Did You Experience Fear In Boot Camp?

[usmc987332]

In a sustained way?
The reason I put this up for discussion is that the question started coming up on another thread I began "Was Boot Camp Easy?".
The issue of whether people were scared or not did not come up until the last few posts, so I wanted to explore it further here.
I for one, was scared the whole time, but this was 1963, and I was at PI just two weeks after turning 17, and while it was strictly forbidden to stike a recruit, and was in fact a court-martial offense, hands-on contact went on, DIs "correcting" recruits. Nothing severe unless you were one of three or so out of every platoon of around 80 people, who were just sh..birds to begin with.
But I have heard people say that boot camp was not "scary" as such, to them, and wanted your opinions on this, according to your own boot camp experience. Thanks in advance for any input.
And the reason I explore this is because although you may have thought boot camp was hard and tough, you may not have felt any actual fear during this training.

I went through "Boot" in 1944. My grandson graduated about six months ago. I do not think "Boot" has changed one iota in its purpose. I am sure many techniques have changed, the goal or the end result is still the same. Now, as then, I think the DI's want you to fear them so they will always have your attention, and they are still successful. "Boot" taught me:

1. Respect my superiors and respond their orders without question. (Over time, this does change.)
2. Have complete confidence in myself.
3. My ability was much greater than I thought when I first arrived at "Boot"
4. Certain fears are natural and will never be eliminated, but your will learn to deal with those fears in a logical way. Useless fears will be completely erased and fade away.
5. You are part of a team and should react as part of a team, but act alone when necessary.
6. You will have learned to cope with the unknown.
7. You are a Marine and can take on the whole outside world single handed. (This one you will learn is not true over a period of time.)

I am sure you can add to this list.

[micarr57]

most of first phase definately

[CplAllen]

I was never really scared. The only thing that really freaked me out in any way was the gas chamber and maybe the constant fear of getting hurt or recycled for some dumb reason therefore being made to stay there longer.

[thediesel713]

When they told me "you gotta get in that water, with all that gear." Funny the minor details you don't know about before boot camp, like swimming...

[06yz125]

Not as much fear as anxiety but..the gas chamber and pugil sticks.
The pugil sticks.. I was probably not wanting to loose. The guy
who beat me on the third round damn near knocked my head off. LOL

And the guy who ripped my trousers off..thats another story I would
like to keep to myself...LOLOLOLOLOLOL

[Old Marine]

Truthfully, there is a lot I do not remember about Boot Camp when I went through training, but there is a whole lot that I remember also. Like running around the hut yelling "This is my rifle, this is my gun, this is for fighting, this is for fun." Getting a package in the mail with a can of Planter's Peanuts in it. Stood up next to the bulkhead while one D.I. threw a peanut at a time at my mouth and every one I missed was a tap in the stomach.

Going out for drill on the small grinder and being told that we were not popping our heals into the deck hard enough. It was always dig them in, dig them in. Made for a good cadence. Will never forget getting the M1 thumb. Only got it once and that was enough to learn not to do it again. Needle in the trigger finger to insure that you squeeze the trigger. Hike to Camp Matthews for the Rifle Range.

Always hated to be sent to chow and have to request permission to enter some other platoons chow line. The D.I. always screwed with a recruit who had to do this.

Most of my time in Boot Camp, I was so damn scared that I didn't know whether to ****e or go blind. Graduation day was a blessing.

[sparkie]

M1 thumb????? for me it was the M14 trigger finger. Kids nowadays have no idea.

[jumpinjack]

Yeah, I was scared as heck the about the whole time, it was both the end of the rifle range that I started to get some courage built up. No not one thing about the experience was easy...looked forward to class time, but they PT'ed the heck out of us, knocked a few heads about and sure made my gut sore from all the punches. Went though with the M 14, best darn weapon, shoots straight, heavy as hell when we was " watching TV" and don't let that bolt slap closed, hurts like heck hanging from the end of the nose.

[sparkie]

Ever sleep with all the M14 parts? One hell of a bunkmate. Spread em all out and hit the rack.

[SgtHMH]

Boot Camp is all types of feelings depending on what happens in your Platoon, lives on the outside also. My Boot Camp was all type of feelings all rolled up into one. The first night on the Yellow Foot Prints the shock and awe. The day being up on the platform and laying on the cable of the Slide For Life and looking down and starting to go. The A-Frame and if you miss the rope you will be more than messed up. At Edson Range and the Series Commander telling me that my Grandfather had passed away and I had a choice of going home and then having to start Boot Camp all over again, dealing with this feeling. Getting yelled at by another DI from another Platoon that looked like a cartoon carature and could not help but smile trying to go over the wall. During swim qual in my record my recruiter put I was a scuba diver so they made me do all kinds of swim things.

So Boot Camp can be feared, sad, scary, funny and so on, depending on what transpires.

Semper Fi

[RLeon]

I had the constant fear of the unknown up until 3rd phase. Physically I didn't have a problem but I dreaded PT.
I'm a nerd so the history stuff wasn't an issue, but staying awake during the instructional periods was a challenge and there was the fear of getting caught nodding off.
Some of the the prac app cause me some anxiety. I don't really remember but I'm sure swim qual had me concerned. Gas chamber had the stomach grumbling for sure.
Rifle range wasn't bad what really had me scared was the possibilty of my folks sending me the dreaded package full of gee dunk.

...which actually happened...I think it was 3rd phase by then and the DI didn't really give a crap though.

[Mongoose]

M1 thumb????? for me it was the M14 trigger finger. Kids nowadays have no idea.

Sparkie, for us it was a small cut with razor blade on the trigger finger. They took names all day on the range. That nite you got called to the D.I., got on your knees and held your hand up and got your cut. Sore as hell the next morning.

[sparkie]

For us it was put your trigger finger in the breech and let the bolt slide home. At least there were no infections.

[kaelobo]

Yes there were a few whos weapons wernt on safe, and a few recruits missing thum nails,14 teens had a long bolt,........................usmc

[Marine84]

I was so scared I didn't have a period the whole time I was there. Scared to fail because of the PT - which I did get recycled for. Scared I was never gonna get out of PCP (Physical Conditioning Platoon) - I was there for 8 days - I had only failed my mile time by 15 frkin seconds.

I was scared of the swimming, the night stuff (cause I couldn't see anything!), getting yelled at for stupid $h!t, going off that tower, sleeping in the woods for a couple of nights and a whole bunch of other stuff!

They taught me how to handle my fears.