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

We had a guy that showed up to our platoon around 2nd/3rd phase that had been recycled so many times he graduated with us as a LCpl. He was a broken, unmotivated individual and I still wonder to this day how or why he eventually made it to graduation. I expect his follow on career was very short. The rest of the Platoon avoided him like he had the 'Rona (and that didn't even exist back then). Just glad I never saw him again. He caused the Platoon a great deal of extra pain. Some people just aren't cut out for service. Any Service.

1963 no one ever lingered in Army basic training. There was a saying, “I would have to be dead for two days before going on sick call”. The idea of having to spend one extra day was cause for nightmares and cold sweats.

No one wanted to hang around in Basic Training at Parris Island, SC in 1963!!!

I remember 1 guy the was Co 4013 3 times. Normally you were escorted to the main gate after 2 recycles. Navy boot camp was a breeze compared to Advance Field Med School I did at age 40 with Marine Corps Reserve as a Navy Corpsman.

There were stories in 1968 of a draftee whose orders never came through and who remained in casual status until they sent him home on leave awaiting orders. Two years later, he accepted his discharge.

I was STUCK in my training unit for 4 months and hated every second. I slept in the same bunk I went through basic in and watched an entire cycle of trainees go through It was for a security clearance (basic security not TS or anything) This was in fort Benning in 1993 when it was one station infantry training so 16 weeks plus 2 weeks for Bradley training. Why anyone would want to be stuck like that I have no idea. 1st platoon Charlie company 3/32nd inf.

When I was a DS at Ft Jackson, I had a Soldier that was a hold over pending security clearance for a year. Great soldier, good pt test scores, graduated 2nd in his class. A manslaughter charge kept him there that long.

Due to multiple injuries, I had a cousin who spent 2.5 years on Parris Island, then he went admin and got stationed there. He spent over 95% of his enlistment on the island.

When I was at Parris Island my Platoon picked up a guy who'd been there for 9 months. This guy lost so much weight the skin on his body hanged. With the massive amount of weight loss he unfortunately was unable to do more than 2 pull-ups. He cried when he was to be recycled to another Platoon and there was not a single recruit who laughed or made fun of him. He actually taught us what having heart was.

Linger in basic? Admittedly when I went through Army basic in 1963, things were a lot different than today’s basic training. The most common thought was, don’t go on sick call, unless you’ve been dead for two days. No one wanted to be recycled. Complete the training and move on to your next school. We had a company clerk who had been recycled, finished basic but some health problem kept him from going on to his AIT. The company kept him on in the company as company clerk. Linger in basic, are you nuts!