The Marine Corps’ recruit hazing scandal is not limited to the Corps’ East Coast training depot at Parris Island, South Carolina.
At least two drill instructors at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego have been disciplined since 2014 for hazing recruits, according to redacted copies of the investigations, which Marine Corps Times obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.
One drill instructor at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego received nonjudicial punishment in 2014 after he ordered his recruits into the shower, where he had them crowd together while naked until they were standing, “nuts to butts,” as one recruit told investigators.
Another drill instructor accused of choking recruits was found guilty of violating a lawful order at a July 2016 summary court martial and reduced in rank to corporal, according to the investigation.
The Marine Corps is not releasing either of the drill instructors’ names, said Capt. Matthew Finnerty, a spokesman for the San Diego recruit depot. The drill instructor involved with the shower incidents is still on active-duty but no longer trains recruits; while the drill instructor accused of assaulting recruits has been administratively separated from the Corps.
Both the San Diego and Parris Island recruit depots have made a series of institutional changes to prevent hazing, including doubling the number of officers who supervise recruit training and adding more drill instructors, Finnerty said.
But the incidents show how hard it is for recruits to identify hazing at boot camp and report drill instructors who cross the line.
After an investigation into the shower incidents was launched in April 2014, several recruits told investigators they supported their drill instructor.
“His treatment did not affect me as it is boot camp and the yelling and craziness is something that comes with it,” one recruit wrote on a questionnaire from the Marine Corps’ Criminal Investigative Division.
Another recruit wrote that he was not sure if being ordered into the shower rose to the level of hazing because he was not entirely sure what hazing is.
“I thought we were just supposed to get used to seeing other naked men,” the recruit wrote on the questionnaire.
But other recruits wrote that being forced to crowd together that closely while naked was unacceptable and the drill instructor should not be given a second chance to train recruits.
“It’s against human rights; it’s something that you don’t do,” one recruit told a CID investigator.
With the other case, investigators found that a drill instructor assaulted six recruits between June and July of 2015. One of the recruits told a CID investigator that the drill instructor, a sergeant, grabbed his throat and picked him up so that he had to stand on his toes to breathe, according to the investigation.
The recruit had a fear of being choked before the incident, the investigation says. Afterward, he became paranoid, “unfocused” and “depressed,” but he initially kept quiet about it because he felt something bad would happen or no one would believe him.
“I wasn’t reporting it at the time because I was scared and wanted to keep it all in and continue training,” the recruit told a CID investigator. “I really didn’t want to go to the Crucible because I was afraid of what would happen there if I didn’t do well.”
Five days after the incident, the recruit told another drill instructor that he had been choked and he was later sent to the hospital for a mental evaluation, the investigation says.
His mother filed a report with the recruit depot’s provost marshal’s office after a Navy ensign in the hospital told her: “The incident had been investigated either at or above the command level and that it had been unfounded,” she told a CID investigator.
Sgt Grit wants to hear from you! Leave your comments below or Submit your own Story !
A Marine drill instructor has one of the toughest jobs in the Corps. The line between discipline, hazing, or abuse is extremely fine and difficult to judge by anyone. I certainly don’t condone abuse by any leader, but if we all didn’t “thumped” a couple of times in boot camp the DI really wasn’t doing his job. A tough one to call. Semper Fi!
I went through PI in August of 1965, 3rd Bn, ‘Disneyland’. Everybody got a little physical ‘cuffing’ or so. My transgression was that I forgot to put the battle sights on my M-14 at the range. Range NCO told my DI. Got back to the ‘barn’ and was called into the ‘chrome dome’ storage room by one of my DI’s. Was asked what would happen if I did that in combat. I told him I would miss my target. He put on a leather glove. I stood at attention, he grabbed me by my belt buckle and slung me into stacks of ‘chrome domes’. Back to attention and then was hit in the solar plexus a couple of times and called the next transgressor into the room. Needless to say I never forgot to put my battle sights on. The training and discipline I received helped me through Vietnam and then through my 32 years in law enforcement at lot more than my three college degrees I received while on the police force. I wear my Marine Corps hat now, not my college hats.
No one is going to die from a bit of training but you can bet that recruit will learn something from it and it just might save them their life. A mother concerned with the treatment Johnny might get at the loving hand of the drill instructor should appreciate it when he is faced with the enemy. Yes my drill instructors loved me, and by God I loved them too. I just didn’t know it at the time. I was ignorant of the world and apparently I thought I was pretty important. It took 5 minutes one Friday afternoon to ‘learn me’ some manners. When the chaos started I thought it would be a great time to change out my footlocker trays for ones that fit so it would close. I crept to the end of the squadbay; retrieved a nice set and successfully completed the sneaky mission. Only find a number twelve boot planted on my lid as I closed it. “What the f hook are you doing son?” “Sir as you can see… I am…..!” The nicely arranged footlocker goes airborne. “You got 10,9,8….” Miraculously, I got everything back in, but one thing. My cartridge belt. He stands on the footlocker and throws the lovely and comfortable torture belt around my neck. Proceeds to twist it slowly choking me. He then calmly raises me off my feet and tells me he is going to kill me. I believed him. I learned a bit of helpful lessons that day. I realized I didn’t have much of an opinion and that if I was to realize my dream of being a Marine I was gonna need to see things from his perspective. But I also learned not to say the word “you!” Apparently, it has something to do with a female sheep.
