What was the hardest part of bootcamp?

[Art Petersn]

Top You are so right I almost had forgotten how I had felt trying to shower, take a dump and shave with a bunch of strangers the first day in camp. No wounder I never want to stay with anybody when I travel. I get a lot of people mad at me because I will not stay at somebody's place.

[firstsgtmike]

The story is about an annual convention. One of the managers snored so loud that he rattled the hotel windows.

They always put a new guy in with him and had a good laugh over his horror story when he came down to breakfast in the morning.

This year, apparently the newbie had heard the story. Everyone was waiting when he came down to breakfast. He had no comment to make, and looked totally and completely rested.

His roommate manager came staggering down, looking shell shocked. He waited until the newbie finsihed and left and related what happened.

RHIP. He showered first, got into bed, and was looking over his notes for the followingday. The newbie came out of the john, wearing purple silk pajamas, walked over, kissed him on the cheek, said goodnoght and got into his own bed.

The manager said, " And I wouldn't close my eyes, even to blink, for the rest of the ******* night."

[USMC-FO]

I looked at this and thought, like most of us, of things like sand fleas, foot locker drill, holding an M-14 out at arms length, and even the occassional "whuppin" as my list. THEN I saw what Top had noted and just howled with laughter--enough so that my 9 year old son just came in and asked what the ruckus was about. He also read Top's message and had a good laugh too! So that brought back the really great memories: like Top noted, showering with 50 or more naked recruits and really being being worried about whose d**K was pressed up on your leg. Or when my mother sent down my wallet and my two ADI's discovered my school mates grad pic in it as they picked through the wallet--we had joined under the buddy plan--and they hauled him up to the front of the squad bay and made us hug and rub the back of each other's a**es in front of the whole platoon. Fortuantely no kisses !! There was Pvt Rao, who's mom sent him two big boxes of cookies and since she did not send boxes for all of us he was going to eat BOTH boxes on his own--chased with a canteen of warm water--followed some bend and thrusts until, well let's just say he made quite a mess on the deck. But the most memorable moment was when some stupid jerk failed to flush the toilet after a dump! Our senior DI saw that and marched the entire platoon into the head where we reached in and ALL picked something up ! We formed up and went out on the 3rd Bat grinder to show the other platoons what we had in our hands. From there across to the marsh where a suitable military funeral was held for the "Pvt's remains" I will never forget that event as long as I live. At the time I could not imagine a more difficult thing to do. Now I just smile at the moment but also reflect that every swinging d**k in the platoon did exactly as ordered--no one balked. So obviously we were learning something at PI about following orders.

Platoon 359 Aug-Nov 1962

[mardet65]

Originally posted by Art Petersn
mardet65


Where the hell did the TV come from. Of course in 1955 I don't thingk they had more than a coulple TV's on the whole base.

Art:
Somehow you missed the point on this.
Watchin' TV was the term used for the punishment inflicted upon us by the DI's for our transgression -whatever it may have been at that particular time. THERE WAS NO TV!!!!
Try to imagine your body in a pushup position, inclined upwards supported only by your elbows on the deck and your toes on the frame of the lower bunk behind you. Now imagine reaching out with one hand to turn the IMAGINARY knob to change channels.
That was the ONLY TV watching we did in boot camp.

[Art Petersn]

Mardet65 you went through boot camp a little after me. Who's to know mabe things had changed a little. I don't have to imagine the pushup position I did it ten years before you did. It was just as bad then.

[Sparrowhawk]

sleeping at the position of attention!

[Art Petersn]

Hawk when you could do that you knew you were going to make it.

[03Infantry]

AAAH I WANT TO GO TO BOOT CAMP NOW!!!! 4 MONTHS AND COUNTING

[mardet65]

Originally posted by Art Petersn
Mardet65 you went through boot camp a little after me. Who's to know mabe things had changed a little. I don't have to imagine the pushup position I did it ten years before you did. It was just as bad then.

No problem Art, I'm sure you know what a pushup is... I just wanted to make sure you "Old Salts" didn't think we had it too much easier than you did!




Semper Fi

[JRtheSTAR]

Hey MarDet65, you must have got a hold of Willie, your signature looks good.

[mardet65]

Originally posted by JRtheSTAR
Hey MarDet65, you must have got a hold of Willie, your signature looks good.

JR:
I sent you a private message thanking you but you beat me to the punch viewing my new signature. Anyway, thanks for putting me on the right track. Willie was the guy for the job and he did a great one on this. I appreciate the help of all who assisted.
Jerry

[Art Petersn]

mardet65

I visted PI last year and I know even today it isn't easy. I was just funning you a little . I thought mabe you would come back with something like (who are you kidding, you probley didn't even have TV went you went through PI.) The truth is TV had not been on the market for very long in them days and only a few families had them.

Your signature does look great. Impressive to.

semper fi art

[USMC0311]

Originally posted by 03Infantry
I am going to Bootcamp in about 4 months and just want to know what the hardest thing was and what I should do to get myself fully ready to go.

the hardest part of Boot is the time between the Yellow foot prints and Graduation

[wrbones]

LMAO There ya Joe! Short but sweet! LOL.

I wasn't sure I was a Marine til that final "DISMISSED!" rang out!

[MillRatUSMC]

Some "Hollywood Marines" might remember Camp Matthews Rifle Range.
There was a gully that went by the name of "Big and Little Agony".
A favorite of many Drill Instructors.
Had to "Duck Walking" up and down the sides of Big and Little Agony" holding your full seabag over your head.
Till the Drill Instructor got tired.
Those were the days my friend and we thought they would never end.
Couldn't complain because everyone was being treated the same.
Instead of looking at the worst of boot camp, we should look at some of the best parts of boot camp.
Drilling and shooting come to mind.
When you were able to do those things, you look at what you and the platoon had accomplished in such a short time.
You knew then that you were going to accomplish what "FEW" had before you and many have since then.

Semper Fidelis
Ricardo 1687399 also a "Hollywood Marine"