Hate Torture? Consider Boot Camp

The Los Angeles Times ^ | December 14, 2005 | Max Boot

[PeterFinn]

"Forget boot camp.
Try SERE school."

No kidding. The really serious SERE experiences often do get into torture to different extents.

A pal of mine who did it years back (early 90's) snuck off base during the exercise (you could say 'AWOL')and checked in at a nice hotel and kicked it for a week while the rest of his team got 'captured'. Then he dirtied himself up, snuck back on base, and ended up with a commendation in his jacket for evading one of the best S&C teams in the world. He should have been cashiered but he cooked up some cock and bull story that mostly got a wink and a nod.

[chudogg]

Where did he go to "Bootcamp"?

I know for a fact Fort Benning doesn't. But i've also talked to pogues who went Fort Jackson and they said they dont have them either.

[airborne]

Try SERE school.

Been there.Done that.

Very tough!

[InsureAmerica]

I guarantee you, from a psychological perspective, my ex-wife has tortured me more than 1/2 the thugs we now detain around the world.....

[RTINSC]

Years ago, I went through Navy boot camp at Great lakes. In order to stay in the Navy you had to be able to swim a certain distance. One day, thw swim test occurred. You climbed a ladder to a 20 ' platform, put your back to this enormous pool, and you were pushed off. You had to swim the perimeter without drowning. Along the side of the pool were "life guards" with long poles. If you floundered or tried to leave the pool, you got pushed down with the pole and got some encouraging words. ("Swim if you want to live, Sailor"). If you "drowned", you had to return for swim lessons. Swim lessons involved doing again what I just described until you made it around the pool.

[Jacquerie]

Ah yes, SERE school. As practiced 30 years ago it was a week of no food, physical labor, little sleep, freezing temps without warm clothing. That was the easy part.

The hard part was resisting tough interrogations which upon occasion resulted in the water board. In skilled hands an operator could keep an interrogatee in a continual drowning condition until said interrogatee indicated a willingness to talk. Everyone eventually talked.

[PsyOp]

DIs have not been allowed to put hands on recruit since 78-79. I went through Ft. Jackson in 1980. But 10 minutes in the front-lean-rest postition will have you wishing that the DI had popped you one instead. This all a bunch of crap. My daughter went through basicin 2003. No stress cards were present at Ft. Leonardwood, either.

I'm sure if they ever did come out with "stress cards", an on-the-ball DI would simply tell the recruit to do push-up or sit-ups while they "composed themselves." If it were me, I'd give them a full hour to do so, while standing ramrod straight at the position of attention.

[Gay State Conservative]

No "stress cards" at San Diego, Parris Island or Quantico.

Anyone presenting a stress card in my BCT Company (Ft Knox,1969)would have been taken behind the barracks by the junior DI (just back from 'Nam) and administered an "attitude adjustment".

[TankerKC]

I think that extends outside of Bootcamp as well. I think the wording was like….

Thanks for sharing what you “think”.

I remember my dad telling me a young female private pulled the "card" on him, he he told her to report back in 15 minutes.

Faulty memory?

[wyattearp]

Where did he go to "Bootcamp"?

I honestly don't remember. Somewhere back east. Georgia or South Carolina?

[JasonC]

While this is true, there is a large difference between being hazed by superiors you have volunteered to obey, and being hazed by enemies who despise you. Believe me, when there is real hostility toward them on the part of a DI, it is more enough to drive a man well beyond distraction, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. The best DIs know how to give the little cues that say it is all for your own good, and men love them for it.

[dakine]

Air Force torture = cable out...

[strange1]

No "stress cards" at San Diego, Parris Island or Quantico.

You got that right. My son just celebrated his first year in the MARINES. His description of BC at PI was anything but.

In fact I run a board for the familys from his Bat at Parris Island and many have shared what our fighting men endured.

I have to say the article is a spot on desciption of MARINE corp BC.

[TheGunny]

Not true! Why would you say that? Are our forces abroad fighting like they carry yellow stress cards in their pockets?

[chudogg]

If he Infantry?

I can say for a fact Fort Benning, Georgia, doesn't have stress cards because I've talked to at least one person from every graduating class in the last 2 years. Though, I've also asked people who went to Fort Jackson which is supposed to be the easiest (yeah i know, Relaxin Jackson) and i have never heard of these stress cards from them either.

[Gay State Conservative]

DIs have not been allowed to put hands on recruit since 78-79

Don't know what you mean by "put hands on" but the UCMJ has always forbidden any kind of "assault" of any uniformed member,including trainees.

However,we always understood that in a court martial the NCO/Officer would *always* be believed over the recruit.

[TankerKC]

My nephew (Army) said that nobody had the nerve to pull it when he was in boot camp, but just the fact that it is there at all is absurd.

That fact that the stress card myth is perpetuated is absurd.

[right-wingin_It]

Stress cards??? Sheesh!...I hope they at least still kept the 'bar of soap in the towel' (no sarc)

[wyattearp]

Is he Infantry?

Nope, something to do with communications. He just re-enlisted in January, so that would make it almost 4 years ago, I think.

[martin_fierro]