Effective Training....

[William F. Owen]

Bottom line is we will not improve basic training until we invest a great deal more resources in it and are willing to accept risk and the inevitable failures. I don't think it is a question of some new approach to training per se.

Well OK, but given that very few if any armies have ever run comparative training studies, and even when they have, have failed to learn from them, we don't have any good data to base that assumption on - However, I think what you say is largely correct.

Problem is, basic training is not actually basic training. Since about 1915, it's been a ready made solider factory. You go from training to war. You join your unit, in combat!
As far as I have ascertained, only the Germans sent back experienced NCOs and Officers and bolted together new platoons in training and then deployed those platoons into combat, - as platoons, or squads.
The question I always want to ask, is that, if men posted to your unit, were just well trained in individual skills, - physically fit, could map read, call in fire, had good marksmanship, CQB shooting skills, weapons handling and field craft, plus basic medic, etc, etc. - could you teach him the rest, as part of a platoon, before it was time to deploy?