Basic Training Story #4598
Categories: ASMDSS, Basic Training Story
In 1997, I was DA selected to Recruiting duty. I attended Recruiting School at Fort Jackson, SC. My AIRBORNE Buddy (nicknamed JUNIOR) was Senior Drill Sergeant at one of the units. Just so happens on his birthday, I finished my test early and was released for the day. I jump in my old truck and dash across post to hunt him down.
I run into a Drill Sergeant that was in Hawaii with JR and I. He drags me to where JR is smoking JOE out of sight. JR introduces me to the JOE’s and then directs the PLT Guide to move them to chow.
I figure it’d be cool to eat in the chow hall too. I hadn’t eaten in one for a few years. So, we go thru the headcount and in line with JOE. I get my tray and start thru the serving line. The trainee in front of me stopped and stood dead center of the salad bar – just looking. He seemed torn on what to get to eat. In my day, the cooks slapped food on your plate and directed you to keep moving.
I finally get pissed off waiting on his ass. I throw both hands on my hips and stepped up in his face. “Hey numb nuts, are you gonna get some f*ckin’ chow or stand there and stare it down? Get something on your f*ckin’ plate and move the f*ck out.”
This kid actually started crying and pissed his pants.
JR grabs my arm and dragged me away to a table. The First Sergeant tried to lock my heels in front of JOE. Something about “We don’t talk to soldiers like that and didn’t know what Army I learned that in”.
New Army I guess.
Sadly I feel this guys pain..
I am retired ( early 90’s) and I personal train a lot of 40-ish women doing functional training styles, (tire flips, sandbags and log throws ect.. ) . One of my clients is a 20 year old private in the Army.. She was sitting down one day during a PT session and every so often I’d hear her go 3.. 4.. 5, racking up the numbers.. after a half hour of this and making it to 23, I asked her wtf she was counting for, or is this what no hook privates do with their spare time now.. “No” , she said ” this is the number of times you be written up and in front of the CWO for abuse.. “.
Apparently I treat my 40-ish moms with a lot more physical and verbal abuse, then the new Army allows you to treat recruits.
That is how I was spoken too as well… Didnt cry or piss myself like the lil pussy in the story… and Im sure that is all it was…no topkick would berate an nco in from of trainies….
Sounds like you went a little easy on him to me. I learned so many new phrases and alternative names for body parts in the first 4 days than I did in the rest of my 20 combined…Awesome story, tell it again…..
I call BS.
1. You don’t lock your heels for a NCO. You stand at parade rest.
2. 1SG’s don’t do shit like that in front of joe’s, especially not trainees. They don’t put a NCO at parade rest and have a stern talking with them in front of aJOE