Our D.I.’s had ‘you medicine’. It was tabasco sauce. You had to stick your tongue out and get a few drops poured on it. It was a great cure.
Hazing! I am shocked! Must round up the usual suspects…(Drill Instructors). Can’t believe I survived the activities in Boot Camp without suffering life-long trauma. GET OVER IT.
What is that marine going to do when he is tortured by the enemy is he going to raise a hazing card. Suck it up and move on I went through boot camp in 1963 3rd bat and I thanked my DIs for being the way they were. It made me feel that I could put up with anything that was thrown at me on a regular basics The DI is trying to make you a man Be thankful for men who care about you and the way you are trained so that you and you buddies do not get blown away
I also went through PI in 1963, Platoon 327 – Q Company. The DI has a tough job to do in order to get you ready for the battle field both mentally and physically. I am thankful that he took a boy and made a man. Semper Fi
i to got beat up in boot camp usmc san diego in 1962 1st batt. but im very glad my di did a great job with us.it made us kids into men.chu lai viet nam 1966.SEMPER FI .
plt.145 1962.
Agree my friend.
A Marine should be tough mentally and physically. Hazing, as long as it does not inflict injury, is part of the mental toughness drill. This isn’t a fraternity pledge, this is training to be tough and coolheaded in combat situations. Drill instructors are in a tough spot. Many things they do in training are intentionally overlooked, but when brought to the public’s attention, the brass comes down hard like they were not aware of it.
I wish they would leave us alone. All things that are wonderful and pure are under attack.
Well, they never promised us a rose garden! I always tell young folks who say they want to join The Corps that ” They’re allowed to kill you but they’re not allowed to eat the body”. Puts them in the right frame of mind. I agree whole heartedly with Top Pro and Sgt Padgett. “Torture” is not to be condoned but “attitude adjustment” is part of the process.
That was normal training when I was in PI Jan to March 1966. Payed off in Viet Nam. This is the “pussification” of the Marine Corps! Maybe they should watch the DI with Jack Webb! Semper Fi
It’s the Marine Corp” for christ’s sake!!
I got choked in P I Jan 1968 platoon 1089 a co got in a fight with the Jr D I went to motivation pl for about 2 weeks I think it made a better Marine Semper Fi
What kind of POS recruit says something so inane as “It’s against human rights; it’s something that you don’t do”? How many POW’s would laugh that puke’s face off? I don’t envy the Herculean task DI’s have these days in creating Marines out of such stock.
I agree, not Marine material anyway.
He sounds like a mamas boy. I was in PI in 1978, I got thump for not sweeping the DI’s office. I was the house mouse. I never for got to do it again. Semper FI
13 weeks at P.I, Oct. 22, ’54 to Jan. 18, 1955, and I never saw an officer in the squad bay until we had junk on the bunk inspection! The CG, Major General Pollock, came to our graduation and pinned the shooting medals on the top shooters in the platoon. We wore dress blues, as we asked if we could, and our Senior DI said o.k.! And, yes, we got thumped! Platoon 437, A company, 1st. BN.
Response to Sgt. Tyre. I was at PI from November 1954 until January 1955. We had no option for Dress Blues even if we had them which seems unlikely. Platoon 446.
Well, we bought ours! Bunch of gungy Marines! I think that is one of the reasons Pollock came out for our “graduation.” It was after final field. We didn’t “graduate” like they do now. Glad to hear from someone who was there when I was there! Semper Fi!
My Uncle served in the Philippines during WWII. He survived the Bataan Death March and 2 1/2 years in a Japanese prison camp. He was being transported to Japan on the prison ship Oryoko Maru when he lost his life when the ship was bombed. His boot camp training, I think helped him survive while being a prisoner. Boot camp training is suppose to train you to handle any situation. The D.I.s have a tough job.
May your uncle rest in peace, he served his time in hell. Semper Fi!
The only time any D.I. crossed “the line” was many years ago when a group of recruits were marched into a swamp and some never got the chance to complete training. If you lived thru it and are a better man for it your D.I. was only doing his job. In 1970 a job of this magnitude had to be a gut wrenching problem every day. How do train a boy to be a man and a Marine(who may put his life on the line)in 12 short weeks. An in unspeakable war was happening and they were assigned to produce both a quality and quantity of outstanding fighting machines that would live thru the exploit and train their sanity in the process. Many did not , how as an instructor do you know if or if not it was your fault. Do you read the names ,remember the good ones ,do you remember the ones you should pushed harder . Do you remember the ones that you know should not have graduated . I sure could not have been a D.I. As a SNCO I lost a few to none combat accidents and that was hard enough I can’t imagine reading name after of marines that I trained . They were as tough on us as they knew they had to be . They all were of Hero quality just for accepting the job . God bless them all.
