They were clearly off base with that behavior.
Agree. Never during my 8 1/2 years did I ever lay a hand on my soldiers.
If I really needed to give one of my subordinates "a positive learning experience", I'd let myself get creative, like "go down to the motor pool and get a bucket of steam, and clean that jeep's engine".
As a platoon leader, I had the nukeular option. The trooper had a choice: he could shape up and continue to enjoy the benefits of being stationed on an Air Force Base (Hahn), or he could get transferred in 48 hours to our sister battalion at the 1st Infantry Division.
With very few exceptions, the young men would straighten up.