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What was a rite of passage you endured, if you're willing to share. There are many rites in the Corps, and I won't share them all, but I will share something that borders on assault.
We call this the gauntlet: a group of Marines would line up facing eachother and when you promoted, everyone above you would make this 'gauntlet' and tou would walk between the Marines facing eachother, they would get to punch you once in the arm going and once in the arm returning. It hurt, after 6-7 hits, you'd start running...and then the punches come in quick succession but are not as accurate or hard. It isn't uncommon to get punched in the face, neck, shoulder, arm, stomach, or kidneys. Thank God this was only for the lowest 3 ranks, and again unfortunately you're in schools, so there are many people that form the gauntlet. I made it through and so can you...share your rite, if you dare.
We call this the gauntlet: a group of Marines would line up facing eachother and when you promoted, everyone above you would make this 'gauntlet' and tou would walk between the Marines facing eachother, they would get to punch you once in the arm going and once in the arm returning. It hurt, after 6-7 hits, you'd start running...and then the punches come in quick succession but are not as accurate or hard. It isn't uncommon to get punched in the face, neck, shoulder, arm, stomach, or kidneys. Thank God this was only for the lowest 3 ranks, and again unfortunately you're in schools, so there are many people that form the gauntlet. I made it through and so can you...share your rite, if you dare.
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Hazing
Hazing
Posted >1 y ago
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When promoted to SPC back in 1988, I was given "blood-rank" by the CO followed by the "wetting down" of my rank; also as a PSG when anyone of my platoon was promoted, they walked the gauntlet afterwards. Was not an issue for me personally nor for anyone under me at the time, different Army, different breed of Soldiers I guess.
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SSG(P) (Join to see)
I think back and endured it. Everyone was doing it. Not sure it is a right thing...I'm sure it some how contributes to PTSD in some cases. There was more...the hazing in the military can border on assault and battery. Is it right? It's how we've been doing things for centuries. Initiation if you must.
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SSG(P) (Join to see)
I have a theory that there are a lot of vets that silently suffer from this barracks abuse, call it PTSD, call it bad memories, call it whatever you like. No one is gonna look back and say I had a good time in the military, but my best day ever was when I got promoted and got beat up by my platoon, an could hardly walk for Two days...just saying. I got pinned, my NCO blood stripes, if they did it, I did it, no matter how stupid or dangerous it was. PFC, you will think different as a SFC then you do now...trust me.
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SSG(P) (Join to see), there was an uproar a few years ago about "blood rank." I think a Soldier was seriously injured by that practice, and there have probably been many more. And I read recently that the practice of blood rank or blood wings is punishable under the UCMJ. I don't know if that's true, but I read it.
The idea of rite of passage was just in the national news because of the hazing incident that resulted in the death of a Florida A&M University band member a couple years ago. The report I heard about what happened on the band bus sounds very much like the "rite of passage" you described in your post.
The other side of the "argument" is that this is military tradition, and no harm is meant. I get that, but if harm happens, then what?
One last example of this sort of behavior: At Miesau Army Depot, near Kaiserslautern, Germany, in the 1980s, a Soldier drowned in one of these rites of passage incidents. There was a tradition that departing personnel were thrown into the pond on the Depot, and one guy (who could not swim) was thrown into the pond and drowned. That was the end of that tradition and, sadly, the completely unnecessary end of a life.
The line between rite of passage and dangerous hazing is sometimes hard to distinguish.
The idea of rite of passage was just in the national news because of the hazing incident that resulted in the death of a Florida A&M University band member a couple years ago. The report I heard about what happened on the band bus sounds very much like the "rite of passage" you described in your post.
The other side of the "argument" is that this is military tradition, and no harm is meant. I get that, but if harm happens, then what?
One last example of this sort of behavior: At Miesau Army Depot, near Kaiserslautern, Germany, in the 1980s, a Soldier drowned in one of these rites of passage incidents. There was a tradition that departing personnel were thrown into the pond on the Depot, and one guy (who could not swim) was thrown into the pond and drowned. That was the end of that tradition and, sadly, the completely unnecessary end of a life.
The line between rite of passage and dangerous hazing is sometimes hard to distinguish.
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SSG(P) (Join to see)
Rite of passage and hazing is very gray and no longer black or white. on my 21st bday, coming back from Desert Storm, I was called to the flight deck and told that there is a tradition on paddling on your bday. I should mention I was one of the youngest in my platoon. I got 21 paddles with a 6 foot oar, our tool of trade in Recon. I always associated paddling as a punishment, or Sexual play...this was neither. I was black and blue from my knees to my back. No kidding. The sad thing is; you look forward towards the next guy that has a bday. Which perpetuates the cycle. I took it like a man. Did it make me better or bitter, I don't know if it did either. Some of them are certainly needless....is all I'm saying. An former SF officer and I were talking about hazing about a month ago. He said he was surprised how much military hazing involved Sexuality penetration with foreign objects....that is something that never happened to me, but it did happen to my brother in the USN and he was never the same after that.
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When I graduated AIT back in 1989 as a Blackhawk helicopter mechanic, we were awarded our crewmember badge (wings). These were placed on our uniform by the Drill SGT and he would leave the "damnits" off the back. When they were placed on the uniform, he would punch the badge, thus, we earned our "bloodwings"! Similar to getting promoted and we would have the rank pounded into our collar bones, by those that outranked us.
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SSG(P) (Join to see)
Same passage with DIVER, lead sleds, gold wing ceremony, and I'm sure other pins and badges. Can anyone vouch for that? Submariners, Seabee, Trident, etc, etc...
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