Amen
Today’s attitude of recycle and weed them out before they go to boot camp lowers the standards of the Marine Corps for politically correctness. Sure a lot of people want to be marines but not everyone packs the gear. Any marine will tell you its the mental barriers that are the hardest. If a recruit gets into boot camp and finds the going too tough then can them. As long as a DI doesn’t actually damage a recruit physically then they should be good. My son joined the army for the MOS he wanted and the training left a lot to be desired in my opinion. Not because of the dedication of the army DIs but the political atmosphere was toxic. When he got sent to Afghanistan I thought he was not properly prepared. Thanks God he made it back but if it had been my choice my old DI’s would have trained him, thumping and all. 2nd FSR, Force Troops, FMFlant.
I was in mcrd Calif. 1972 got thumped. Hit on . Cussed out. Made me honor the corps. It’s tough think you won’t like it tough. We make killers thats what we are trained to do.
1960, Parris Island, saw and heard much worse than these stories—— and we all survived!! I might add that we became better Marines because of it! Totally agree with Cpl. Kanavy. Just as in the civilian mode social engineering in the Corps and in “the world” is most definitely reducing the American male & serviceman to a pussified status!
Great points Sgt of Marines, Bob495. I was in PI in 1959 and we didn’t have “human rights.” PC and pussified corps in small case. Not the Corps before pussification.
GEEZ Louise what’s next??? Will the recruits be issues “Drill Instructor TIME OUT cards” because they are feeling overwhelmed, oppressed, targeted???? It’s an ALL VOLUNTEER Military and Marines have been doing something RIGHT since 1775….not like you don’t know what you’re getting yourself into when you sign on the dotted line; The U.S. Marine Corps has NEVER promised one a Rose GARDEN, We do guarantee to bury our Brothers who fall and ALL enemies in one though……
I agree with Bob495 = The Marine Corps builds men not pussies = The Few , The Proud , The Marines !!!
The problem is that the so-called “modern marine corps,” (pussified) and integrated with women in combat roles, is that it will go to hell in a hand basket, kind of like Obama and Hillary ran the country.
Went through PI in the summer of 1958, right after graduating from high school. The whole platoon was composed of Reservists from the east coast and many from Chicago and Minneapolis. Sr Di was a Korean War veteran from Philly, SSgt Gerald R. Milroy. To me boot cacmp was a little bit easier than I expected. I guess it was because of what happened a couple of years before. I met my Sr DI several years later as we were both stationed at MCAS, Cherry Point. he was in the LAMM Battalion there and I was an Airwinger.Spent 23 years in the Marines, both Reserve and Active duty and my wife and i reflect back on many wonderful times and some not so good. e still miss it after 37 years.
Recruits are not trained to be coddled. Better that the shitbirds and non-hackers be be weeded out at MCRD before they find themselves in a situation that there is no turning back from. Vince P. Former SSgt, 2111, 01/10/79-04/10/90.
SO SAD! What has become of the youth of America? Between all the social media, the broken families, no wonder our young men can’t hack it. Sure, back in 1969 I knew that boot camp could get kind of crazy, and they certainly didn’t disapoint! I have had different thoughts about the “thumping” in later years, was that necessary? There was other methods of torment in their toolbox that was just as effective in getting the message across. Are these “hazing cards” for real? I’ve heard them mentioned a number of times but dismissed them as BS.
I went to Boot Camp at San Diego March 1968. I graduated in May 1968. I thought at that time it was the toughest thing I ever did. When I arrived in Viet Nam as an 0311, I found out that Boot Camp wasn’t shit compared to combat. I was glad that I had the training and the ground in self-discipline to survive 13 months of hell in Viet Nam and the PTSD that I brought home.
I agree with you Steve Radcliffe. I thought Boot Camp was tough in 1959, especially mentally. But service in the regular Crops made Boot Camp seem like it wasn’t anything.
