July 27, 1966 (Originally posted in 2006)

[M1911A1]

"shaken" = "shaven", although MCRD had certainly shaken us, too.

[freema]

I know someone who claims to have known someone (now deceased) who claimed to be involved in that incident. The whole family was mentally ill. Severely.

As a result, I've done some research into the incident. Interesting stuff, to say the least.

[freema]

!

[freema]

This was quite a post. It brings a beautiful portrait to mind - makes me wish I could paint.

[ErnBatavia]

Thanks! I still wonder as to the reasoning for certain things in Boot Camp...such as when we first got there, our issued footwear was high top sneakers, and we were told to only lace them every two or three spaces - keeping 'em pretty loose.

Also, I'm betting it was a self-discipline thing, but it seemed like they'd never let us take a pee until our little bladders were ready to burst...and I remember at least twice where guys couldn't hold it any longer and let loose. One was midway through boot camp, and we were at parade rest in a parade formation for bigwigs - taller guys up front as usual. Being a couple of rows back, some of us heard - and then saw - the liquid running between one private's legs as his legs quivered a bit; Sgt. Landers heard it too, because he halfway turned toward him, turned beet red, and told him his ass was grass as soon as formation broke.

I really don't remember what happened to the poor guy, but I'm sure he recalls it to this day, assuming he's alive!

[freema]

Bad enough to have it happen during training, eh? But in an actual parade situation, Lord have mercy. I don't think it's very often taken as a literal translation when someone remarks, "You'd pi$$ yourself at boot camp." Rather, I think it's often taken in the abstract ; )

[Chieftain]

Brother Ern, we are...

members of the greatest fraternity - for life!

[ErnBatavia]

You used the Dad Privilege thing and got the more colorful one!

[freema]

I don't know which is worse, a Hollywood Marine or a Marine who trained with girls.

LOL!


Now, on the subject of the picture. Why'd ya hafta post that and make me cry?

: )

[freema]

Opportunities like this rarely show their face. Don't miss this.

[Lancey Howard]

Wow, that's excellent! I never did get a tat. Kept finding a way to blow my (meager) dough on other junk.

Semper fidelis,
LH

[BluH2o]

One of the guys I went thru boot camp at Parris Island had a Marine Corps tattoo on his forearm. His older brother was, or had been a Marine, and since this recruit anticipated joining the Corps he thought he'd get a Globe & Anchor tattoo in advance. Big mistake, the DI's gave him a rough time ... to be a civilian puke with a Marine Corps tattoo and not having survived the test of boot camp ... was a huge mistake. Marines don't rate a Globe & Anchor tattoo unless you're officially a Marine. It helped that this guy was squared away and eventually made PFC out of basic ... but it would have been a little easier without the tattoo.

[ErnBatavia]

I kind of remember being warned about that - by the recruiter.

[operation clinton cleanup]

I arrived at Lackland for USAF BMT on January 9,1990.

I remember for about the first two weeks we got about 30 seconds to eat our meals, that was after downing the mandatory two glasses of water.

Once our flight was standing in formation in front of one of the admin buildings. As a young female A1C approached us in her dress blues, the flight leader ordered us to attention and saluted her. She about died laughing! (I think the flight leader assumed anyone in dress blues was an officer).

[ErnBatavia]

I remember talking to a Greyhound driver (I'd take the bus up to L.A. fairly regularly, when I could get weekend liberty) who laughed about all the greenhorns who'd salute him....of course we'd all been warned in boot camp, "If in doubt, salute!"

[operation clinton cleanup]

We had a "dorm party" with our sister flight (I think they were a couple days from graduation, and we had only been there a week). They were supposed to help us learn how to fold clothes, make beds, etc. Instead they trashed the dorm and severely berated some of the slower witted recruits. They made one guy walk laps around the dorm in his underwear carrying his personal effects drawer repeating "Airman a$$hole reports as ordered" while they screamed at him... they were far worse than any DI!

[McGruff]

people there, for some reason, stopped being friendly and solicitous - and in a few hours I was on a Greyhound headed for MCRD San Diego

You made me think of the cattle trucks they use to put us in in Ft. Dix, NJ. Not friendly those Drill Sargents.

[Marine_Uncle]

Three Marines in one household. Holy Marines...
Pretty good to say the least.

[Chieftain]

You used the Dad Privilege thing and got the more colorful one!

Actually I got mine first as a Father's Day gift from them. When they came home over July 4th and saw it personally they were chomping at the bit for their own, so I took them to the same guy who did mine.

They opted to go without color so they were similar, but not exactly the same. They really liked the message about being brothers forever. One of them said he would get color added when he made NCO (only one promotion away for him now)!

[opbuzz]

I could never tell them apart before, and now they have the same tattoo!