Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is contemplating bringing back the “shark attack,” a long-standing, intense drill sergeant tactic used in U.S. Army basic training.
This method typically involves multiple drill sergeants closing in on recruits, yelling loudly to push them through early challenges of training.
“It starts at basic training. It starts at our military academies,” Hegseth said Thursday on The Will Cain Show.
“We’re returning to basics. Drill sergeants will be drill sergeants — knife hands, maintaining strict order and discipline — shaping recruits into strong formations. Just like military officers need that same rigorous discipline. This return to fundamentals is already showing results.”
The Army began phasing out the shark attack in recent years, with the practice largely ending in 2020. It was replaced by the ‘First 100 Yards,’ a structured exercise meant to foster teamwork and camaraderie under pressure.
The U.S. Army Center for Initial Military Training described ‘The First 100 Yards’ on Facebook as “a trainee’s first encounter with Basic Training (BCT), Drill Sergeants, and the beginning of their transformation into members of the world’s most potent and lethal fighting force. This exercise, honoring their lineage of closing the last 100 yards of the fight, challenges recruits mentally and physically while encouraging teamwork.”
The decision to phase out the shark attack came from discussions at the Army Infantry School in Fort Benning, Georgia. While senior leaders felt the approach was outdated, they emphasized the Army was not lowering standards by removing this intense, face-to-face drill.
Advocates of the shark attack argue it’s critical in helping recruits shift from civilian life into the demands of military service, preparing them for the unpredictable stress of combat.
Defense Department press secretary Kingsley Wilson said Thursday, “The secretary is excited to improve basic training. He’s reviewing training to ensure standards are strong. We want our warfighters to be resilient, and that begins in basic training. Returning to basics — including shark attacks — is under consideration.”
Another traditional practice, “tossing bays” — where drill sergeants overturn bunks, lockers, and other items in trainees’ living areas to enforce cleanliness — was recently reinstated by one Army unit after a brief ban.
A July 31 memo from Col. Christopher J.C. Hallows, commander of the 197th Infantry Brigade, initially banned bay tossing, stating, “Drill sergeants will not ‘toss’ the bay to include flipping mattresses, knocking over wall lockers, touching and/or damaging Trainee personal items or equipment. Drill sergeants will not use bay ‘tossing’ for any reason including corrective action methods.”
However, Hallows reversed the ban in a memo issued Sunday.
On Thursday, Hegseth emphasized that bay tossing and shark attacks have been pillars of basic training for decades.
“This is basic training 101,” he said. “Anyone who’s been through basic knows it’s a crucible — you’re tested, challenged, scared, nervous. You come out forged as an American warrior.”
He explained, “A shark attack is when drill sergeants surround one recruit, creating a stressful situation they must manage. Tossing the bay after a hard day out on the range or patrol — this is normal. This isn’t new; it’s a restoration.”
