Slashdot Mirror
US Navy Considering Wii Fit and DDR For Boot Camp
almehdaaol writes "New military recruits are coming in physically heavier and out of shape, so the US Navy has decided to take an interesting course of action by creating a new training regimen inspired by the fitness-centric Wii Fit and Dance Dance Revolution."
This comes alongside a report confirming some of the BS we told our parents when we were growing up: "Bavelier said playing the kill-or-be-killed games can improve peripheral vision and the ability to see objects at dusk, and the games can even be used to treat amblyopia, or lazy eye, a disorder characterized by indistinct vision in one eye. She said she believes the games can improve math performance and other brain tasks."
Considering that so many young Americans are obese that it's affected our military's ability to recruit, I'd say just about anything may be worth a try.
Fatness in the US has become a threat to national security.
At least with the end of Don't Ask/Don't Tell we might have a better chance of having physically fit people enlist.
You are welcome on my lawn.
From the article: "...newcomers to the military service build up the endurance they need to get in shape safely." Allowing trainees to play games to get in shape goes against almost everything the military is supposed to teach soldiers. Soldiers are expected to spends weeks or months in the field where there might not be electricity and clean water, forget entertainment electronic. Soldiers should learn to rough it and exercise even when it's difficult or boring. If the new recruits cannot take the standard training, perhaps there should be a "pre-boot camp", but to allow them to play games? Insane.
I was in the navy for 20 years. I retired in 1997. I know how much training the Navy gave during boot camp. There were some that went to the fleet straight after boot camp but the majority went on to another school before going to the fleet. I myself spent almost 2 years in schools before going to the fleet. I soon found out that what the schools taught you were relevant in only about 20% of what was expected of you. The most important job was to keep the ship clean and well painted. The second most important job was to keep the top officers happy. This included when to salute and when to give honors to those officers. Several times I went to firing ranges to shoot the 45 pistol. Even after getting 10 practice shots and than not changing the target I failed to hit the target enough times to pass. I was never given very much training on how to shoot the pistol but I was always given the responsibility of carrying the weapon. It was just assumed that I would never have to use them(I do not know when the last time one had to use one). I was given the responsibility of firing both missiles and guns but was never given much training on when to use them(it was likewise assumed that I would never need to use them). I can hardly believe that someone hasn't forcefully taken over a naval vessels since at night at sea there is a fantail watch but he is unarmed and most of the hand held weapons are in the armory. There was absolutely no training about what to do if we did have an intruder board the ship while it was at sea. Even small tactics like keeping all the entrances to the ship one way locked at night so it would at least slow them down were not even contemplated. I was given a shot gun and told to patrol a deck when in port but I was never given any training on when I could use it. When the ship was in port one night while I was on watch I noticed a native Indian approaching the ship in a canoe but lucky for me there was a Spanish speaking guard on the pier who shouted at the intruder to go away and he did(he was probably just curious about all the lights). That was the closest I got to see any action in the whole 20 years.
Having one to boot camp in 2003 I was in one of the last old barracks they had where you had to march everywhere it doesn't surprise me that they are having issues getting the new recruits in shape. The new barracks have the mess hall, class rooms and barrack all in the same place so there is almost no marching or traveling on any given day in boot camp and just one PT session a day. So obviously the solution is to play videogames in the barracks and not you know march around during boot camp. Even the end of boot camp test battle stations is all in one building now where before it used to be spread out around the whole base. Truthfully tho being a instructor for future navy nukes Im actually more concerned about the lowered asvab standards then the fatties coming in.
agreed, I was in the Army in the late 80's and we did plenty of physical training. The guys that didn't pass the physical requirements were held back until they met them.