Should trainees be allowed to quit basic training?

I feel you sign a contract and make a commitment. What is your word worth, if you raise your right hand and make that commitment and then just walk away with no consequences if you don't like it. What does that say about you as a person?

They want out, let them out. I wouldn't want to be in a foxhole with someone that didn't want to be there.

Mixed feelings here. Boot Camps are supposed to test your mettle. So Id encourage those weaklings to not don a uniform. No shade...it ain’t for everybody.

There is a difference between being a Marine Infantryman, and enlisting into the easiest/safest/non-deployable branch/job (Air Force supply clerk?) ... and if you can’t even handle that, then Id ask how you handle eating food and converting it to poop...and maybe service is what you need to get yourself parented in the areas where your parents failed.

On the other hand, SERVICE is supposed to me more about what you can do for it, and less about what it can do for you.

No, get rid of them! They will only be a problem when they are sent to a post. They are not really motivated to finish and do not have the discipline. This happened to many back in the 1970s So many soldiers that should not have been in were stationed at Ft. Carson and it was a MESS. This was during the last of the Vietnam era soldiers recruited to serve.

I;m a retired USAF but a FORMER Marine.my boot camp was 1956.Living hell for 12 weeks.I saw some who flat could not make it and were let out.Back then one could NOT just say I quite.One man tryed to kill himself on the range because he failed to qual.Yes it was rough but those who worked to get out I would NOT like to have them with me on combat.If boot was too rough then what would combat be like for them. Military' has changes a lot.I have always been thankful I went through Marine boot as it made me grow up in a hurry and helped we throughout my USAF time.Let the DIs boot them out but with out honor..Now the ones how tried hard and failed are a different story.Let them out but with honor.

As long as they don't get an honorable discharge, I don't want them in a fox hole next to mine anyway.

In 1974, quitting was not an option available. But I can see letting some go. They will become a problem for the platoon during training. I do agree they signed a contract and should honor their word.

Ask yourself.... Would you want to serve with someone that really didn't want to be there? Would you want to lead troops that didn't want to be there, or find yourself in a position subordinate to someone that didn't want to be there?

Just realized this is an old post...

No, money and time invested warrants the contract the very reason it exists is for ROI. Secondarily what doe we then teach about commitment, this is another slippery slope for our military. Change is good when there is practicality and common sense applied.

My thoughts.