ABUSE BY DRILL INSTRUCTORS
Along about July I was called to my attention that several drill instructors were to stand court marshall for abusing 
recruits. Since my grandson had just went active in July I have followed the case as closely as possible. In last Sundays paper a small article appeared in which the verdict of one Sgt. was relieved and the findings of the second told.
A Sgt. Jarrod Glass had been found guilty of striking recruits with a tent pole and a heavy flashlight, he also forced one recruit to jump into a trash can head first then pushed him farther into the can.
His verdict was eight counts of cruelty and maltreatment of recruits, destruction of personal property, assault and violating orders on how to properly treat recruits.
Sgt. Glass was sentenced to six months in the brig, a dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and reduction in rank to private.
A second Sgt. Brian Wendel was found not guilty of abuse but convicted of failing to report abuses committed by others. He was also found guilty of drinking beer in the drill instructors offices while off duty.
He faces a maximum sentence of a year in the brig, a dishonorable discharge and reduction in rank to private. His sentence was to have imposed this last Monday, but I have not seen any thing further in the paper.
A third Sgt. is awaiting charges and court marshal.
When I was first made aware of these charges in July the news paper article stated that a Marine Corps source stated that a average of six abuse cases are investigated each year. The source also stated that every effort is made to weed out these abusive Drill Instructors, as these Kids are at their mercy and are trained t view these men as gods, and are powerless when faced with this type of behavior.
Now here is where I have my gripe, I visit several web sites that are Marine Corps related. Every time something like this surfaces, there are always a few individuals who rush in and scream WHAT ARE THEY DOING TO MY CORPS? the mothers of America are ruining the Corps by interfering with the Marine Corps Boot Camp. back in my day we——.
Crap back in my day 50+ years ago you could not beat the hell out of a recruit then without discipline. Any action that places a young man at risk for injury is not allowed. A damaged recruit is of no use to anyone. Sure we were pushed to the limit and then past it but we were not hurt.
The other thing I often see is, keep these damn civilians out of the Marine Corps workings. These Sgt.s were tried by a Marine Corps Court Marshal convened and juried by Marine Corps Officers who know Marine Corps Law. There is no civilian interface involved.
I was just over on one of my favorite sites tonight and read a article by a man who just attended his grandsons graduation from boot camp in San Diego and he was decrying how easy his grandson had it in boot camp and whether they were turning out Marines as good as in his day fifty years ago. He needs to sit down with his grandson and learn what he has absorbed in his thirteen weeks of training. It was a eye opener for me I too felt that boot camp was softer than in MY DAY. A term the old guys like to use. My grandson learned more in his thirteen weeks than I ever did. their first-aid training is out standing and they ran farther than we did and Lord we did not even have any hand-to-hand teaching at all they had forty hours of it.
No it is right that we give these kids to protection they need, we are not making boot camp soft by weeding out abusers. In every organization there are abusers, be it Police, or any area of authority there are some bad apples even in marriage. Hell look it it we are afraid to let our children walk down the street any more. So when we send our young people off to train to defend our country we need to know that we are trusting them ot people of high quality and trust. Do not get me wrong I hold the Marine Corps Drill Instructor in high regard. Hell a couple I know had a hand in making me the man I am today. Their job is hard and demanding and they often are hated but the respect that a Marine has for his Instructor later in life if legendary.
OK time to get of the soap box for now.
ramblingbob
Tags: Drill Instructors, Marine Corps, Marine Corps Officers, USMC
December 25, 2007 at 12:01 pm |
Ohhhh Rahhhhh,
If they wanted to join the girl scouts or the Army then they
should have….as it is stated and anyone Marine will tell you
it is for “The Few The Proud” not the he broke my tooth brush
and he hit me little girls of the world. My 5yr old daughter can
withstand more punishment. I served in the Corp.; my brother
in-law, his brother….all honorably discharged E-5’s and a Captain. Who’s lettting these twit’s put foot on a Marine Corp
base…We all know they need to fill MOS’s to deploy to Iraq but
let us not jepordize our good name and country by accepting anyone’s little boy or girl. None of the recruits was seriously injured as was stated and if so we take care of our own.
I assure you what the Iraq’s have to offer is 10x worse than being hit with a tent pole…send these wimps and they tell everything and jepordize the live of hundred’s of Marine’s because they couldn’t take a little pain. Recruiter’s do your job’s…..SEMPER FI DUE OR DIE.
