Our Son

A friend's oldest son quit about 2 years back. Right after HBL. She finally told me the truth about 2 months ago, She had previously made up some lame story about 1/3rd of the company failing the ACFT. So when she came clean one of the things she told me is "they made his life hell for about a month while he processed out." Gee! You think?!
 
We had a guy quit the first few minutes after the DI speech when the "transformation" begins.
Well built, husky dude. Didn't like the DIs getting in his face and yelling at him.
I saw the DIs walk him out of the squad bay (still yelling) and never saw him again.

Another guy (who I had been in the poole with), quit the week after mess & maintenance.
I remember talking about it with him and saying, "Mickey, we've got two weeks left. What are you thinking?"
Not sure if he quit or if he got dropped to another platoon, but I never saw him again either.
 
We had a guy quit the first few minutes after the DI speech when the "transformation" begins.
Well built, husky dude. Didn't like the DIs getting in his face and yelling at him.
I saw the DIs walk him out of the squad bay (still yelling) and never saw him again.

Another guy (who I had been in the poole with), quit the week after mess & maintenance.
I remember talking about it with him and saying, "Mickey, we've got two weeks left. What are you thinking?"
Not sure if he quit or if he got dropped to another platoon, but I never saw him again either.
Didn't you guys have wet blanket parties for guys like that? We had a crazy, red headed guy, from Southie in our P.I. platoon. His name was Bob Tiner. Our D.I's loved to punish the platoon for whatever mistake a individual recruit might make, while having the screw up recruit, just stand and watch. We had just showered and were doing our free time thing before hitting the rack. I don't recall what the screw up recruit did to piss off the D.I., but the D.I. had us getting all sweaty doing side straddle hoopies, his name for jumping jacks. During side straddle hoopies, Tiner stopped doing hoopies, took the steel lid off of the barracks steel trash can and proceeded to beat the screw up, out of the recruit. The D.I. clearly seeing Tiner beat the recruit to the ground and continue on, with more of the same, quickly looked the other way, so as not to interfere with Tiner's training of the screw up recruit. When Tiner had finished training the screw up recruit, the D.I. immediately ended the side straddle hoopies by saying stop. I'm tired now. Hit the rack. All D.I. instructions being given, with a smile of approval on his face. Tiner was shot up pretty badly in Nam. At our platoons 25th anniversary get together in Boston, The 25 or so of us that were there, decided to visit Tiner in the hospital, since he was back in for another operation during the reunion. That was the last time I ever saw Bob Tiner, but his name and antics will be in my mind forever. God bless you Bob Tiner.
 
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Didn't you guys have wet blanket parties for guys like that? We had a crazy, red headed guy, from Southie in our P.I. platoon. His name was Bob Tiner. Our D.I's loved to punish the platoon for whatever mistake a individual recruit might make, while having the screw up recruit, just stand and watch. We had just showered and were doing our free time thing before hitting the rack. I don't recall what the screw up recruit did to piss off the D.I., but the D.I. had us getting all sweaty doing side straddle hoopies, his name for jumping jacks. During side staddle hoopies, Tiner stopped doing hoopies, took the steel lid off of the barracks steel trash can and proceeded to beat the screw up, out of the recruit. The D.I. clearly seeing Tiner beat the recruit to the ground and continue on, with more of the same, quickly looked the other way, so as not to interfere with Tiner's training of the screw up recruit. When Tiner had finnished his mission, the D.I. immediately ended the side straddle hoopies by saying stop. I'm tired now. hit the rack. All D.I. instructions being given, with a smile of approval on his face. Tiner was shot up pretty badly in Nam. At our platoons 25th anniversary get together in Boston, The 25 or so of us that were there, decided to visit Tiner in the hospital, since he was back in for another operation during the reunion. That was the last time I ever saw Bob Tiner, but his name and antics will be in my mind forever. God bless you Bob Tiner.

