Navy Bootcamp experiance and my opinions

[DarkWizard12]

Well, I just graduated a few weeks ago, from RTC great lakes.

It wasn't bad...but it wasn't good either.

As a recruit, we of course, got our dose of "beat downs", both physical and mental. But it wasn't what I expected, in fact, I rate it "under par".

As a division, we were taught well, and as a sailor, I learned what I needed to learn and became the sailor I was supposed to be, but I don't think I got as much out of it as I should have. Not because I didn't want to learn but, and I really think, because bootcamp has become soft.

Some navy vets here may not like this but, in bootcamp, as a recruit, I got

1. 8 hours of sleep each night. (not including the nights I had watch, of course)
2. 3 meals a day
3. 15 minutes, minimum, to eat food.
4. my instructors never laid a hand on me
5. an hour(30 minutes, actually, but on paper, an hour) of PT every day.
6. Our beatings(more PT) only lasted 30 minutes. And the entire division only got beat...maybe 4-5 times? the entire 8 weeks I was there.

I don't know if I have some psychological problem but, I think bootcamp was softer than expected, and I rather would have had it like in the older days when bootcamp was actual hell. I think I would have been molded into a better sailor that way. One of our instructors said that, when he joined 20 some odd years ago, on the first day he was choked into submission for almost no reason by his RDC, among other stories.

I think that is terrible but...I kinda think it would have been better for us if we went through the same experiances our parents and grandparents went through in bootcamp . Now, RDC's aren't even allowed to touch us, and everything is spoonfed so, it's almost a joke.

I was also in an All-male division. I hear that integrated divisions have it easier than that. it's a complete joke.

Anyway, that's my opinion, I'm curious, what does everyone else, especially those who have been in the navy before me, think? Is bootcamp too easy now? Or has it been the same all these years, and the stories were just to scare me? Because I really think it should have been harder than that.

 

[Orion]

I thought the main objective of boot camp was to make you responsive to orders, get you working in a team and have team bonding, and to familiarize you with procedures. If it's accomplishing all of that without brutality, then I don't see the problem.

 

[Coronado]

A friend of mine who went about ten years ago called RTC Great Lakes "play land." Evidently he didn't think it was terribly difficult either.

My grandfather (God rest his soul) also remarked that it wasn't too difficult for him when he went in 1944, but he thought it was just because he was coming in off the farm, and that it was harder for the city boys.

 

[justabubba]

didn't boot camp soften up when we went to an all-volunteer military?

tough to fill enrollment quotas while being known for uncivil practices

 

[DarkWizard12]

Yes, that's the point I was trying to make. I learned all about orders and procedures, but when it came to being a team, so much was spoonfed in bootcamp that, there was really no point to it. you couldn't accomplish everything by yourself, of course, but when it came to following orders, there was no teamwork needed. I could make my bed by myself, I could stand for insepction by myself, I could pass my tests by myself, etc etc. The only time teamwork was tested was at the very end, where we had to pass a simulation, and it was so easy, you would have to either fall asleep or just completely rebel and walk away to fail. There was no "real test" or anything to make the division bond and become a team.

 

[Renae]

Well, I just graduated a few weeks ago, from RTC great lakes.

It wasn't bad...but it wasn't good either.

As a recruit, we of course, got our dose of "beat downs", both physical and mental. But it wasn't what I expected, in fact, I rate it "under par".

As a division, we were taught well, and as a sailor, I learned what I needed to learn and became the sailor I was supposed to be, but I don't think I got as much out of it as I should have. Not because I didn't want to learn but, and I really think, because bootcamp has become soft.

Some navy vets here may not like this but, in bootcamp, as a recruit, I got

1. 8 hours of sleep each night. (not including the nights I had watch, of course)
2. 3 meals a day
3. 15 minutes, minimum, to eat food.
4. my instructors never laid a hand on me
5. an hour(30 minutes, actually, but on paper, an hour) of PT every day.
6. Our beatings(more PT) only lasted 30 minutes. And the entire division only got beat...maybe 4-5 times? the entire 8 weeks I was there.

