On one hand the way he treated the recruits was sadistic, and cruel. On the other that's just the way it was back then, you can't really blame him for doing things the way they were done at the time. Now no one deserves to be murdered, but there are times when a person brings it on their self.
shareBack then? I went through Marine Recruit training about 15 years ago and it was basically the same (only less hitting, I was only 'physically' struck twice) once was quite bad, I was on the line sounding off (but not giving it much effort because I was getting annoyed with the Senior drill instructor yelling at us). The Drill hat saw me and came running over put his forearm into my neck lifted me off the ground and slammed me down and started screaming (and spitting) in my face about sounding off and not gaffing off the senior drill instructor. He was a big son of bitch too; about 6 ft 4 or so and solid. and I was like 19 at the time.
at the time I thought he was asshole but after going through ITB and then being in the infantry and being deployed for multiple combat tours, I understand what they were trying to accomplish with us (quite effective really).
No he did not deserve it; worthless fat bodies like Laurence are a liability in combat; and it is never themselves they get killed but others. Hartman needed to either fix him or break him so he was kicked out and not deployed. Hartman was 100% in the right. ONly in this modern "mother's of america" day is it considered bad for a drill instructor to be tough. How are we to produce effective fighting warriors by being soft in training. WE TRAIN LIKE WE FIGHT, damn it.
ARMY Infantry, and I agree with everything you said Brother, except that “Lawrence was a worthless fat body,” aside from the obvious psychological deterioration he had become quite the capable killing machine. Again I agree with everything said, I just feel that at some point during the breakdown process an emphasis should be placed on mentoring those whose potential is untapped, not for everyone mind you, there is no place in the infantry for the weak, but for those who can develop into competent soldiers with a bit of uplifting from time to time.
shareLaurence hid a jelly donut and tried to hide it in an unlocked foot locker which tells me he was either really dumb or was trying to get thrown out of the Marines. Hartman didn't deserve his fate but he should have recognized Laurence wasn't going to make it but even in the bathroom scene Hartman keeps right on doing the same thing he always did.
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