They would destroy the platoon for the actions of a recruit — but were pretty strict about keeping the monopoly on punishment. We were warned that if X recruit had a bruise on his body the next day we would be destroyed like we never had been before. When one kid jumped a kid that got us all slayed one night they broke it up, but the kid who went after said shitbird wasn’t dropped/didn’t get in any trouble.
 
I think we lost about 20 people over the course of our cycle, but to be honest some of them were dropped back to another cycle for reasons outside there control, and I'm sure went on to graduate. This was Parris Island, 2008. We started 94 and graduated about 74 of the original platoon. I think probably about 10 of those guys quit and weren't going to make it. I remember having hung out at the recruiting station for a while as a poolee seeing a handful of kids who PTd with us quit. It was never a shock. I remember 2 kids pretty distinctly. It was downright embarrassing. Even if I didn't want to be there, quitting would have been way more miserable psychologically.
I still don't understand this quitting thing. Anyone know when this became a U.S.M.C. option?
 
I still don't understand this quitting thing. Anyone know when this became a U.S.M.C. option?

Wasn't an option in spring of 67 when I went through. If you "quit" you were headed to Fort Dix for Army basic. The draft was in full force then and many of us had been called in for a physical. I decided to enlist as the last thing I wanted was to be drafted. Delayed entry was an option and I was home at Thanksgiving and Christmas of 66.
 
They would destroy the platoon for the actions of a recruit — but were pretty strict about keeping the monopoly on punishment. We were warned that if X recruit had a bruise on his body the next day we would be destroyed like we never had been before. When one kid jumped a kid that got us all slayed one night they broke it up, but the kid who went after said shitbird wasn’t dropped/didn’t get in any trouble.
Nah. they didn't destroy the platoon. It was incentive for us to help train the shitbird in question. You know. More like a attitude adjustment for him.
Wasn't an option in spring of 67 when I went through. If you "quit" you were headed to Fort Dix for Army basic. The draft was in full force then and many of us had been called in for a physical. I decided to enlist as the last thing I wanted was to be drafted. Delayed entry was an option and I was home at Thanksgiving and Christmas of 66.
Quitting wasn't a option in 68 either.
 
Quitting after volunteering should be treated like desertion
We had a dude quit after going AWOL in Basic. It happens.

This kid was certifiable. He had no business being in the Army. He'd have gotten people killed. Everyone was better off with him being separated as soon as it was obvious he wasn't compatible with military life.

I have no problem with quitters, provided they're not given any VA benefits and don't get any kind of discharge that will help them later in life. Certainly not an honorable one.
 
Quitting after volunteering should be treated like desertion

Not a mil person, but don't you kinda want to give some folks an out? Like if they knew deep down they couldn't handle it or would be miserable I'd rather have them leave and get no benefits than sit there for a multi-year contract and underperform. My last company offers everyone a 10K buyout after 6 months. If you didn't like the work or weren't a good fit they would pay you to leave. Made life easier for everyone. (Not suggesting people who drop out should get paid). It's a bitch to fire someone and one person can sour the morale of an entire team.
 
Recall the claim that (most? all?) of the members of Easy Company
volunteered for Airborne because they believed they were going to be
deployed as infantry of some kind; they wanted the training for,
and assignment to, the most competent infantry -
to maximize their odds on surviving the war.

And all writers on military affairs seem to agree that
troops' biggest motivator when in harms way
is to dare the dangerous for the sake, not of nation,
not of family, but of their compatriots.

So if someone can not get squared-away,
it's a mistake to deploy them with troops whom they will fail.

If Camp Swampy has an opening for someone to
paint rocks for 2-4 years, fine.
But sink a ship here and a ship there,
and sooner or later that mandate for iron discipline no matter how hopeless the recruit
may need a little nuance.
 
We had a dude quit after going AWOL in Basic. It happens.

This kid was certifiable. He had no business being in the Army. He'd have gotten people killed. Everyone was better off with him being separated as soon as it was obvious he wasn't compatible with military life.

I have no problem with quitters, provided they're not given any VA benefits and don't get any kind of discharge that will help them later in life. Certainly not an honorable one.
LOL. You can't go AWOL at Parris Island. You'd have to swim to far with the alligators and if you don't have the sand to hack the island, you don't have the sand to hack the swim. The also frown on recruits, walking through the main gate, without a pass.
 