BEEN THERE DONE THAT MANY TIME’S OVER, JOINED MARINE’S IN ON THE( BUDDY SYSTEM (WRONG) IN 1965 SAN DIEGO BOOT CAMP) MY BUDDY HE WAS (RUSSIAN DECENT) THEY BEAT THE LIVING HELL OUT OF HIM BECAUSE THE (D.I.) SAID HE WAS A (RUSSIAN SPI)? NEVER SAW HIM AGAIN AFTER BOOT CAMP. AND THE OTHER (DI) (HATED POLLOCK’S) AND PUT EVERY POLLOCK IN THE BRIG HE CAME IN CONTACT WITH INCLUDING ME BEING ALL MOST CHOCKED TO DEATH ON GRADUATION DAY. AND SURVIVING (3) DIFFERENT PLATOON’S AND THE FAT FARM TWICE) I WAS IN BOOT CAMP (FOREVER 3 MONTH’S SALTY) KNEW ALL THE ROPE’S AFTER AWHILE. THE (DRAFTIES) WERE COMING BY THE (GROVE’S) SO I JUST HIDE IN THE BACK AND LET THE DRAFTIES (TAKE THE HIT!) NEVER FORGET IT ON THE OBSTACLE COURSE A( DRAFTIE TOLD THE (SENIOR MARINE DI.) I DON’T HAVE TO LISTEN TO YOU I WAS DRAFTED AND HAD NO CHOICE!) (NEVER SAW HIM AGAIN) AND HALF OF THE PLATOON WAS LIKE THAT, HAPPY DAY’S ARE HERE TO STAY FINALLY GRADUATED WITH HONOR’S (SENIOR BOOT) AND EVEN THOUGHT OF BEING A (MARINE DI.) WITH ALL THE TRAINING I HAD IN BOOT CAMP BUT ENDED UP IN (MARINE BARRACK’S) FRISCO AND THAT’S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT! (SKI)
where were you at in nam cpl.Sergent dont have fasebook acct so i use my wifes
RVN 68-69 Kilo 3/5 Phu Bi, An Hoa, Dodge City, &Beyond. Yep! They got my attention! Wanted to kick their ass,..then. But straighten my focus, & I was prepared and ready to “” GET SOME “” If you signed the bottom line… then get moving you Slimy Puck. Your in a world of ?. LE. OUT!
My DI’s are laughing! They took 32 individuals and turned them into marines.All of us serving with distinction and honor.one of us awarded the CMH. I would say they did a job that was tough,and did it well.
This is all part and parcel of the systematic destruction of our beloved Corps and national sovereignty on the installment plan. The leftists, progressives, or in my estimation…Bolsheviks…you can decide because they are statist through and through, are Hell bent on a “frog in the pot” destruction of our ability to defend Liberty so we don’t notice. Many of us have noticed, and we’re not about to take this crap. Twelve states have already voted to convene a Convention of States, specifically, an Article V meeting of the Several States as the Framers intended because Washington will not fix itself.
Boot camp 5/9/67 – 7/8/67, RVN 11/67 -12/68, 2/11 An Hoa, 1st FAG Phu Bia/Hue, MOS 2531 – The DIs had only 8 weeks to get us ready for VietNam and they did a great job. Yes they did everything you can think of which did not include physical injury, but it made us tough for war and life. When times get bad, I say to myself “if you can make through boot camp and war, you can make it through anything”.
Semper Fi I joined in May 67 also two tours in Nam. I agree completely with you our DI Did his job Making us tough MARINEs.
Don’t forget, now we will have female US Marines with the Combat Arms MOS. of 0311 and more. That to me sounds like there is a problem with someone’s BRAIN CONTROL GROUP. My experience in Platoon 298 in 1969 was not an experience for a female. It is a sorry state our country now exists in … Just my opinion … Our entire platoon supported our DI’s. “The pain was just weakness leaving our bodies.”
AB – Not that I disagree with you about women being in the combat arms fields, but I would suggest that you read a little about the Israeli armed forces, several of the Nordic countries forces, and particularly the Russian army in WWII. Women are much more capable than you would first think. Its just a matter of getting over a “split tail” in your shelter half. Semper Fi!
I have worked with some of them. They are not US Marines and they do not fight like US Marines fight.
Well sad
If they can hump all the needed gear, and if they successfully trained as 0311, then let them. BUT, if an individual can’t hack it, there should be no lowering of standards or expectations, and they should be reassigned.
I was on operations with Danish troops in Germany on a NATO, and their Jutland Division looked like a bu8nch of hippies. They performed like hippies too. But I served with the Norwegian Army on a Northern Wedding NATO Winter package and those Norskies skiied circles around us and were some of the best troops that I ever saw. No girls in the field, just Norski guys. The Israeli Army is a whole different package. They are on the front lines every day. They don’t treat or train their women like American pussies. No double standards like in Obama’s USA. ISRAELI WOMEN ARE TRAINED LIKE COMBAT SOLDIERS AND ARE LIKE ANY OTHER COMBAT SOLDIER OR MARINE IN THE WORLD.
I don’t know if I was hazed or not. Not sure what that is. I was punched in the stomach, slapped in the face with my own Jesus sandals, that’s shower shoes for those that don’t know, and kicked in the ass more times than I can remember. At the end of it all, I marched across the parade deck a United States Marine and I remain these 52 years later damn proud of that. I made it and I was better for it the rest of my life. I thank SSgt. Schmidt and Cpl Brown for teaching what kind of attitude it takes to stay alive when everybody is trying to shoot you.
