7 second phone call

[kman311]

Wrote an "I'm here, I'm fine" letter. No phone calls 1983 Parris Island. Got to call home one Sunday morning after winning 2 pugil stick fights.

[LetUsNvr4Get]

My mom called me at boot camp because she hadn't heard from me!!! Guess she must have given someone holy hell since my DI made me call home. So while on the phone with mom, my DI kept yelling at me and I actually shushed her!!! Oh holy hell! I never did so many mountain climbers in my life! Got a nice, high tight butt though.

when i went through in 05, my mother decided to call up my SDI and try and convince him that I was mentally unstable, that I was unaware of the choices I was making and that if they didn't release me from the "program" that I would most definitely end up hurting someone or myself.

After a 30 min phone con with my mother, of course i get called into the hooch, and the SDI asks me a few questions, and then says "well if you are mentally unstable, you are just what the Marine Corps needs."

[kfisbusy]

I had no phone calls in 72 at P.I. wrote a letter home throw. I belive it was up to the D.I. if you made a phone call or not. As a D.I. Myself inweapons training at P.I. & S.D. I didn't give phone calls home at all. lol. SSGT. Francisco.

[tdrt]

when i went through in 05, my mother decided to call up my SDI and try and convince him that I was mentally unstable, that I was unaware of the choices I was making and that if they didn't release me from the "program" that I would most definitely end up hurting someone or myself.

After a 30 min phone con with my mother, of course i get called into the hooch, and the SDI asks me a few questions, and then says "well if you are mentally unstable, you are just what the Marine Corps needs."

Ya, guess we're all a little mentally unstable! My mom and brother (ex Army) had bets on how long I would last in boot camp -- either I would get kicked out because of my mouth/temper or tell them to shove it and quit. Shocked the hell out of them!

[AAV Crewchief]

It's been 25+ years since I went to Boot, My son (Paul) left a few days ago. We got the 7 second call from him. I forgot all about that call.
I thought it was soooooo funny.
He stutterd halfway thru the "Statement", and you could hear the D.I.'s yelling at him for it.
I laughed so hard I was crying.
Oh the times he's in for.
No matter how many stories I told him, and tried to prepare him, there is nothing like going thru it yourself.

He got a 7 second phone call? The only person I know from my platoon that got a phone call home was the guy who ended up as series high shooter on the rifle range. Of course that was 1982...eons ago!!! OK, now you really old salts can make fun of me!!!

[hussaf]

He got a 7 second phone call? The only person I know from my platoon that got a phone call home was the guy who ended up as series high shooter on the rifle range. Of course that was 1982...eons ago!!! OK, now you really old salts can make fun of me!!!

SOP now is that, during receiving before the recruits even meet their real Drill Instructors, everybody lines up in a hall way with pay phones and calls their POC/guardian to let them know they got to recruit training safely. This is to reduce the number of worried parents attempting to contact the base. I've heard rumors of recruits getting phones calls or Burger King b/c they did something good in training, but we never got anything like that. I had two possibles on the Rifle Range and all I got was a canteen cup of warm powdered gatorade. The only ppl. in our platoon that called home were the ones with family members who worked/lived in NYC (9/11 happened in like the last two or three weeks of my bootcamp).

[Hanzo]

SOP now is that, during receiving before the recruits even meet their real Drill Instructors, everybody lines up in a hall way with pay phones and calls their POC/guardian to let them know they got to recruit training safely. This is to reduce the number of worried parents attempting to contact the base. I've heard rumors of recruits getting phones calls or Burger King b/c they did something good in training, but we never got anything like that. I had two possibles on the Rifle Range and all I got was a canteen cup of warm powdered gatorade. The only ppl. in our platoon that called home were the ones with family members who worked/lived in NYC (9/11 happened in like the last two or three weeks of my bootcamp).

Hahahaha, yes, the old Burger King line. Yeah, we got "Burger King" alright. I'd tell the story here, but I wouldn't want to ruin the fun for any new recruits who might read this.

[Zulu 36]

As I said in Post #9 - we got to make collect only calls from Receiving. Whether you got someone or not, we wrote postcards with our addresses that night (fill in the blanks).

Phone calls (collect only) were sometimes given as rewards for special achievements. I aced both written (and practical exams), so I was allowed one call for each (total of two calls, not four). So did anyone else that aced them - several others did. High shooter got one, so did high PFT. They allowed us about three minutes on these calls - assuming you got through. If no one was home, or the call was refused, too bad, so sad. No do-overs.

I think it was mostly up to the SDI what rewards, if any, were given.

[foxman]

No Phone Calls at PI in 65 either. But then it wouldn't have done any good. I'm from Kentucky and we didn't have a phone back then. Barely had electricity.

[tdrt]

No Phone Calls at PI in 65 either. But then it wouldn't have done any good. I'm from Kentucky and we didn't have a phone back then. Barely had electricity.

Were you a state yet?

[hussaf]

As I said in Post #9 - we got to make collect only calls from Receiving. Whether you got someone or not, we wrote postcards with our addresses that night (fill in the blanks).

Phone calls (collect only) were sometimes given as rewards for special achievements. I aced both written (and practical exams), so I was allowed one call for each (total of two calls, not four). So did anyone else that aced them - several others did. High shooter got one, so did high PFT. They allowed us about three minutes on these calls - assuming you got through. If no one was home, or the call was refused, too bad, so sad. No do-overs.

I think it was mostly up to the SDI what rewards, if any, were given.

I remember the cards...I was in BC in 2001. I guess we made collect calls too, but I don't remember. They were on pay phones though...so prob.

We never got phone calls as rewards, but I've talked to plenty of people who did (or someone in their plt. did).

My buddy worked in one of the offices doing cleaning (don't remember if it was inside or outside cleaning) for civilian workers during Team Week. I think they were wives of Marines working on base. They let him take naps in their air conditioned office and call home all the time during team week! They'd wake him up if the DI's were approaching the building. Can you believe that crap?! He's one of those guys that kind of stuff happens to all the time though.

[foreverproud]

I remember being upset that my husband picked up the phone for that 7 second call from boot camp.

Well... I got a 1 minute phone call at 4 a.m. about a week ago after a month and a half of no word from my son ... since right before Marjah. Best 60 seconds ever!! He was able to call back the next day... again at 4 a.m. my time ... and we talked about 15 minutes. Heaven!

[LetUsNvr4Get]

Ya, guess we're all a little mentally unstable! My mom and brother (ex Army) had bets on how long I would last in boot camp -- either I would get kicked out because of my mouth/temper or tell them to shove it and quit. Shocked the hell out of them!

yea thats basically what my mother told my SDI, i've never had the chance to ask her about it though, since i havent talked to her in 5 years. guess i proved her wrong though. i made it through Boot Camp and was only in a very few fights actually.

[Quinbo]

For the life of me I can't remember if I got a phone call or not. I do remember filling out the postcard. Everything was pretty much on there already except name and platoon info.

Maybe I did make a phone call on R-1 but if I did I don't recall.

Somewhere near the end of 3rd phase we were marched down to the phone banks and given to oppurtunity to make a collect call home.

I think the call home is a change for the better. I spent a couple hours in the USO at the san diego airport and called from there before I ever got on the bus.

[Silentwarrior17]

I remember I got a phone call home granted by my Series Gunny. I ended up knocking one of the other recruits out during the final pugel stick bouts in the "gauntlet" and was granted a 5 min call.