Pentagon Says ‘Bring Back Fear’ — Critics Warn Boot Camp Is Repeating Its Dark Past

A proposal from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to make U.S. military basic training “scary” again is reigniting a long-running debate over where discipline ends and abuse begins, particularly at Joint Base San Antonio–Lackland, the Air Force’s largest training hub, reported by the San Antonio Express-News.

According to U.S. Department of War, Hegseth told more than 800 generals and admirals at a Sept. 30 gathering in Quantico, Virginia, that basic training is being restored to what it should be, “scary, tough and disciplined.” He said drill instructors should once again be permitted to use tactics such as “shark attacks,” profanity and limited physical contact with recruits.

“We’re empowering drill sergeants to instill healthy fear in new recruits,” Hegseth said. “Yes, they can shark attack, they can toss bunks, they can swear, and yes, they can put their hands on recruits.”

Hegseth also argued that terms like hazing, bullying and harassment have been “weaponized,” ordering a review of Defense Department definitions so instructors can enforce standards without “fear of retribution,” while insisting they must still follow the law.

Retired military leaders interviewed by the San Antonio Express-News warned that loosening those boundaries could repeat past failures.

“Some instructors will interpret Hegseth’s comments as a license to be abusive,” said Geoffrey Corn, a retired Army lieutenant colonel and director of the Center for Military Law and Policy at Texas Tech University School of Law. “At some point, something bad will result.”

Lackland Air Force Base, which graduates about 35,000 airmen each year, moved away from intimidation-based training after a sweeping sexual abuse scandal more than a decade ago. Beginning in 2011, dozens of instructors were investigated for mistreating trainees, including Staff Sgt. Luis A. Walker, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for sexually assaulting 10 female recruits, the San Antonio Express-News reported.

The Air Force responded by increasing oversight, adding instructors, placing more women in training roles and redesigning basic military training to emphasize instruction, mentorship and teamwork. Physical punishment remains allowed but is tightly restricted, and instructors cannot touch trainees without permission.

Retired Air Force Gen. Robin Rand, who once led Air Education and Training Command, said basic training should be among the hardest experiences recruits face — but never abusive.

“We definitely have to be tough,” Rand said. “The method I would use, though, does not lead me to believe you’ve got to yell, scream and physically intimidate.”

Congress has repeatedly raised concerns about hazing across the services. A 2021 Government Accountability Office report found that military branches significantly underreported hazing incidents, according to the San Antonio Express-News. In October, 28 House members wrote to Hegseth urging the Pentagon to strengthen, not weaken, protections for recruits.

“All service members and recruits must be treated with dignity and respect,” the lawmakers wrote.

The Defense Department later said it “unequivocally rejects hazing,” but Rep. Sylvia Garcia of Houston said she remains skeptical. “Hazing is hazing, no matter how it’s re-branded,” Garcia said.

As the San Antonio Express-News reported, the clash reflects a deeper divide within the military: whether fear-based training builds stronger warfighters — or risks reviving practices that once led to abuse, trauma and death.