December 25, 2007 at 12:01 pm |
Ohhhh Rahhhhh,
If they wanted to join the girl scouts or the Army then they
should have….as it is stated and anyone Marine will tell you
it is for “The Few The Proud” not the he broke my tooth brush
and he hit me little girls of the world. My 5yr old daughter can
withstand more punishment. I served in the Corp.; my brother
in-law, his brother….all honorably discharged E-5’s and a Captain. Who’s lettting these twit’s put foot on a Marine Corp
base…We all know they need to fill MOS’s to deploy to Iraq but
let us not jepordize our good name and country by accepting anyone’s little boy or girl. None of the recruits was seriously injured as was stated and if so we take care of our own.
I assure you what the Iraq’s have to offer is 10x worse than being hit with a tent pole…send these wimps and they tell everything and jepordize the live of hundred’s of Marine’s because they couldn’t take a little pain. Recruiter’s do your job’s…..SEMPER FI DO OR DIE.
December 25, 2007 at 11:02 pm |
You know I also served in the Marines, and my mothers youngest brother was awarded a Purple Heart on Iwo Jima, and I am proud of my service. But Sgt. Glass was tried on only 10 counts, reduced down from 225, Do you really think that out of all the hundreds of DI”s, that there are not a few abusers of the trust given to them. The Marine Corps Information Office said that there are an adverage of five abuse cases a year in the Corps. We still have the hardest and most effective training program in the world and produce the finest fighting men in the world ,but we do not have to resort to abuse to develop them. I get so tired of all you people who want to bury your head in the sand in the name of Corps pride, and defend a few bad apples. A number of Marines are discharged dishonarably each year, why can not a few of the bum’s be a DI. the term DI does not confer a God like personality. When we intrust a young man to them we have a right to expect them to follow the rules laid out for them to train these kids. I have a recently graduated from boot camp grandson who did not have to be beat with a heavy flashlight to beome a well trained and ezlempary Marine, I personally feel he is bwtter trained than I was fifty years ago, oh yes My DI’s were tough but not abusieve. I do not appoligise for my stance.
December 27, 2007 at 3:06 am |
what kind of wimps are the training in boot camp these days.sgt glass should be given a medal for what he done.what are they going to do when they get in combat someday.when that ramp comes down on the landing craft on some hostile beach somewhere all you have is your training to keep you alive .I was in combat and ithanked God i had drill instructors who prepared me to the best of their ability.I wonder who they will cry to when their facing the busines end of some anti americans ak47 or chraging up some hill in the face of a machne gun nest.
December 27, 2007 at 10:07 pm |
This will be my last entery on this topic. FYI, it was not the little girl scouts, wimpy sissy recruit’s or the mommas of America who caused Sgt. Glass’s down fall. Well into the second month of this platoon’s training, the DI of a sister platoon observed heavy brusing on the face of one of Glass’s recruits. Getting the recruit into his offices as a DI he questioned him. Reconising abusive behavior, he made a report. Upon investigating it was determned that 225 counts of mistreatment had occoured. Being of like natures they were consolidated into 10 counts. Sgt Glass was tried in a military court marshal by 3 senior officers and 3 senior NCO’s. The abuse occoured in Feb. of 2007 and trial took place in these last few months. The former recruits who were required to testify, were reluctant to do so but under oath, were required to do so. The only Marine here who deserves a medal is the one who reconised a problem and took action to protect young Marines. The main thrust of the proscution was in not following orders on how to treat recruits. Beating a young man, who has to stand there and take it ,with a flashlight does nothing to prepare him to face an AK47. And if your little girl can stand the punishment of be beaten with a 4cell flashlight, she is a better Marine that I was when they put me in a trench at Yucca Flats and put a bomb off over my head.
January 13, 2008 at 9:21 pm |
Ramblingbob have you personally spoke with Sgt. Glass. My son has. Maybe you should gather more info before you so willingly condemn a man who has put his life on the line for your right to do so.
January 24, 2008 at 11:28 pm |
marinecorpstimes.com/news…artial 071109/
January 30, 2008 at 12:25 am |
Wow, lots of rage. It’s this kind of thinking that results in an Abu Graib. You have gotten this issue so right. My dad was a marine in Korea, and I have friends who were marines in Vietnam. Not every drill instructor sits at the right hand of God.