I don't know if I have some psychological problem but, I think bootcamp was softer than expected, and I rather would have had it like in the older days when bootcamp was actual hell. I think I would have been molded into a better sailor that way. One of our instructors said that, when he joined 20 some odd years ago, on the first day he was choked into submission for almost no reason by his RDC, among other stories.

I think that is terrible but...I kinda think it would have been better for us if we went through the same experiances our parents and grandparents went through in bootcamp . Now, RDC's aren't even allowed to touch us, and everything is spoonfed so, it's almost a joke.

I was also in an All-male division. I hear that integrated divisions have it easier than that. it's a complete joke.

Anyway, that's my opinion, I'm curious, what does everyone else, especially those who have been in the navy before me, think? Is bootcamp too easy now? Or has it been the same all these years, and the stories were just to scare me? Because I really think it should have been harder than that.

Welcome to the Fleet Sailor

When I went through in '95 it was pretty weak even then. The PT was a bit more, and no they couldn't touch us, but we did get worked over. However, the "Obstacle Course" back then was indoors, with cut rubber matting to keep you from getting hurt, and they were experimenting with "Training Time Outs" in case a recruit became overwhelmed. We had a sister division, and they actually spent most of the time whining their female RDC was too mean to them. It was rather pathetic.
Oh two questions: What did you do for Service Week? (I worked the Chapel) And where you headed for A-School?


Orion the purpose of Bootcamp is to shock the civilian out of you, wash out the weak, and toughen you mentally and physically. Sadly it's become far more "Oh, here you are, you're in the military now, isn't that swell?"

I'm not for physical abuse, but I also believe that holding these kids hands won't make it happen either.

 

[DarkWizard12]

Welcome to the Fleet Sailor

When I went through in '95 it was pretty weak even then. The PT was a bit more, and no they couldn't touch us, but we did get worked over. However, the "Obstacle Course" back then was indoors, with cut rubber matting to keep you from getting hurt, and they were experimenting with "Training Time Outs" in case a recruit became overwhelmed. We had a sister division, and they actually spent most of the time whining their female RDC was too mean to them. It was rather pathetic.
Oh two questions: What did you do for Service Week? (I worked the Chapel) And where you headed for A-School?


Orion the purpose of Bootcamp is to shock the civilian out of you, wash out the weak, and toughen you mentally and physically. Sadly it's become far more "Oh, here you are, you're in the military now, isn't that swell?"

I'm not for physical abuse, but I also believe that holding these kids hands won't make it happen either.

Pensacola NAS, which is odd considering im not an Airman. :/

Yea, I agree. the Training time outs were pathetic. and there was always "That guy(s)" in every division that would constantly call a "TTO" and conveniantly go to sick hall right before or during PT. I, however, was never that pathetic.

My service week consisted of spit-shining boots and doing compartment roving watch for 6 hours. It sucked :/

We no longer have a "obstacle course", we have this thing called battlestations 21 which tests our division's teamwork...or supposed to. It's kinda cool really but, easy to pass as well...just stay awake.

Yea, when the hardest part is staying awake, yea, I have to agree, they aren't taking the civilian out of us.

 

[Renae]

Pensacola NAS, which is odd considering im not an Airman. :/

Yea, I agree. the Training time outs were pathetic. and there was always "That guy(s)" in every division that would constantly call a "TTO" and conveniantly go to sick hall right before or during PT. I, however, was never that pathetic.

My service week consisted of spit-shining boots and doing compartment roving watch for 6 hours. It sucked :/

We no longer have a "obstacle course", we have this thing called battlestations 21 which tests our division's teamwork...or supposed to. It's kinda cool really but, easy to pass as well...just stay awake.

Yea, when the hardest part is staying awake, yea, I have to agree, they aren't taking the civilian out of us.

What Rate are you going for? I started out as an AC (last class through Millington TN before they moved it to P-Cola) then I struck over to AG.

