Basic
ByPublisher Description
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.Col. Jack Jacobs and co-author 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 bootcamp, these memories of drill instructors, marching chants, combat training, 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.
Download the free Fable app

Stay organized
Keep track of what you’re reading, what you’ve finished, and what’s next.
Build a better TBR
Swipe, skip, and save with our smart list-building tool
Rate and review
Share your take with other readers with half stars, emojis, and tags
Curate your feed
Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communitiesNo Reviews
About Jack Jacobs
In addition to his Medal of Honor, Colonel Jack Jacobs (Ret.) is the recipient of 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. Colonel Jacobs is also the 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 many New York Times bestsellers. He lives in New York.
Other books by Jack Jacobs
Start a Book Club
Start a public or private book club with this book on the Fable app today!FAQ
Do I have to buy the ebook to participate in a book club?
Why can’t I buy the ebook on the app?
How is Fable’s reader different from Kindle?
Do you sell physical books too?
Are book clubs free to join on Fable?
How do I start a book club with this book on Fable?