when i was in the marine corps 27 years ago, drill instructors would beat some recruits up during boot camp..

Question

myself, for an example, my belt buckle accidently fell in some shoe polish. the DI brought me in the whiskey locker (closet), closed the door, choked me with just 3 fingers, he was recon, i couldnt breathe until he punched me hard in the stomach. another time, we had a hard day of traing, it was chow time, we were told not to look around but eat your food, i looked around a bit, and got caught, and the DI whispered in my ear, "you are done". thats against the law, he wasnt suppose to deny a recruit his meal. another DI told me to hold my weapon at port arms, i done it and he slapped my weapon and the weapon hit my face hard and it was swollen for a week. in the gas chamber we were instructed to remove our mask, say name/rank/serial number and walk out with your mask off. as i was leaving, the DI grabbed my arm and told me to "stay awhile". my question is, how all this is suppose to make a better fighting man? the USMC is an american institution that allows violent behavior and hides it

Answer 1

Bullshite.....never happened. You are posting a collection of Marine "sea stories". In fact I'll bet you were never even in the Marine Corps.

Answer 2

Beaujock ... I'm sympathetic. Boot camp, especially Corps-style boot camp, is no picnic.

By now I guess you know why things are the way you described, sometimes. For the benefit of those who don't know, I'd like to offer some possible explanations. Before I begin, though, I'll admit that I probably won't change your opinion of the Corps, but I'd like to see if I can help you to see the other side, at least.

1 - The Corps is not the Scouts. It's the best damned fighting machine the United States has. That being the case, you can BET that Corps boot camp is going to be tough ... the toughest, in fact.

2 - You never know ... You NEVER know when something might happen that will demand every damned ounce of strength and determination you've got. I'd venture to say that the vast majority of American men (me included) cannot "cut the mustard" as a U.S. Marine. But the Marines need the best ... the VERY best ... and training as you endured is part of it.

3 - When Gunny says, "Beaujock ... Get a couple of your guys and take out that enemy machine gun position," he meant now! You might not make it back ... It might mean the end of you. But when Gunny says "Go," he means now ... not tomorrow, not later, and not when you feel like it. It means NOW. Unfortunately, training as you endured is what it takes to make people understand the meaning of "now." And when it comes to situations that seem like suicide missions, to make it happen, it takes men who know that it's not about you; it's about the mission!

4 - In boot camp, your DI must have seemed like your world's worst enemy. But believe it or not, he was helping and preparing you by giving you a small, small taste of what might happen if the enemy gots his hands on you. What happened to you in boot camp is chump stuff compared to what might happen to you as a POW. Remember "The Code of Conduct"? Remember the part that says, "I will never surrender of my own free will." Remember, "I am an American fighting in the forces which guard my country ... I am prepared to give my life in their defense."

Life STINKS ... It's hard enough without crazy bastards who think that flying airplanes into buildings is some kind of godly thing.

America is what it is because of brave, red-blooded men (and women) like yourself who know that freedom isn't free. I know you learned a lot, but I think you may have missed just one thing: Being a Marine means you're the best, PERIOD!

I'm sorry about what you endured, Beaujock, but don't forget who and what you are ... You're the BEST!

Godspeed to you. And most of all, thank you for your service.

Answer 3

Yah they stopped doing that a long time ago, actually more than 27 years ago I believe. However yah the marines are looking for a few good men who aren't little girls. By doing this to you in boot camp you lose all respect for yourself and all pride, your sould is broken. Then later on they rebuild you witht eh mindset that you are elite and have been through so much that you are now indestructable and that you should have the highest level of pride concievable. Works very good as you can see the marines have been very effective in war time combat.
Nowadays no hitting (although a little jab here and there could slide, since only pu$$ies tell on them for it) but no hitting and there is even a limit to the # of drops (push-ups) they can make you do, although they can choose to not count properly lol.

Answer 4

I was in the Corp 39 years ago in Nam, and it sound slike you were one of those whinners in Boot and made it hard on yourself. Dicipline is their key and it works and has for well over 200 years. "the USMC is an american institution that allows violent behavior and hides it"....is this an oxymoron or are you? And the old way is the best way, not what they do today!

Answer 5

Sounds like someone was a screwup and wimp. In the navy we stayed in the gas chamber until we could say out name, rank, serial number and then 3 of the general orders.

Answer 6

A buddy told me this story. The DI made everyone stand at attention right a revelie. One guy had morning wood that came out of his boxers. The drill instructor walked up the him and slapped downward real hard on his pecker and said, " put that damn thing away".

This same buddy said he was hit during boot camp. It makes yall tough. They didn't hit us in the Air Force.

Answer 7

I would say... to show you that little things like a shot in the stomach, rap in the face or going a hungry may bother you, but it's not going to kill you! Lest we forget getting yelled at from 2 inches away and the shower of spit... makes ya think faster on your feet, motivates and makes you be able to understand what a person is saying when they're yelling at you. there's not a whole lot of whispering going on during a battle... make sense?

Answer 8

That sucks. But my husband is a marine and according to him, they don't do that anymore. In fact, they can barely discipline the recruits at all anymore without getting into trouble. But all that aside, you're right. It doesn't make you a better fighter. Boot camp shouldn't be a cake walk, but you also shouldn't get your butt kicked on a regular basis.

Answer 9

27 years ago, conventional wisdom was that fighting men were fighting men - and tough, and nothing bothered them, and they didn't have to worry about petty little complaints, and so on.

And then there was the internet. A world revolution of information and news. Everybody scrutinized for everything.

Somehow, the conventional wisdom has changed to be that a soldier can do his job without being a bully, violent, or uncaring. That's great, and I find it true.

Answer 10

The Pentagon changed its policies concerning corporal punishment of recruits about 30 years ago after several recruits died due to punishment administered during training.

Answer 11

We had a volunteer military 27 years ago, you shouldn't have joined the marines. The worse it ever got for me in the Air Force was the TI yelling at us to stop the damn bitching, it was making him nuts. LOL.... He did destroy our dorm once too, but 2 hours later we had it all cleaned up. Team work got the job the done and we couldn't ***** if we were busy. Lesson learned.