What is the funniest thing that happened in Basic Training?

Question

Any funny stories? I'm going to Fort Jackson. Any funny stories from there or any other place?

Answer 1

I picked this little nugget up from a Ft. Jackson Drill Sergeant when I was passing through a few years ago:

Apparently, Drill SGT XX had a trainee in his platoon who could not seem to make it to formation on time. He was always the last one there, just running up as they were "right-faced" and preparing to march off. The Drill came up with a very unique piece of corrective training - he declared the trainee the platoon "cuckoo". During non-mission time while the platoon was in the barracks shining boots and getting ready for inspection, our tardy trainee was placed in a 55 gallon trash can with the lid on. Every few minutes or so, the Drill Sergeant would walk by and remove the lid at which time the trainee had to pop his head and hands over the edge of the trash can and sound off with, "Cuckoo! Cuckoo! The time is now XXXX hours." The Drill would then return the lid, thus returning our "cuckoo" to his resting position. This was his nightly training for 1 week, 2 hours a night to remind him to be ON TIME and ON TARGET. Don't know if it would still be allowed - but the image of a young recruit hollering "Cuckoo!" with just his head out of a trash can sure made me laugh. (I bet his thighs were burning though.) Needless to say, the report from the Drill was that after that week, the trainee was not only never late - but always the first one to formation for the remainder of basic. Go figure - I think I would be too!

Answer 2

Not sure how funny this is, but I found it funny.

A week before service week I began to not feel well. I told my RDC about it and he told me to "stop complaining".

I went to the galley (Navy's cafeteria) for service week, and was extremely cold the entire time. I was found in the heating locker staying warm by one of the cooks and was sent to the MAA (Master at Arms) office. From there I was sent to the clinic, where it was found that I had a 104 degree fever and had pneumonia. I had to be put on SIQ (Sick in quarters or "bed rest") for three days. After that, I returned to the galley and was set to answering phones in an office so as not to spread any remaining sickness through the food.

I just thought it was funny that my leaders thought I was faking and turned out that my brain could have fried if my fever were any higher.

Answer 3

Was taking basic at Fort Leonard Wood in Mo. Had a guy called Dewey in the company. Couldn't march, couldn't run, was not allowed to throw the grenade, nothing. We were on a road march and as time went by, he kept losing his equipment We were all carrying some of his gear. He finally fell out and just dropped to the ground in the middle of the road. The chow truck was following up the rear. It just basically rolled over him (didn't hit him) stopped and they just tossed him in the back like a sack of potatoes. We never saw him after that...............

Answer 4

I did my BCT at Jackson in 1976. We had a recruit that upon graduation as a PVT1 he purchased Command Sargent Major chevrons and Lt.Colonel silver oak leafs. He put one on each side of his khaki uniform prior to going on leave for home. He was arrested at the airport by the MPs. He claimed that he was a Command Sargent Colonel. I doubt he had much of a career.

Answer 5

Well, I enlisted in my senior year in 1969, boot camp was kind of brutal compared to todays standards but I do recall my Company Commander used to come in and roust us in the wee hours for what he called "Chuck Wagon" races. We had 2 man bunks, steel construction and very heavy. He used to sit on top of one and make everyone grab an end of their bunks and run around the barracks...sort of funny if you're a sadistic A hole.. looking back though, it was funny. If you let one of the bunk legs hit the floor and left a scratch, you got extra pushups.

Just thought of another. As a practical joke, we used to wait till 3-4 AM, after some of the guys staggered in from a night of drinking, we would wait for them to pass out. (Not in boot camp by the way) We would use clothes stops (small rope) and wrap about 200 yards of them around a guy very carefully after he was in his bunk. Then carry him, bunk and all out onto the fire escape. When he awoke, he usually found himself covered in a few feet of snow. Pretty much everyone got the mummy treatment.

Answer 6

In 1971. i was a warrant officer in the Australian Army, having somehow gotten back from Vietnam, I was given a 'softy'!..Training recruits in the gentle art of 'grenade chucking'..We were in a pit with huge truck tyres around it, over which the grenades were to be heaved!..The skill in this is to pick the drongo who is going to stuff it all up!..I MISSED HIM!..we were using old mills grenades with a 10 sec. fuse of fulminate of mercury!..The first 5 went through ok, the grenades went over the top, went 'bang' and it was ok!..Up comes 'drongo' grabs the grenade, pulls the pin, releases the leaver...And throws the leaver and pin!..Its standing there with a smoking grenade in its hand and a stupid look on its face!..9 soldiers went over the tyres and lay there cringing!...What does drongo do?..He throws the smoking grenade over the tyres!..9 soldiers tumble back down into the pit amid a very loud 'bang' and a cascade of tyres...Standing there, watching all this, is drongo, with a face on him like a dogs bum!..we hauled him 30 feet up a gum tree, tied him to it, and left him there!..for 8 hours!..Occasionally rotten fruit was thrown at him while chanting the grenade throwing drill..Did he learn anything from this?..Buggered if i know!....

Answer 7

While in Air Force Basic Training our Training Instructor (TI) asked who wanted to be on the squadron's bowling team. Everyone that wanted to participate had to write down their bowling scoring average. Of course, they all lied; we had 4 of 6 that should have been on the Pro Bowling Tour.

After the team was established, the TI took us all into the latrine.
Each member of our bowling team was assigned their own alley--their own toilet bowl to be kept clean for the next 6 weeks.

Answer 8

We arrived there about 3 am and they marched us to the barracks. Told us to climb into the bare bunks and rest and we could sleep in tomorrow. About 5 am two di's with garbage can lids clanging woke us up and the attitude had changed markedly.

Answer 9

When I was at MCRD, San Diego, one of my buddies, Pvt. Hall, thought it'd be a great idea to get our wisdom teeth pulled, since we'd get "bed rest" for the remainder of the day. I was reluctant to say the least, because, 1) Mine weren't impacted; 2) I hate needles. Anyway, he kept badgering me, until I finally gave in.

The next day, "dental call" goes at about 0700, so we both volunteer. I go in and the dentist starts sticking needles into places I didn't realize I had- under my tongue, into my gums, into the roof of my mouth... I had a little cover over my face, but I remember seeing the tears just squirting out of my eyes! Well, the dentist pulled and yanked, and the next thing I knew, all four wisdon teeth had been removed in about 45 minutes, start to finish.

I straggled back to the squadbay with some of the other guys, but Hall was nowhere in sight. A while later, he shows up- the whole left side of his face was swollen as if he had a big wad of cotton stuffed in his yap. Well, after "lights out", he walks up to my rack and tells me what happened. Apparently, one of his teeth had been impacted and the dentist had broken it off in his jaw! They then had to excavate until they dug it out. Needless to say, he was hating life. As he started going back to his rack, he turned and said, "Do me a favor, buddy- next time I get a bright idea, kick me in the as.s!"

Answer 10

Falling like dominoes while marching on ice at Great Lakes, IL, in January, 1981.