How Navy Boot Camp changed me.

[DGM]

Fuzzybuddy, your "radioman" mention reminds me of a friend who did NOT want to go to Nam and enlisted in the Navy in 66 "to learn computers". After "computer school" the Navy told him that they had fulfilled all their promises THEN they sent him back to school: To become a "radioman" ON A RIVER PATROL BOAT!! Interesting craft: Fore and aft QUAD 50s.

 

[Paco Dennis]

Some countries (I think Israel might be one) require a form of national service and if the person is a conscientious objector or has religious reasons for not wanting to be in the military, they're still required to serve by, for instance, spending some number of years out in the hot desert sun pulling weeds or planting stuff.

Yep...that happened to me. Was sent to a California Conservation Camp. It was basically a boot camp with very few perks. Up before dawn, crummy food, kitchen and grounds duties, and working out in the wilderness in over 100 and below freezing temps. It absolutely changed the direction my life was headed before. Sobered me up, and made a productive citizen out of a aimless life.

 

[ElCastor]

Have vivid memory of the boot camp in Navy in 1957
up at Great Lakes....esp the navy chief commander of our company, decided on his own that white tee's and white short boxers were not white enuff....I got roped into helping him collect ALL the tees/shorts for his special washing, that consisted of big trash barrels (metal) and water and many
many packs of powered bleach!!! I had to stand and stir the mess for awhile, then when he started takeing it all out of the cans, we found out that the whole mess was full of BLEACH
HOLES!!!!! He had to replace everyone's underwear!!!!

I never set foot in a Navy boot camp, but it had a significant influence on me and many others. First day in OCS we were informed that should we fail to measure up there would be a seat waiting on the next train to the Great Lakes Naval Training Center. The shadow of the Great Lakes was a powerful motivator! (-8

 

[john19485]

USS COWPENS, presented this to me a couple months ago, ships flag and two hats

 

[jerry old]

Perhaps I agree with those that do not favor two years of service in the military, BUT we certainly need a prolonged period of
discipline for our half-wits, dim wits and no wits. There are so many 'children' (16-23) that checked their brains in after the 8th grade.

These 'lost children'-- children that would not make good soldiers, sailors or marines, but they also incapable of gainful employment in the civilian world. There is no place for them in our world, is there a solution?

Far too long have we parked our thugs and misfits into the military, they cannot follow directions, they cannot support themselves, so they
rob the pizza man.

 

[deaver]

if yall only knew what some of us 'radiomen' had responsibility for. my last command was a sub tender in westpac(not gonna give a lot of names out crap out here) we had 6 nuclear ballistic missile submarines and were second in command of all subs pacific. I had security clearance a tad bit higher than top secret because of the boats and weapons. we also had a crypto device to receive the launch codes for all the missiles. because of a problem similar to depicted in the movie 'crimson tide' only the president can launch nuclear weapons, on land or at sea or air. or someone in authority if the prez is dead.

 

[Been There]

Being a graduate of the Naval Academy, I missed Marine boot camp, but I did spend some time there being assigned to a small platoon under my command. I was a low-ranking officer as 2nd Lt., but we all had to start somewhere. I reported to the 1st Lt. and he reported to the Captain. It takes awhile to move up, unless you prove yourself to be exemplary, which I did OK.

I always enjoyed my time onboard the ships. There was nothing like being in the military. It was all that I knew for 30 years and would definitely do it all over again. I would recommend any young man that has no direction in life to join one of the branches. Many opportunities exist and you can learn a trade or jumpstart your career.

 

[Ted51]

I was a poor kid, if not for the opportunity that I had from joining the Navy, I would hate to think how my life would have turned out.

I know this is an old post but I have agree that life, at least for me, would have turned out quite differently if I had not joined the navy. And not for the better.

 

[mrstime]

DH joined the Navy at 17, he was 6'4" and had been a farm kid who worked even as a child, so hard work was nothing new to him. He didn't need civilizing because he was already civilized! He managed to talk the Dr into agreeing to say he was short enough to become a crew member in the airplanes. So then he got out of the Navy at 21 and never stepped on a ship. Fortunately he was out before the military started sending people to Vietnam. When he was 19 we got married , everyone knew it would never last because we were too young. That was 1957 and we are still married!

 

[jujube]

When I am King everyone (and I don't care who your daddy is) will serve two years. Kids need to learn discipline like this plus it'd give them time to figure out what they want to do in life instead of attaining a college degree in a field they'll never use.

I've always said that when I'm elected God, there are going to be some changes made! If I get elected God before you get to be King, I'll make sure everyone has to serve two years.

 

[ElCastor]

I know this is an old post but I have agree that life, at least for me, would have turned out quite differently if I had not joined the navy. And not for the better.

Joining the Navy was for me one of the greatest decisions of my life. Not only did I literally see the world but when I got out my resume assured me the job of my choice. So college and the Navy were simply great!