In Basic Training, we females had to iron, starch, sew and polish Everything. Did you males have the same obligations in Boot Camp?

SPC Margaret Higgins — Sat, 05 Dec 2015 10:51:51 -0500

Response by MCPO Roger Collins made Dec 5 at 2015 11:05 AM

MCPO Roger Collins — Sat, 05 Dec 2015 11:05:37 -0500

You don'[t know the half of it, Margaret. Have you ever looked up what a clothes stop is. That was the Navy version of a clothes pin. Learned the hard way, if a little bleach is good, lots is better, don't work out very well. The only ironing we had was folding our uniforms so that most of the wrinkles were missing (placing them under your mattress worked fairly well, but don't get caught. We had big tables out in the open air for washing machines, they looked like wash boards. And you had to watch out for pteredactyls (I know, misspelled but too lazy to look it up) while you did your laundry in 1957.

Response by CW4 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 5 at 2015 11:06 AM

CW4 Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 05 Dec 2015 11:06:25 -0500

Yes. Definitely. Especially in Air Force basic. Not so much in Army basic.

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Dec 5 at 2015 11:43 AM

Capt Seid Waddell — Sat, 05 Dec 2015 11:43:27 -0500

I don't remember the laundry, but sewing on rank, name tapes, etc. and polishing everything was a big deal - especially if done incorrectly). I also remember getting the dust off of the water in the head before inspections and hiding the toilet tissue used to wipe away any water spots before inspections (no trash was allowed in the trash cans and flushing the paper just made more water spots).

I never saw anyone get so worked up if the key in the Kiwi polish can was not aligned exactly under the correct "Kiwi" at the foot of the bird, and the can properly "grounded" in the front right corner of the top drawer which was opened exactly one inch for inspection - with the second drawer opened exactly two inches, etc., etc.

And Lord help you if a stray hair was to be found on any surface.

I always had the feeling that I was being sent on a snipe hunt, but had the sense not to show it when the wedge inspectors had their serious faces on.

Response by Capt Walter Miller made Dec 5 at 2015 1:49 PM

Capt Walter Miller — Sat, 05 Dec 2015 13:49:33 -0500

Nah, the female recruits did that for us.

Walt

Response by 1stSgt Eugene Harless made Dec 5 at 2015 11:09 PM

1stSgt Eugene Harless — Sat, 05 Dec 2015 23:09:51 -0500

Yes, Male Marine Recruits Iron, use Starch, ( later charged to Magic sizing) Polish and spitshine their Footwear, clean the Barracks etc. Marine uniforms changed where now they used anodized instead of brass buckles and buttons and dress shoes and cap visors are now chorophram instead of leather. Recruits are taught to do laundry ( in San Diego it was done by hand on Sunday Mornings) .
I remember the big saying by the Drill Instructors "Your mommy isnt here to pick up after toy and wash your clothes". I'm pretty sure Boot camp is the first time a lot of recruits from eithe gender do such things.
It was a two purpose learning experience. It taught rcruits to care for their clothing and living spaces and taught attention to detail.
As a Drill Instructor if someone would commit the unpardonable sin of leaving a footliocker unlocked I would dump the entire contents out and kick it all over the squadbay. I then would ask what MOS the recruit was going to be assigned to. If he said for instance Avionics I would admonish him by telling him if he can't secure a 3 dollar lock he shouldnt bew trusted to work on a 16 million dollar Aircraft.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 6 at 2015 3:10 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 06 Dec 2015 03:10:03 -0500

Yes I did, SPC Margaret Higgins. Every day.

Response by MSgt Curtis Ellis made Dec 6 at 2015 3:14 AM

MSgt Curtis Ellis — Sun, 06 Dec 2015 03:14:35 -0500

Yes! I'm glad my grandmother taught me these "skills" before I joined the military! LOL!

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 6 at 2015 7:53 AM

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 06 Dec 2015 07:53:18 -0500

I did all of that. And not only in basic.

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Dec 6 at 2015 11:19 AM

CPT Aaron Kletzing — Sun, 06 Dec 2015 11:19:32 -0500

Yes, every day. Hated it at first but then grew to love it for some twisted reason, lol.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 6 at 2015 12:32 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 06 Dec 2015 12:32:27 -0500

Yes. Everyone had to do it. Did the males not have to do it when you went to basic?

Response by SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL made May 11 at 2016 11:49 PM

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL — Wed, 11 May 2016 23:49:27 -0400

SPC Margaret Higgins wow, you know it! Great post!

Response by SPC Kenneth Koerperich made May 12 at 2016 2:46 AM

SPC Kenneth Koerperich — Thu, 12 May 2016 02:46:32 -0400

Yes.

Response by MCPO Roger Collins made Apr 18 at 2017 11:26 AM

MCPO Roger Collins — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 11:26:49 -0400

Response by CPL Mario Santana made Dec 28 at 2017 10:10 AM

CPL Mario Santana — Thu, 28 Dec 2017 10:10:58 -0500

Yes I did I had liked the spit shine n starched uniforms

Response by SFC Michael W. made Apr 9 at 2019 5:35 PM

SFC Michael W. — Tue, 09 Apr 2019 17:35:26 -0400

No, we did everything by hand...including spit-shined our boots.

Response by Sgt Ed Beal made Dec 15 at 2020 9:11 AM

Sgt Ed Beal — Tue, 15 Dec 2020 09:11:06 -0500

Yes we did but I have been out before many in service now we’re born. You learn a dollar Bill is 6” and every thing is folded a specific way and size. I found it easier to pay the laundry to do the starch and press we had cotton fatigues but the standard by the time I got out was od green lost the blue.

Response by CPO George Taylor made Dec 21 at 2020 4:19 PM

CPO George Taylor — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 16:19:57 -0500

Yes. Our uniforms and appearance were held to the same standard. Plus, when we were underway on ships, there's no tailor shop to sew on name tapes, new rate/rank patches, etc.