What is the most cringe worthy moment that you saw during Basic Training?

2022-12-29T14:21:22-05:00

I am still in Basic Training and am currently on HBL, 3 days before my platoon was sent home for the holidays I witnessed a trainee interact with my senior drill sergeant and it can only be described as cringe worthy…
3 guys (trainees) were horsing around in the barracks right before lights out and the fire guardsmen (another trainee) asked them to quiet down because it was almost 2100hrs (lights out), one of the 3 hooligans told him to “shut up”. A few minutes later the lights go out and our Senior Drill Sergeant walks in to the barracks after hearing the commotion and very politely tells everyone to quiet down because we should all be sleeping, one of the hooligans (not realizing that the SDS said this) responded by stating “shut your b***h a** up, n***a”, the SDS almost popped a blood vessel when he heard this. The offending hooligan (upon realizing who he just insulted) immediately hid inside of a wall locker, the SDS started screaming “WHO THE F**K JUST SAID THAT!?!?” Being a good trainee, I was already asleep at this point but woke up to the SDS screaming “get your a** out here”, when I woke up the SDS was looking at my bunk mate, well I thought that he was looking at me so in a half asleep stupor I stood up and walked out into the middle of the barracks. The Senior asked me “who the hell do you think you are”, in a state of confusion I muddled a reply “I apologize drill sergeant, I don’t know what is happening” fortunately the guy in the bunk next to me (who had watched the entire situation unfold) told the SDS that I was asleep when the inappropriate remark was made. The Senior then told the entire barracks to go to bed and stormed out of the room. He didn’t punish anyone, which is the most unnerving part, I am definitely anxious to return from HBL, I know that the SDS will have some special ‘training’ planned for us in response to that asinine remark.

I’m sure that y’all must have some good stories from your basic training days, what is the most cringe worthy moment that you witnessed?

Response by SSG Roger Ayscue made Dec 29 at 2022 3:07 PM

2022-12-29T15:07:49-05:00

Late 1982/Early1983 Fort Benning GA, Infantry OSUT, Week3

One of the trainees in my OSUT had eaten Kosher his entire life before he came to OSUT. He was really backed up and went to sick call and got a profile that said words to the effect, "Authorized additional salad at meal time"
This guy filled a tray with salads at the next meal and was observed by the Command Sergeant Major, who in true 1980's OSUT style came over and started the little bowls of his tray as fast as thy were being picked up. Then we hear "No! No ! I have a Profile, I have a profile" in a really distinct New York accent. The CSM smiled really big and went to the back, got a huge stainless steel bowl of salad and the trainee had to eat it all.
Later that night, I was on fire guard and saw this poor unfortunate rush to the latrine, heard a pitiful wail and then the joyful statement, "The salad worked, the salad worked!"

Response by SGT Christopher Hayden made Dec 30 at 2022 10:08 PM

2022-12-30T22:08:13-05:00

It was a Sunday and the Drill Sergeant who was stuck there was bored and wanted to do a company PT session, but a "fun" one in which he would play rock music to motivate us. We're doing our thing to some awful early 2000s nu-metal when across the way from me some kid in another platoon is like doing some kind of "dance" side-straddle hop thing while getting super into the music. Total cringe moment.

Response by CPT Lawrence Cable made Jan 2 at 2023 8:50 AM

2023-01-02T08:50:56-05:00

OSUT FT. Benning, 1983. This occurred about 2/3rds of the way through the cycle when a couple of guys in another platoon thought it would be a funny practical joke to piss in one of their platoon mates canteen. Wrong answer!! You don't screw with your buddy's canteen or his rifle. The entire Cadre went ballistic. They both pulled Company Grade Article 15's and their additional duty was to literally strip the staff duty office floor with a dog tag. You always hear about that punishment, but that was the only time I ever really saw it.
They were lucky, more than one of the drills thought they should have been shown the door, including my senior drill. Can't say I disagree. At the point we were in the training, you should have been beyond that kind of stupidity.