Did you have 'close calls' in basic training/boot camp?

PV2 Greg Hitchcock — Sun, 24 Aug 2014 14:48:59 -0400

What mistakes do you regret making that almost sent you packing back home?

Everybody has a story of basic training/boot camp blunders. What's yours? And can you look back on these events and laugh?

Response by CMDCM Gene Treants made Sep 1 at 2014 8:23 PM

CMDCM Gene Treants — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 20:23:34 -0400

On the day of the Ice Bowl as the Company MAA I gave everyone a break in the Lounge. I also Authorized Smoking. Our Company Commander was not around and the game was about start. As a result of my decision, I received 40 hours of EMI.

Response by SSG Michael Hathaway made Oct 10 at 2014 4:14 PM

SSG Michael Hathaway — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 16:14:50 -0400

Day two out of reception, picking up gear from CIF. We were told that we are to run everywhere unless told otherwise. After gaining permission to utilize the latrine, a few of us ran to the line of port-a-potties about 100 meters away down the hill. Little did some of us know that Ft Benning is rife with little divets in the grass areas. So as my foot got caught in a divet while running down the hill, I had that split second decision of roll with it or twist my ankle and risk a sprain...I rolled with it. It was good but my landing shoulder hit a nice sized rock that hurt like heck. Needless to say, I refused sick call fearing the dreaded recycle and I had a couple battle buddies that helped me out that first few days (I couldn't raise my left arm to take off or put on my own shirt). That first and second PT test were excruciating. Thankfully the third and record counting APFT, the shoulder was mostly healed and I was able to get 80% on push ups.

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 10 at 2014 4:26 PM

CW5 Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 16:26:38 -0400

PV2 Greg Hitchcock, first of all -- GLOVERSVILLE, NY????? I'm from Broadalbin, NY!! We "have" to be contacts, don't we?! That's small town America.

I did have a close call. I think it was in AIT (I did OSUT, 8 weeks of Basic and 8 weeks of Infantry AIT, all at Fort Polk.) We were at the range and cleaning our weapons on those tall wooden tables, when the Drill Sergeant came to our table and told us to assemble our weapons and move out to the chow area -- we were serving. I hurried and accidentally left my M-16 bolt on the table. BIG mistake. The trainers must have known what happened, but they didn't say anything right away. They let me go on about my business.

When it was my turn to fire again, I got up to the firing line in the prone position, inserted the magazine, and pulled back the charging handle (I think that's the right term). It pulled back too quickly and easily! And about a split second after I pulled it back, the Lieutenant (range OIC) was there with his clearing rod, tapping me on the helmet. He asked, "What's the problem, trainee?" I told him that I didn't have a bolt.

To make a long story short, he made me do 50 pushups, said he could kick me out of the Army for that foul-up, but he didn't do that (happily). All he did was scare the s**t out of me, give me my bolt back, and wear me out with pushups.

That was my close call in Basic/AIT.

Response by Col Richard Roessler made Sep 20 at 2015 9:26 PM

Col Richard Roessler — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 21:26:40 -0400

First day of Boot Camp (Navy...I started there). I was in the head (latrine) and one of the Company Commanders (that's what the 'drill's' were called) comes in and starts urinating at the urinal beside me. He states, 'Hey Rick, how are you doing?' I say, 'I am fine sir, but how did you know my name?' Rick happens to be my nickname AND it happened to be the Boot slang for 'recruit.' Needless to say, I seem to remember doing a lot of push-ups....

Response by SrA Matthew Knight made Sep 21 at 2015 4:01 AM

SrA Matthew Knight — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 04:01:51 -0400

This seems like it could make for a very entertaining thread and unfortunately it doesn't have many responses. I'll throw my best one out there.

Essentially the closest call that I can remember is the last day (literally the day we were leaving) of basic training. My flight's MTI left his felt campaign hat in his office.....that the door was unlocked and opened too. Needless to say certain new airmen to remain nameless felt like seeing what they would look like as an MTI. Luckily certain airmen never got caught or they likely would have been staying at BMT for a while longer. Certainly worse decisions have been made but certainly better decisions could have been made at the time.

