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Old July 16th 04, 08:13 AM
B2431
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From: "D. Strang"
Date: 7/15/2004 9:55 PM Central Daylight Time
Message-id: frHJc.3167$Zr.933@okepread01

It really is just a fear of the unknown. The purpose of boot camp is to
indoctrinate the young people into the military way of doing things, as
quickly as possible. The best method, is peer pressure.

The drill instructor will will spend three days constantly making examples
out of people who are doing things the wrong way. These people will be
ridiculed and forced to do undergo pain. This is usually something like
50 push-ups, or running in place while the other people get to sit. Even
people who are smart, and do it the right way, will be forced to undergo
pain, there is no way out. You learn to take it, smile, and say thanks.

After seven days, the unit starts coming together. They all know what the
drill instructor doesn't like, and they don't do that anymore. Now the next
phase is to put you off balance by punishing the whole unit for one persons
infraction. One man will have his socks folded wrong, and everyone will
be forced to run 2 miles. This continues to increase, with every little
thing
being taken out on the group. The time to get things done is decreased, so
the unit is becoming stressed. At this point (say the 2nd week) the unit
knows who the weak people are. What the drill instructor is trying to do, is
to get the unit to start thinking like a team. At some point the unit
members
will start helping each other. The squad leaders (appointed by the drill
instructor) are in fear of their jobs, and so they must provide active
leadership
to their squad. The drill instructor will fire the bad squad leaders, and
elect
a stronger one. Generally, the only people who will be kicked out of the
military, will have injured themselves.

All the time, the unit is moved around in a platoon, or element, by marching.
The marching is used to develop teamwork, and discipline. The marching
will be relentless until the unit follows every command without error. The
longer it takes to become error free, the higher the pain, and the greater
the peer pressure. It's not uncommon to see squad leaders becoming
tougher than the drill instructor. Then the platoon is made to compete
against another platoon, with the loser getting pain.

Finally, the team comes together, and they graduate. During boot camp there
is
lots of academic training. You march to class, learn military and service
history.
You learn about sexually transmitted diseases, and you learn how to shoot.
March, march, march...

It is so intense, it is over before you know it. Anyone can be
indoctrinated.
Boot camp is the most fun any 19 year old kid will ever experience, because
it is the ultimate team sport. It is no harder than football practice.


I would add to that: the hardest part is staying awake in classes.

The only thing you will wind up really worrying about is letting your buddies
down. Nothing will be expected of you that millions of others your age haven't
already done. It's going to test you and prove to you things you never knew
about yourself.

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired