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DI Abuse at San Diego
July 21, 2017 Grunt.com Admin

DI Abuse at San Diego

I went through boot camp in 1962, just after the PURGE at PI, and experienced and witnessed abuse almost daily. The first time was when a recruit, the DIs called a porker, was striped to the pull-up bar with web belts and left hanging there, it seemed like a half an hour. The second was more personal. I was under 18 when I went to boot and my birthday came up at the rife range. The senior drill instructor called me to the duty tent. When I reported there he said he had a birthday present for me. His and the two other DIs give me three slugs in the goodie locker.
Filed in: Marine Corps Stories
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Comments

Ben Gomez - April 22, 2020

In reply to Bob Malone.
MCRD SD — Aug 1981, Plt 2071, G Co, 2d Battalion — We all had our share of thumpings. So f*ckn what. And, we had some recruits that NEEDED to get their ass whipped, and they got it good. Some got in worse than others, but only because they NEEDED it. The DI’s were there to see if we had what it took to wear our beloved Marine uniform. As it is said, “If everyone could be a Marine, then it wouldn’t be the Marine Corps.” Was it f*ckd up in there? Of course, but that’s how it’s supposed to be. The Marines didn’t pick us. We picked them. Make it harder. Not easier.

Harry Fraser - April 22, 2020

In reply to m. gerhardt.
Glorious

john hageman - April 22, 2020

In reply to Skip Redpath.
SEMPER FI !!!

tom dicks - April 22, 2020

In reply to Jack Webb.
i went tomcrdsd in 1962 we had 5 dis one was a total asshole one was hard on me and i love him for it, thank you gydst rogers be cause of inyou i made sgt e-5 under 4 and fuck you cpl david h.smith you sick fuck, sgt t.a.dicks plt 164 mcrd sd 9/62 to12/62, sgt vance and sgt darner were good teachers and outstanding drill instructors semper fi to all marines

Bob Malone - April 22, 2020

I missed the part where this Marine was complaining……seems to me he was just stating the facts .In 1967 at MCRD SanDiego there was plenty of “thumping” goin’ on….but it was not abuse it was discipline…..One of the reasons that if you can get through Marine Corps Boot Camp everything that follows is “a piece of cake”.Sgt. Bob Malone…I Corps,Oct.’69 to Oct.’70

MEC - April 22, 2020

Boot camp PI 1971, OCS as a candidate 1982 as a GySgt, SD as a Company Commander, so I have seen it from several angles. Often occurred to me that one of goal of boot camp was “instant obedience to orders”. How does one reconcile the training of recruits to obey orders and then violate published orders to do so? I believe it can be done in accordance to the SOP.

Joseph M Bennett - April 22, 2020

In reply to Jon Atchison.
OOH RAH, BROTHER !!

Joseph M Bennett - April 22, 2020

In reply to m. gerhardt.
I’M SORRY, FOLKS, BUT I SE NO DISRESPECT IN HIS STATEMENT

Joseph M Bennett - April 22, 2020

In reply to William Steinberg, Jr..
WELL SAID, SIR. I WENT TO SAN DIEGO IN 66 AND NAM IN FEB 68. SURVIVED TET AND I BLESS MY DIs.

Dan Dalton - April 22, 2020

In reply to Marine 0331.
Yep, June 81 SD. Thumpings were a part of life in PLT 1046,, actually I would rather deal with that then being screamed at and PT’d! Thumpings usually were over with quicker! Our Jr DI was a SR DI his next plt and he did get busted thumping on a pvt by causing a black and blue mark on his chest. I just always understood that was part of boot camp and expected it. Worst thing I ever saw was a recruit get a bloody nose, no big deal just part of life becoming a Marine.

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