Well, I lucked out when I was drafted in January 1951 in the bad days of the Korean war. I mentioned on a questionnaire that I had some training in photography, so I was one of 3 out of some 8,000 in the induction cycle that got assigned directly to the 301st Signal Photo Company at Camp Gordon, GA. The Company CO more or less made us "day students" at the Basic company down the street. We did do the Basic stuff from 0800 to 1700, then returned to the 301st with our Class A passes, no inspections, etc. Before the 6 week basic schedule was done, I got pulled out and sent to an assignment in the "Scientific and Professional Personnel" program.
I never even received a set of dog tags.
One day on the drill field, the DI (who was himself a Hollywood cameraman from the Army Reserve) said "You people are so lucky to be in the Signal Corps. I don't see a man here that could make it in the Infantry!"
Nothing wrong with that, everyone had a job to do.......
I went thru Army basic back in early 1969 and from all the conversations I've had with Marines entering at that time, the only difference in training was the personalities of our DI's.......Some were assholes and the others were real assholes.......and life at that time was a real bitch!