January 30, 2008 at 8:46 pm |
Yes there is a lot of rage incluntered over this issue. I go to several Marine related web sites and the blind support for these DI’s is unbelivable. With out any investigation they believe these DI’s all walk on water. I have been called some interesting names over this issue and my stance. But like I say we are dealing with human nature here just like the cop’s who use their badge to try to get away with rape, So cane there be rough Marines. I love my Corps and am proud to have served but am not blind either.
April 9, 2008 at 1:00 pm |
I like to think of Marine Corps training as demanding training,not abusive training. Being able to do things,one never thought possible is good. Under the right leadership,effective training can produce good results. One former Marine friend of mine was a Ballet dancer prior to joining the Marines. He was really abused and made fun of. But his physical agility far surpassed that of the average Marine’s, What was really funny was when the CO had recruits try Ballet exercises. None of them could “hack it”! To be a Ballet dancer,one’s co-ordination has to be A-1 and thensome. It’s not an activity for a wimp!!! My friend eventually made it to OCS and was discharged as a Captain!!!
August 7, 2008 at 3:50 am |
I first want to say I enjoyed your artical, and it was very informative. My son graduated in Jan. 08 from boot camp in San diego. He was stationed at 29 Palms in Jun. my son was very proud and happy after graduating. He left home as an 18 year old boy and returned a respectful an honorable man. when he came back from mos school he was very distant and isolated himself family and friends. He was not the same man as when he had left. After being in 29 Palms for 5 wks, He was found in the dessert wandering around confused and disoriented. They took him to the emergency room and treated him for dhyration and “hunger”. He was then taken by ambulance to San Diego Navel hospital. His srg. major informed me he was diagnosed with psychosis nos. That is all I know and he has been there for almost 3 wks. They said my son won’t sign the hippa release to give me info, and they said my son does not want to talk to me or anyone. I know something happened to my son and I need advice. I don’t know what to do . any advice you have would be greatly appreciated.
August 25, 2008 at 2:59 am |
Let me just say that I am appalled at the lack of support for these men. As a former Marine and graduate from Paris Island the real boot camp, (I’m sure I’m going to get some heat for that) I have had my fair share of instruction from my drill instructors. Yes there is a difference between abuse and discipline.
I joined the corps rather late in life for a recruit. I was 26 at the time and from what I observed many of these recruits were fresh out of high school and had barely spent any time away from home. For the most part they were spoiled, undisciplined and pampered children.
The Marine Corps motto has always been “the more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in combat.” In order to prepare these recruits for battle they need to first be taught some discipline and if it takes some physical instruction to accomplish that then so be it. I would much rather have my drill instructor beat it into me than some terrorist or capture.
I have seen first hand how the enemy trains its soldiers and if you think getting smacked with a flashlight is excessive and being beaten and dug until you threw up. Try being beaten bloody only to be revived and beaten again. And that’s what they do to the disciplined ones.
How about rape and sodomy as well as dismemberment and disfigurement for refusing to acknowledge a direct order. This is what we are facing on the battle field. To our enemies it honorable to die. Did you forget about the Kamikaze pilots and suicide bombers.
These were not psychotic individuals with no respect for life. These were trained weapons and this is what we are facing every time we put on a uniform and step onto the battlefield.
Come on people wake up and face reality. War is hell and the only way to fight the devil is with devil dogs. Not chihuahuas.
August 27, 2008 at 3:21 am |
I just once again want to point out that the reason this case came to light was a report from another Drill Instructor, no a recruit. The Drill Instructor from another platoon thought there was reason for a report. The case was tried by The drill instructor’s peers, Offficers and NCO’s not civillians. Mothers or other recruits were not involved in causing this case to come too light, and all reports were revealed by The Marine Corps Public Relations Office. So I see no reason to jump on a high horse of indignation here!!!
August 27, 2008 at 3:23 am |
Oh yeah, all Drill instructors are trained at the same school, so you PI snobs are not something special!!
October 22, 2008 at 4:20 am |
Let’s use a bit of sense here. RamblingBob is spot-on. This is a VOLUNTEER military. Abuse the recruits, and all you have is damaged goods, or some kid who washed out when he didn’t need to, when he shouldn’t have, if the DI didn’t hold his ego higher than his duty.
What would happen to you if you disobeyed direct orders or general orders and caused the loss of a recruit or other government property? If they aren’t making producing a capable finished soldier their highest priority, they’re failing themselves, those recruits and their nation.
October 22, 2008 at 4:26 am |
P.S.
