Do you remember your first day of basic training?

I remember the DI's always having that signature "HOOOOLYYYY SH**!" when they have discovered some poor soul deserving of ridicule. To this day, I do not remember the fellows name. Only the moniker in which was thrust upon him. He had massive BCG's on his face, just massive things. Upon sighting the poor guy, the conversation went something like this.

"HOOOOLYYY SH**! Geezus, son, I'm hungry as hell! I bet you can read the menu in the DFAC from here! Come on, son, tell me what's for dinner! Jesus Christ, don't TELL me you can't see the future those! Your name is now Portholes!"

June 1982,t. Leonard wood,Mo.I was a 17yr old kid.I remember the how the DI's poured out of the barrachs as soon as we arrived and smoked the dog snot out of us.I swear I thought I had died on the trip to boot camp and had landed in hell.

CPT Jacob Swartout,

Yes, quite well. I arrived at the San Diego airport and reported to the Marine Corps liaison NCO. My orders said to report at 0001. I reported in about 1400. The very nice and polite Marine Sergeant (E-5) so very nicely ASKED me to sit Indian style on the floor of the airport in view of his desk. (Sarcasm is hard to type so I hope it is getting through).

I sat there until a little after 0001 when everyone else was there and we were escorted to a line of waiting buses. All were a beautiful green color with more nice and polite Marine NCOs. We arrived at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot a while later after riding for what seemed like an eternity. I thought we would be whisked off to a barracks and a LONG nights rest, instead, we hit the yellow foot prints and in processing began immediately. We received our haircuts, were issued sweatshirts, cammie trousers, and covers, received a haircut, and about 0500 had breakfast. Then it was a BRAND NEW DAY.

My first day as a Marine recruit lasted about 18 hours before my head hit that comfortable rack.

SFC Joseph M. Finck USA (Ret)

CPT Jacob Swartout - I remember the first night and being in the dorm sleeping in a very strange place. Lots of yelling and spit. LOL. That following morning we had an AB Crowder who wigged out in formation. Learning how to make a bed was pretty cool. I bragged out it when I went to a Motel one time. I have mad skills!

You mean first 72 hours? I am not entirely sure I slept until after receiving. I remember being a zombie, peeing in a cup, calling home, getting uniforms, getting rifles, sitting in a nasty squad bay eating bag nasty's, marching here and there, the glow belt being important somehow, not being allowed to talk, getting photos taken for ID cards, getting the "did you ever do anything illegal" talk, getting issued gear, pick up day, then I think we slept. Not in that order. I am sure there was more.

I sure due, I was volunteered to unload the cattle trucks with our bags. At first the Drill Sergeant was calm and relax, then all of a sudden the switch turned on and my world was rocked for ever. And over 10 years later I saw that same Drill Sergeant, but he was now the Assistant Commandant at ALU while I was in SLC. Now that proves how small the Army really is.

Who could forget such a pivotal day in our lives? I remember being crammed into cattle cars from reception at Fort Benning and traveling to Sand Hill. So crammed that wha ever direction you were standing was the only direction you could see. So most of us couldn't see what was coming. No matter how crammed that cattle car was it was empty in seconds flat! Then I remember assholes and elbows, a cluster fuck an FUBAR. I hadn't been issued my military issue rape prevention goggles and a huge black Drill took issue with it and I hadn't learned to not look them in the eyes yet and that was all he needed. I was on my back doing flutter kicks and then the front leaning rest sweating my ass off and fearing for my life because he got real real close to me and told me when he wasn't doing this, he wrestled alligators for fun!! I remember thinking who the hell does that??!!! Welcome to Fort Benning son! Still love the experience till today.

Yes I had to get rid of my food my mother sent me with to eat and to have. LOL