Boot Camps and Military Schools

Boot Camps

We do not recommend boot camp programs. There are few or no private boot camp programs available. The few boot camps available are state correctional facilities.

Military Schools, or Military Boarding Schools

Traditional military schools are usually not the appropriate placement for a defiant, unruly, out-of-control teen. Most of them will require an interview with the potential student and his or her family. In a recent survey, 99% of the military schools we contacted were not interested in accepting a defiant, unwilling teen. The most difficult fact for most parents to deal with is the discharge policy. If a cadet or military school student is asked to leave, the parents lose their tuition. When you consider the fact that the reason the teen is being placed there to begin with is because he is defiant, the choice seems to be quite inappropriate. This, coupled with the fact that tuition for the semester is paid in advance, the loss can be quite devastating.

Free Boot Camps

Most of the so-called free boot camps are sponsored by the state. These camps are also known as prison boot camps, or jail boot camps. For a teen that needs to be redirected, this would not be the most ideal situation. The drawbacks of prison, or jail boot camps are obvious. The first consideration is the fact that they are close to home. Any new friends or fellow boot campers will be easily sought out when the teen leaves the boot camp. If your child has just started to head in a negative direction, the last thing you want to do is "hook him or her up" with someone who may actually make the situation worse. The second consideration is the fact that in many cases the population of this type of camp is made up of court-ordered participants. If your teen has not yet been in the juvenile system you would not want to place him or her in with those who have most likely been "in the system" for quite some time. Taking the above into consideration the cost of a free boot camp really may not be the best value or the best benefit for your child.

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