I know at least one person who went AWOL from BCT. He was my battle buddy on sick call when He went AWOL. He went on sick call...me and him went to our designated areas...when I got done I waited and waited and waited...finally somebody told me that the last ride for the day was in 15 min...that's when I realized he went AWOL and I did what the DI's told me to do in that kind of situation.

That night, I was ordered to report at the DI's office. They barked a question at me, "Where's Bartley?" I said, "he left me at sick call, Drill Sergeant." They said, "we gotta find him"

At that time I thought I would make a suggestion...I said, "Drill Sergeant"...she said, "What Collins"...I said, "did he go AWOL, Drill Sergeant."...she said, "did he?"...I said, "I was only making a suggestion, Drill Sergeant"

I got my ass into a world of shit for trying to think independently.

co-ed drill sargeants?

it's an army thing

and some wonder why Marines have such a hard time understanding all the complaints about Army boot camp being sooo tough

Geez, we didn't see a woman for the 13 weeks in boot, much less get close enough to smell one, even if she was screaming at ya!

We saw them all the time. Fort Knox had a highway running through it and several places that had women employees that we passed on our marches. It was winter so all we saw was a female face poking out of winter clothing! Still….

I....there. You know what? This ain't the topic for this, see bootcamp stories.

Not all of BCT was a nightmare for me.

I did learn, I do have some fond memories from BCT.

I will say this...

America is our home...we live here...If the enemy follows our troops home, I will be standing right next to you...not as military personnel...but as a man defending his home...and nobody can tell me I can't.

I do know the Seven Core Values, Soldiers Creed, Rules of Engagement, and the Code of Conduct.

hmmmm, I thought the topic was PTSD from bootcamp?

Throwing you for a loop is it?

Just curious, what are the current battle rules of engagement for both civilian and personnel

yeah I'm a jarhead what do ya expect?

Death by ROE

It was before my time gunny. Ft Polk was the end of the earth for me. Just snakes and othetr living things in the swamps taht didn't resemble women.

FYI
There are more than a few of us Marines out here that went through boot comp in the 60s but never went to Nam. After being "trained" to kill and love doing it, and not being assinged to where we could do it some of us suffer from extreme guilt and anger. The VA treats us for PTSD,anger, and depresson but we are not considered "service connected".

2411652- I am curious just what is your defination of the general cause of PTSD.

Not really sure. I never blamed my " failure to adapt to society"on the Marine Corp. Judges, VA doctors,and a lot of people who knew me sence before the Marine Corp say its PTSD. All i know is the Marine Corp changed my way of thinking and how I deal with things and people.I expect people to say it like it is. I do the same, no games. Above all, be honorable...Proud to be a Marine.

2411652 I am not sure what made the USMC and VA asses you as PTSD but I will say I guess I have had it for a long time if your problem is being straight foward and Honorable.

Im not talking about regular guilt or anger.Its guilt and anger to the extreme. A combat Marine wouldnt know this type of guilt or anger because he "did his job". We didnt.Some of us are like a pit bull that was raised and trained to fight in a dog fight to the death. The humain society gets hold of him right before his 1st fight.He's no good for placement because he is trained to kill and wont get allong with people or other dogs. They kill the dog.

Can you detail the training you received and the command you were in when you received it? Or are you referring to the training in or immediately after boot camp?

Bootcamp mostly. After ITR and schools I was assigned to 13 MT bat Camp Pendelton 5th Mar Div FMF West Pac

You should take great pride in your service as a Marine. Being a Marine during Vietnam in the 60's alone was doing far more for this nation that you realise. There are thousands of Marines that never saw combat. I've known countless Marines that never even had sea duty much less deployed anywhere thier entire enlistment.

Being a Marine to me means that you are ready to do what few have the capacity or will to do for this nation. I firmly believe that had the opportunity presented itself, you would have readily accepted orders to Nam and very likely excelled in the missions assigned to you. Deep down you know this and that fact alone should reenforce that pride in being a Marine during that time. Marines from the 1960's era were some of the toughest sons of bitches I ever knew. I oughta know as they trained me as well. You need to turn this anger back where it really belongs, and that is pride in your accomplishments.