Thread: Making a soldier. [PICS]

Originally Posted by triggerhappy2005

The standards for induction into military service seem really low. I guess desperate times call for desperate measures.

It's like John Kerry said - drop out of High School and get stuck in Iraq.

Great photo essay, although I must admit I expected him to die in the end.

Man I remember ft benning when I was like 8 years old, my dad was trying out for the rangers and training infantrymen, and my sister was born there.

Crazy shit, good article and photos.

http://blogs.denverpost.com/captured...soldier064.jpg

I'm not sure I'd want to be bringing my camera anywhere during missions. What would you even want to take a photo of, let alone deal with the extra "stuff" loosely hanging on your uniform.

Originally Posted by Mudstalker

Originally Posted by Blakeman

Shows the differences in the services, the kid would have been booted out of the USMC for admitted drug use, there is a zero tolerance.

Also that he got to call home from boot camp....

You can't be booted out of either service after admitting to drug use...when the drugs are prescribed by a doctor (he was taking medication for his hand or foot, or whatever). Also, Marines do the same thing in Boot Camp. Thirty seconds to call home and let them know you arrive. If you're sent in to medical and need paperwork, yes you can call home or a doctors office. Where ever that information is at.

If he is using drugs not prescribed to him by a military doctor then it is grounds for dismissal, period. You are basically military property and have to use military doctors and follow the orders of said doctors. I know a guy that almost got demoted for not taking his meds prescribed to him since it is basically an order by an officer (the doctor).

His demeanor when calling home is my question. When in USMC boot camp you stand at attention at the phone and read off of a card and are not allowed to respond in any way that isn't on the card in front of you, then you hang up and the DI has you go back to a seat and actually sit at attention. Even if it was a call home for medical records the DI would be standing right there and wouldnt allow you to stand at ease like that kid was.

I went to heavy equipment school for the USMC on an army base (Fort Leonard-Wood) and have seen first hand the differences between the services boot camps, so I can tell you with some authority that they are VERY different.

Originally Posted by Muqtar SGT_Clintok

When did you guys go to boot camp? I didn't get a phone call.

The only phone calls allowed were the ones by people who won combat hitting skills for series. Out platoon won, and everyone who won their fight got a call of like 60 seconds. Everyone who lost their fight sat on the side and got nothing.

At that time, I believe (although I dont know for sure because I never needed to), any substance abuse would lead to discharge. Also, seemed like they were a little easy on his for being UA. I thought that was some serious shit as well. I was scared of all administrative action while in, so I never got up to speed on what the penalties were.

Anyways, the series of pictures was great. I really enjoyed it.

I went to boot in Parris Island during the summer of '97 and got to read the card during processing "This is recruit XXXXX I have arrived for training at Parris Island and am in good health. You will recieve a letter from me in approximately one week. Goodbye" or something to that effect, they only let you get to the point where they knew someone was on the other end before you rattled it off. My mom knew it was coming so it was expected but there have been parents in the past that were freaked out because it usually happens at 2 in the morning and they get hung up on as soon as the recruit says 'Goodbye'.

I was lucky in that I won pugil sticks for our platoon on the bridge and the DI's gave me a 3 minute phone call home. It was fortunate because it was the last time I was able to talk to my Grandmother before she passed when I was on the rifle range. I often refer to that pugil match as the point when I had the hammer of God since someone upstairs was wanting me to make that last phonecall.

But the DI's never let you go anywhere unsupervised, which is very different than in US Army boot camp where I often saw little groups going to different places.