Fire 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
To start Week 7, your Soldier will take their final record Army Combat Physical Fitness Test (ACFT). They must pass the ACFT 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 six events that make up the ACFT 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 six events for the ACFT are as follows:
Remember there are 6 events on the ACFT:
- 3 Repetition Maximum DeadLift
- Standing Power Throw
- Hand Release Pushup
- Sprint-Drag-Carry
- Plank
- 2 mile run
The ACFT is scored based on your gender and age. All Trainees must achieve 60 points in each event and have a minimum score of 360 to successfully pass. The maximum score in each event is 100 and the maximum score on the ACFT is 600. For many Soldiers, the progress they have made since their first ACFT assessment in Week 3 will be monumental.
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!
Buddy Team Live Fire Range
At the Buddy Team Live Fire Range, the training will be focused around 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) which is the tactical method of moving in combat. Then they will go to the live fire range, put on their protective vests, helmet, 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 is doing the same thing next to them. A Trainee is required to constantly be aware of their surroundings and must keep their weapon pointed in a safe direction. They are constantly supervised by their Drill Sergeants and once they complete the training, they have a greater 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 ACFT. Their motivation levels are surging as they prepare for next week’s big event, The Forge.
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 starting to wind down, but there are a few significant milestones still on the horizon—but your Trainee is rising to the challenge. Be sure to wish them the best next week as they tackle the Forge! Stay tuned for more insights as we walk this journey together.
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)