DI Abuse at San Diego

Comments

Bruce M. Mullen Sgt USMC not presently on active duty - April 22, 2020

In reply to jack d.
Do you not know that we have Women Marines, they go through a tough Boot Camp as we do. The WM’s deserve the same respect that you do (that is if you are a Marine and not some Pansy Ass Troll). USMC 1961—1969, Parris Island, Viet Nam 67–68.

George Plt.115 PI - April 22, 2020

You have got to be kidding!!!! After all theses years, you are still crying??? Shape up!!! You are the only SENIOR SNOWFLAKE I know. I was at PI in 1962. All of us took our lumps and turned out to be PROUD MARINES. I am 76 and I would do it all over again. Lumps included.

rolaids - April 22, 2020

suck it up BUTTERCUP !!!!!!!!

Jimmy Hill - April 22, 2020

When I flunked out of college in 1982 I decided that a soft, politically correct life was not for me. I needed some toughening up. I entered MCRD San Diego on 27 June 1983. Over the next 13 weeks no drill instructor ever touched me except to load me on an ambulance when I passed out from heat exhaustion. No, my fellow recruits did the dirty work for the DIs. They assaulted me when they thought I was running my motor mouth too much. Was that abuse. Yes, but so the hell what. It made me into a better Marine.

Sgt. James Norton, mos 2811, 1967-1971 - April 22, 2020

San Diego, platoon 2045. August, 1967. Eight weeks was what we got for training. The Corps wanted us fast. Viet Nam, was heating up pretty fast. There was plenty our drill instructors could do to us, and did. or make us do to ourselves, and did, that was ‘legal’. And it was still pretty damn awful. My chief fear was being dropped back into the motivational platoon, or getting injured and having to repeat for missing too much training. I sucked it up and put out 110% and made it out as a ‘personal friend of the colonel’ (PFC). On my boot leave, I got a hearty chuckle from my retired Air Force dad, when some genuine USMC salty language came out of my mouth as a conditioned response to something he said. I was proud of my dad for that simple laugh of acceptance. Semper Fi God Bless you Dad, RIP

richard a. shepherd - April 22, 2020

s.d., 1965. I certainly had my share of knocking around! no complaints, and I sure as hell did not go crying to anybody~!!

Sgt. Ramiro ( Cisco Kid) Camarillo Jr. - April 22, 2020

The Marine Corps DI staff must be able to physically , verbally and mentally correct the rebellious and self-entitled attitude of the recruit that comes into our world famous military organization of the Corps. I came in June 12th 1972 to assignment of SSgt. Celissa ( Italian decent) who was the senior DI of Plt. 3065. He was the meanest SOB you ever met. He smacked us whenever our eyes wondered from straight ahead, would make every recruit do push-ups or what ever discipline when ever anyone in the platoon messed up or thought about it. He made my mind and heart learn what it is to be a Marine and to put Squad, Platoon, Company, Battalion and Division: TEAM in front of all my thoughts and actions. I graduated from boot camp in San Diego in Septemberof 1972 and I left a strong and confident Marine. I really hated him but Iwas ever so thankful for him………..sort of like my mom and dad when they had to discipline me with a whipping. I had the Marine Corps emblem and philosophy branded in my heart and soul. Will the future Marines still have this sense of duty and brotherhood I really doubt it and it brings great sadness to my soul for the MC and our country. God help us all!!!

Chuck - April 22, 2020

Politically correct b s white card. My ass. That’s what wrong today marine corps bootcamp is supposed to be hard. It’s the marines. Not a sowing class Take it back to prior 1970. You’ll be better off better marines. Tougher

Bob Lonn - April 22, 2020

I arrived at MCRD, San Diego in late February 1964. My brother, who went through ‘boot camp’ in San Diego in 1949, explained to me what to expect. I thought I was ready, but, well, as all who have been there understand, it’s something that goes beyond an explanation. You have to experience it to fully appreciate it! It was definitely tough … sometimes even tougher. It’s not a Boy Scout initiation! It’s the Marine Corps, and becoming a Marine is not for everyone. The motto, “The Few! The Proud! The Marines!” is not taken lightly. It’s just how It is … Tough! Not for the ‘feint of heart’. How nasty were my DIs, you ask? A year and a half ago, I was ‘reunited’ with one of my Drill Instructors! Jim Stelling was a Corporal back then. He was a tough, hard corps, no nonsense DI! Yeah, he kicked my butt and pushed and cajoled me to limits I would have thought impossible before ‘boot camp’. But he knew what he was doing and his goal was to build/create Marines … and he accomplished that goal. From DI and ‘Boot’, today, we are simply, MARINES! Semper Fi!

William M. - April 22, 2020

In reply to Skip Redpath.
Sounds like they had “snowflakes” back then too. I went through Dago in early ’62. No problem. Sure it was tough and yes, I got bounced around. So what.