The reason I’ve avoided the VFW and other watering holes for military vets and retirees since I left the service is that the people who frequent those places are often like the OP: people who can’t seem to let the past just ride and who do nothing but sit, drink, and piss and moan about either a) how bad they had it, b) how piss-poor the military is now compared to how it was back in the day, or c) how the government is fucking everybody over. Living in the past and revising history is of no interest to me. The OP needs to move on.
It’s funny you mention that, as there was just a press release from the VFW national commander who said the VFW needs to make a concentrated effort to make the organization more appealing for younger vets.
Personally: I never had any interest in joining the VFW despite being interested in veteran’s affairs.
Why does this matter to you so very much right now? Just a general feeling of being hard done-by?
When you were doing your boot camp thing, did you by any chance have an ancient grandfather or uncle who liked to tell you what a soft time you were having compared to his experience? 
I suppose, really, you ought to write expressing your concerns to the authorities in charge of Marine training: I’m sure they would be delighted to hear from you.
Actually, joking apart, you might want to consider, either alone or with some old friends, putting together a memoir of your experiences. It would be interesting to do, and having written it all down, or produced an audio version, you’d have contributed a bit to records of 20th century social history.
Who said that? Who the fuck said that?! Who’s the slimy little Communist shit twinkle-toed cocksucker down here who just signed his own death warrant?! Nobody, huh? The fairy fucking godmother said it! Out-fucking-standing! I will P.T. you all until you fucking die! I’ll P.T. you until your assholes are sucking buttermilk.
That’s not going to be tough enough though, is it? There needs to be pain and misery until death AND BEYOND.
But the Marine Corps lives forever, and that means you live forever…
I’m going to put you in Golf Company. It’s full of retards and fuck-ups. Maybe you can elevate them sons of bitches a little…or maybe not.
If God would have wanted you up there he would have miracled your ass up there by now, wouldn’t he?
-_-
For most high school sports the student athletes work out year around and are pushed around by coaches and personal trainers already, even in the summer So I’d have to go with the people going into the marine corps are now more often conditioned athletes and are used to taking orders so why abuse them? Why waste time on pt and learning how to march when you can spend more time on advanced things like weapons training?
Also since most positions in the military nowadays are non combat I wonder if such hardness is needed for someone who’s going to be behind a desk anyways?
Doesnt that have more to do with the job schedule?
I mean arent DI’s “on-duty” 24-7 for all 9 weeks of basic? It doesnt seem to me like an 8-5 job where one can be home with their families every night.
When I was active in 1990 there was a Senior DI and 3 Junior DI’s. There were three there during most days while we were in the rear and only one on duty at night. When we were in the field it was all hands on deck to make sure nobody went sightseeing.
It’s been a few decades so I don’t know how the schedule is currently.
Some people just aren’t suited for the military, you don’t want them there and they should move on.
A skilled trainer doesn’t need abuse, seeing how people react to stress isn’t abuse.
Seeing these old fashioned Emery style trainers, my first reaction even as a kid was what happens if I just ignore everything he screams? Will he hit me, do a little more dirty flirt talk? What?
It is difficult to judge past generations by what we know today. Marine Corps Boot Camp was operated in that fashion because it worked, but times change. People do get dropped for performance reasons, not often but it happens. Your reason is most of the reason we have an all volunteer force.
However, I don’t know what your post has to do with the differences in MCRD between the 1960’s and today.
Personal nitpick; his name is Ermey…Gunny Ermey.
Oops, thanks I keep saying in my head R Lee Emery for some reason.:smack:
I guess I was saying to the OP and others I’m not sure how screaming at someone they are a pinko faggot accomplishes, it is just a waste of time. I mean hell did the OP watch FMJ?
I guess if someone sat down or refused to do an exercise it should be noted and tallied, I’m not sure screaming at them does any good. I get that it is different times.
Um…did you happen to notice the scene where Private “Pyle” received a wake up call from the rest of the platoon beating him with bars of soap wrapped in a towel?
Or perhaps you are familiar with the case of U.S. v Col. Nathan R. Jessup which occurred directly after the events of the documentary “A Few Good Men”?
Now obviously these are fictitious accounts. I’m sure actual Marine Corp vets can provide some details, but the Marines have been around a long time as an organization and I’m quite positive they know how to motivate some kid who doesn’t want to be there. If the yelling and screaming doesn’t work and a heart to heart with the DI doesn’t work there’s taking away leave, forcing you to redo boot camp, some sort of unpleasant punitive duty, even the brig or a dishonorable discharge (which will follow you in civilian life).
Or you might just find it easier to just run those obstacles rather than have the DI in your face and the rest of the platoon treat you like a jerk.
I’m pretty sure I’ve seen most of the episodes of Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. multiple times (and all of them at least once), but I can’t remember that ever happening.
A little help?
Scene from Full Metal Jacket where a struggling trainee with that nickname gets hurt by other trainees.
You candy assed civilians don’t get it. There was a retired Roman Centurion who was griping about how easy boot Centurions have it in 20 AD compared to how he had it in 30 BC when he went through boot camp.
It’s a tradition.