Steve, you wrote: steve Says:
January 13, 2008 at 9:21 pm
Ramblingbob have you personally spoke with Sgt. Glass. My son has. Maybe you should gather more info before you so willingly condemn a man who has put his life on the line for your right to do so.
Most of us here have served in the military, and some of us actually have put our lives on the line, not just served here in the States, so stow that flag-waving nonsense, or save it for somebody who hasn’t himself earned the right to criticize.
October 22, 2008 at 5:44 pm |
This is ramblingbob, My time in the service fell between Korea and Viet Nam, I did not have the privilage, if you want to call it that, of serving in a armed conflict. But I was a volenter asnd was trained to fight and was on call all the time if needed. I volentered for every thing that came along. In July of 1957 I was hunkered in a seven foot trench in Yucca Flats, Nev. where Uncle Sam set of the largest areial Burst Atomic device ever detonated in the United States. I WAS A MARINE at all times and still proudly fly the Corps flag on my front pourch every day. I stand by all my words printed on this blog through out.
November 1, 2008 at 4:38 am |
Give me a stinkin break. I went to boot camp Apr-Jun 1981. They hit us, cussed us, kicked us, abused us and it was all very funny to me! It’s what I expected and mostly deserved. I had an M-16 front sight slammed into my face (which bled terribly) and when I was asked if i wanted to go to sick bay I emphatically replied “hell no sir”. Was further punished for “cussing” at the DI. I was a good Marine and these guys made me one. If you want to be a crybaby, don’t let your son or grandson join the Marine Corps. The Marines are, have been, and should be treated like men (not your high school sweetheart). When you FU, you pay! The Marine DI who alleged misconduct on his contemporary should have handled this situation much more like a professional Marine. He should have gone to him and told him to tone it down and control himself. Wouldn’t you want your co-worker to do that for you if you f’d up after having a bad day and made a slight mistake. None of these young men were really hurt! Hell we used to have tent pole fights! With the very rare exception of “Ribbon Creek”, Marine recruits have been treated as humans and someone you want to train to be on your side. Ease off and if you don’t want your kids or whatever to join the Marine Corps, DON’T LET THEM. We don’t want them anyway!
Semper Fi
GySgt Dan Canipe
canipeds@hotmail.com
August 15, 2009 at 3:24 am |
THANK YOU GySgt Canipe!
My son is a newly minted US Marine, graduating today (14 Aug 09) at MCRD-SD as a Ptn Honor Man
He said his feelings of boot camp before the Crucible were ‘bored, tired & hungry’ After the Crucible, he was ’still bored but more disappointed and ANGRY’ about the training he didn’t receive and the number of men who graduated with him that did not deserve the right to wear the EGA.
As a Mom of a Marine, I’m also angry that the recruit training has softened so much that they are turning out sub-standard Marines. I’m rightfully worried that these men may be next to my son in a combat situation and not have the self-discipline to handle the task at hand.
Do I believe that real abuse can and has taken place? Yes. Do I believe that it is common place or that hard discipline is the same as abuse? Hell No!
Let the DIs do their job turning out real Devil Dogs.
My son did not join the US Marine Corps to be trained like he was in the Army. You don’t like the discipline techniques of the Marine DIs then send your loved one to the Army and stay out of my son’s Corps.
August 16, 2009 at 8:52 pm
OK I had determended to not reply further on this topic, but, let me clear the air once again. I am a Marine! and I went through in 1956, right after the Parris Island incedent. My training was tough, but not brutal. Do I think abuse exist Yes, should it be tolerated no!. Enough said, My grandson is a Marine Afghanistan Vet. Am I proud Yes. Do I think the Marine Corps is up to snuff? I think that it has some what lowered its recruitment standards today. There are now people who are not up to former standards within the ranks, there are a some who are not qualified, and some who have a higher loyalty to their former gangs than to the Corps. This is really true in the army. Whats to be done, That is up to the Cmmandant. Yes keep the Mothers of America and the UCLA out of boot camp, keep tranning tough and for Gods sake make the Commadants of the recrutment depots answerable for the conduct of their DI’s. A sadist has no business tranning our youth to be Marines. And as for your son ,thank you for rasing a Marine and thank him for his service, Semper Fi!