Fortunately (and surprisingly) despite the technology the certain airmen had access too no photo evidence exists and as far as anyone is concerned this story is total hearsay and a complete fabrication of my imagination. As far as anyone is concerned.....

Response by SGT Rick Ash made Sep 23 at 2015 2:27 PM

SGT Rick Ash — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 14:27:49 -0400

I almost died because we had a "seriously retarded" PVT at FT. Dix in May 1973. If you can remember the PVT in "Full Metal Jacket" this was his twin. We had to dress him, shine and tie his boots. AND, make his bunk. He could not learn at all and any yelling at all would make him cry or piss his pants and I mean completely. We were at the range one day and I was next to him to keep his rifle pointed downrange. Al of a sudden he turned toward me WITH the rifle in his hands and finger on the trigger. I slapped the rifle so hard it left his hands and was in the sand behind him.
Not too many days following that incident he had caused other problems then one day he was just gone. I was issued a box and told to pack his footlocker and standing locker. What a f*cking mess. The address label I was given was a nearby New Jersey town. I have thought of him many times but that day on the range is still SO vivid!

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 4 at 2015 12:13 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 12:13:16 -0400

SPC Margaret Higgins By trouble what do you mean? My father was hospitalized and a the Red Cross sent a request for me to see him at the V.A. Hospital where he was in the Intensive Care Unit. I did so and returned to training. Later the training unit Commander came and pulled me off the firing range to tell me, my father had passed away. I left to attend his funeral and returned to training. I made up training I missed by completing the requirements while others were on weekend passes.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 4 at 2015 3:25 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 15:25:57 -0400

After the first three days of terror, I found that Boot Camp was tolerable, and I kind of enjoyed it. I might be weird too. I did have one of my DIs on my case for picking at my fingernails. He never mentioned it again, and I still have the same nervous habit.

Response by PV2 Scott Goodpasture made Oct 4 at 2015 3:45 PM

PV2 Scott Goodpasture — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 15:45:46 -0400

If you didn't have trouble in boot camp then the drill sergeant wasn't doing his job

Response by PO2 Peter Klein made Oct 4 at 2015 6:03 PM

PO2 Peter Klein — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 18:03:37 -0400

I was bored. Navy boot camp was not challenging physically nor mentally.

Response by MSgt Curtis Ellis made Oct 4 at 2015 6:26 PM

MSgt Curtis Ellis — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 18:26:53 -0400

I wouldn't say I was outstanding, but I didn't have any trouble or issues... I oddly enjoyed the "culture shock" of it all and looked forward to getting to my first duty station, and into another level of culture shock! LOL!

Response by SSG Gene Carroll SR. made Oct 4 at 2015 6:42 PM

SSG Gene Carroll SR. — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 18:42:27 -0400

No, not at all

Response by SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 4 at 2015 8:44 PM

SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 20:44:30 -0400

Two. Both happened on the 249 range when some poor planning led to everyone lining up with belts of ammunition, then cycling through 4 different 249s as fast as they could fire them, exchanging between the two barrels every other belt.

The first, was an "I was in Fallujah" all brawn no brain type NCO who decided that it was a bright idea after having fired hundreds of rounds through the 249s and having a round jam in the barrel, to remove the barrel and point it at his face to use a ramrod to remove the round. Luckily for him, the round cooked off shortly before he got the ramrod in the barrel, and missed his face by inches.

The second was on the same range where a PVT had gone up to attempt to shoulder fire the 249 while standing, and half-way through his belt, the rounds began cook off and subsequently somehow he lost the entire trigger assembly at the same time. Luckily, he was able to keep the barrel pointed to the ground and downrange for the most part, by holding the 249 by the buttstock until someone could twist off the belt. The only resulting injury was the major burns the PVT received while trying to handle a blazing hot 249 with no grip and a runaway belt.

