Lesson plan

Delayed Entry Program

The Delayed Entry Program (DEP, also called the Delayed Enlistment Program or Future Soldiers Program in the United States) is a program designed to accommodate new enlistees into the United States Armed Forces before they ship out to basic training. Enlistees first enter the DEP as inactive reservists, then make a commitment to report for training on a specified date. However, they do not become active-duty servicemembers until they formally enlist as such on that date. Enlistees may use the period between signing up and shipping out to complete tasks such as graduating from high school or college, preparing physically and mentally for military life, and putting their personal affairs in order. DEP members who change their mind and decide not to enter the military before they begin active duty will be separated with no adverse consequences. The Army DEP regulation, as an example, states that "under no circumstances will any member of [the recruiting force] threaten, coerce, manipulate, or intimidate FSs [future soldiers], nor may they obstruct separation requests" (USAREC Reg. 601-56, 3-1c). While the DEP enlistment agreement states that the military can technically order any DEP recruit to active duty in the event that they do not fulfill their commitment by reporting to training on their specified date, no recruit has been involuntarily ordered to active duty in decades.…

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Article summary

The Delayed Entry Program (DEP, also called the Delayed Enlistment Program or Future Soldiers Program in the United States) is a program designed to accommodate new enlistees into the United States Armed Forces before they ship out to basic training. Enlistees first enter the DEP as inactive reservists, then make a commitment to report for training on a specified date. However, they do not become active-duty servicemembers until they formally enlist as such on that date. Enlistees may use the period between signing up and shipping out to complete tasks such as graduating from high school or college, preparing physically and mentally for military life, and putting their personal affairs in order. DEP members who change their mind and decide not to enter the military before they begin active duty will be separated with no adverse consequences. The Army DEP regulation, as an example, states that "under no circumstances will any member of [the recruiting force] threaten, coerce, manipulate, or intimidate FSs [future soldiers], nor may they obstruct separation requests" (USAREC Reg. 601-56, 3-1c). While the DEP enlistment agreement states that the military can technically order any DEP recruit to active duty in the event that they do not fulfill their commitment by reporting to training on their specified date, no recruit has been involuntarily ordered to active duty in decades.…

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Discussion questions

  1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
  2. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
  3. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.