November 2, 2008 at 3:04 am |
I have grown weary of responding to this chapter. So this will be my last response. Everyone is entitlrd to his own opinion! But the blind alegance to the Corps that I have encountered on this subject concerns me. It remindes me of the Blue Code you find in the police agenceys where good cops will not rat on a bad one. I was a Marine and I served with a very few who made me ashamed to have to call them a brother Marine. Every year according to the Marine Corps information Office there are a adverage of five investigations into Marine Corps Drill Instructor abuse. That is a extremely small number out of the many others doing a good job. Dicpline is one thing abuse is abuse, end of subject.
November 3, 2008 at 9:16 pm |
Funny thing, i was surfing the web this morning and inadvertantly stumbled upon articles referring to former sgt glass. I have so much to say on the topic after reading so many replies. He was my DI and i was part of the platoon he was CONVICTED of abusing. All Marines feel like their training was harder than the last and vice versa, but i was actually there and can guarantee that some of the things that Glass did were beyond acceptable.
Brian states above:->>>”I would much rather have my drill instructor beat it into me than some terrorist or capture. I have seen first hand how the enemy trains its soldiers and if you think getting smacked with a flashlight is excessive and being beaten and dug until you threw up. Try being beaten bloody only to be revived and beaten again. And that’s what they do to the disciplined ones.” and it goes on…
But we are not in terrorist training camp. We are volunteer civilians who live in the United States, who want to become Marines, not Army or some other branch. The point is that wether or not you think current training standards are watered down and that current and recently enlisted Marines are pussys is completely erroneous. No amount of physical or physcological abuse is going to make someone better as a basic trained Marine. Only real training (such as rifle ranges, kill houses, humps, night ops, anti-terrorism training, etc.) and repitition of that training will make someone better at their job.
You cannot compare the current training standards of USMC recruits to those of terrorist organizations. We volunteer to leave our spoiled lives as Americans to have our asses kicked, within reason, to become Marines. We are not forced to join terrorist organizations becasue of economic reasons, lack of opportunity, or religously based hatred of others.
Just because we join the military does not mean that we should have to give away our civil liberties. The Marine Corps and all other branches of the Uniformed Services comply to the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The UCMJ purports to give us rights, and violations of those rights such as abuse need to be reported and punished. The idea that alleged criminal acts againts others should be handled in house violates the purpose of the UCMJ and Justice itself. We might as well get rid of the UCMJ and settle all disputes with fists. Stupid.
Degredation of recruits is widespread, sure. We all hate it and love it. But go get thrashed by a superior in the vomit of others and tell me how that just made you a better Marine.
Everyone has their personal oppinions of how a DI should condunct themselves. Fact is DI’s take an oath, the DI Creed to educate and ensure the safety of their recruits. Even they know when they cross the line.
I have so much more to say. Glass commited crimes, although he may have faced severe penalties. Glass was made an example of. This case was not just any other recruit abuse case, it was made widely public and the Marine Corps had to show they are not weak on punishment and that they can be held responsible for the safety of our countries young men.
Post comments, i would like to discuss this further…
November 3, 2008 at 9:29 pm |
With All Due Respect,
GySgt Canipe above, “The Marine DI who alleged misconduct on his contemporary should have handled this situation much more like a professional Marine. He should have gone to him and told him to tone it down and control himself. Wouldn’t you want your co-worker to do that for you if you f’d up after having a bad day and made a slight mistake. None of these young men were really hurt!”.
There is nothing professional about not reporting crime. This was not one bad day, and the abuses were not slight mistakes. And yes, there were some recruits with broken bones.
November 5, 2008 at 4:10 am |
ST, thank you so much for responding to this free for all. I am so glad that someone from the platoon saw fit to respond and tell their side of it. Like I have said many times in the past my grandson, graduated about 10 months after this incident. I am glad the Corps took measures to stop this kind of crap. My grandson now a Lcpl., recieved more and better training in his 13 weeks than I did, He leaves for Afghanistan in a very few days. In a later chapter I wrote of my visit with him at Twenty-Nine Palms and how impressed we were with his comand and his prepardeness. I am proud to have been in the same brotherhood as you and he are. Semper Fi.
November 7, 2008 at 1:03 am |
ST, you’re a liar and a “wanna be”. There’s nothing worse than claiming that you served in the Corps and we all know you damned well didn’t!! I smell you little bastards from a mile away. Leave my Marine Corps alone. I spent 20 years in the Marine Corps and I can just tell that you’re full of shit!!!! A “crime”, please. I spent 20 years of my life to make sure that my Marines were well trained and disciplined! I receive emails from my troops on a regular basis thanking me for the fine training and mentorship I provided them. The “mothers” of America and idiots like you try to drag down one of the precious things this country has. It won’t happen, so you might as well give up. My Marine Corps is the way it is and stop “BAD MOUTHING” it.