I’m glad that I went thru Marine Corps boot camp before it became soft. Back in ’69, training was tough because the DI’s of that era had 13 weeks to turn a mismatched bunch of unorganized grabasstic pieces of amphibian shit into a finely tuned fighting machine. Thank God I was Old Corps!
Suck it up !! You joined the MARINES ——- not the Girl Scouts !!
Funny about – what they call hazing now – but in 1963 it was called taking an extra step by the Drill Instructor to motivate you any way he could. !! We had a chin-up bar in the squad bay- when you were caught doing anything that was wrong – according to the D I ‘s -( which was a lot of things.) You were told to report to the chin-up bar. When you reported you jumped up grabbed on and hung down like a sack of beef- if you let go you were spoken to with his hands- if you were able to hang on – you were verbally tortured into letting go- if you were lucky you were seen by your fellow recruits as you became a flying object- against the wall to break your inertia. We screwed up and were dealt with accordingly. They had a few months to make you or break you- some recruits disappeared as we progressed through boot camp. We returned to empty racks and sometimes recruits were escorted out of training never to be seen again. One was escorted by the M P ‘s, and once the company commander and a sergeant took another one out. We found out 1 or 2 lied on the application, ergo they were gone, One had an arrest warrant in another state- he was gone- some went to S T B ( strength testing battalion) – either too weak to compete by being a stick or a fat slob- and we had the nut jobs who went to P O U – for observation. We were trained from a mob to a fighting unit molded together to think as one. What pride at graduation. So we were bounced off walls- so we were verbally abused too- we are Marines and I may not have liked all I was exposed to- but I respect the Corps and the values I learned. God Bless the Drill Instructors and the job they did under extreme pressure..
What happen to the fact that you are government property, you don`t have any rights for you belong to the government after you are sworn in. I don`t believe in doing body damage to a person but hell this is the Marine Corps we are talking about for you have to be tough and the only way a DI has is to sometimes lean on you a little bit.
Donald Key i have rough and i been having more rough in Veteran Medical Centers
Sheee-it! WTF?!? Sounds like some Army brats snuck into our Marine Corps! They just need a vacation to the “Motivation Platoon!” I wonder if the Corps still has that? Big boys went to the”Fat Farm” and the cocky a-holes went to “Motivation Platoon! Oorah to each and EVERY Drill Instructor. Thanks for teaching me how to cover my ass and the Marine’s ass next to me! God Bless to ALL who Served… Semper Fidelis. Sgt. / USMC Viet Vet / 1968-71.
Boot camp was tough! I arrived at MCRD, SD in Feb. 1964. My brother arrived there in June 1949. My experiences were very similar to his! He warned me what to expect, but I didn’t think it would be quite that “interesting” … but it was …. and more. Hazing? What a crock! It’s not hazing … it’s turning civilians into Marines! As others have stated, “It’s not the boy scouts”! Marines need to be tough, and the “attitude adjustments” of boot camp accomplish that, along with esprit de corps, honor and patriotism. My DIs were tough! Last year, through this newsletter, I came in contact with one of my DIs (Cpl Stelling, at that time). We have been corresponding for over a year. He’s a great guy and a brave, honorable Marine ……. and, I’m proud to say, My Buddy!! Semper Fi to all who traversed the rigors of MCRD!
Loyalty, that is what part of boot camp was about, suck it up & move on!
I can assure you old salts, when I went through P.I. in the summer of ’81, I got smacked around a couple times by my D.I.’s at 2nd Battalion…..I HAD IT COMING! One time for taking A UA crap, lol, and one time for not leaving my T-shirt off for a health and comfort inspection after PT one morning. To me, it was part of it! I was proud to have made it through without bitching about anything! It was the way I was raised! Sure am glad I’m not part of this frickin’ entitlement generation of today! You guys ought to see the kind of brats coming into the fire service today! There was one interviewee recently that answered a question about where do you see yourself here at the department in 5 years by replying, “It depends how I’m treated.” I’m glad I wasn’t on the interview board for that one, I would’ve thrown his ass out of my firehouse into the street and told him don’t come back! Semper Fi brothers!
How the Hell did that “snowflake” get into my beloved Marine Corps?I owe the man I am today to The Marine drill instructors that “hazed” and “abused” me and taught me how to be a man that faces up to life’s challenges
I was at Parris Island in 1956 Platoon 67 3rd Battalion during the Ribbon Creek incident thumped a few times after lights out. I think it made better men out of us throughout life.
