College Graduates, when you enter basic, what are your thoughts on somebody yelling at you instead of actually training you?

CPT T F
First rule of Ghost Operators, you don't speak about Ghost Operators.

He may have confused this site with a blog site for keyboard warriors playing Ghost Recon or some other such "role playing" game. Know several guys from special ops all branches and never saw them refer to themselves as a ghost operator!

Former deputy commander civil air part. Commanding.

First rule of Fight club, you dont talk about fight club

I'd add to that:
A college grad that doesn't understand WHY they are going to get yelled at, didn't get any smarter in college.

Hi, SFC Fullerton.

Certainly not all of them, but a lot of college grads that are young enough to join the military think they're smarter than everyone else. In Basic, it doesn't matter if a person is a genius or dumber than a box of rocks. We were all equally worthless.

you would be surprised that many college grads do not understand the purpose and procedures of building a Soldier. A civilian must be broken down, then built back up in the Military way. It can be traumatic for those who do not understand and/or are unprepared.

Agreed, SSG Unger

But they are too privileged and entitled to get yelled at. They need to be awarded trophies for learning how to zipper their blouses as well as other arduous activities such as reading one's smart book while in formation for an hour.

Full Metal Jacket. I wasn't going to say that, but it crossed my mind.

Is the military still doing stripes for skills? I thought most college grads come in at the E-3/E-4 level and this guy is an E-1/E-2(PVT)

HI, SSG Jeremy Sharp - .

I think so. I came in as an E2 because I had a little college. That didn't matter at all in Basic, though. While I got paid as an E2 and got to wear the stripes after a while, I was treated just like everyone else until the day we left.

When i went to basic back in 1997, we were all E-nothings until graduation day.

Ok, MGySGT Forward, I'll take that as a Valid Answer. Anyone Else ??

It sure seemed like nine years!

SP5 Joel O'Brien - I think he meant 9 yards (ie, the 9 yards of ammunition fed into a M-240B or a M2 .50 Cal)

You also learn to follow lawful orders. The first classes I remember were UCMJ and learning about the Geneva Convention.

The connection is that college uses different learning methods and techniques.

I am also confused about the connection between being a college graduate and being yelled at. I was not a college graduate (when I went off to basic) and if I got yelled out wouldn't I potentially feel as bad about that as anyone else. Or does attending college mean you are somehow better than a non-graduate and being yelled at is not called for. Maybe the questions is: Do you feel being yelled at is a better training technique then calm education? For the record my Drill Sergeant never once yelled at our platoon or any individual. He had a better option: He lectured at length well into the evening hours about whatever subject seemed to upset him that particular day. He took away what little personal time we got. I think it was very effective.

I was lucky when i went to basic. I was taller than both of my TI/DI. so if i was getting yelled at i could look over there head at what was going on behind them. If you looked down you would get yelled at for not keeping your eyes forward. it was a no-lose for me, i did not have to look them in the face when i got yelled at. lol

SGT Dave Tracy - Does it work? Do Soldiers respond? Does anything else matter? Yes, situations change; hopefully the troop will be trained and smart enough to actually respond to that changed situation w/o locking up!

SPC, Elijah, the idea is to teach your sorry butt (civilian type) to react immediately, so when somone says Grenade, or DOWN, it may just end up saving your life. Rebuilding you from your civilian self to a military mindset, teaches you that obeying immediately then evaluating after will indeed save your butt. Yelling at you gets you the civilian away from punch him in the nose mentality to forming you into a tougher shell.

SFC Alfred Galloway - do what you're told or asked to do and ask questions later unless it affects you or others well being. Always a good rule to follow.

SFC Richard Giles - Agreed

I see that as well, SFC Oliver,thank you.

All part of the process of making men from boys. Supplant individual concerns with unit success and taking care of the small unit during attack.

LTC Paul Labrador - exactly!

CSM Charles Hayden Passed 7/29/2025 - I originally wanted to fly planes for the military when I was younger. To do this, I knew I needed to be an officer and to be an officer I knew I needed college, so I chose that route and life got in the way. When the recession hit, and my company imploded (Spectacularly! I might add), I thought again about the military.

While flying wasn't really an option any more--and I'm not sure I would have wanted it by that point anyway--the one last chance to do something so different than the ordinary, and so different from my own experiences while providing for myself and my family as the economy regained its footing was something I wasn't going to pass up. Besides, I've always had a bit of a patriotic soft-spot and what better place to walk the patriotic walk than the Army?

I chose Infantry because it is that heart of the Army; the whole purpose of any army since the beginning of warfare. Luckily I had kept myself in good shape over the years, and while Sand Hill was NO picnic, I managed to fight my way through to earn my blue cord. I did my time in the Big Army and then went into the Reserves where I am today.

Given the circumstances of when I enlisted and how recent history has played out, I am confident in saying I missed out on nothing by enlisting. There were many days at Sand Hill, and even after, when I thought I'd never make it; that my choice was regretful, but even then, I figured one day things would come together, and there would be no more regrets, and I was right. I crossed that threshold years ago. Knowing what I know now, I'd make a few difference choices, but I'd still choose to enlist.

A bit of a long answer to a short question, I grant you, but it's a full answer.

SGT Dave Tracy How interesting, what a story! Thank you for being on of us.