 

[DarkWizard12]

What Rate are you going for? I started out as an AC (last class through Millington TN before they moved it to P-Cola) then I struck over to AG.

CT...don't know why, it just sounded like a cool job...untill i heard about the background check(grumble) :/

 

[Renae]

CT...don't know why, it just sounded like a cool job...untill i heard about the background check(grumble) :/

Not so bad really. If I were to ever go back in, I still got a few years before they say no I'd beg to go in as an MC. At least you're in Ops, and that will make life mo'better for you when you get to your first ship.

 

[WI Crippler]

Boot camp was supposed to be a shock to your civilian niceties, and make things worse for you than the majority of what you will experience in the fleet. You can teach team-building exercises in college classes if you want. A little "tough love" for a recruit weeds out mentally unfit service members who won't be worth a **** in a stressful situation if they get to call timeout when their wee little feelings get hurt. Now all the boot camps won't allow such things to happen, because of the scrutiny they face. So its become incumbent up fleet units to properly train their airmen, sailors, soliders, and Marines to be what they should have been coming out of boot camp. Even in your A school, if its the same as when I went through, they will impose upon you ridiculous base restrictions, and liberty hours because not enough discipline got instilled in boot camp and young servicemembers don't know how to behave. When I went through NAs Pensacola, actually the Marines were allowed the greatest latitude as far as that stuff went, because the commands new we had a bit more of it instilled in us. The sailors got the **** end of the stick on that, and the few air Force units on base weren't even allowed to talk to Marines.

Getting back to the units, some take this seriously, and others don't. Sure, a boot sailor or Marine can press their uniform, recite rank structure, and shine their boots. But that doesn't do a fleet unit one damn bit of good.

Let me know how NAS Pensacola looks. I went their for avionics school, and it was a nice base but last I heard(about 6 years ago) is that the barracks had gone to ****.

 

[Crosscheck]

One of our instructors said that, when he joined 20 some odd years ago, on the first day he was choked into submission for almost no reason by his RDC, among other stories.

20 some years ago would have been around 1990. I went through Air Force boot camp in 1970. I realize the Air Force boot camp is not like a Marine's boot camp but it was during the Viet Nam Conflict so it was serious. But I never saw a TI lay a hand on anyone. I had buddies in the Army and Marines during that time and none of them ever reported being hammered by a DI.
There were times that you really thought they were going to pick you up and toss you. Actually rethinking the times back then I think a slap along side the head would have been better than someone barking in your face with spittle hitting you.

 

[DarkWizard12]

20 some years ago would have been around 1990. I went through Air Force boot camp in 1970. I realize the Air Force boot camp is not like a Marine's boot camp but it was during the Viet Nam Conflict so it was serious. But I never saw a TI lay a hand on anyone. I had buddies in the Army and Marines during that time and none of them ever reported being hammered by a DI.
There were times that you really thought they were going to pick you up and toss you. Actually rethinking the times back then I think a slap along side the head would have been better than someone barking in your face with spittle hitting you.

Meh, that's what the RDC said, maybe it was just to scare us or somethin. :/

 

[Donc]

WELL... you did JOIN the NAVY. :mrgreen:

 

[DarkWizard12]

Boot camp was supposed to be a shock to your civilian niceties, and make things worse for you than the majority of what you will experience in the fleet. You can teach team-building exercises in college classes if you want. A little "tough love" for a recruit weeds out mentally unfit service members who won't be worth a **** in a stressful situation if they get to call timeout when their wee little feelings get hurt. Now all the boot camps won't allow such things to happen, because of the scrutiny they face. So its become incumbent up fleet units to properly train their airmen, sailors, soliders, and Marines to be what they should have been coming out of boot camp. Even in your A school, if its the same as when I went through, they will impose upon you ridiculous base restrictions, and liberty hours because not enough discipline got instilled in boot camp and young servicemembers don't know how to behave. When I went through NAs Pensacola, actually the Marines were allowed the greatest latitude as far as that stuff went, because the commands new we had a bit more of it instilled in us. The sailors got the **** end of the stick on that, and the few air Force units on base weren't even allowed to talk to Marines.

