Listen Up, Maggots!

I was in one of the first male / female integrated training in the U.S. - at Ft. McClellan, Alabama in 1992. It was still pretty tough, physically, mentally and emotionally, but very PC. The drill sergeants were legally required to inform us if they were going to touch us...to help our aim or stance, etc. We all got a lot of mileage out of the joke "Private, I'm going to touch you now."

Sent by Heidi Alward | 2:13 PM ET | 05-23-2007

Back in the 50s and 60s, the school systems were required to have phys ed because the kids weren't fit enough to serve in the military.

So, the current problem with lack of fitness of recruits is not new.

Sent by michael pettengill | 2:13 PM ET | 05-23-2007

I saw The Ground Truth and there were Very Offensive Cadences involving killing children. I believe this crosses any line.

Sent by JP | 2:15 PM ET | 05-23-2007

Back in the 50s and 60s, the school systems were required to have phys ed because the kids weren't fit enough to serve in the military.

So, the current problem with lack of fitness of recruits is not new.

Sent by michael pettengill | 2:15 PM ET | 05-23-2007

Why not raise the age limit to allow baby boomers who did not serve during the Vietnam War but, since 9/11, are now willing to enlist? // David in Gunbarrel, Colorado.

Sent by David Hatcher | 2:15 PM ET | 05-23-2007

I've never been through basic training, but I can appreciate the situation the military is in. When 7/10 of the target audience for recruitment is ineligible, we have a big problem. One of my friends, a career militaryman, suggests we institute a draft with zero exceptions (ie, college). What about making a 2 year compulsory service requirement for the youth of America?

Sent by Nathan Bomer | 2:20 PM ET | 05-23-2007

Are recruits more sensitive because we are fighting a different type of war? Recruits eager to storm beaches and kill the Nazis may have been more eager and thus more willing to go through a tough training process than those who are going to the Middle East to fight an abstract enemy (an insurgency). Perhaps most recruits are signing up today as a career move rather than to defend the country.

Sent by Pete | 2:21 PM ET | 05-23-2007

If they're recruiting 42 year olds, they must be desperate.
You can shout, demean, and brain-wash a 19 year old into whatever kind of submission the Army's going for.
However when one is in his early 40's, a fellow adult shouting him into submission just seems stupid and impossible.

Sent by Mohamed Abdullah Abu Jihad al Kamelpoo | 2:23 PM ET | 05-23-2007

I went through basic in 1991 at Ft. Jackson S.C. I think it was well balanced physicaly and mentaly. I was called names, and even smacked on the kevlar with a clipboard. I feel I was transformed and came away with a good attitude and self esteem.

Sent by R.D. Sanchez | 2:29 PM ET | 05-23-2007

How do young recruits who are used to playing war theme video games fare ? Is playing these games useful at all in planning and execution of assignes jobs

Sent by Praveena | 2:33 PM ET | 05-23-2007

I completed basic in 1969 at Ft Jackson SC. We were told that out unit was a test unit and were trucked to a lot of our training facilities, ie. weapons qualification, bivac and the such. I guess I was one of the lucky ones. I switched to the air force and completed 20 years. Would like to help out today Iraq but age will not allow it. Thanks.

Sent by James Carr, TSgt USAF Retired | 2:39 PM ET | 05-23-2007

The most frustrating thing for me during my 8 years in the Army was the carry-over of the basic-training mentality into every-day military life. When I was standing in line for a meal in Iraq in 120 degree heat I was dismayed to hear officers and higher NCO's verbally abuse people in line for having hands in their pockets or mustaches that were out of regs. Yes, discipline is required but 'sweating the small stuff' while mortars rain down 5 days a week is hardly beneficial. I see it as a vicious circle, those doing the yelling were treated that way and now they are simply treating others in the same manner.

Sent by Steve Alvarado | 2:43 PM ET | 05-23-2007

I'm glad you're discussing soldier's behavior. There isn't enough discussion of it. I've seen a lot of clips of soldiers fighting in Iraq and their language is appalling. When Police officers put their lives on the line in stressful situations, they don't resort to profanity. Our soldiers apparently curse every other word when they're out on the field. It's m---f---- this and f--- that, and this while they're literally killing people with apparent glee. Meanwhile the people they're fighting (whose words, in the modern multicultural world, some of us can actually understand) aren't cursing or calling out insults. They're mostly just saying prayers. Things like "god is great," "thank god," or "glory be to god." And then we wonder why the world thinks we're oppressive brutes. What ever happened to disciplined code of conduct for soldiers? Also, the use of the term "hajji" for enemy combatants is patently racist and offensive to all Muslims as the word actually simply means one who had completed the pilgramage to Mecca.

