Lieutenant Colonel Robert B. Lange, U.S. Marine Corps (Retired)
One morning in January 1971, during Officer Candidates School in Quantico, Virginia, the class was standing M-14 inspection directly adjacent the river when the junior drill instructor threw my rifle (“Cathy Jean”) into the river and ordered me to retrieve it. Being a scuba instructor, I was particularly aggressive in diving, dunking, and retrieving. However, as the sewage level was much higher than normal, I needed inoculations afterward and several days of light duty.
D. F. Hennessy, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran
Early one morning in messman’s barracks, I was caught with a Mounds chocolate bar. Another drill instructor frog-marched me to my DI’s room. He was not happy and made me carry the candy bar every day until graduation and show it to him daily.
Lieutenant Commander Gregg Elmendorf, U.S. Navy (Retired) and Marine Corps Veteran
Parris Island, South Carolina, is a tad “warm” in July. During Snap-In week, I didn’t close my magazine pouch and my drill instructor took it. I could get it back by making a 12-inch puddle of sweat for him. After 45 minutes of squat thrusts, with sweat dripping off my nose, I got my magazine back.
Captain Greg McLaughlin, U.S. Navy (Retired)
Ten pushups . . . in 45 minutes . . . in a gravel parking lot, delivered as only a Marine Corps staff sergeant can. “Down,” lecture for two minutes on what complete screw ups we were. “Up,” another two minutes about our collective idiocy. “Down,” and so forth, with gravel digging into our palms. He must have had some limit on how many push-ups he could impose, but no time limit.
Richard C. Lofy, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran
I went through Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego in 1969. When a squad member fell out, I put him over my shoulders and started to trot. I finished the run later than the group and was told to do 50 pushups on my knuckles! Then I had to do 25 pullups from my elbows on a wall locker.
Chief Petty Officer Patrick S. Corrie, U.S. Navy (Retired) and Marine Corps Veteran
In 1967, while at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, our drill instructors decided to motivate us by piling us into a dumpster; making us a mountain of recruits on our platoon street; and making us perform pushups with our feet positioned on the top rack of a bunk bed. To this day I have never been as motivated.
Midshipman R. P. Verrier IV, U.S. Naval Academy
When I killed a sand flea that was biting me and one of my drill instructors saw me kill it, he made me find it and pick it up and then told me to find and hold some live ones so that “mommy and daddy could see their kid’s funeral.”
Nick Rusch, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran
We assumed the pushup position spanning the shelves in the whisky locker (cleaning supply closet) where we would not be seen by those outside the platoon area. The weakest recruit spanned the top shelves with two others spanning the shelves below him, all holding the position until the recruit on top collapsed onto those below.
Darren Johnson, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran
In 1980, I was caught smoking on fire watch. The drill instructor took me in the whiskey locker and mercilessly punched and slapped me in every place where no marks would be left. He did this to others and stood court martial for it, but, because of an incompetent prosecutor and the Marine Corps’ desire to turn a blind eye, he was acquitted. The accusers faced harassment and hazing while we remained at boot camp for the trial.
James McGarrity, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran
I will not divulge exact disciplinary methods experienced in 1966 at Parris Island, South Carolina. However painful in body and soul, unwavering discipline under reprisal was the order of the day. It is what sets Marines apart; making the ordeal go “somewhere else.” A place to which only we have earned admission.
Captain Brian Buzzell, U.S. Navy (Retired)
When any member of Aviation Officer Candidate School class 48-69 Battalion 3 Pensacola screwed up, our drill instructor would take us out back to “play” in his sandbox. Pushups and situps in sand spurs and insects in our gym gear was never pleasant, but it was quite effective.
