Every American fighting man and woman share one thing in common: they have all survived basic military training. Basic tells the story of that training. Medal of Honor recipient Col. Jack Jacobs and David Fisher recount the funny, sad, dramatic, poignant, and sometimes crazy history of how America has trained its military, told through the personal accounts of those who remember the experiences as if they happened yesterday.
If you've been through basic or boot camp, these memories of drill instructors, marching chants, combat training (and the "gas chamber"), hospital corners, and the shared feeling of triumph are guaranteed to make you smile. And those who haven't done it will understand and appreciate this life-changing experience that turns a civilian into a soldier―and in just eight weeks.
In addition to his Medal of Honor, Col. Jack Jacobs (Ret.) received three Bronze Stars and two Silver Stars. He is the Vice Chairman of the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation, holds the McDermott Chair of Humanities and Public Affairs at the United States Military Academy at West Point, and is an on-air analyst for NBC News. He is author of the Colby Award–winning memoir, If Not Now, When? He lives in New Jersey.
David Fisher is the author of more than fifty books, including sixteen New York Times bestsellers. He lives in New York.