Sent by Fawad | 2:45 PM ET | 05-23-2007

I went through Basic Training in late 2002. My drill sergeants always complained about how hard their job was. They said they generally got 4 hours of sleep a night and they had no time for their families. I also noticed that there is a lot of wasted time during basic training. There are too many soldiers in a company to have everyone run through an exercise, like an obstacle course, at once. My question is this: Would it be a good idea to increase the number of drill sergeants in the Army? This could create smaller "class sizes" and better time utilization.

Thanks.

Sent by David Meehan | 2:48 PM ET | 05-23-2007

Personally, I find today's topic a bit comical. I went into basic training, US Army, at Fort Dix, NJ in the summer of 1978. At age 17, in Kansas City, MO, I was put in charge of four others plus myself and entrusted to get off the train in Trenton, NJ, get a certain bus and make our way to Fort Dix. Somehow we missed that bus and took a taxi. We showed up not more than an hour late, biting our fingernails all the way. We were all astonished that no one shouted at us and we saw no drill sergeant for at least a week. I have always wondered what happened to the classic shouting, etc., as one sees in the movies. Perhaps due to Vietnam being so close to the past they realized they could not afford to scare anyone away. Though, interestingly, my best friend in high school informed me he did have the "classic experience" that summer at a venue in the deep south.

Sent by Vance White | 2:53 PM ET | 05-23-2007

I think that the earlier caller meant to say "bean sprouts" or "alfalfa sprouts." The concern about them was, of course, bacterial contamination

Sent by Carolyn in Tallahassee | 3:27 PM ET | 05-23-2007

I was nearing the end of Basic when 9/11 happened. I went to Ft Benning that summer of 2001; There was still plenty of swearing, "jodi calls" (offensive cadences), and occasionally when a recruit did something that was dangerous, they found themselves physically assaulted. Most of "hands on" occurred from range cadre (instructors who assisted the drill sergeants) but drill sergeants still choked a lot of people out. 9/11 happened and the training was even more intensified as the reality of war for everyone was a lot more real, the drill sergeants were emotional about the importance of their job. The training got a lot more serious in those last two weeks, everyone was convinced they'd be on their way to Afghanistan soon. I am one of the unlucky few who eventually made it though. Only 75% of my platoon made it through basic. I liked that it was hard, I liked that I was somehow better than 25% of the people who started by being able to survive it, and I still use today the coping mechanisms I discovered there in order to get through my daily life. But I was in for a rude awakening once I left Basic and went to AIT, my first time training with females in the army. I found that soldiers from other Basic training were not as disciplined, instead of the dirty cadences I was met by what seemed like cheer leading. The drill sergeants at AIT seemed like cheerleaders and baby sitters. Those of us who went through Basic at Benning stuck together and even when I got to my first unit, those of us who had that common complaint of Sand Hill, Fort Benning GA were not part of this new army... an army of fun (one) or whatever they call it now. We all felt and still feel we were the last bastions of the old army and were proud of it.
As years went by and I was in charge of new soldiers I found I had to re-educate many on how to soldier. Left and right I was breaking bad habits and lack of military discipline that they got from basic training. But as a good leader I could do this. I fear though, that a lot of good leaders are leaving the military too soon, as I did.

Sent by BrettK | 10:04 AM ET | 05-24-2007

One caller who addressed her short-lived basic training experience blew me away with her perspective. She articulated a thought of mine better than I have ever tried. The fact that the system was designed to degrade you (or atleast verbally abuse you) and your commanding officers then take that mentality on with them, through the ranks, and are eventually the generals that are making the key decisions on the your life's worth. This is a frightening thought. On the otherhand, are you accepting the fact that as a soldier your life is despensible in even the most minor of benefits to your country? I hope our troops lives are weighed heavily... but that can get in the way of a commander I would fathom. What a grooling delema of a career these brave souls endure...

Sent by RyanW of MI | 7:30 PM ET | 05-24-2007