boot camp question

[Cherie762]

is it true that while in boot camp loved ones should not write to their family member, I have heard the drill seargent will make them do push ups for each letter, or read the letter from"mommy" infront of all? any truth or is this just a myth?

[caregiver222]

Having, in decades long gone, commanded a training company, if such a situation existed, I would see the drill sergeant separated from the service.

Anything, is possible, of course.

It warrents a complaint to the Inspector General of the base upon which the individual is being trained.

I can concieve of no value to such a sadistic absurd practice.

Nor any authority granted to the DI to issue such a directive.

[heatherlynn22]

from what my husband told me the drill sgts DO humiliate you but...it's their job. they break you down and "get rid of the civilian" to turn you into the marine, seaman, army man or airman. they ride their a$$es the entire time. some of the drill sgts will do the worst things. some examples the hubby gave me was from his experience in marine boot : one guy was too slow getting in line up in the morning. the drill made him do 50 push ups. no big deal. another guy was too slow getting something out of his foot locker. the drill sgt then took EVERYBODIES foot and dumped them into the middle of the floor. the guys then had 10 minutes to sort through i think it was 50 or 60 foot lockers to get their stuff and have it in perfect order. somehow they did it. once one guy gets into trouble the entire unit is in trouble. they have 3 minutes on the phone to call loved ones. the letter thing i'm not sure about. he never got letters from home. he just called his parents once a week. he never said that anyones letters were read out loud.

boot/basic training is EXTREMELY hard on the guys/gals. especially the marines. the embarrassment, humiliation and break down of the individual is what helps them to get ready for war. it helps them to build up their "team work" or whatever. it also helps them to rely on each other and to look out for each other and not just themselves. because when their in war....all they have is each other.

[caregiver222]

Having served in combat, in command,  I can assure you that there is a difference between physical hardening and abuse.

Humiliation does not assist in helping one "get ready for combat".

Push-ups have a purpose. Runs have a purpose.  Exposure to danger has a purpose. Strenuous exercise to the point of exhaustion has a purpose.

Involvement in any way, shape or form of a drill instructor or any member of the armed forces in the United States personal mail of a trainee, or forcing the trainee to read a personal letter aloud, is absurd, unconscionable, and serves no possible purpose, other than demonstrate the mental instability and sadism of the individual issueing such an order. Such a practice offends me to the core. It does NOT help "one rely on one another".

The practice crosses a boundary that should not be crossed.

There are reasons to limit personal telephone calls during certain periods of training. That is not harassment.

I am very proud of the young people who serve in all of the services and salute them for undergoing grueling training.

Respectfully, "harassment" for harassments sake, is NOT their job.

There is a difference between "hardening someone for combat" and "harassment".

[heatherlynn22]

i just said what my husband told me. he was also in combat and has been in the corps for 5 years.

[heatherlynn22]

oh and i said NOTHING about harassment. just that the drill sgts. ride their a$$es which even from watching documentaries on the marine corps you can see that they do.

there is a documentary i saw about marine boot (i don't know which branch your son is going into) it's called ears, open. eyeballs, click. (you can see it on youtube) that can give you some idea.

[caregiver222]

I have great respect for your husband, healtherlynn, and do not intend to diminish in any way what he has told you.

I also believe in tough training - far tougher than is currently permitted.

In the United States we have a citizen army (and Marine Corps.) There wasn't always what is called the "UCMJ" (Uniform Code of Military Justice). Those were the days when an unruly trainee was taken behind the barracks by a helpful platoon sgt. and given some extra physical exercise, which generally ended up with two black eyes for the trainee.

Those days are essentially, over.

Training only takes a short time, and soldiers eventually reach units where any form of harassment is intolerable.

Nevertheless, there are certain "rules of dignity" that should not be crossed. More importantly, if those rules are crossed, it signifies that other rules are being broken.

You NEVER interfere with a trainee's mail, let alone read it aloud. That violates every tenant of military leadership. It leaves a foul taste in the soldier's mouth which never leaves. A foul taste toward authority and towards his superiors. It does not general "esprit de corps".

Riding behinds is acceptable. There are times during special training that isolation from civilian contact is necessary.

Decades ago, when I was in the service our "special training" consisted of simulated captures where we were beaten. This would never take place today. In one exercise we were tied to a wall and they would run at us with rifles with bayonets and sequentially stick them in to the wood close to out bodies, and necks, for example. This ended when one over-enthusiastic trainer slipped and put a bayonett right through the neck of a trainee, causing his death.

Hard training is worthwhile and acceptable.

Unnecessary psychological abuse is not, and does not contribute to the survival of the soldier in combat. It only breeds resentment.

[heatherlynn22]

i know nobody was beaten. at least hubby never said anybody was beaten. he never talked about the ucmj. when i was watching that ears, open. eyeballs, click. he said that was what boot was like but a bit more intense.

[Cherie762]

thankyou for the responces, caregiver I really appreciated your perspective and heather you too, I am glad to know that mail is respected and considered private, and although as a mom I dont like the tough training as a USA citizen and a adult I understand why it is needed and someday that toughness may save my sons live orhelp him to save anothers..I have the utmost respect and pride in my child , the bothe of you and all familys of troops and the troops. Blessings,

[just_curious2]

hey bud. dont stress out over this!! anymore basic is nothing, i say again nothing! it depends on the DS. i have had to do some PT to get my mail, they do say some things like when someone writes somthing on the envelope or smells good. to be in the military you need to be tight skinned. if your not, better get into it! its a great thing to serve your country. just keep your act together, learn from your mistakes fast and start doing some PT now. itll help you out. make sure that you stay away from the idiots! theres always a couple that just dont learn and make the same mistake over and over again. good luck to ya!

[br2509]

No the Drill Sgt does not read your letter out loud to everyone anytime you get mail that is your property and i never heard of a Drill Sgt reading the letter out to everyone..And you are allow to get letters from when you are in boot camp...
If you are going into the army then you don;t have to worry about the DRILL SGT now if you are going into the MARINES that might be a different story i hear that MARINES DI are Awful

[scochran]

Back in 1987, when I went to boot camp with the Army, the Drill Sergeants encouraged or actually made us write letters home.  As far as receiving letters from home, they would stand in front of the platoon and hold the letters up and say out loud who they were for, and then they would sniff the envelope to see if there was a perfume scent or chewing gum scent present.  If there was chewing gum in the envelope, they would make the trainee give it up, since we were not allowed to have it.

Hope this helps..