"At this point, civilian thoughts and habits are considered detrimental to training, so they are squashed during this period by intense physical training, unchanging routines, strict discipline, and heavy instruction."The "I" in individual goes away, they are not allowed to even say it. The term is "this recruit" when they are talking about themselves. Unit, unit, unit.
Recruit is becoming friends with his rifle, M16A4. He has memorized its serial number and is practicing four weapons safety rules and four weapons conditions.
Safety rules
1. Treat every weapon as if it were loaded.
2. Never point a weapon at anything you do not intend to shoot.
3. Keep finger straight and off the trigger until you are ready to fire.
4. Keep weapon on safe until you intend to fire.
Conditions
1. To place a weapon in condition 1, a round must be in position to be fired and the safety must be on.
2. To place a weapon in condition 2, a round must be in position to be fired, the weapon’s action must be closed, and the hammer must be forward. (This condition only applies to weapons that have external hammers).
3. To place a weapon in condition 3, ammunition is in position to be chambered, the chamber is empty, the action is closed, and the safety is on.
4. To place a weapon in condition 4, all ammunition is removed, the chamber is empty, the action is closed, and the safety is on.
Week three is bayonet training. There will be lots of yelling and attacking tire people with a knife at the end of the weapon. Recruit will be good at this and have a great time with it. In fact, I haven't seen anything in boot camp yet that I don't think he will be getting a kick out of. The pugil stick training looks to be almost exactly like Amtgard activity he used to love so much.
In all this activity, Recruit will also be studying Marine History and First Aid.
Note: Various sources put the things the recruits are learning in different orders, for example, in some schedules pugil sticks began in week 2 and first aid begins in week 4. This is deliberately to confuse the enemy and not be predictable.
"Marines know how to use their bayonets. Army bayonets may as well be paper-weights." -- Navy Times
"A bayonet fighter shows no remorse" I was told in Army training. This shortly before I refused to kill, having been non-violent in previous life. (after some paperwork I was allowed medic training which suited my outlook better.)
ReplyDeleteIt saddens me to see the killing extended and encouraged rather than reduced in the hopes of future peace and brotherhood. Of course the kids are easily convinced -- this is how the fighting and bloody dying continues apparently.
I hope for the best for our planet, but fear for the worst.
Thanks goatman.
ReplyDeleteI am sad and yet I see this bizzare turn of life is a hope for my child. He plans to be a mechanic with his life and, with a love of pagentry and being part of a bigger whole, has found a place he seems happy.