AIT stands for Advanced Individual Training, which is where military personnel learn the technical skills needed for their specific Army job. It is the second stage of training after Basic Training, and it provides in-depth and hands-on job training to ensure soldiers are ready to take on their Army jobs. Soldiers are assigned to one of the 17 AIT schools based on their Army job, which also determines the length of time they’ll need to attend. AIT can last between four to 52 weeks, depending on the skills that need to be developed before reporting to duty.
The purpose of AIT is to teach soldiers the technical skills needed for their specific Army job. It provides hands-on training and field instruction to make soldiers experts in their career field. AIT schools are designed to help soldiers gain discipline and a work ethic that will benefit them for the rest of their career. Soldiers attend one of many diverse skill training schools depending on their career specialty.
After completing AIT, soldiers will be MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) Qualified, which means they have learned their secondary area of responsibility. The length of AIT and where it takes place depend on the soldiers job. Infantry and Armor soldiers attend a combined training program called One Station Unit Training (OSUT), which includes Basic Training and AIT.
Overall, AIT is an essential part of military training that provides soldiers with the technical skills and knowledge they need to perform their specific Army job.