Five life-saving principles of the adaptation course for recruits

Five life-saving principles of the adaptation course for recruits

At the end of last year, the General Staff of the Armed Forces introduced a mandatory 14-day adaptation period for recruits in brigades after completing basic military training at training centers. Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, attributes the recorded decrease in Ukrainian combat losses in March to this measure, along with several other updates to the basic general military training course.

The Reforms Support Office of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine conducted a study, commissioned by the General Staff and the Command of the Ground Forces, to evaluate the experience of implementing this adaptation period in combat brigades. The research included analysis of units that had already implemented effective adaptation for recruits, as well as those that organized such efforts after the General Staff decided to scale the practice across the army. In total, in-depth interviews were conducted with deputy brigade commanders, heads of combat training, personnel training officers from 16 units of the Armed Forces and the National Guard. The insights and recommendations gathered during these interviews were used to develop proposals addressing common problems and challenges in fields of a unified recruit training methodology, salaries for instructors, logistical support etc.

Of course, each brigade has its own context and characteristics — from internal culture to the specifics of tasks and terrain. These factors influence the decisions and processes involved in adapting recruits. Units looking to adopt others’ experience must take their own circumstances into account. Still, we identified five best practices as foundational for broader implementation across the army. Below is a summary of each approach.

Instructors with extensive combat experience. Most instructors have long service histories, particularly in these brigades. They often have friends and close connections in the units they are training recruits for and deeply understand the operational specifics. They actively use peer-to-peer networks to keep experience up to date. This ensures the training is aligned with the brigade’s current mission. Recruits clearly understand the relevance of the skills and knowledge they are gaining — how and why these will be used in real operations.

It’s also worth noting that in some brigades all instructors have multiple serious injuries, while in others only a portion have. Many can no longer serve on the front line, but they continue to serve by applying their experience in this new role.

Respectful treatment of recruits. Brigade instructors communicate with newcomers humanly. They understand that discipline and disrespect are not the same — and that humiliating a soldier does not replicate combat conditions. Respectful treatment, the presence of team spirit, and a shared sense of responsibility for the brigade’s outcomes are critical instructors selection criteria. The personal example set by the head of combat training and training officers in showing zero tolerance for superiority toward new soldiers is especially important.

Involvement of the "receiving side." Sergeants and commanders of the platoons and companies where recruits will be assigned after training are involved in the adaptation process. This allows them to form their own impressions of the recruits’ abilities, establish communication early on, and, in some cases, immediately create pairs or squads that will later transfer into combat units and undergo coordination.

Train as you fight. Training is maximally close to real combat conditions. The focus is not on isolated exercises, but on scenario-based training that mirrors real missions: deploying to a position, fortifying it, repelling an assault. All types of training, such as medical or tactical,  are integrated into these scenarios. The emphasis is not on completing a training program, but on preparing for the actual types and formats of combat the recruits will soon face, and drilling critical skills until they become automatic. For example, radio operation is practiced until recruits can do it blindfolded, without illumination. The presence of enemy drones is constantly simulated, with mock air-dropped explosives introduced at unpredictable times to build constant vigilance.

After Action Review (AAR) and a culture of trust. The AAR protocol is used consistently after exercises, training missions, and simulations. Instructors don’t draw conclusions for recruits — they teach them to self-analyze and correct mistakes. They foster a climate of mutual trust, where recruits are not ashamed to share thoughts, observations, or point out problems that others might overlook.

In conclusion, one of the most significant benefits of a high-quality adaptation period is a reduced rate of desertion. Brigades that recognize its importance and invest in its success help new soldiers better adapt to the exact combat roles they will soon take on. Understanding that commanders are committed to your training builds trust and confidence in one’s own abilities.

Viktoriia Dvoretska, veteran and expert at the Reforms Support Office of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine