Drill Instructor fear

SpongeJuan · 10-31-2005, 07:15 AM

Ok you are probably wondering what the hell i'm going to ramble about, so i'll try to make it quick.

Yesterday, on sunday, I was getting my haircut at the barbershop (since every Marine is supposed to have a fresh haircut on monday). The one on the airstation is always full, so my buds and I decided to head over to PI to get it. We grabbed a number, then walked around the PX for a bit. Well for some reason whenever I see a drill instructor walked down it makes me feel like I am doing wrong. There is something about that cover that makes him look like he's about to choke someone. I feel like jumping out of their way when they walk by me. Like if they were going to do the "one arms distance" thing.

Did anybody else ever experience this while you were a young Marine?

USMCRET6391 · 10-31-2005, 07:50 AM

LOL Spongie,

Early in 1983 I hopped on a military flight heading from MCAS Beaufort for a Maintenance Det to Top Gun when it was still at what was then NAS Miramar. This was about 7 years after I got off the Drill Field. I walked down the aisle of the A/C and as I passed one of the rows of seats, a SSGt who was sitting on the aisle in one of the rows looked up at me and seemed to shrink into his seat. I sat behind him a couple of rows. After the flight took off and we could move around, I looked up to see him standing next to me. I asked him what was up and he said you don't remember me do you?.....I said no.....he said "I was in Platoon 3075 in Boot Camp and you were my Platoon Commander (what they used to call Senior Drill Instrcutors at MCRD San Diego) , I just about crapped my pants when you got on the airplane.........."

So no, I suppose you never really get over your gut reaction to Drill Instructors.

**SGRock** · 10-31-2005, 11:43 AM

I was a Corporal in Okinawa (for the second time) and saw my Senior Drill Instructor from P.I. and Came to attention and Reported to him before I knew what was going on. He laughed and actually remembered me. It was fun after that seeing him around Camp Schwab.

**Vulture6** · 10-31-2005, 11:52 AM

Quote:

I was a Corporal in Okinawa (for the second time)

In Okinawa for the second time, or a Corporal for the second time?

SpongeJuan · 10-31-2005, 01:29 PM

So that Marine made SSgt in 7 years? That's pretty fast. Were you both in the same unit? This gunner in my unit shaved his head when we were in El Centro. He looked a lot like my SDI. I almost crapped in my pants when I saw him walk in.

Grimmy · 10-31-2005, 06:58 PM

I really do think that the only way to overcome that anxiety that DIs can bring on is to have become a DI yourself. I never did become a DI and have been out of the Corps for 20 years and still feel "uncomfortable" when ever I come face to face with former DIs.

USMCRET6391 · 10-31-2005, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spongejuan

So that Marine made SSgt in 7 years? That's pretty fast. Were you both in the same unit? This gunner in my unit shaved his head when we were in El Centro. He looked a lot like my SDI. I almost crapped in my pants when I saw him walk in.

Rank was a bit easier to make back then and depending on your MOS it was not uncommon to make SSgt in 6 years. I did in that amount of time, went from LCpl to SSgt in exactly 4 years date of rank to date of rank. I made meritorious Sgt and then picked up Meritorious SSgt on the Drill Field. As for the other Marine, we were not in the same unit, in fact that was the first time I had seen after he left San Diego and I never saw him again.

However, not long after I left the Drill Field in 76, the NCOIC of the flight line when I was in VMFA-531 (the second time) came to me and asked me what I had done to one of his new young LCpls, said every time he saw me coming he turned and ran.......I told him nothing that I knew of, so he took me out to find out what as going on...turned out the little turd was the the King Rat of the last platoon I put through MCRD.

ArchAngel · 10-31-2005, 09:36 PM

LoL.....well....1 1/2 years to go and I can share some stories.....man ya'll are making me so damn anxious to go with all these "memories", grrrr

**SGRock** · 11-01-2005, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vulture6

In Okinawa for the second time, or a Corporal for the second time?

Sorry; in Okinawa for the second time.

SpongeJuan · 11-01-2005, 07:48 AM

I think even then you would still be scared if you ran into your DI. Even if he was old and in a wheelchair in some nursing home. He would still say something like, "Get on my quarterdeck!!!"

USMC Chuter · 11-02-2005, 01:21 AM

As a LCpl on Oki, I ran into one of my DI's... We were both in civilian attire. Me standing in line at an ATM machine, him walking by with his wife and kid. We made eye contact and immediately recognized each other... I had been one of his favorite "projects", due to my propensity for smart-assity. I addressed him as "sir", and he was friendly and encouraging in his interaction with me. I was absolutely petrified of the man, and probably would be to this day. Early lessons die hard.

Grimmy · 11-02-2005, 02:43 PM

This is a bit off topic but I think it applies.

There used to be a story told about a young USMC Pvt that was manning a machine gun in a possition on Wake Island during the Japanese assault.

The story was that this Pvt was out of ammo and was still manning his gun and swinging it back and forth and making the gun shake to make it look like it was firing and helping to keep some Japanese pinned down.

A USN Lt came up to the kid and told him he should abandon the gun and fall back..to which the Pvt replied "no way Sir! My Gunny put me here and if I leave before he says it's ok, he'll kill me!!"

Boot Camp is part of that process that wakes Marines up to the reality that as individuals, they are not especially selected by "the fates" to have a nice and comfy life with all things good and wonderful. That bad things can, and if they dont pay attention, will most definatly, happen to them and that they are indeed mortal.

The best motivator for rapid and comprehensive change is, and alwase has been, fear. It's all part of that "adapt or die" thingy. Boot Camp is very heavy on adapt. Most dont die but it's good for those in the process to believe they just might if they dont hurry up and get with the program.

I guess I'm tryin to say that Boot Camp is basically darwinian and the evolutionary change from civvie to Marine is marked by a life long D. I. reaction.

11-02-2005, 03:45 PM	#13 (permalink)
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