Advanced Individual Training

Advanced Individual Training
Hunterrhoades · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Name	Advanced Individual Training
Type	Military skills training

Contents

Advanced Individual Training

Advanced Individual Training is the U.S. Army program that provides specialized instruction to enlisted soldiers after initial entry training such as Fort Benning, Fort Jackson, Fort Leonard Wood, or Fort Sill. It follows basic combat training at installations like Fort Knox and Fort Campbell and prepares soldiers for assignments within units including 1st Infantry Division, 82nd Airborne Division, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), or branch schools such as United States Army Aviation Center of Excellence, United States Army Medical Department (AMEDD), and United States Army Signal Corps. The course aligns with occupational specialties recognized by organizations including the Department of the Army, United States Department of Defense, and career managers at Human Resources Command (United States Army).

Overview

AIT occupies the period between initial entry training sites like Fort Eustis and unit assignment at posts such as Fort Bragg, Fort Hood, or Fort Stewart. It transitions soldiers from foundational programs at locations like Fort Gordon, Fort Lee, and Fort Huachuca into occupational roles tied to Army branches including the Adjutant General's Corps, Ordnance Corps, Quartermaster Corps, Corps of Engineers, and Judge Advocate General's Corps (United States Army). The curriculum integrates doctrine promulgated by TRADOC, standards from the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, and competency frameworks used by commands such as FORSCOM and U.S. Army Reserve.

Course content is organized by military occupational specialty codes aligned to MOS standards overseen by Army Regulation 611-201 and incorporated into training doctrine like Field Manual 7-22 and Army Techniques Publication 3-21.8. Instructional modules include technical subjects taught in facilities such as the United States Military Academy adjunct programs, simulation labs utilizing systems from Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, or Raytheon Technologies, and hands-on tasks validated by testing centers at installations like Fort Sam Houston. Instructors may use curriculum development guidance from Center for Initial Military Training, lesson plans informed by National Guard Bureau requirements, and evaluation protocols consistent with standards set by Defense Acquisition University and Army Forces Command.

Length varies with MOS and may range from short courses at schools like Adams School of Apprenticeship Training to extended pipelines comparable to those at the United States Naval Academy or United States Air Force Academy in complexity. Typical phases include initial technical familiarization, intermediate proficiency driven by assessments pioneered at Fort Leavenworth, and culminating qualification events aligned with certification programs from entities such as Occupational Safety and Health Administration for applicable specialties. Transitional billets may be coordinated with commands including United States Army Pacific and United States Army Europe.

Successful graduates receive MOS qualifications, promotable points applied by Promotion Board, and credentials sometimes recognized by civilian institutions such as American Council on Education evaluations or trade certifications issued in partnership with Department of Labor. Outcomes influence assignments to formations like Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Airborne units, Special Forces Group (United States), or support elements including Medical Command (MEDCOM), Cyber Command (United States) — U.S. Army Cyber Command, and Military Police Corps. Records are maintained in systems like Integrated Personnel and Pay System and inform career progression handled by Army Career Tracker.

AIT occurs at schools and centers such as United States Army Field Band training sites, branch-specific learning centers like the Signal Center and School, Ordnance School, and the United States Army Medical Center of Excellence. Instructors include noncommissioned officers promoted through programs like Sergeant Major Academy, warrant officers from Warrant Officer Career College, and civilian cadre with credentials comparable to those from Carnegie Mellon University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or Georgia Institute of Technology in technical fields. Training infrastructure may leverage contractor support from firms like Boeing, General Dynamics, or Leidos and coordinate with accreditation bodies including Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

AIT completion determines assignment readiness for deployments alongside units engaged in operations such as Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Inherent Resolve, and multinational missions coordinated with NATO allies including United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, and Australia. The MOS earned at AIT affects eligibility for schools such as Airborne School, Ranger School, Sapper Leader Course, and joint postings with organizations like U.S. Central Command, U.S. Africa Command, and U.S. European Command. Career trajectories intersect with promotion pathways influenced by awards like the Bronze Star Medal and educational opportunities through programs such as Tuition Assistance and the GI Bill.

AIT evolved from pre-World War II technical instruction at installations like Camp Lee and expanded during mobilizations associated with World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War. Reform initiatives have been shaped by legislation and directives from Congress of the United States, executive guidance issued by the Secretary of Defense, and Army policy updates following analyses by institutions such as RAND Corporation, Congressional Research Service, and Center for Strategic and International Studies. Modern changes reflect lessons from campaigns including Gulf War and force design reviews led by Army Futures Command, with doctrine updates promulgated by TRADOC and oversight by Assistant Secretary of the Army (Manpower and Reserve Affairs).

Category:United States Army training