I got roughed up a couple of times (1965) and the only feelings I have for the Drill Instructors who did it to me are admiration and affection. If you want to turn boys into Marines, leave the Drill Instructors alone.
agree
I arrived at Paris Island July 1968. Our DI’s were really tough but at that time in my life that is EXACTLY what I needed. Had my ass kicked more times than I can remember. Before I left for PI my girl friends cousin told me YOU MIGHT THINK YOU ARE A BAD ASS wait till you get to PI. He had just got out of the CORP. He was so right. They TAUGHT ME how to work as a team that not one person was more important than another. About 1/2 through boot camp my DAD came to visit me. He was in the CORP during WWII. I told him about the one DI beating the hell out of me and he laughed his ass off. He told me they had to duck walk around this huge field till they puked their guts out. If the DI’s were not they way they were what would we talk about. I remember being in VIETNAM we all talked about who had the craziest DI’s. This might sound like Bull Crap but my Father and the 2nd Battalion Co were in the same unit in WWII. They never knew each other but I think that was the only reason they let him see me.
If you turned in a D I for harassment then you don’t deserve to be called a Marine. Harsh treatment and being able to withstand it is what makes a person a proud Marine, if you don’t like the heat then quit. This treatment is why Marines never retreat, never quit, and always move forward. We are special because of the treatment we received in boot camp we survived and wear the title proudly.
Platoon 374 August 1960. Day one receiving DI looks like Burt Lancaster with red eyeballs. We are just out of uniform issue and haircuts, trying to stand at attention, literally scared sh!tless, when this DI walks up to the kid next to me, growled like an animal and bit him on the cheek then it was my turn. My pisspot was on backwards so he picked up as high as he could and slammed it back down on my head taking about an inch and a half off my height. Then he grabbed me by the ears, started twisting my head around while screaming that he was going to screw off my head and sh!t in the hole. Thus the first day of the rest of my life. On our last day, after graduation, we were back in the barracks and our Senior asked if we had any questions about the last three months. One Marine asked him why he had to hit us. He replied ” Hiw can you ever be expected to charge an enemy machine gun if you never experienced pain?” After boot camp at Parris IslandI would have no second thoughts about it even to this day.
I went thru MCRDSD from Sept. ’59 to Nov and there wasn’t a day went by that someone didn’t get thumped or whumped good. I could go into detail of a lot of things that happened to myself, but its best left alone. The Marines do not promise a rose garden like I read in a previous post, and it stands apart from the other branches because of its staunch discipline requirements expected from recruits. If you can’t hack it, do not apply.
I was there July 1st through mid October. Was sent back two weeks while in the hospital. I was with Company C Plt 152 what Company/Plt were you in Semper Fi Brother.
Platoon 271 and of course like you, we were in the old quanset huts next to the grinder. Senior was SSgt. Harrison, Sgt. Greer the other two DI’s are a fog. Company I’ve forgotten Fi & Fair winds and following seas.
All I have to say is that recruit does not belong in my Marine Corps. Hell I went through in 1959 at the ripe old age of 17 and can tell you stories of what happened to me and a couple of other recruits that would make these two incidents look like kindergarten play. Semper Fi Always a Marine
For Christ’s sake read “SH*TBIRD! How I Learned to Love The Corps.” Real Marine material take the crap, use it to become better Marines and look back at it with good humor while thanking the Lord for tough Drill Instructors.
Good book on life in the Corps…I bought it thru kindle a while back and some stories bring back recollection to the memory housing group. Semper Fi Marines
Boot camp has to be mentally hard to weed out those that might crack under pressure. Better to crack in boot camp than under fire and endanger others. I don’t agree with chocking, but attitude adjustment with the bare hands works wonders, not only to the “adjusted one”, but to all who saw the adjustment and were thankful that it wasn’t them. Never knew that a 5-8, stocky DI could drive a boot out of a GP tent, from the middle, with a single, short jab to the solar plexus. Until it happened to me! I filed that in the “try not to screw up again” file.
All we her any more is hazing and being yelled at while in Boot Camp. Give me a break I was in Plt 127 2nd Bn MCRD PISC. 1955 Sept to Dec. 1955. We didn’t have anything such as Hazing. We were becoming Marine’s and our DI’s did what ever it took to make us Marines. We would “Duck Walk” around the Squad Bay , Have foot locker drill, sleep with your Girl Friend AKA M-1 Rifle. I am now 80 as of this past Feb. Its didn’t hurt me or any of the other Marines in our Pit. Semper Fi
Click here: New ‘Gender Neutral’ Latrines Will Require Troops To Sit While They Pee
like I said in past articles, if you can’t take the punishment and heat of our Marine boot camp, get an Administrative discharge, and quit wasting the Marine Corps money and the DI’s time. I was the only Japanese American in MCRDSD boot camp, got the crap beat out of me on occasions, but became a better Marine leader during the next 10 years and used the Marine leadership training for the next 27 years as an aerospace manager of many departments that I took over because of my ability to perform the job better, get things in order, provide department discipline/leadership, increased performance from below average to superior levels in 30 days, etc. Semper Fi to all Marines that walked the same trails that I walked in the Corps and into civilian life. I have met many former Marines in civilian life that said the Corps made them what they are today, “The best in their field of endeavors”.
