Church in Boot Camp
Create Post
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 22
  1. #1

    Church in Boot Camp

    The other day I was speaking with a woman who said her nephew was currently going through (or had just been through) boot camp. She told me that the recruits are now required to go to church every Sunday.
    When I went through boot camp in 1992, we were required to go to church the first weekend, but after that it was the option of the recruit. If the recruits decided not to go to church, they had a sort of "Free Time" where they could do their laundry, shine their boots, etc for a couple hours.
    Are the recruits required to go to church while in boot camp?
    I know there are Marines out there that are Athiest or Pagan or other religions who would probably feel uncomfortable having to go to church every Sunday.


  2. #2
    No you are not required to attend services following the first weekend.


  3. #3
    the drill instructors try to get you to go by, making you rip your markings off your gear then saying it has to be fix by the end of free time, (only to the recruits who stay) but after a while they give up and most recruts would stay


  4. #4
    I stayed. My church does not allow worship with those of different flavors of Christanity.

    This was years ago, but back then they sold newspapers outside the chow hall at San Diego on Sundays. I would buy a few, read them during the free time, and then give the papers to the whiskey locker recruit for cleaning and for the foot powder tray.


  5. #5
    Marine Platinum Member Zulu 36's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Seminole County
    Posts
    6,153
    Credits
    20,890
    Savings
    0
    Images
    7
    I stayed too just for the extra time it gave me to do my personal chores. I was the platoon scribe and I needed the time for myself. It just made for a more "relaxing" day.

    Those of us who stayed behind soon realized that the duty DI would leave us mostly alone as long as we were doing useful things quietly (naps not allowed). My laundry was hanging on the lines drying by the time church detail got back, other stuff squared away for the day, and I was reading the paper or writing letters.

    We got newspapers too (everyone was required to buy one), but they were saved for buffing the wax on the decks every morning (no electric buffers in boot camp in those days).


  6. #6
    Marine Free Member TJR1070's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2003
    Location
    Long Island, New York
    Posts
    751
    Credits
    5,671
    Savings
    0
    I always went, it was a good release to get away from the squadbay for an hour or so.


  7. #7

    I also sent evey Sunday. They gave out weekly new letters, I used them to write home, during the Mass. It was one hour of peace and quiet.


  8. #8
    I do not know how it is these day's, but when I was there my dinks were either fish eaters or prostitutes and all attended either Catholic or Protestant(SP) services.

    I told them that I did not care if they slept through services, but every swinging dink would attend and I attended both services.


  9. #9
    I got saved in boot camp and am grateful to God that I was forced to go to one of the two services.

    Our only other option was more of the same training as from the rest of the week.

    It is too bad they are going easy on them now. A true aetheist or pagan will probably enjoy the torment so they can compalin about it later in life.
    but the lost sheep can be found there during that period of lifeand personal developement.
    Church was such a contrast to the rest of the week that I really felt the peace and relief that only God can give.


  10. #10
    the best church service is Buddhist----you can sleep the whole time,,,,, they turned off the lights--it was pretty cool...................


  11. #11
    We were happy to go to church when i was in in the 80's we couldn't talk so at least in church you could sing.We never saw a news paper the whole time I was in boot camp.I have always heard there are no atheists during war time ,when it gets really bad every body is praying to make it through.


  12. #12
    Marine Free Member AAV Crewchief's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    God's Country, Northwest Florida
    Posts
    2,847
    Credits
    33,014
    Savings
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by Otto the Otter View Post
    The other day I was speaking with a woman who said her nephew was currently going through (or had just been through) boot camp. She told me that the recruits are now required to go to church every Sunday.
    When I went through boot camp in 1992, we were required to go to church the first weekend, but after that it was the option of the recruit. If the recruits decided not to go to church, they had a sort of "Free Time" where they could do their laundry, shine their boots, etc for a couple hours.
    Are the recruits required to go to church while in boot camp?
    I know there are Marines out there that are Athiest or Pagan or other religions who would probably feel uncomfortable having to go to church every Sunday.
    Free time? WTF? The two guys in my platoon who were atheists had FIRE WATCH while everyone else went to church.


  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by AAV Crewchief View Post
    Free time? WTF? The two guys in my platoon who were atheists had FIRE WATCH while everyone else went to church.
    That or they did Linin detail.


  14. #14
    i don't know went threw boot camp 1990 church was only place di did not mess with u, u stayed behind u got mess with the whole day, free time do not know what thar was.


  15. #15
    Marine Free Member FistFu68's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Broken Bow
    Posts
    9,698
    Credits
    168,904
    Savings
    0
    Images
    148
    My 3 D.I'S were like Satan You know Dam well I was going too Church so did the Rest of my Plt.S/F


Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not Create Posts
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts