Posted on Feb 29, 2016
I was told that you aren't a real infantryman unless you went to basic training at Fort Benning. What are your opinions on this?
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Posted in these groups: 
11B: Infantryman
Fort Moore
InfantryInfantry Center (Army)
11A: Infantry Officer
11B: Infantryman Fort Moore InfantryInfantry Center (Army) 11A: Infantry Officer
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 277
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Basic training is just Basic Training. Your AIT is where you learn specific MOS skills. Several MOS' have OSUT Basic/AIT training which does incorporate both into one.
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In the MC there has always been the argument: which boot camp was harder, MCRD San Diego, or MCRD Parris Island. The DIs made each one place particularly onerous whether you could see the real world just outside your grasp at San Diego, or were isolated in the swamps of South Carolina. San Diego is a MC enclave sandwiched between the San Diego International Airport and the old Pacific Highway. PI is on a swampy peninsula a stones throw from the Atlantic Ocean and nearby Hilton Head Island. Every Marine is proud of his boot camp and plenty happy he did not have to attend boot camp at the other one. Horror stories abound about each one. All female Marines attend boot camp at Parris Island, for now.
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Sgt Tom Cunnally
2LT Tom Waters, JD -The Old DI says: " Real Marines were sent to Parris Island and Hollywood Marines were sent to San Diego & you can take that to the bank."
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MAJ (Join to see)
Capt Tom Brown This is the argument we Army types have to listen to when getting together with other veterans. My other three brothers were Marines along with one of my brothers-in-law. Some went to Parris Island and the others to San Diego. I can't comment on which one was better, but the arguments are really entertaining and probably not suitable for print.
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Cpl (Join to see)
I talked a lot of shit about Hollywood Marines until I went to Amphibious Assault School in Del Mar and saw those fucking hills. Woof. We might have sand fleas and humidity, but at least the ground is flat.
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CW2 Victor Munoz
I never heard of this. I have been told that many of the Infantry soldiers that have received many medals were trained at Fort Polk.
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CPL Douglas Chrysler
CW2 Victor Munoz True. My unit opened Tigerland and set a standard for future trainees to equal.
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Short and sweet. If on your ERB your PMOS is listed as 11B/C/M/whatever you're a "real" infantryman. It doesn't make you a good soldier, a stud, or a badass. It simply means you belong to the infantry.
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Let me see...... I went through Basic and Infantry AIT at Ft. Dix, New Jersey in 1966 and they were turning out more Infantrymen than Ft. Benning (look it up). I have the CIB, Cord, and all the stuff that comes with it so I don't believe that you have to go to Benning. Back in the day (60's),
Ft's Dix, Ord, Lewis, Polk, and I believe Riley were producing Infantrymen. Benning was mostly OCS, Airborne, Ranger, Infantry Advance Course, a whole bunch of 2 week Vietnam Refresher Courses (I know because I Commanded one of the Infantry Officer Training Companies), and etc. Just Sayin'! Oh Yeah, sorry I'm late on answering this but I've been out of country.
Ft's Dix, Ord, Lewis, Polk, and I believe Riley were producing Infantrymen. Benning was mostly OCS, Airborne, Ranger, Infantry Advance Course, a whole bunch of 2 week Vietnam Refresher Courses (I know because I Commanded one of the Infantry Officer Training Companies), and etc. Just Sayin'! Oh Yeah, sorry I'm late on answering this but I've been out of country.
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SGT Paul Fraser
You forgot Ft. Gordon where they had an Airborne Infantry AIT at "Camp Crockett " in '68.
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SSG Robert Webster
GFY - Did not exist when I graduated from Infantry AIT at Fort Benning in 1976.
I also have both my EIB and CIB.
I also have both my EIB and CIB.
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If that's all you have in life to hold on to, to cling to.... To feel superior to other people and fellow Soldiers, you should probably do a little soul searching. By your account, none of the Soldiers who wore blue cords in WW II, who trained at Fort Dix, Fort Polk, and DOZENS of other posts in the United States, and the defeated the Axis Powers, were 'real' Infantry. You should flush out your skull and make some room for enlightenment. Thunder 7 out.
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LTC Stephen C.
SGT Robert Cupp, there are foreign countries all over the world that are filled with U.S. Army infantry soldiers that died defending our country & they never entered the gates of Fort Benning. You're telling me they're not true infantrymen? I wouldn't have the nerve. SGT (Join to see)
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I went to Basic Training at Parris Island SC & taught at ITR at Camp Geiger & was TAD to 1st Recon & 1st Anglico Force Troops FMF Atlantic and like to think I was a real Infantryman or as we Marines call it a real Rifleman
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