None of my DIs in 1974 ever hit any of us. However, one was very good at biting your ear while screaming at you at the same time. The most effective DI I had did almost nothing physical at all. GySgt Knight was the funniest man I ever met. He would walk up and down the ranks cracking joke after joke. Whoever laughed first got sent to the pit. We all developed inner discipline beyond mortal abilities! Cpl Furey, MCRD, 1974. 0311 E2/7. Semper Fi.
Plt. 325, 3rd Battalion, P,I,, Feb, 1968. Boot camp was tough but those who finished became Marines. I don’t want to be next to someone who doesn’t like something, wants to report to the CO that the enemy is trying to hurt him because they are shooting at him, which, he feels, is a violation of his human rights. Instead, I’d rather he pick up and fire his weapon. Fight like a Devil Dog! Semper Fi.
Reading the story made me sad. As so many of the previous comments said; the DI’s treatment showed us what discipline and orders meant. It served to show us that we could handle more mental and physical stress than we ever imagined. Did I “enjoy” getting thumped, banged around, pt’d until we puked, stuffed into a shower buck naked with 54 other dudes; of course not. It did however show me that it wasn’t going to kill me, it ingrained the mental toughness that was essential to being a good Marine, and the drive and initiative necessary for a 30 yr career in law enforcement.
DI/PI 68-70, Hazing is a violation of the DI’s SOP. I hazed recruits not to hurt, but to motivate. I had 11 platoons in my 2 year tour, it was a fast and furious tour of duty, which I consider one of the best in my 30 yr career. The Marine Corps puts out an individual far more trained than the other services, if we want to continue to do so, a small amount of hazing for motivational purposes will continue.
I went to MCRDSD in 1975, June 20th, I think it was. My brother had gone a couple of years before me and he said everyone in his platoon got thumped. I got thumped too, the first good one was on the morning we left for the Rifle Range, the last day of 1st phase or the first day of 2nd phase (however you want to count it). I never thought of any of the unpleasant incidents as “hazing” just part of training. Now of course looking back, something to laugh and joke about with other Marines. I suppose its a good thing these new hazing rules aren’t retroactive, otherwise all of us would be getting our very own courts-martial. Even those that were career snuffies. Things like atomic situps, e-tool qual, the ever popular photo of a sleeping Marine with mayo put on his face and etc… as far as former NCO’s: just doing our jobs could be interpreted as hazing.
Boot Camp, Apr 1968, Honor Plt 179,MCRDSD. The DI’s made a man out of me, then and now. They helped me survive VN as a Forward Air Controller with L3/5. Boot Camp training prepared me for having to expose myself to the enemy while directing in a medivac chopper, or adjusting air support hits. It prepared me mentally to train to jump out of planes and choppers with 2nd ANGLICO, Camp Lejeune, NC. In civilian life, I was always promoted fast, because of my leadership skills learned in the Corps. My last job, with the USPS for 34 years, I worked my way up from the bottom, to Postmaster. I contribute my success to my DI’s and their dedication to making me a Marine. Thankful for every method of training administered to me. Thank you, SSGT Contreras, Sgt Flores, and Sgt White. Semper Fi.
I fell like Im one of the new class of Marines being that I went to MCRDSD 1995, Platoon 335. With that being said I think maybe i cant be put into the “New Marine” class. I believe that some hands on is needed for some of the Marines. I remember being in Boot Camp and looking at other recruits thinking that the DI needed to knock his damn head off. There was alot of things that I was expecting when i got to boot camp that didnt happen. I agree that the kids or young people this day and age have became so weak and “Bitches” that it makes me sick. The shower incident is gross but i dont see it as hazing. The grabbing of the throat incident may step close but I would have to know what was going on to make the DI do that. But overall, I have to agree that the DI’s need to be ruff to make the BEST. Thats why the MARINE CORP is the best, and we need to keep that title of THE BEST!
This PC BS is going to get people killed, if you can’t stand the heat get the hell out of the kitchen. I went through boot camp from Sept. to Dec MCRDSD Plt 275 1961. All three of my DI’s were Korean War vets and by today’s standards they would all be in Portsmouth. I weighed 118 lbs and stood 5′ 6 1/2″ when I enlisted and weighed 130 lbs. when I graduated and did I get thumped, you damn right I did and I survived. I only got thumped for my screw ups, no one elses.
I almost hate to chime in with all you “salty ” Marines, but I can assure you we were not “hazed” when I went through bootcamp in 1990. Parris Island 3rd Battalion . My Dad went through San Diego in 1965 so I had an idea what to expect and would have been disappointed if it had been otherwise. We could expect “adjustments’ when we screwed up and I promise you after you were adjusted you didn’t make the same mistake twice. It makes me sad and angry that our Corps is getting a black eye because of a few non hackers.
