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The boot camp where parents are sending their tech-addicted children

Most parents will tell you they're forever trying to wrestle their mobile phones off teenagers, but now some have had enough.

They're turning to a group of former Australian soldiers to snap their teenagers out of the virtual world with a big dose of reality.

A nine-day boot camp is being hailed as the new frontline in the war on teens and their addiction to their screens.

Parents have had enough of their children spending all their time staring at screens. Source: 7 News
Parents have had enough of their children spending all their time staring at screens. Source: 7 News

There's one major rule all teens enlisted must adhere to – strictly no technology.

"The second they get on our bus we take their phones and any technology they have off them straight away," Glenn Filtness, Veteran Mentors, said.

They're a troop of former Australian fighters bring military might and important life lessons to a set of children in need of a morale boost.

Glenn Filtness is leading a group of former soldiers in their bid to transform Australian teens' lives. Source: 7 News
Glenn Filtness is leading a group of former soldiers in their bid to transform Australian teens' lives. Source: 7 News

"We have kids coming in that are lacking self-confidence and addicted to technology," Filtness added.

Veteran Mentors participant Wyle Hill, who normally spends five hours a day gazing at his phone, is starting to see a transformation.

"I've kind of realised that I don't really need the [technology]," he said.

Exercise plays a key part during the nine days in camp. Source: 7 News
Exercise plays a key part during the nine days in camp. Source: 7 News
A sense of discipline is instilled into the participants. Source: 7 News
A sense of discipline is instilled into the participants. Source: 7 News

The camp, run by soldiers straight from the frontline of Afghanistan and Iraq, not only includes the rigorous routines of their daily life - including polishing boots - but it also focuses on social behaviours: "Doing real stuff, forming real relationships, not this stuff they're doing on a screen."

At more than $4000, the teen tech detox isn't cheap, but psychologists are heaping praise on the effects of the scheme.

"It's very tough for the participants and that's why it's effective – if it wasn't tough it wouldn't work," Filtness added.