What is the longest you have heard of someone lingering around in Basic training?

SP5 James Johnson - my strangest memory there was after completing basic we were sent home on leave (Christmas time) and had to return as part of a holding company. The "returnees" like me had all enlisted for schools and the Army wasn't sure where they were going to send us. One day during the first week back our TOP comes out to formation and asked for volunteers to paint. I raised my hand because I knew it was too cold to paint outdoors. A couple friends saw that and joined me in volunteering. We had it made ! Reported to an empty hall and a young 2LT asked if any of us had artist abilities. Yep ! Turns out the Officers Club was having a big party with a tropical theme. He had a big budget. We built out of plywood an aircraft fuselage, palm trees, a bar, and other items. Then everything had to be realistically painted ! It took us the better part of the month we were there, and we never had to do the "policing" details or KP etc. All of us agreed that volunteering had benefits ! (and we got 50 mile passes every weekend !!!)

1LT Rich Voss - I had no such luck. We were simply cannon fodder. The USS Pueblo was attacked while I was in basic. Rumors flew but we were ignored and slogged on. What I remember was bitter cold, wet and thoroughly miserable.

SP5 James Johnson - yes, indeed. Road march and bivouac rain/cold. M14 qualifying day, same thing. Recall wind left to right & made adjustments accordingly. Most of my company were draftees like me from Chicago and suburbs. Those few guys from KY/TN had no problem with using (as they say) "Kentucky Windage". I scored expert because my farmer cousins taught me to shoot at age 9. One of them was a paratrooper with Screaming Eagles while I was there. He jumped 3 times in 'Nam & is still alive and farming !

1LT Rich Voss - In basic I caught some crud and had a high fever. In hospital for a week. The day I returned we had to march 14 miles and bivouac. That was a real bitch. I was trained to shoot by my father. I was accustomed to shooting a 30-06 and >.5 inch groups at 200 yards. But I hadn't shot nor sighted in my M-14. At the range we shot 50 meters first. I wasn't even on paper. Had to shoot into the sand berm to find where the bullet struck. I just barely qualified. But I did make it. My old man was discussed with my low (sharpshooter, I think) badge. But when I told him the story he said I had done a good joe to qualify.

SSG Watis Ekthuvapranee - You can hold dual citizenship and still serve in the U.S.Army. I am a dual citizen and served from 1993 until my retirement in 2017. It was never a problem for me.

SSG (Join to see) Oho! What's your level of clearance? What's your job in the Army? By DoD regulation, no. In reality, too little # of people to enforce it. The higher and more crucial roles you have the more scrutiny you'll get.

I was an AH 64 D armament and electrical repairer. I worked with the attack helicopter. I did not need to have a specific level of clearance. I have already retired 4 years ago.

SPC Rich Sigel - I also ended up in the Hospital for a month and a half...the people asked me at the hospital if I was a recruit...I said no, I graduated...(that was a lie, sorry). Anyway, while in hospital, I had liberty etc. When discharged from hospital, I was sent back to boot-camp to finish. They put me in a clothes folding company (I guess a holding company, till they figured out what to do with you). While washing my clothes my former Company Commander was walking by and spotted me and asked what I was doing...I told him washing my clothes...he marched me up to battalion headquarters and I graduated the following week...missed most of boot camp training as I had only been in boot-camp a week or so before I went to hospital (due to broken jaw and other injuries, long story). So, I basically skated out of most of boot-camp! Sincerely, Ken

In my day, after I enlisted, basic was a bitch. Jan at Ft Campbell KY in WWll barracks, drafty, fire hazards, etc. If you missed you lost your slot and they made you an 11B. That wasn't good as Nam was HOT and heavy. 100's of KIA per week. We lost a 1000 one week while I was there. The cold and mud, wind howling. Wet clear thru. I spent 1 week at the hospital and was scared out of my mind that I would lose my 26D slot. I didn't but it was close.

When I was dealing with cardiology while in tech school in Great Lakes, IL, I met a girl that was on med hold and lost her prospective assignment, and then the Navy conveniently lost her medical documentation and sent her to Corpsman A School instead.

A little different. When I showed up at Fort Leonard Wood in August of 85, there was a USAR PFC that had been held over for right at 6 months due to APFT failure. He’d do PT twice a day with the drill SGTs while we were at training and sat around the S-1 all day. My third week there, they asked me (I was a prior service USAR Soldier myself) to be a witness to a counseling session with the Company 1SG. 1SG said “you’ve been hanging out here too long, you PT fine with the Drill Sergeants, but you always choke when it comes to the APFT. One more failure, and we’re going to discharge you for Unsat Performance.” PFC said, no problem, I’ll pass now. 1SG asked “What makes you so sure you’ll pass it NOW, when you’ve failed one a week for the last six months?” PFC said, “Easy, my college classes start next week.” The look on the 1SG, Senior Drill and Drill Sergeants faces was PRICELESS!
He ran it the next morning, and got a 300.

MSG David Clifford - Dude gamed the hell out of the system there. Promote above peers.