Response by SP5 Joel O'Brien made Oct 4 at 2015 9:39 PM

SP5 Joel O'Brien — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 21:39:49 -0400

What may have been trouble for someone else was a lucky break for me. I injured a leg while at the Ft. Dix range and the DI said I could go to evening sick call AFTER I walked back to the company. I walked/hobbled back and wound up with an ankle-to-hip cast on the affected leg for three months. How was this a lucky break? I was waived on a bunch of stuff and finished out the rest of Basic in a profile platoon where we(a group of casts, crutches and cripples who weren't hurt enough to be recycled)all limped along in a more humane atmosphere.

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 13 at 2015 9:51 AM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 09:51:44 -0400

I was out on the range and my DS was looking over my shoulder watching me shoot. I ended up getting a double bullet( I think that's what you call it) and I was trying to put my weapon on safe first and then take the magazine out. But the next thing I know the DS was standing over me screaming at me. It was the first real encounter that I had ever had with a DS singling me out without any of my battle buddies. So it freaked me out. I tried to take it the magazine out and it wouldn't come out not would my weapon go on safe. So the DS yanks it from me and my muzzle was pointed right at her face. I ended up getting kicked off the range and she made me write a letter to her mom explaining why I killed her daughter.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 19 at 2015 8:39 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 19 Nov 2015 20:39:19 -0500

I wouldn't call this a close call because nothing resulted of it as it was all in my head; so here goes... I flew under the radar all through basic and didn't get the DS' attention ever (I was one of the oldest privates at age 30) until the very end. When we were having our "Warrior Dinner" after the 16K and ROP Ceremony, one of the DS' thought it would be funny to take my ice cream cone from my tray, crush it and squeeze the ice cream onto my food (because it was "bad" for pt), that got me fired up, but my reaction was just to (for the first time) give the DS a direct stare in the eyes without saying a word. He asked me if I wanted to get up and hit him or fight, I didn't reply, he walked away and surprisingly came back with another cone and said "you know what Pereira? you alright" and that was that. To be honest, now in hindsight, I was very very angry because I'm no longer a kid and no other man messes with my food, but I kept in mind that cooler heads prevailed. I moved on to graduate without a hitch.

Response by MAJ David Vermillion made Nov 26 at 2015 11:33 AM

MAJ David Vermillion — Thu, 26 Nov 2015 11:33:06 -0500

I entered the US Army on August 31, 1962 and spent 5 days in the Reception Station at Fort Knox, Kentucky. This was a processing center for new recruits prior to going to Basic Training. I'll never forget while I was there a trainee like me said, " Do you know what you did in your sleep, "of course my response was, " No." He said a sergeant came in here to wake us all up and they said you cussed him out in your sleep. I never could prove anything and quite frankly don't believe I did this but, I can say I have always remembered this embarrassing story. It was a big deal at the time because I thought I was in trouble.

Response by Sgt Tom Cunnally made Mar 1 at 2016 6:34 AM

Sgt Tom Cunnally — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 06:34:18 -0500

Getting in a fight with my DI who gave me a swollen lip & black eye & told me not to go to Sick Bay or else he would really get mad. I wonder what he would have done if he was really mad??

Response by LCpl Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 27 at 2017 8:51 AM

LCpl Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 08:51:23 -0400

I had fun in boot camp honestly. I mean at the time it was terrible. But looking back on after I achieved my marine mindset of what fun is. I would do it because it was kinda fun. The culture shock only last as long as you resist. Give into it and just do as your told and adapting is easy but never get comfortable. I had no connections with anyone at home except mail that would get to me a month later than it was sent so that was fun but it’s worth it to get the title of marine.

Response by SrA Michael Spivey made Oct 29 at 2017 5:18 PM

SrA Michael Spivey — Sun, 29 Oct 2017 17:18:10 -0400

Basic training I made the mistake of been tagged Dorm cheif

Response by MAJ Montgomery Granger made Oct 29 at 2017 6:08 PM

MAJ Montgomery Granger — Sun, 29 Oct 2017 18:08:54 -0400

I got caught by "The Smoke Master," a 6'7" lean, mean smokin' machine! We called getting nailed by a Drill Sergeant and being made to do push-ups getting "smoked." I was told by one Drill Sergeant to go see The Smoke Master to ask him a question. I wrote the question down on my note pad, but forgot to re-button my top left breast pocket on my BDU's, where I kept my note pad. The Smoke Master noticed and before I even got the question out I was pushin' up Ft. Bliss(ter), Texas! Hooah!