LOL. You can't go AWOL at Parris Island. You'd have to swim to far with the alligators and if you don't have the sand to hack the island, you don't have the sand to hack the swim. The also frown on recruits, walking through the main gate, without a pass.

Yeah, he didn't make it far. He was reported just before midnight and they'd found him before breakfast the next morning. I don't even think he made it out of the Basic Training brigade area, though I don't really know.

He was completely gone by COB that same day.
 
Not a mil person, but don't you kinda want to give some folks an out? Like if they knew deep down they couldn't handle it or would be miserable I'd rather have them leave and get no benefits than sit there for a multi-year contract and underperform. My last company offers everyone a 10K buyout after 6 months. If you didn't like the work or weren't a good fit they would pay you to leave. Made life easier for everyone. (Not suggesting people who drop out should get paid). It's a bitch to fire someone and one person can sour the morale of an entire team.
Everyone knows that signing on that dotted line is a serious matter. Probably should have your head and ass wired together, before signing. I'm not a rocket scientist, but I knew when I signed the contract, that it wouldn't be easy. If it was easy, there would be alot more people trying to join.
 
LOL. You can't go AWOL at Parris Island.
We had a recruit "go UA" (Unauthorized Absence - Article 86 of the UCMJ) one night after his firewatch shift.
He didn't make it far; he didn't know where he was going.
We were told that the MPs found him hiding under a loading dock at one of the warehouses.
We never saw him again.

During my tenure in the Corps, "AWOL" was not a common phrase.
If a Marine wasn't at this appointed place of duty they were considered "UA".
If they were UA for thirty days there were then considered "a deserter".
Being UA might get you anything from extra duty or counseling up to loss of pay and restriction (maybe a bust in rank) depending on the length of time gone.
Being declared a deserter was a whole 'nother ball game - plan on brig time for that.
Many times guys who were UA would come back on the 29th day just to avoid a desertion charge.
 
We had a recruit "go UA" (Unauthorized Absence - Article 86 of the UCMJ) one night after his firewatch shift.
He didn't make it far; he didn't know where he was going.
We were told that the MPs found him hiding under a loading dock at one of the warehouses.
We never saw him again.

During my tenure in the Corps, "AWOL" was not a common phrase.
If a Marine wasn't at this appointed place of duty they were considered "UA".
If they were UA for thirty days there were then considered "a deserter".
Being UA might get you anything from extra duty or counseling up to loss of pay and restriction (maybe a bust in rank) depending on the length of time gone.
Being declared a deserter was a whole 'nother ball game - plan on brig time for that.
Many times guys who were UA would come back on the 29th day just to avoid a desertion charge.
So he didn't succeed at escaping the island. Should have tried the main gate. Lol.
 
So he didn't succeed at escaping the island. Should have tried the main gate. Lol.
As you know, they go to great lengths to disorient the recruits to their whereabouts.
Seemed to work on him.

Sixteen years after leaving Parris Island I went back for a TAD trip.
I was very surprised how small and compact it really was.
They must have hiked us round and round in circles to get the mileage out of us!
 
As you know, they go to great lengths to disorient the recruits to their whereabouts.
Seemed to work on him.

Sixteen years after leaving Parris Island I went back for a TAD trip.
I was very surprised how small and compact it really was.
They must have hiked us round and round in circles to get the mileage out of us!

I was just thinking about that.

I spent weeks in the BCT area at Ft Sill and I still don't know where it was.
 
Everyone knows that signing on that dotted line is a serious matter. Probably should have your head and ass wired together, before signing. I'm not a rocket scientist, but I knew when I signed the contract, that it wouldn't be easy. If it was easy, there would be alot more people trying to join.
When I was 18 I didn't know shit about shit. I thought my dad making me shovel the driveway at 5am was 'hard work'. Not everyone has their head screwed on right and not everyone is cut for service.
 
