Was Boot Camp Easy?

[ARTYPIG]

I agree. It was very challenging and certainly not easy. I for a time there thought it got easy, then I realized that it wasn't easier, we just had gotten use to the pace and rigors of the training.

[advanced]

When I went through bootcamp , there was no way for anyone to skate through it. And you damn sure wasnt undisciplined. Ive never heard anyone from that era say bootcamp was easy. S/F 67-68

I went through PI in Jan 67 and like Billy said there was no way anyone went through then and came out undisciplined or unchanged. We had 5 screaming angry DI's that didn't miss anything. The most meaningful concept that I was taught at PI was that when things get so bad that nothing could be worse, my DI's taught me it can get worse. Learning this concept came in very handy later on.

[USMC2571]

I can see from my own letters back home, and they are hilarious, that it got easier after five weeks of shock therapy, but not easy by any means.
I thought it was a very distinct minority who thought it was easy.
When I heard those two Marines talking, my one wish was to transport them back into time to October 31, 1963, Halloween night, and let them determine for themselves whether arriving at PI was a trick or a treat....LOL

[USMCM38A1]

Lets put it this way .My parents came to see me graduate on March 28,1985 from Parris Island 2nd batt. F Co. Plt.2020 and I told them i don't ever want to see this Island again lol.Well that was 25 yrs ago and I'd love to go back now.As wassaid in earlier post t only got easier because of your being in better shape phyiscally and mentally .You will always hear some one who thinks they are billy bad a$$ say it was easy but during bot camp I didn't hear anybody asking for more because it was too easy.Semper Fi Devil Dogs

[indygti]

The people who say boot camp was easy are the same 54295298235 different people who claim they carried 100 packs on their 8k hump and pulled 15 recruits up the Reaper. It's a bunch of bs and I'm not buying it.

Physically I agree it wasn't that challenging at all. But being tired all the damn time and having to think clearly, constantly do everything as fast as possible, making sure you sound off and aren't "the one" anytime you do something different takes its toll, whether certain Marines want to admit it or not.

To the Marine who said that boot camp is easy in comparison to SOI and grunt life, I agree, but that wasn't the question.

[DrZ]

I don't remember anything 'easy' about boot. The DIs didn't have an issue with thumping on us a bit but we expected it. We worked hard but we survived. Boot is not supposed to be easy. To be a Marine.... you had to earn it...and we did!

[3522]

If it was so easy, why are all the movies about boot camp Marine Corps boot camp? The only movie I remember (off the top of my head) that features a boot camp sequence other than the USMC's is, "Stripes."
My short answer, NO (in 1975).

[Mongoose]

I went through PI in Jan 67 and like Billy said there was no way anyone went through then and came out undisciplined or unchanged. We had 5 screaming angry DI's that didn't miss anything. The most meaningful concept that I was taught at PI was that when things get so bad that nothing could be worse, my DI's taught me it can get worse. Learning this concept came in very handy later on.

Russ, anyone that says it cant get any worse, should have been with you and I down on the Hook during Meade River.It not only got worse. But it got worse daily for a while. That was one place where all our training paid off.

[Beltayn]

I didn't think it was easy at the time, but since then, I've done a lot of things which were considerably harder.

Ah, perspective.

[hbharrison]

Easy or fun not a words that comes to mind about boot camp, WOW!!! Not easy!!!

[SgtHMH]

Boot Camp is differant for everyone because everyday differant things happen and it makes the DIs act and do their own games. The head games come for differant reasons because of your last name, how you look, how you tied your boots, how you forgot to lock your foot locker, the list goes on. Something might happen like out in the field and a Recruit goes over a rock and lands on the DI's covers. You can't say that each Platoon will be the same as the next, because the DIs and Recruits are differant and differant things happen. That makes for differant games and pit times. Everyone of us has differant stories to tell of what happend during Boot in each of our Platoon's. It was tough for all threw the eras to earn the Title Marine. My last name is Hoss, so guess what games the DIs had with that and more. Boot Camp was tough, wild, scary and also funny.

Semper Fi

[SlingerDun]

..My last name is Hoss...

For real? Man thats one reason i trained to be a farrier, so i could call a horse a hoss and get away with it

[3522]

I didn't think it was easy at the time, but since then, I've done a lot of things which were considerably harder.
Ah, perspective.

Cosign ^^

[dhuntington]

I always say, "The longer it's been, the easier it was!" I can't wait until my son graduates in April to see his reaction.

[sparkie]

Seems to me they eased up on us a bit at the range, but I don't recall anything easy in '69. I did learn some cool things though. Now I can stand in line at the DMV for 6 hours, no problem. And I can eat dinner in 20 seconds. Good stuff like that.