Platoon politics at RT

[MunkyVsRobot]

I wasnt sure how to word it so that was the best way I could think to title this topic. I havent seen much of this asked here if ever how were the politics of the recruits at training when you went?

What I mean is did you find certain recruits formed Cliques, were there some recruits that you hated right away (understandably there will be people you dislike everywhere), did you fight amongst yourselves quite often? Im guessing living with 43 to 79 of a bunch of people you just met and are supposed to become almost blood brothers with there had to be some of this that went down.

[Tennessee Top]

It's been awhile since I was a recruit but don't remember any of this going on back in 1972. Back then, DI's corrected you with hands-on techniques (like grabbing you by the neck or a butt-stroke to the solar plexes). So, we were all too busy worrying about surviving till the next day to waste energy on any politics.

I remember on the bus from the airport to the depot, there was this loudmouth redneck from Texas who wouldn't shut up. Must've been just nervous energy because once we hit those yellow footprints he was quite as a mouse from then on.

[MOS4429]

I wasnt sure how to word it so that was the best way I could think to title this topic. I havent seen much of this asked here if ever how were the politics of the recruits at training when you went?

What I mean is did you find certain recruits formed Cliques, were there some recruits that you hated right away (understandably there will be people you dislike everywhere), did you fight amongst yourselves quite often? Im guessing living with 43 to 79 of a bunch of people you just met and are supposed to become almost blood brothers with there had to be some of this that went down.

Well, I'll take the bait on this one and see if I can formulate an answer. I think the short answer to your compound question, "How were the politics of the recruits at training when you went...did you find certain recruits formed cliques, were there some recruits that you hated right away, did you fight amonst yourselves quite often," is NO.

If you are talking actual politics, i.e., democrat, republican, independent, it NEVER came up. If you are talking about politics in the sense of people playing others in order to garner favor, it didn't happen. To form a clique would assume you had free time to hang out, chit-chat with each other, and as a recruit, you will not hang out with the buds to formulate a pecking order of whose cool and whose not. The only time we had real down-time was receiving, and during receiving you are hustled here and hustled there. Hated right away? No. Throughout boot camp, yeah, as is human nature, you like some, others you don't like as much. I didn't hate anyone, but I had a few in my squad that might have hated me. No, no time for fighting.

A recruit's life is regimented. You are told when to get up, when to crap, when to take a leak, what to wear, what to do, dished out your chow, herded here and there and later marched, and there just isn't time for it. You get free time on Sunday to do your laundry, write letters, go to church; there is a moment of free time when you come out of chow later in 2nd and 3rd phase where you can do pull-ups, and some talking takes place.

But for the most part, the types of things you mention I was not privy to.

[MOS4429]

It's been awhile since I was a recruit but don't remember any of this going on back in 1972. Back then, DI's corrected you with hands-on techniques (like grabbing you by the neck or a butt-stroke to the solar plexes). So, we were all too busy worrying about surviving till the next day to waste energy on any politics.

I remember on the bus from the airport to the depot, there was this loudmouth redneck from Texas who wouldn't shut up. Must've been just nervous energy because once we hit those yellow footprints he was quite as a mouse from then on.

It's funny how the loud mouthed types become docile babes when they arrive to those yellow footprints!!

[Zulu 36]

You will get to know the guys who rack out close around you probably a little better than everyone else, but I wouldn't call it clique.

When I was in, there was one guy I disliked very much, but then most of the platoon didn't like him either, so I wasn't special. The Drill Instructors didn't care much for him either and they screwed with him all of the time.

His nickname was "Slimy Worm," so that should give you an idea of what he was like.

[Apache]

Clique. NO
Infighting. NO

As Tennessee Top said you are in survival mode
When the DI eyeballs you you will think he is going to put your lights out with one wrong move

Keep in mind these DIs are vets probably of hand to hand combat who have the knowledge of a kill strike on the first blow

[thewookie]

We had cliques, the squad leaders and guide. And we hated ****bags or those who made us push or the platoon pay for their shenanigans. Chitbags sink, and the cream of the crop rises very quickly at bootcamp, or at least that was my experience. Everyone knows the guys that are gonna or have made you pay -- and likewise everyone knows the pecking order in the platoon pretty early on. I think it's the pressure, you either have the ability to deal with it and thrive, or you wimper and wish you could.