I enlisted for Airborne Infantry in 66. About 75% of my Basic Training Company were draftees from PA and we had at least 40 go AWOL on the first weekend pass in Louisville!
The DI’s treated those of us that enlisted like we were kings.
 
I still don't understand this quitting thing. Anyone know when this became a U.S.M.C. option?
You can’t “quit” formally as an enlisted man... but let’s not forget there were plenty of people who quit before they got there in the 60s. Bone spurs. Asthma. Surprise Canadians, You name it, the beautiful people had it.

As you know, they go to great lengths to disorient the recruits to their whereabouts.
Seemed to work on him.

Sixteen years after leaving Parris Island I went back for a TAD trip.
I was very surprised how small and compact it really was.
They must have hiked us round and round in circles to get the mileage out of us!
I went back for a friends graduation. Our 30 minute march to the chow hall was about 45 seconds when there aren’t 75 “to the rear - march” orders thrown in.

When I was 18 I didn't know shit about shit. I thought my dad making me shovel the driveway at 5am was 'hard work'. Not everyone has their head screwed on right and not everyone is cut for service.

Even in an all volunteer force I think there are people who don’t really grasp what they are getting themselves into. Less than that, some just aren’t cut out for being enlisted in the military, no matter how “cushy” the experience. I knew I had more than one “oh shit” moment. Even in my 30s when I went back in. The difference is some people can deal with their oh shit moments, others can’t. If someone can’t handle the artificial stress of boot camp, it’s good you find that out there rather than when it counts. Boot camp is both a stress inoculation and to a lesser extent, a screening. That’s the point.
 
I was on firewatch one night during boot camp, one of the guys who just wasn't cut out for it got up at about 3am, told me he was "getting out", then wound up and punched the concrete pillar as hard as he could. When it is 3am in the dark sound can be pretty detailed. His fist hitting that cement is a sound I will never forget. I don't remember him coming back the next day, I didn't really care, he was a loser and obviously mentally unstable.
 
As you know, they go to great lengths to disorient the recruits to their whereabouts.
Seemed to work on him.

Sixteen years after leaving Parris Island I went back for a TAD trip.
I was very surprised how small and compact it really was.
They must have hiked us round and round in circles to get the mileage out of us!
I went back in 1998. The place really changed. I stayed at a hotel with a 5 star eating establishment, that was on land, that was swamp when I was there as a recruit. Each room had its own dining area, so the Blonde and I ordered take out from the 5 star. As I'm sitting in the bar, the guy next to me starts a conversation. He's wearing khaki's, a pink button down collar oxford shirt and loafers with no sox. He says "well you like about Vietnam vintage". I laughed and said yes sir, so do you. He laughed, we chatted and toward the end of the conversation, he asked if I was there to visit the island. I said yes sir, I am. He asked which car I was driving and I said that white chevy suburban right there. He took notice of the suburban and said, the guards at the gate, will roll out the red carpet for you tomorrow morning. I laughed and said sure they will. What makes you think that. He smiled and said, I'm the Commanding officer of Parris Island and I'll see to it. I said, get the f**k out of here. He laughed and said enjoy your visit. We shook hands, said Semper Fi and parted. I went back to the room, with the food and told the Blonde about the conversation. She said that I meet some crazy people. Next morning we pulled up to the guard, He saluted me and said welcome to Parris Island sir. The Commanding General, has granted you access to the PX, to purchase whatever you would like," including military items. At that time, visitors could not purchase military items. The guard gave me the name of Gunny in charge of the PX and said to introduce myself to her, when I hit the PX. With the C.O. telling me the Island was mine for the day, I drove directly to confidense course, to show it to the Blonde, who had only seen it in books. I had already told her, that it was a fairly difficult course, but that our whole platoon had made it through the course. There was a young man and his 11 year old son there when I arrived. That 11 year old kid was sailing through the confidence course, like it wasn't even there, but he did lose his grip on the slide for life and fell into the water. He came out of the water as his dad was laughing. the kid screamed at his dad sayin' it ain't funny. The Blonde poked me in the ribs and said, that kid is pretty good. Were all of the recruits in your platoon 11 years old? My mouth wanted to answer, F**k you, but my mind made me say, no mam. It turned out, that the father was a D.I., that just graduated his platoon that morning. Had a nice conversation and went on touring the Island. Had a great time visiting the Island.
 
