The analytical team at the Come Back Alive Initiatives Center has published a study titled “From Civilian to Soldier: The Challenges of Basic Combat Training in the Armed Forces of Ukraine (as of 2024)”. The authors are Serhii Bahlai, senior analyst at the Center, analyst Serhii Moskalenko, and head of the analytical department Anton Muraveinyk.

The importance of the study lies in the fact that training directly affects soldiers’ survival, mission performance, enemy attrition, and the overall effectiveness of military operations.

The authors collected data throughout 2024. They examined:

• what happens to a person upon first entering the military;
• what recruits are taught and under what conditions;
• which obstacles lower training quality and motivation;
• how combat brigades assess the training post-BMT;
• what could improve military education and training.

To ensure a comprehensive perspective, the analysts conducted more than 50 in-depth interviews on the condition of anonymity. Respondents included cadets, instructors, members of combat brigades, soldiers who had recently completed basic training and seen combat, as well as both military and civilian education experts. No sensitive information was collected. Some interviews were conducted in active combat zones.

The researchers also used mobile ethnography, staying in contact with respondents via messaging apps throughout the entire BMT course. This enabled systematic, real-time tracking of the cadets’ experience. Another method — participant observation — placed researchers directly among cadets and instructors at one of the training sites. The combination of these approaches allowed for a thorough analysis of the challenges involved.

The final section of the study contains recommendations for improving basic training. 

A key finding is that well-prepared instructors and training center leadership, aligned with current needs, are the backbone of an effective training system. The study also highlights that the training command can mitigate the negative impact of both material and non-material barriers to learning.

Since 2018, the Come Back Alive Initiatives Center’s  analytical team has worked on reforming the Armed Forces of Ukraine, particularly in personnel policy and training. This study serves as an example of civil-military cooperation, showing how civilians and military personnel can jointly identify, systematize, and address problems — proposing constructive solutions to strengthen the armed forces.

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