November 13, 2008 at 3:52 am |
Thanks for the comment RB.
January 7, 2009 at 4:22 am |
fuck all yall who say it is right to stop abuse. marines kill, thats what we do. my drill instructor punched me in the mouth about twice a day and told me to give up or it would continue. he made me a leader. one recruit died in training. he was weak. if he had a condition he shouldn’t of signed up. i sprained my ankle, got shin splints and bled daily. if you want to put up a fight against it, fight me. try it. youll see u and the rest of mothers of america are fucking pussies who dont have the strength to kill and not let it get to you. ive seen six men die in only 6 months. i have a purple heart, yet basic training/soi is the hardest thing ive had to do to be prepared for this. so be a marine, or join the fucking air force and train in air conditioning.
January 10, 2009 at 12:39 am |
Well Sam personaly, I think you are just a bag of asshole wind, I doubt that you are even a Marine. I have served with and known and had my ass kicked by Marines many times. And none of them would have made a comment like yours. So shit head keep off my blog. PS at 70 I can still outshoot a whole bunch of asshole wind bags like you. A stroke has taken my physical dextitery and strength but the trigger hand and finger can give you one hell of a thirt finger salute!!!
February 3, 2009 at 4:41 pm |
Hi Bob, stumbled on your website….kool. Went to MCRD SD in ‘64. Nice Di picked us up at the airport……turned into an asshole on the return trip…..ok with me….I joind to get away from a bad situation…..DI was playing his game with a recruit in front of me and hit him to get him to respond….(my father was a hotrodder/biker/tough….little brother had polio, dad taught me how to fight when somebody picked on Jim or any other person)……..so, I hit the DI. Not good! I paid for that buy having to clean a bathroom (Head) with a toothbrush for many hours the rest of the day and until late at night. Bootcamp went well with constant reminders of that first night as a few DI’s would wisper shit in my ears about getting even until ITR. After our arrival that day I failed a rifle inspection and the DI made me clean it while my squad did PT. After a long time the DI finally said my rifle was clean and sent us to the shower. I spent the next two weeks not being able to see in the ITR infirmary pretty banged up with corneal abraisions to both eyes…..finished bootcamp, went to tank repairman school and my rep followed as “lifer’s” didn’t like marine’s that questioned. Did a short 30 day stint in dark solitary and broke rocks for being four days awol at Pendelton and I still remember the screams from prisoners being attacked by guards or other prisoners usually “set-up” by guards. Went to Nam in August ‘67 and was warned that my rep followd me. I quickly aquired a Sturm Ruger 44 mag for personal protection. As most guys in 3rd tanks liked staying within the perimiter, digging trenches and making bunkers, I felt safer outside the perimiter. Did a lot of roving night patrols (106) and ambushes (98), and did a lot of CAP patrols during the day to help kids and women. I don’t know what happened on that night of the 98th ambush….all I remember is Sargent Elders saying something to me from behind….I woke up at Charlie Med and a doctor told me I we got overrun. I still had my 44 on my side and still have it today, I just wonder if “WE” got over run or did “I” get overrun by my own. I am proud that I was a Marine once and I am proud that there are a FEW that are tough enough to “Stand-up” to abuse.
March 12, 2009 at 2:25 am |
Like Gunny Smith told us in DI School in 1968 You are not much of a man if you beat a recruit while he’s standing at attention, and while you’re doing it you know damn well that he can’t and won’t fight back. I agree that the hero here is the other Plt DI who recognized the problem.
March 12, 2009 at 2:34 am |
I would however say this in regards to one problem several of us had in the first few weeks of training back then and that is that if a recruit attacks you or says fuck you, you got to fight him back with all you got and you better win or you have lost the rest of the platoon. So it does work that way, but not latent abuse while they are not able to fight back.
March 12, 2009 at 10:59 pm |
Thank Goodness, finally A Marine and A former DI, has the gut to take the unpopular position of agreeing with me. You have no idea of the verbal abuse I have recieved for this post. Thanks for your comments. Yeah recruit on recruit is not the same thing, as long as they are reasonably matched.
