Creative and not-so-creative ways people tried getting sent home from basic training.

We had 4 guys try suicide and 2 succeed, we had another couple of guys that got caught together in the shower and one other that kept riding his duffel bag out the third floor window to go home until they moved him down to the first floor and then he just disappeared finally. No one is really sure what happened. But hey, it was the crazy 70's, what ya gonna do!

I had seen and heard of plenty of nonsense, but I'm not so sure they were "trying" to get sent home so much as they were just challenged to life away from mommy and daddy.

The most memorable one I can think of is "Speedy", our eternal fire watch Airman. He could never get the hang of hospital corners on his bunk for one...the worst was the case of the missing Tidy Whiteys. One the Airman was missing a pair after laundry day so the TI had us all stand in our T-Shirts and Underwear on the line next to our bunks.
One by one, we had to show our laundry mark on the back of our underwear...which was the first letter of our last name and the last four of our SSN. Well, low and behold, "Speedy" was wearing the missing underwear. When asked, "Why?!"...his only answer was...I shit mine.

In 1996, when I went to Ft Leonard Wood, MO for Combat Engineer School, there were two men that were basic trainees that were waiting for their papers of release, so they were the Orderly Room runners. I asked one of the IET/OSUT Soldiers what the deal was with that, and I was informed that these two gentlemen claimed they were gay thinking that just saying that would get them a ticket home. Apparently, the Drill Sergeants called their bluff and had them in front of the company and were told to kiss each other to prove it. Apparently, the two gentlemen called the Drill Sergeants bluff and actually kissed. Instant approval and waiting for papers. I asked a Drill Sgt to confirm, and my only response was "Pretty much"