Posted on 09/20/2004 5:27:26 AM PDT by DJ Taylor
“Fascinating! I love the personal experiences that Freepers bring to news analysis!
Thank you for your service to our country.”
I’m seconding that one, Miss Marple.
Good insight my friend...thank you for your service.
Thank you for your article and thank you for your service from a 65 to 69 USAF vet. The reason that Rather could get away with this in the past is that all the media types covered up for each other. Now with the internet ordinary citizens can have input directly to other citizens and we can all access previously censored news that the MSM did not want out in the public. Dan Rather is not fit to shine any Marines boot.
BTW when is John Kerry going to release his 180 info?
Hi Appy,
When I joined the Navy in 1965 my company hung out washing windows and swabbing decks in the recruit barracks in San Diego for weeks before several companies were filled with the requirered 80 newby swabbies per company. We hung out I believe for 21-days before beginning training, then about half way through what seemed like an endless boot camp our training was accelerated when Lyndon Johnson announced the troop buildup in Viet Nam.
After weeks and weeks of training for the graduation parade thing, one day they lined us up on the grinder and told us we were sailors now, gave us our orders and kicked us out the gate. If I recall, (not easily done these days) my boot camp was over 3-months.
If Rather was being mustered out, he may have spent some time picking up butts while waiting for his, “UNSUITABLE” discharge papers.
I vote for the Bed-Wetter theory.
He was a fraud then and he's just a bigger fraud now.
Oh, happy 3 yr. anniversary DJ. ;-)
I’m pretty sure it was 180 days.
Plausible hypothesis.
Training back in the 50s in boot camp still focused upon lessons known first hand to WWII and Korean War vets who ran the depots.
The main reason for inducing the high stress environment was not so much to induce a harassment package, which unfortunately less mature generations later perceived the training to entail. Rather, the harassment was inflicted specifically to contrive absolutely no-win environments with high stress and physically demanding tests, so as to identify those who would not hold up in a combat environment where other Marines and the mission depended upon their performance.
There are some elements of endurance which are endemic to human makeup which are no fault of the individual’s volition, but in their spirit may indeed cause them to freeze up in combat.
Bed wetting probably was one of those indicators of that trait to seniors.
Once it appeared to become a trend, then obvious measures had to be taken against those who simply wanted to not keep their contract and bail, hence the stories of how DIs handled such cases in later years.
The best example I can think of to communicate this was a WWII film a few years back with Sylvestor Stallone as an American in a German WWII POW camp. (Lousy film, but had a unique aspect in that action scene, which was actually fairly realistic regarding human nature.) The movie theme centered around a large scale breakout attempt. When the time came to breakout during a morning formation/roll call, the plan changed and everybody scrambled to breakout as best per plan as possible.
During the moment of mayhem, POWs without weapons, initial hand to hand and slaughter of unarmed POWs, the natural response would have been to take cover or attack, but not remain in the open. In the film, about 5-10% of those in formation simply remained still, frozen, not moving, or deeply dedicated in prayer.
There actually is a percentage of the population which will respond to combat situations in that fashion, they simply freeze up. They easily become casualties and can take others with them who attempt to protect them. Those of whom have that trait, aren’t necessarily cowards or freaks. Maybe its spiritual, maybe its a deep psychological response, but it occurs in a small percentage of the population and might not get observed unless a similar high stress, life threatening, environment is thrust upon them.
The more seasoned vets with wherewithal, after a full national effort of total war in WWII and Korean War somewhat recognized this. I’ve encountered that wherewithal from seasoned grunt officers from that time period, but not as much from grunts from Vietnam through the 90s. And perhaps my perspective has been somewhat unique than that of others.
But from my perspective, your hypothesis is plausible.
Semper Fi, my friend.
LOL!
Dan Rather, bed-wetter.
I wonder if that applies to Walter Cronkite?
As someone who had childhood rheumatic fever...
the only time I was disabled was when it was diagnosed and I spent my sixth year in bed not allowed to walk even to go to the bathroom. It has never been a disability since, as I played sports in school, had three kids, and am still active but graying lol...
If Dan passed the initial physical then he had no long term damage as can be seen by the kind of life hes led.
Dan is a self-indulgent self-obsessed phony jerk.
There is some excellent stuff in the archives.
Fun to read.
Thanks.
Potential MORON ALERT.
Hey GOBUCKS: you're right, a Marine is going to chime in. I say YOUR post doesn't pass the smell test. Anyone I know spells Marines with a capital "M", so I find it dubious that you ever knew anyone that served in my beloved Corps and you can piss off!
IIRC, 180 days is when VA benefits kick in.
Sure, I served with some real retards but that was more the exception than the rule.
My response was meant for GoBucks, not you. I do sincerely apologize for the misunderstanding.
Ahhh, it happens.
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