Times have changed

[ZonaBurgh]

I admit to being old as dirt, but this is now considered assault?
DI's ain't supposed to be your Mama.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/us-army-drill-sergeant-suspended-001747729.html

 

[Sarge]

Drill Sergeants haven't been allowed to put their hands on recruits in decades. They weren't allowed to do it when I came in in 1989, and they aren't now. I don't know if what happened her qualifies as assault, but I know it violates Army Standards. And in this day and age, there isn't a commander alive that wants some kind of scandal on their hands. The perceived victim is going to win every time.

 

[ZonaBurgh]

Drill Sergeants haven't been allowed to put their hands on recruits in decades. They weren't allowed to do it when I came in in 1989, and they aren't now. I don't know if what happened her qualifies as assault, but I know it violates Army Standards. And in this day and age, there isn't a commander alive that wants some kind of scandal on their hands. The perceived victim is going to win every time.

Cell phones weren't invented for decades yet when I was 18. I'm still breathing, so I going to go with that's a good thing.

 

[Roy92040]

For a while in the 90s the Navy issued "blue cards" to recruits. When the boot felt that he/she was getting too stressed they would hole up their blue cards. That didn't last very long. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_stress_card

 

[Vindrow]

Drill Sergeants haven't been allowed to put their hands on recruits in decades. They weren't allowed to do it when I came in in 1989, and they aren't now. I don't know if what happened her qualifies as assault, but I know it violates Army Standards. And in this day and age, there isn't a commander alive that wants some kind of scandal on their hands. The perceived victim is going to win every time.

Yup, when I went through boot in '84 they couldn't touch you either except if you were going to hurt yourself or someone else.

 

[CharlesDavenport]

The guy deserved what he got from what I saw. Hard to believe this is even a thing.

 

[Tibs]

Drill Sergeants...

An oldie but goodie...

 

[Steeltime]

Putting hands on the recruit is understandably a potential issue, but what is simply ignored here is the completely unacceptable behavior of the recruit. Wow, cussing out the DI and referring to him as a "******* hoe" and "n---er" is 100% unacceptable.

Military personnel are to obey every lawful command, and show respect to every superior officer, for the simple reason that an army where troops can question lawful commands and disobey for any reason they see fit is doomed. Finished.

 

[Steelworth]

Yup, when I went through boot in '84 they couldn't touch you either except if you were going to hurt yourself or someone else.

I just got off the phone with my pops because he went through basic at Parris Island in '69 and he said they physically assaulted them. He said especially the ones who couldn't finish drills (brings to mind Private Pyle from Full Metal Jacket). He said there must've been legislation passed or a huge lawsuit filed because they can't touch you now (or in '84) like you mentioned.

 

[Booted]

I just got off the phone with my pops because he went through basic at Parris Island in '69 and he said they physically assaulted them. He said especially the ones who couldn't finish drills (brings to mind Private Pyle from Full Metal Jacket). .

 

[hamster]

What's your major malfunction Private Pyle!

 

[BLITZ]

my uncle was a drill sergeant for the Marines in the 70s. In Hanoi in the 60s. toes cut off for a reason he would never say.. I once made the mistake of asking him about his time in Vietnam and he just walked out of the room. He never talked about what happened to him. but the one thing I remember him saying about making Marines I know this is old school but "if you cant touch them, you cant teach them"

 

[Steelworth]

That's funny Blitz, your comment that "if you can't touch 'em, you can't teach 'em" was the point of my pops' rant tonight. He basically said, you're going off to war, and against an enemy that will do anything to defeat you -- you probably need to be okay with some drill instructors beating your *** to help deal with the real beating that's likely going to come to you.

When I was younger, I was infatuated with Vietnam war movies and I didn't have any real idea about my father's own experience of it, so I always got silence as well. But when I finally came around and understood more, he came around too and shared some stories. Many that are heartbreaking I'll never forget. Anyways, pretty terrible time for our servicemen and women and the country in general.

 

[ZonaBurgh]

my uncle was a drill sergeant for the Marines in the 70s. In Hanoi in the 60s. toes cut off for a reason he would never say.. I once made the mistake of asking him about his time in Vietnam and he just walked out of the room. He never talked about what happened to him. but the one thing I remember him saying about making Marines I know this is old school but "if you cant touch them, you cant teach them"

If you didn't hate, or at least fear the DI, they weren't trying. Took a while to understand their real purpose was keeping everyone alive. I fully understand your uncle's reluctance to speak.

 

[BLITZ]

If you didn't hate, or at least fear the DI, they weren't trying. Took a while to understand their real purpose was keeping everyone alive. I fully understand your uncle's reluctance to speak.

I do as well with years behind me. He is buried in Arlington. 21 gun salute and all. This was years ago. But I remember that day like a dream. I was young at the time but I remember men my age now crying tears that day. He was a good man.

 

[SteelChip]

I was a basic training " drill corporal" ( DI's asst) from '66-68 and putting your hands on a trainee was a big no-no. Believe me, more times than not, I wanted to crack some knucklehead' but there were plenty of alternatives that turned out more unpleasant for them.

My duty station in Ft Knox got all the rioters from Detroit that were arrested and sent to the Army instead of jail. If they weren't being overly aggressive and threatening, they were pleading to let them go home to protect their family. Crazy times but physical force was out. That's what the MP's are for...if needed.

Spittle now was sometimes unavoidable...LOL

I remember him saying about making Marines I know this is old school but "if you cant touch them, you cant teach them"

Somehow I don't doubt that Blitz but then again Paris Island and Ft Knox are very different locations.