I went through 3rd Battalion May 1988 and we were not hazed, we were exposed to extreme discipline! We were in the woods away from everyone. I saw an office twice while in basic. The half way point when the CO asked if your DIs miss-treated you, and the day we graduated. So yea they did things the other 2 battalions did not go through. But I like to think it made us better Marines for it.
It is not hazing! That is some stupid sh** you do in college. This is called MAKING MARINES!!!!! The enemy will not give a damn if you feel bad or feel stressed!! They will kill you just the same. My DIs told us that they were not here to make us feel good, but to take sorry pieces of sh** that they were given and make MEN out of them. And they did a fine job indeed!! Most Marines from before 2000 would agree that the PC bull sh** today is making the Corps the Army. If you can not deal with the mental pressure of the DI, then the enemy will kill you with very little effort! You wanted to be the best? Well to be the best, you have to beat the best!! Your DIs will do any and everything to break you! it is their JOB!! If you cry and break under what they will do to you, how do you think you will fair when the enemy is trying to slowly kill you??
I went tp boot camp at MCRD SD in 1967. I remember when we were in the “community showers” packed in like sardine’s, and the DI ordered us to do squat thrusts.
Ski went to PI Oct.1954-Jan.13, 1955 Plt. 436 3rd Bn. Anybody who says they were not scared s…less is either a damn fool or a huge liar. I was one of the fortunate ones who had left the bolt closed on my rifle at the the rifle range (at least thats what I was told) and had the pleasure of opening it with my nose. It hurt but I learned. After I joined the 2d Marines that unfortunate accident at Ribbon Creek occurred and lo and behold I saw my one of my junior DIs on mess duty and another who ended up as private. Now they must have gotten carried away and hurting sombodys feelings. At that time we had to fill out a some questions about recruit training and maltreatment, which we all agreed that things should be left alone. After all this is the USMC and if ya cant hack it, leave.
I want to say thank you to all of you old Marines for tote comments. I heard a bunch of stories from my father, PI 1975, and my uncle (PI 1990 or 91). I did my 13 weeks from August 2000 to October 2000. I was Plt 3092, Lima Co., 3rd Bat. There were “rules” against hazing but at the time 3rd. Bat was the one hidden in the woods away from prying (officer’s) eyes. We were yelled at, cussed at, and done of us got our thumping (not just intense pt on the quarterdeck. My one bootcamp thumping cane from our “heavy hat”. I was the house mouse Ann’s one day I forgot to dust under the DI’s rack. I was grabbed by the neck, dragged to the ground, and was forced under the rack. But, the was nothing compared to having to run for concert and hit the deck in Iraq. I will be forever in the debt of my DIs for making me the Marine that I am and giving me the knowledge and muscle memory to protect myself and others in combat.
I want to say thank you to all of you old Marines for their comments. I heard a bunch of stories from my father, PI 1975, and my uncle (PI 1990 or 91). I did my 13 weeks from August 2000 to October 2000. I was Plt 3092, Lima Co., 3rd Bat. There were “rules” against hazing but at the time 3rd. Bat was the one hidden in the woods away from prying (officer’s) eyes. We were yelled at, cussed at, and some of us got our thumping (not just intense pt on the quarterdeck.) My one bootcamp thumping came from our “heavy hat”. I was the house mouse and one day I forgot to dust under the DI’s rack. I was grabbed by the neck, dragged to the ground, and was forced under the rack. But, that was nothing compared to having to run for cover and hit the deck in Iraq. I will be forever in the debt of my DIs for making me the Marine that I am and giving me the knowledge and muscle memory to protect myself and others in combat.
What the h##l is wrong with these pukes. I was slapped, smacked and choked and saw others done the same way. I deserved it each time. They didn’t have to ‘explain’ the problem to me twice. Are these the snowflakes that I have been hearing and reading about lately?
Are you kidding me?
I went through 1st Battalion in P.I. in 1969.
Butthole to belly button was the norm for new recruits.
I moved my eyes while at attention and Sgt. Studerbaker, our least happy ADI, grabbed me by the windpipe and proceeded to “instruct” me , with curse infused curses, this wasn’t acceptable.
Get a grip, snowflake. If you are captured, there is no timeouts.
The tough training has served me well all my life.
It is with great sadness that I have seen my country turn into a politicalycorrect , everyone is special and no one is wrong or accountable society. This primarily due to a strong and persistent liberal agenda that has permeated our schools, universities , many churches and homes and in the last few years even our Marine Corps. I went through boot camp in San Diego in June of 1972 (plt.3065). My drill instructor SSgt. Celissa wasone mean and determined Marine ready to make war ready Marines out of chicken shit civilian boys. He once made me do push-ups on my knuckles until they bled and he hit me ,as well as, many of the recruits when he deemed it necessary that we were not performing up to par and especially as a “Team”. I hated that SOB but I am ever so grateful that I learned to fight and defend myself and left the Corp with a swagger and confidence that followed me the rest of my life. May God Almighty protect our USA and our Marine Corps from the liberal left!!!