Fall IN! That is exactly what needs to happen. We needs kids who have gotten themselves out of line to "fall in". Boot camps are only one possible solution for the wayward. But regardless of the remedy for the problem, boot camps offer the 5 elements that it takes to get kids back to the place of functioning as acceptable citizens.
Element 1: Teachable
Kids who are teachable understand that they don't know everything. Boot camps can put kids in situations where they must accept correction and understand that there are those who know more about some things than they themselves do. This creates a mind set where the focus isn't all about "me", but rather establishes an understanding that people who correct me and teach me things do so because they care. It is not because they are picking on me, dislike me, disrespect me, or anything other than wanting what is best for me. This causes kids to see that authority can be a positive and it creates a sense of hierarchy that they will need in the real world where everyone has a boss.
Element 2: Humility
Incorrect as it is, the immediate assumption of boot camps is that they break kids to the point of humiliation. Do NOT mistake humility for humiliation. Teaching kids humility instills in them a sense of pride that is not arrogant. Humility is one of the toughest lessons to learn in life, but if we won't learn it on our own, life will teach it to us. As the old Native American proverb says, those whose eyes are up in the air with head held high cannot see the path ahead and are prone to stumble. Those whose eyes are low and on the path can see where they are going. Another way to put it might be "Pride goeth before the fall". Boot camps can teach kids that putting others ahead of oneself can have value. In this day and age where most role models for kids do everything they can to self-promote- whether they be rappers, athletes, movie and television personalities, we can show examples of great people who always take the humble road. If you are truly great, others will notice, you won't need to tell them.
Element 3: Discipline
Again, people often have the misconception that boot camps are about punishment. Do NOT confuse punishment with discipline. Having a disciplined mind for instance, can allow someone to persevere amidst setbacks, complications, and naysayers. In the many years I worked with at-risk youth, one of the things I tried to communicate to parents and kids alike was that breaking a child of their "stubbornness" was very detrimental. That same stubbornness that says, "Screw you, I won't do what you say", is the same stubbornness that says, "You can't get me to take drugs or rob a store no matter how many times you pressure me." Stubbornness doesn't need to be defeated, merely directed. Once it is in the right direction it becomes discipline that shows itself in things like being on time, honoring deadlines, not giving up easily or quitting, and a commitment to excellence. Boot camps can instill the right sense of discipline.
Element 4: Integrity
People of integrity have simple lives. They are not easy- they have the same problems and struggles as the next person, but their decisions are simple because they are always based on a moral code that does not change regardless of the situation. Upon leaving the White House for the final time, President Harry Truman went back into his office to return a pen that he had mistakenly kept. No one would have faulted him for keeping it as a souvenir, but he lived his life by a set of values that didn't waiver whether having to decide to drop the atomic bomb or return a pen. Boot camps can teach kids that their word is their bond, a handshake seals the deal, and that they can be counted on to live a certain way. This promotes trust and respect for which kids of this nature so vehemently yell. Being a person of integrity will allow anyone to be successful in the long term everyday life situations. Perhaps Enron and Worldcom and the like would place a higher value on this if they had it to do over again.
Element 5: Teamwork
Many businesses are switching their models to that of working in teams. Whether athletic or business in nature, teams are the bond that create accountability, trust, love and devotion. Talk to men who have fought in war together. Ask them if teamwork is important. Have a conversation with anyone who has been a part of a group that overachieved because of the ability to rely on the strengths of others for overall greater successes. As John Wooden so accurately states, the very top of the pyramid of success is competitive greatness. Notice that it is not WINNING every time. Those things usually take care of themselves. Boot camps can give kids a sense of teamwork that will allow them to compete against any and all opposition to their goals. Instilling in them the value of never letting their teammates down, and being able to rely on teammates when they themselves are down.
Overall, boot camps have the ability to recover some of the losses that society and schools throw away on a daily basis. While they are not the only solution, they possess elements that can get kids to a point where they can function effectively in the real world. Perhaps if our schools and families had these 5 elements strongly represented we would have no need for the boot camps.