Getting back to the units, some take this seriously, and others don't. Sure, a boot sailor or Marine can press their uniform, recite rank structure, and shine their boots. But that doesn't do a fleet unit one damn bit of good.

Let me know how NAS Pensacola looks. I went their for avionics school, and it was a nice base but last I heard(about 6 years ago) is that the barracks had gone to ****.

We have 5 navy barracks here and all but one has completely gone to ****. The other one looks nice, and has very strict regulations, but of course, undisciplined assbag sailors, being undisciplined assbag sailors, skirt them and bend them...or sometimes flat out break the rules, constantly.

Also, just my opinion, the grass at NAS desperately needs to be mowed.

 

[Crosscheck]

Meh, that's what the RDC said, maybe it was just to scare us or somethin. :/

It is amazing how good those guys are at their job. There was a lot of psychological tactics used by them in order for one man to have complete undivided control of 60 men.

I had a buddy who told me on day 2 of boot camp they were in formation when another boot came walking up without a hat on and shirt half buttoned up. The TI screamed at him where is your hat. This goofy boot says he didn't feel like wearing it. The TI then grabs the boot in front of the unit and throws him against the barracks. He jerked him around a little then told him to get his butt back to his unit and never be seen around here again.
The boots were shocked at how physical a TI could get with someone.
Then about 2 weeks later they are marching through the base when he spots that same goofy guy dressed in his TI uniform marching another unit. They had been had. The TI had another TI do that acting job. Quite good too.

 

[Vader]

Well, I just graduated a few weeks ago, from RTC great lakes.

It wasn't bad...but it wasn't good either.

As a recruit, we of course, got our dose of "beat downs", both physical and mental. But it wasn't what I expected, in fact, I rate it "under par".

As a division, we were taught well, and as a sailor, I learned what I needed to learn and became the sailor I was supposed to be, but I don't think I got as much out of it as I should have. Not because I didn't want to learn but, and I really think, because bootcamp has become soft.

Some navy vets here may not like this but, in bootcamp, as a recruit, I got

1. 8 hours of sleep each night. (not including the nights I had watch, of course)
2. 3 meals a day
3. 15 minutes, minimum, to eat food.
4. my instructors never laid a hand on me
5. an hour(30 minutes, actually, but on paper, an hour) of PT every day.
6. Our beatings(more PT) only lasted 30 minutes. And the entire division only got beat...maybe 4-5 times? the entire 8 weeks I was there.

I don't know if I have some psychological problem but, I think bootcamp was softer than expected, and I rather would have had it like in the older days when bootcamp was actual hell. I think I would have been molded into a better sailor that way. One of our instructors said that, when he joined 20 some odd years ago, on the first day he was choked into submission for almost no reason by his RDC, among other stories.

I think that is terrible but...I kinda think it would have been better for us if we went through the same experiances our parents and grandparents went through in bootcamp . Now, RDC's aren't even allowed to touch us, and everything is spoonfed so, it's almost a joke.

I was also in an All-male division. I hear that integrated divisions have it easier than that. it's a complete joke.

Anyway, that's my opinion, I'm curious, what does everyone else, especially those who have been in the navy before me, think? Is bootcamp too easy now? Or has it been the same all these years, and the stories were just to scare me? Because I really think it should have been harder than that.

Consider yourself lucky. When I went through, 8 count body builders were still legal. Now I hear they brought stress cards back.

 

[Vader]

Boot camp was supposed to be a shock to your civilian niceties, and make things worse for you than the majority of what you will experience in the fleet. You can teach team-building exercises in college classes if you want. A little "tough love" for a recruit weeds out mentally unfit service members who won't be worth a **** in a stressful situation if they get to call timeout when their wee little feelings get hurt. Now all the boot camps won't allow such things to happen, because of the scrutiny they face. So its become incumbent up fleet units to properly train their airmen, sailors, soliders, and Marines to be what they should have been coming out of boot camp. Even in your A school, if its the same as when I went through, they will impose upon you ridiculous base restrictions, and liberty hours because not enough discipline got instilled in boot camp and young servicemembers don't know how to behave. When I went through NAs Pensacola, actually the Marines were allowed the greatest latitude as far as that stuff went, because the commands new we had a bit more of it instilled in us. The sailors got the **** end of the stick on that, and the few air Force units on base weren't even allowed to talk to Marines.

