European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 05, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                I by Dirk Johnson new York times greyhound bus rumbles along beneath the Kentucky Moon through the Gates of a mysterious new world leaving a Young Man to slip Oil into the darkness alone. As the bus pulls away the journey has Only just begun. This is a Tito of passage codified formalized authorized from boyhood to manhood. A sign overhead reads Welcome to the .  fort Knox is one of eight posts where this year 155,000 recruits 22.000 of them women will undergo Basic training the grueling eight weeks that whip Muscles and wits into Battlefield shape a process the Modem army Calls  it is a time when bravado gives Way to butterflies when a Parent s pestering seems awfully gentle alter All. You know that scene where the sergeant goes around banging on the garbage can asked Henry Hession an 18-year-old recruit irom Greenville s c. You keep waiting Lor something like that to  the typical recruit at fort Knox is a recent High school graduate. For most Vietnam was a lesson in history class. For some in was the place where their fathers fought recruits have been going through Basic training since 1917, when a peacetime army of 420,000 needed to train 2 million civilians for world War i. Its Mission remains essentially unchanged but the philosophy and techniques have changed markedly since the draft ended in the Early 1970s. Soldiers from earlier times might be surprised to watch the physical training drills in today s army. The recruits Wear running shoes not boots. And they Don gym shorts and shirts instead of heavy fatigues. Running in boots say army officials caused Shin splints and other discomforts a notion that most veterans do not dispute. When in comes to marching and there is still plenty of that the dress code still Calls for boots. Activity on the Post is regulated by a device that Mas uses the relative heal humidity wind Speed and Sun exposure when conditions gel Loo oppressive physical drills Are modified or halted altogether. For example arduous training would be halted for the Day in the Lemper lure readied 90 degrees with 85 percent humidity direct sunlight and Little or no Breeze. In the old Days training was sometimes halted because of weather but Tho extremes Haa to be greater. Some physical training drills now include aerobic exercises set to music but no one wears leotards. And Drill sergeants no longer announce a break by saying smoke pm if you got pm since 1987. Cigarettes and chewing tobacco have been forbidden during Basic training. Are there classes to help smokers quit yes and they last about 10 seconds. The Drill sergeant says get rid of your cigarettes  the recruit says yes Drill  end of class. The mess Hall has a salad bar and piped in music and every Spring the recruits Plant marigolds and impatiens in Flower boxes outside the Barracks. A More fundamental change in the army officials say is the Way soldiers Are treated. Drill sergeants Are prohibited from hitting shoving or poking recruits or assaulting them verbally. Sergeants face demotion or dismissal for  treatment. The code against abuse is not entirely new of course. Profanity was against the rules in George Washington s Day. But until recently Drill sergeants could pretty much ignore Tho rules in the name of discipline. In the old Days harassment and verbal abuse were considered tools to toughen up the soldiers. If they could t Lake it in training the theory went they would t be Able to take if on the Battlefield army officials now believe otherwise. All the screaming you be done at a kid in Basic training does t do him any Good when there Are bullets hopping All  said Gen. Thomas a Tail the commander at fort Knox. Tail said management consultants and sociologists asked by the army to do studies have rejected Tho old army mentality. You can t destroy an individual s sense of Sefl esteem and think you re going to build in Back up said Tail. Some old timers might think today s approach is Loo soft. Tail conceded. But the physical and menial training is tougher than Ever he said. And it s a Good thing the youngsters today Don t seem to be As physically qualified when they come into Basic As they were 30 years ago he said. In part the changes in Basic training grew out of a series of abuses including the deaths in 1976 of two recruits at fort Jackson s.c., who collapsed after being forced As punishment to do push  in the searing heat. An army study group which included sociologists and management experts concluded in 1978 that soldiers should be treated with More dignity. Humiliation and Rulo by terror does t work in a private corporation and it does t work Here said i. Col. Tony Jayjock society changed after the Vietnam War and the army had to change with  so troops Are no longer roasted from their Beds in the Middle of the night or forced to run around the Barracks in their underwear. Sgt. Maj. Danny Reagor greets the new troops. For the ones who look lost to tells them about his recollections about his first Days in Basic training. I remember standing on the Telephone talking to my mama he tells them. And these big old Alligator tears were just a running Down my  As the troops gather for their initial instructions Reagor asks them about their goals. One Young Man said he wanted to be a millionaire. One said he wanted to learn a technological skill. Several said they wanted to be top notch soldiers. What s your goal he asked another Young Man. I want to be like my dad came the reply. And Reagor the toughened old Soldier seemed to soften. Whatever the motivations of the recruits the Mission a Drill sergeant encourages a recruit to do just one More push up. Page 14 the stars and stripes tuesday