[alfa6]

Marine Corps DI's must operate under very strict rules as to what they can and cannot do to the boots. My recollection of those rules is faulty at best, however from reading the article it appears that there may have been some slight technical violations of the rules.

On a personal note, I too attempeted to become a graduate of the University of Science, Music and Culture, Graduate division, almost 30 years ago, got knocked out on a physical problem. In my platoon was an enlisted man who was in the OCS program with us. In the one brief conversation I had with him before I moved on he told ne that the DI's would be on him like flies on poop because of his EM status.

I suspect that something similar was at work here, after all it is the DI's job to weed out the weak recruits and here you have a recruit that is about 5 years over the age limit. And a reporter to boot :-)

Maybe we can get some more info from some current active duty Marines.
Also there was a book that came aout a couple of years ago where a reporter followed a platoon through boot camp, alas the name escapes me. If I find it I will post back to you.

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[BulletBobCo]

Would that be "Boot" by Daniel Da Cruz? That was a good read. I sent my nephew a copy before he went to boot camp at San Diego.

[Ed Straker]

Right. Very strict rules. One of the first things DIs were required to do when they picked us up in 1989 was ask if any of us would be offended by certain words. (absolutely true story!) Of course everyone was too nervous to say anything, so they took that as a 'no'.

Also, we were told to warn them (Charlie's in the bush, Sir!) if we saw any white pickup trucks, as these were the DIs' seniors, keeping an eye on them.

From time to time, officers would come around and ask us things like have we ever been physically or verbally abused, have we ever been denied a head call, or permission to go to sickbay.