March 13, 2009 at 4:08 pm |
Wow this issue seems like it’s been beat like a dead horse (with a tent pole, of course!). Maybe he used the pole because the recruit was slightly out of reach. And the shitcan dive…….hell he was just training that dink to learn how to dive into a fighting hole when the mortars starting flying!
There’s always two sides to every story. I’d like to have been a “fly on the wall” when all of this “abuse” supposedly occurred!
September 6, 2009 at 10:22 pm |
This topic makes me upset. My husband is a combat instructor and when those marines come from boot camp and step foot and get ready to train for battle, (because after MCT or ITB and MOS they can be in a war zone in a couple months) its not time to worry about anything else but the situation….if the point is getting across then that should be it….
I now hear that when the students at boot camp are “good” they get to go to the PX and commissary…..what the heck is that??
I do believe in manners and order but if someone wants to become a marine then they should be ready to become one….because when you step foot into the fleet its not rainbows and sunshine…and if your shop chief tells you to do something with a few F bombs in there….mommy isnt around to say anything
The same goes for a marine wife…..if your husband is joining HE WILL GO TO WAR!!
September 6, 2009 at 11:41 pm |
Thank your husband for his service, Marinewife … and thank YOU for YOUR service and dedication to your husband.
My son is currently SOI:ITB and his biggest gripe & frustration is about 30% of the Marines in his company there think this is a game. They lolly-gag around, falls asleep in class ….
It would have been nice if these folks could have been weeded out in recruit training instead of putting other marines in danger in a combat zone
September 8, 2009 at 8:44 pm |
well then MullerLaneFarm…..your son is one of the good ones and will be a great marine bcuz of that…and he knows that combat training is serious. And espeically in ITB.
and because of the lolly gaging about 100+ instructors who teach at camp devil dog and Gieger have a tougher job…..like students who fall asleep in class durning a presentation about something they are going to be working with after the hour presentation….THEN have no idea how to do it!
do you know that some students dont even know how to hydrate during humps (hikes)?
and that training has to stop bcuz some “kid” didnt drink enough water and he passes out? shouldnt that kind of stuff be second nature? but no. the Doc has to come and assist the situation……maybe one day boot camp will go back to “noraml”……
and bcuz of Stuff like that your son misses out.
have a great Day
Semper FI
September 13, 2009 at 2:30 am |
wow. this article is hilarious. how can u be a marine and have graduated from boot camp and say that physical punishment is not necessary. my father and brother both joined and went to boot camp before me, so i was ready for a hardcore 13 weeks. wasn’t anything that i thought. we had sh*tbags laughing and joking around 24/7 and we as a plt paid for it. we had weak and fat bodies that didn’t learn and could barely make it back from humps. it annoys me when u join something to be the best and u see a bunch of weak pussies who joined just to say theyre part of the marine corps. DI’s are there to make you stronger. to break you down, then build you up. you get what you put in. those kids prolly deserved what they got. we had a kid in our plt get pushed over a foot locker for talking back to a DI. he was a pussy and immediately told the senior. unfortunately that DI got separated from our plt cuz that lil pussy couldn’t handle a push.(just found that recruit got njp’d and is once again private). i smiled during square away time and spent that entire night scuzzing the deck in the push up position. i deserved it. didn’t smile again. DI’s have the responsibility to weed out the weak and uncommitted recruits. thanks to crying about negative treatment now there are sh*tbags everywhere in the corps; thanks to everyone who whines. stay the hell outta this corps if ur not ready to commit to something that will make you the strongest you’ll ever be in your life. ooh rahh, Semper Fi.
September 13, 2009 at 4:28 am |
OHH RAH novTEN1775 !!
My son is now SOI:ITB you’d think the slobs would’ve been weeded out, but NO, they’re falling asleep in classes, only waking to shoot the firearms. These are the men and women who are to be the left and the right of you and my son. I DON’T WANT THEM THERE!!! Put them in the Navy, put them in the Air Force, put them in the Army, hell, put them in the Girl Scouts but keep them the hell out of my son’s USMC!
OOH RAH
I may be ‘just’ a mother of a Marine, but I am ALWAYS FAITHFUL! SEMPER FI!
December 23, 2009 at 5:56 am |
Outstanding post sir. You are a trueman of character and dignity. ST I believe you, God bless your courage. I hope you can motivate other Marines to look past Assbirds like your failure of a DI as well as the flunky wannabes like Canipe. Good Marines live with honor & honor does not allow one to needlessly beat a fresh recruit.
Semper Fi