Getting back to the units, some take this seriously, and others don't. Sure, a boot sailor or Marine can press their uniform, recite rank structure, and shine their boots. But that doesn't do a fleet unit one damn bit of good.

Let me know how NAS Pensacola looks. I went their for avionics school, and it was a nice base but last I heard(about 6 years ago) is that the barracks had gone to ****.

That's because the budgets have been tightened to the point that they squeek.

 

[Cochise]

WI Crippler, when were you in? I'm told by some that the Crucible made things that much more unpleasant, and from other people that it was nothing. Also, hump waiver or Hollywooder?

 

[Wiseone]

Welcome to the Navy.

 

[UtahBill]

Beat downs? WTF? what do you consider a beat down? I went thru in 63, in San Diego.

 

[Renae]

Beat downs? WTF? what do you consider a beat down? I went thru in 63, in San Diego.

We called em "Making it rain" cause you'd be "cycled" till the moisture formed on the walls.

 

[UtahBill]

We called em "Making it rain" cause you'd be "cycled" till the moisture formed on the walls.

Sounds like a bunch of BS to me.... lots of people take a rare event and blow it out of proportion, and even clailm to have witnessed it, or particiapated in it.
Macho BS, that is all it is....

 

[mac]

Well, I just graduated a few weeks ago, from RTC great lakes.

It wasn't bad...but it wasn't good either.

As a recruit, we of course, got our dose of "beat downs", both physical and mental. But it wasn't what I expected, in fact, I rate it "under par".

As a division, we were taught well, and as a sailor, I learned what I needed to learn and became the sailor I was supposed to be, but I don't think I got as much out of it as I should have. Not because I didn't want to learn but, and I really think, because bootcamp has become soft.

Some navy vets here may not like this but, in bootcamp, as a recruit, I got

1. 8 hours of sleep each night. (not including the nights I had watch, of course)
2. 3 meals a day
3. 15 minutes, minimum, to eat food.
4. my instructors never laid a hand on me
5. an hour(30 minutes, actually, but on paper, an hour) of PT every day.
6. Our beatings(more PT) only lasted 30 minutes. And the entire division only got beat...maybe 4-5 times? the entire 8 weeks I was there.

I don't know if I have some psychological problem but, I think bootcamp was softer than expected, and I rather would have had it like in the older days when bootcamp was actual hell. I think I would have been molded into a better sailor that way. One of our instructors said that, when he joined 20 some odd years ago, on the first day he was choked into submission for almost no reason by his RDC, among other stories.

I think that is terrible but...I kinda think it would have been better for us if we went through the same experiances our parents and grandparents went through in bootcamp . Now, RDC's aren't even allowed to touch us, and everything is spoonfed so, it's almost a joke.

I was also in an All-male division. I hear that integrated divisions have it easier than that. it's a complete joke.

Anyway, that's my opinion, I'm curious, what does everyone else, especially those who have been in the navy before me, think? Is bootcamp too easy now? Or has it been the same all these years, and the stories were just to scare me? Because I really think it should have been harder than that.

I went to boot camp in Great Lakes 22 years ago. Of the 6 descriptions you posted, 6 were the same then. Shocking? No one got choked, slapped, or hit. Physical violence against subordinates has been prohibited for about a hundred years or so.

 

[mac]

Sounds like a bunch of BS to me.... lots of people take a rare event and blow it out of proportion, and even clailm to have witnessed it, or particiapated in it.
Macho BS, that is all it is....

I second what MrVic said. He's 100% accurate in his description. We called it the same thing in boot camp 22 years ago.