Should trainees at BCT have the option to drop?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 04 Apr 2020 19:55:08 -0400

Just wrapped up BCT a couple weeks ago, and I'm talking with my roommate (we were in the same training company and platoon there as well) about being able to drop at will during BCT. He's watching The Selection on the History Channel, and the participants have the option to drop at will. We both had no real problems during BCT, but plenty of people around us did. And now it's hard to swallow going downrange with those that wanted to quit so badly, because I don't truly trust that they have my back. They truly only stayed because they were legally required to. What do y'all think about this?

Honestly I found BCT to be kind of a letdown, and not nearly difficult enough. It made me seriously regret waiting until now to join instead of eight years ago, straight out of high school when it was a little better. Maybe our Army would be a little less soft if the quitters could just quit. I also think it should be sort of a three strikes thing rather than just raising their hand, but still possible. I'm excited to see what all the SM's that have actually been in for a minute have to say.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 4 at 2020 8:56 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 04 Apr 2020 20:56:46 -0400

SPC Private RallyPoint Member I agree with 1SG Mark Flowers in that quitting should never be an option.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 4 at 2020 9:22 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 04 Apr 2020 21:22:05 -0400

Where did you do bct?

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Apr 4 at 2020 9:26 PM

CSM Charles Hayden — Sat, 04 Apr 2020 21:26:28 -0400

No question, any Soldier should have an option to perform or wear a blouse with a large P on the back!

Response by SGT Philip Roncari made Apr 4 at 2020 10:41 PM

SGT Philip Roncari — Sat, 04 Apr 2020 22:41:40 -0400

No. I actually had been in for more than a minute, a three year enlistment back in the Sixties to be exact,and a lot of the people I served with were DRAFTED talk about not wanting to be in the Army,but believe me when or if you go down range you will have each other’s back,funny when other people are trying to end your life on earth,you suddenly become very protective of one another,sorry you found BCT a letdown,but hey there’s still Rangers,Airborne,Special Forces options ,I think you might find them ,well let’s say more challenging,Good Luck young man,and my answer is still NO.

Response by SFC Christopher Taggart made Apr 5 at 2020 6:34 AM

SFC Christopher Taggart — Sun, 05 Apr 2020 06:34:06 -0400

The word "commitment" is what I've always preached to young soldiers who wanted to quit. A commitment YOU said you wanted to to complete. If a soldier quits the military, because its a little challenging, what's going to happen the first time you and your "little" girlfriend or boyfriend have your first fight...quit?! I'm glad we have contracts that binds us to our commitments and forces us to complete them. Too many kids today, have grown up with the option of quitting or parents have allowed their children to quit. One more comment, re: "Honestly I found BCT to be kind of a letdown, and not nearly difficult enough." BCT is what YOU put into it...if you didn't find it challenging enough, YOU didn't put 100% into it, to challenge or encourage others...it's about creating teams.

Response by SSG Samuel Kermon made Apr 5 at 2020 9:45 AM

SSG Samuel Kermon — Sun, 05 Apr 2020 09:45:31 -0400

No!

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 5 at 2020 12:22 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 05 Apr 2020 12:22:24 -0400

No, IET Soldiers should not be allowed to quit. Selection is a whole different beast than BCT. Those that are in Selection are there voluntarily and are already in the Service. They face no repercussions if they quit. Comparing Selection to BCT is like comparing apples to corvettes. And, just because they wanted to quit in BCT doesn't mean that they won't turn it around, pull their head out of their 4th point of contact and make something of themselves. I wanted to quit in BCT, and yet here I am today. But on the other side of that coin, I've met and worked with many a troop that didn't want to quit in BCT and somehow turned into a shitbag later on in their military careers

Response by SrA William Cassy made Apr 5 at 2020 2:21 PM

SrA William Cassy — Sun, 05 Apr 2020 14:21:32 -0400

I say we should go back to ww2 era no quitting u either made it out u didn't it was a goal to reach to pass diverging to strive for now days receive just wants the easy way out and the same trophy for participating and quitting so I say no shouldn't be an option to quit esp when they volunteered to enlist one again wavering the glory without Any sacrifice

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Apr 5 at 2020 2:58 PM

SGM Bill Frazer — Sun, 05 Apr 2020 14:58:19 -0400

Look Kid, if not hard enough then go future out- ABN, RGR, SF, etc. Nobody cares if you thought it was hard or not- BCT/AIT varies around Posts, unfortunately. The service e has spent time and money for training folks. You are suppose to be an adult not a whining kid- Quitters have NO place in the Service. Can you see this" 1SG ok, we are alerted for combat- all those who don't want to go raise your hand" Really??? SFAS, RASP, SEALS, etc- are the point of the spear and don't want quitters/whiners within 50 " of them.

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made Apr 5 at 2020 10:14 PM

SSgt Christophe Murphy — Sun, 05 Apr 2020 22:14:44 -0400

Seriously?

You will see all kinds of people going through all kinds of emotions and transitions during the entry level process. It’s sometimes painful because you are literally going through a transformation. Change isn’t always easy for people.

I didn’t have any issues either but it’s naive to think no one will or shouldn’t.

But with that said Adults are expected to be held to their word and follow through with their commitments. You signed the contract and will be expected to follow through. Maybe that’s because the Marine Corps has more of a shut up and keep moving forward mentality. I saw kids crying and begging to quit and the DIs told them to shut up and get back in line. They didn’t quit on the process even after the recruits already had. That’s part of it.

Don’t stress about going down range. You’ll get a lot more training between now and then. Nobody is downrange ready straight out of Boot and anybody that says otherwise is a pumped up motard

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 5 at 2020 11:21 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 05 Apr 2020 23:21:26 -0400

Well, I was 17 years old when I joined in 1976, I joined thinking I’d do 30 years like my uncle did. Once in basic I was sorry I joined and seriously considered if I would or could go on. I was never a great athlete and failed my initial run in basic, I was never a great shot but always qualified. I was scared back then! I stuck it out and served 42.5 honorable uninterrupted years retiring in 2018 as a 1SG. I was a medic and a Paramedic for at least the last 35 years of my service.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 6 at 2020 11:33 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 11:33:54 -0400

SPC Private RallyPoint Member One must remember, The Selection is about SpecOps. Members going through indoc & training for such trainings CAN DoR (Drop on Request). However, they simply go back to what their normal MOS/AFSC would have been, or was, prior to them going in to indoc. They are not leaving the military as a whole, just that segment.

While I see your concern about going downrange w/ folks who wanted to quit, they may not have that same viewpoint once they get through AIT or Tech School. Basic is made to push people farther than they would have normally. Some of us have a higher mental fortitude than others, and we found basic to be easy - we figured out the game and played it as needed.