I enlisted for Airborne Infantry in 66. About 75% of my Basic Training Company were draftees from PA and we had at least 40 go AWOL on the first weekend pass in Louisville!
The DI’s treated those of us that enlisted like we were kings.
40! Holy Crap. I think skysoldier was messing with those 40 boots.
 
I was on firewatch one night during boot camp, one of the guys who just wasn't cut out for it got up at about 3am, told me he was "getting out", then wound up and punched the concrete pillar as hard as he could. When it is 3am in the dark sound can be pretty detailed. His fist hitting that cement is a sound I will never forget. I don't remember him coming back the next day, I didn't really care, he was a loser and obviously mentally unstable.
Reminds me of a movie. I think it was Platoon. After the big fight, one of the guys stabbed himself, in his leg, with his own bayonet, to get of of Nam. Why not just shoot your leg!
 
Quit!. You guys could just quit? The Corps has changed. We had no quiters. We were the first platoon at Parris Island in January 1968. 100 boots entered boot camp and 100 Marines from platoon 100 graduated. There was no quit option in those days. Only ass woopins from your D.I.'s. Quiters. Talk about the walk of shame.
Hell, we had 5 guys get recycled for "sling palsy". I thought it was bullshit... until my left hand started to go numb and lose strength. They all developed it during grass week. I just stopped wrapping the sling as tight. No one wanted to repeat second phase.
One kid got recycled for failing to pass his swim test. One kid had an appendicitis and had to go in for surgery. One kid broke his arm. But the worse was we had a kid die from heat stroke. They packed him in ice but it was to late. We all got interviewed and none of us could figure out how it could have happened. They were constantly making us empty our canteens and hold them upside down over our head to show empty. We all kinda figured he was not filling his canteen when we were all told to do so. Summer heat on the island is no joke.
I don't know when they did it, but the squad bays are air conditioned now. When I went through the would place a big floor mounted fan directly in the center, blowing down the middle. We would "nudge" it towards our side of the barracks when we pulled firewatch.
 
I don't know when they did it, but the squad bays are air conditioned now. When I went through the would place a big floor mounted fan directly in the center, blowing down the middle. We would "nudge" it towards our side of the barracks when we pulled firewatch.

LOL! The fan trick! Those fans were massive. I felt like you could stick one on the back of a surfboard and turn it into an airboat. Those things looked like they'd been made around 1922.

This thread is bringing back memories, and not all of them are unpleasant.
 
Hell, we had 5 guys get recycled for "sling palsy". I thought it was bullshit... until my left hand started to go numb and lose strength. They all developed it during grass week. I just stopped wrapping the sling as tight. No one wanted to repeat second phase.
One kid got recycled for failing to pass his swim test. One kid had an appendicitis and had to go in for surgery. One kid broke his arm. But the worse was we had a kid die from heat stroke. They packed him in ice but it was to late. We all got interviewed and none of us could figure out how it could have happened. They were constantly making us empty our canteens and hold them upside down over our head to show empty. We all kinda figured he was not filling his canteen when we were all told to do so. Summer heat on the island is no joke.
I don't know when they did it, but the squad bays are air conditioned now. When I went through the would place a big floor mounted fan directly in the center, blowing down the middle. We would "nudge" it towards our side of the barracks when we pulled firewatch.
Sorry to hear about the recruit that died. R.I.P. Recruit.
AC and fans. You guys must have known somebody important.
 
Sorry to hear about the recruit that died. R.I.P. Recruit.
AC and fans. You guys must have known somebody important.
Lol. I'm telling you, these fans were like something out of the industrial revolution or something. Ancient and HEAVY.

We had no AC where I was. They were brand-new barracks at Ft Sill.
 
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