[NerdDad]

Happy Anniversary Marine.

I'm a few years behind you (1978) and USAF, but my own anniversary is coming up Aug 9. I did, however, immediately recognize those footprints.

Interesting choice of wording: "the people there, for some reason, stopped being friendly and solicitous". I recall the same loss of jovial decorum that was so welcoming in the recruiter's office.

My favorite recruit training experience actually occurred to another recruit in another flight. Probably why it has always been my favorite.

At the midway point of training for each flight, we picked up a "baby flight". New guys who we were supposed to help guide along the new narrow path. We are on the pad to welcome our baby flight and off the bus comes a recruit who NEVER had any other name but "Princess". This dufus hops down from the bus with a waist length pony-tail and wearing a tee-shirt that read "I'm only here for the beer." In retrospect, I have no doubt that this was probably revenge for the hail he put his father thru.

This poor schmuck had screaming T.I.s from every flight within earshot surrounding him as soon as his feet hit the pavement. It usually took about 48 hrs for the noobs to get processed thru the physical/haircut/uniform stuff. The screaming Sgts practically ran him to the barber shop right then.

I remember being the one selected to teach this group how to make their beds. I asked about who that guy was and everybody just laughed and said "Oh Princess!!," then called him over. I asked him what he was thinking and he just shook his head and walked away.

I'll come back later and tell you about having my first experience with PC while I was at Lackland. I might even get brave enough to tell about being a lefty trying to qualify with the M-16 and how I shut the firing line down.

[beachn4fun]

[Valin]

I still recall my 1st. night at Lackland (aug 26 1967) laying in my bunk thinking "OMG what have I gone and done! This is nothing like the recruiter said it would be."

[freema]

I'm anxious to get to the firing line story : )

[gunner03]

Well, here’s my funny story. Parris Island, Nov. 10, 1954. Due to the fact that it was the Marine Corps birthday, the order came down that all recruits would go to the outdoor movie, which was showing “ The Sands of Iwo Jima. At the appointed hour, gathering our wash buckets, and with towels around our necks, we marched to the outdoor theater with the DI beating out cadence on our helmet liners. Upon reaching the theater, we marched down the aisle, past the screen, and formed ranks behind the screen. We “watched” the movie from behind the screen, sitting on our buckets
To all, Semper Fidelis