Response by Cpl Imre Demech made Dec 3 at 2017 7:27 PM

Cpl Imre Demech — Sun, 03 Dec 2017 19:27:22 -0500

Was to close to a recruit milking a grenade, he killed himself & wounded the DI.

Response by SGT Philip Roncari made Dec 27 at 2017 9:40 PM

SGT Philip Roncari — Wed, 27 Dec 2017 21:40:49 -0500

I found almost every day of basic was challenging mainly because I was in such bad shape coming in smoking and drinking ,bad eating habits hadn’t run since High school track days,yet some how my friendly,caring,compassionate training NCOs were there and I can look back and laugh now,but back then there was no laughter ,no siree Bob!

Response by SGT Philip Roncari made Mar 28 at 2018 12:03 PM

SGT Philip Roncari — Wed, 28 Mar 2018 12:03:24 -0400

I will admit that Basic for me was a horrible experience ,from the first day I regretted joining the Army,I was a street corner punk,who drank and smoked since the age of twelve,underweight ,could not run twenty feet without pucking,everyday was a close call, in today's Army I probably would have been kicked out,but through the efforts of a certain Platoon Sergeant I have posted repeatedly about on RP I survived and even reached NCO status,but more than laugh I'm grateful for the lessons learned by a nineteen year old so many years ago.

Response by CPL Mario Santana made May 13 at 2018 3:49 AM

CPL Mario Santana — Sun, 13 May 2018 03:49:37 -0400

There was an incident where we were training on the dragon wire guided missile . It was raining n lighting at one point a bolt of lightning hit the building we were under the guy in the middle of me n a buddy was knocked out . My buddy felt the jolt on his right side arm n I felt it on my left arm. Training was postponed till the lightning stopped

Response by SPC Robert Coventry made Feb 24 at 2019 5:04 AM

SPC Robert Coventry — Sun, 24 Feb 2019 05:04:15 -0500

I actually gained weight in basic, I trained and trained to not get dogged and it worked

Response by Sgt Dan Catlin made Nov 28 at 2019 9:31 PM

Sgt Dan Catlin — Thu, 28 Nov 2019 21:31:35 -0500

We were at San Onefre for Rifle Range, billeted in Quonset huts. January, so nights were cold. The heads were old, nasty units that served several Quonsets. I was a fire team leader, and we drew the one day duty to clean them. Next day another fire team was asigned, but they refused to do it, so our squad leader told me we'd have to do it again. I did as I was supposed to and got my team ready, but before we went I asked the squad leader if he was writing up the other team. He told me to just go, and I said "You aren't, are you?" He was evasive, and I called him something like "excrement of chicken." From there things escalated and we ended up in a fight that tore up a good part of the hut and us going through the door, rippng out its hinges. So next thing we were standing tall, getting called much worse names than I'd used. The rill Instructor happened to have been working on some repairs to their hut, and he got so mad he threw a hammer right over my right shoulder, so close to my ear I can still feel it! Somehow I did not break the position of attention, and the look on his face was like he hadn't really meant to do that! I think that is what saved us from going to Discipline Platoon. But at least the Squad Leader got some additional words of wisdom, the other fire team got written up and STILl had to clean the head!

Response by LTC Kevin Coughlin made Jan 30 at 2021 9:58 PM

LTC Kevin Coughlin — Sat, 30 Jan 2021 21:58:56 -0500

It wasn't my blunder, but I was almost the victim. On the grenade range the soldier next to me dropped a live grenade. The safety NCO picked up the grenade and flipped it over the berm. Not to the front, but into the pit I was climbing into. I had reversed direction because of the damned snake in the pit. We had a memorial service for the snake (and I got to change my underwear. (FT Polk 1970)

Response by MAJ Carlos Valenzuela-Durr made May 29 at 2021 11:26 PM

MAJ Carlos Valenzuela-Durr — Sat, 29 May 2021 23:26:08 -0400

The only close calls came when dealing the Marine Corps DI.