I recently read an article about the U.S. Military Academy at West Point which stated that the traditional "Beast Barracks" program, where incoming plebes are subjected to an immediate and stressful introduction to cadet life as soon as they set foot in the door, had been superceded by a new program. Believe it or not, the article said that the incoming class was given a week of non-military time to "bond and connect" with one another before undergoing a much milder indoctrination program. Unbelievable.