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.