Was it really like that in a marine boot camp?

My dad joined the Navy in 1947. He was 15 years old. His Chief Petty Officer punched him in the jaw and knocked out one of his teeth. There was no problem behind it. He got slugged for making a wise-arsed remark.

I went through United States Army Infantry One Station Unit Training in the mid 1980's and our Drill Sergeants never laid a hand on any of us. All through my term of service I never had anyone touch me, other than like wake-up slaps or something. Nothing you could make a big deal out of without looking like a fool.

The closest I ever came to abusing anyone under me was when I was a Sergeant/E-5 during Operation Desert Storm. I was assigned as a Squad Leader and was therefore one of the three Commanders of the Relief when my platoon was tasked with guarding our little tent-camp base.

Off to the side of our tent city the Engineers had thrown up a rectangular berm inside of which were stored all of our high explosive munitions. Things we really needed like anti-tank missiles, artillery rounds, M18A1 anti-personnel mines, and hand grenades. My job was to check on all the different guard posts and make sure all the guards were doing their jobs. I was checking on two Soldiers who were posted around the berm. One was a shytebird and one was about average. (By the high standards of the 82D Airborne Division.) The first time I checked them they were both sitting down stationary. They were supposed to rove their post the entire two hours. So I told them to get up and do their jobs referencing their general and special orders for the guard task they were assigned to.

The next time I checked them I caught the average soldiers standing stationary and the shytebird laying flat on his back with his head propped up on his kevlar helmet. I was angry and a little out of control when I kicked the helmet out from under his head. He claimed it messed up his neck, blah, blah, blah. He stated that he was going to go to the Platoon Sergeant and the Platoon Leader to report the incident. I said go ahead. He still had time left during his shift.

I immediately went to them myself and reported what he and I had done and what his claims were etc. He had refused my offer to send a medic to his post. It was no problem. When he came back as soon as he opened his mouth the Platoon Sergeant told him that what I had did was wrong but what he had done was exponentially worse. He said that if the matter got pursued he could expect to be receive the maximum punishment under a field grade Article 15 while I would get a slap on the wrist. End of story.

I've lived upon the edge of chance for 20 years or more...
Del Rio's Song

I was in the army from '86 to '91, and I must say that it was almost exactly like my basic training, with three exceptions:
1- we didn't have locker boxes, we had wall lockers.
2- we never had our fingernails and toenails inspected.
3- our drill Sargent's weren't allowed to hit us.
Otherwise,the rest is spot on perfect.
Oh yes, one more thing: we ran during P.T.(physical training)wearing running shoes,not boots.