But we had fights -- I was in one,,,, one day at the range after snapping in all morning we went back to the squadbay after chow. The DI's had us push all the racks in the center of the squad bay and they came out of the head with four trash cans filled with water. They dumped the water on the deck and we played "Indy 500" with our towels -- around and around pushing the water around the squad bay while down on our hands and knees. What fun. One kid, Curran -- about halfway through the Indy race the kid starts whining and slowing down "the pack". He and I exchanged a few brief words, and then the next thing you know I was on top of him. Ended very quickly by the DI's -- they beat the **** out of both of us separately, and then together, and that was that. But overall bootcamp isn't a place where you have a lot of politics; there is no time for it.

[MunkyVsRobot]

Awesome thank you for the information Marines. I know I have asked quite the number of questions I have read many of other peoples questions and the responses you all have posted to them aswell. I am trying to get as much information as I can so I can assimilate to Recruit Training and everything as quickly as possible. I am a 27 year old man soon to become a 27 year old nothing will definately take some getting used to but im willing to put in the time and the effort required.

This place is definately a great place to ask questions and get info, understandably some people get over informed and there may be little to no surprise.. At least they may think that. But I remember when the Major of RS Portsmouth addressed us during the Mock Boot Camp event (Sergeant Major cup) whatever you want to call it. He said that right now they are getting the best quality Marines they have ever seen at this point in time. They are getting the Dom Perignon of Marines today so any and all info I can get to help make me a better Marine or make Recruit Training go that much more smoothly is appreciated.

I must mention again that, as I said on another thread, the one thing that amazes poolees when they get to boot camp is the level of regimentation, where you are told what to do every minute of the day.
I am writing to two people from this forum who are at MCRD right now as we speak, in different platoons, and they are both shocked at the level of regimentation.
And this despite being on this site for months and months and reading all about how to prepare for boot camp.
And they are STILL shocked. They both mentioned it in their letters to me.
So this shows you the opportunity for cliques to form----zero.

Every single waking moment is taken up in being told what to do, how to do it, etc
No time or opportunity for cliques, for talking, etc

No matter how much anyone reads here, they are still surprised when they get on the yellow footprints. I think that is kind of amazing.

I can understand how they are surprised about that, because you can tell someone something until you are blue in the face, but until reality sets in or until you experience what you are speaking of or even impliment said knowledge all it is, is words unfortunately.

In Response to MOS4429 I wasnt speaking of political politics more of what the others were referring to almost a Caste system.

Reason I asked this question si one of my friends who recently graduated from PI (within the last year) said I would probably end up fighting with (not necessarily punching in the mouth) my platoon from time to time

Thank you all for your responses they are much appreciated.

[MunkyVsRobot]

We had cliques, the squad leaders and guide. And we hated ****bags or those who made us push or the platoon pay for their shenanigans. Chitbags sink, and the cream of the crop rises very quickly at bootcamp, or at least that was my experience. Everyone knows the guys that are gonna or have made you pay -- and likewise everyone knows the pecking order in the platoon pretty early on. I think it's the pressure, you either have the ability to deal with it and thrive, or you wimper and wish you could.
But we had fights -- I was in one,,,, one day at the range after snapping in all morning we went back to the squadbay after chow. The DI's had us push all the racks in the center of the squad bay and they came out of the head with four trash cans filled with water. They dumped the water on the deck and we played "Indy 500" with our towels -- around and around pushing the water around the squad bay while down on our hands and knees. What fun. One kid, Curran -- about halfway through the Indy race the kid starts whining and slowing down "the pack". He and I exchanged a few brief words, and then the next thing you know I was on top of him. Ended very quickly by the DI's -- they beat the **** out of both of us separately, and then together, and that was that. But overall bootcamp isn't a place where you have a lot of politics; there is no time for it.

Awesome thats some of the stuff I was looking for.

[m14ed]

lots of good info there youngster... as my brothers have told you , not much socializing is done durring boot.
You'll remember a few from your boot platoon, but unless you are the scribe, dont count on it.
The DI's arent able to keep you supervised 7x24, but almost .
Regimentation is almost complete by 100%
Some things i bet have changed in my 48 or so years since i went thru,,
but , you'll still find it worth the trip, and the memories later.

[MarinesFTW]

Wookie pretty much hit it spot on, you know whos going to screw you and who you should stick close to. My advice though, those who are weak and messed up all the time, make sure people are triple checking them for everything. Once we learned that lesson everything went a bit more smooth, or as smooth as it can go.

[SlingerDun]

Imagine there not being enough social or quality time in a very long work day to form individual cells within a unit, thats how i remember it

[boomer56328]

I don't remember us having any cliques or groups. One fight, but only one. We went island hopping for about 4 hrs after the fight and we never even considered going to blows again. THAT SUCKED!!!