What is your most memorable moment from Basic Training?

Mr. Alpha Company, PVT M****. The dirtbag had cycled through all 4 platoons in the company trying to find a platoon where he could successfully train and become a Soldier. Dude got cocky after going through the gas chamber saying it didn’t bother him at all. Yep, a DS heard him. Yep, he got to go back through for “extended training” while every DS in the company scrambled to see through the window. No sympathy from us - just jealous we couldn’t watch too. Have never seen a sight such as him crawling out...nor did I ever again see a PVT who had succeeded in making an enemy of an entire company of soldiers. He got us all smoked a dozen times. Guy deserved it!

I am certain the most basic training moment was when we had to march up a steep hill full gear called Misery Hill and down the hill the final obstacle. I felt a sense of pride upon completion.

firewatch during USAF BMT and catching two guys from my flight "pleasuring" each other in the latrine after lights out....

B 1-50, FT Benning in 2013. DS: "Private (last name), sing the National Anthem!"
Private: "Dwill Sawgent, I ain't neva hewd of that song in my entiyuw life!"
Needless to say, he got us smoked a lot.

Well, when you catch a drill sgt drilling a female recruit on the laundry room has to be the most memorable. Didn’t say anything and basic was a breeze after that.

It was a surreal moment. After we finished, our company Senior Drill came looking for me and my squad. For the first time i saw what being a soldier was about when Senior Drill Coto removed his brown round and told us, "Gentlemen, be proud, being a soldier means leaving no one behind, and doing whatever it takes to complete the task given.". It was then i knew i was a soldier!

I think my best moment was when we were on a road march. I stepped in a hole and broke a bone in my foot. Had to be taken to the TMC where they put me in a wood shoe. Said id be recycled back to this day since i couldnt finish training with my group. The DS were having a feild day with me. My assistant DS suggested i violate profile, wrap my foot with an ace bandage and syck it up and soldier on. During our final road march after the crucible, i could barely walk. The assistant DS stayed on my ass about sucking it up and the guys in ny squad helped carry my gear but by god i finished the march. Both my DS and assistant DS praised my squad and me for not letting me drop out. I was carried the last mile by my squad mates. Thats when we knew we were soldiers!

I guess it was about the third day when 4 squad leaders and one platoon leader appointments were made and to my great surprise I was given the assignment of squad leader of my platoon. Fours weeks or so later I was once again chosen as a leader, this time Platoon Leader. I really do not understand how the Army made those choices but they did. I was grateful for each one of these assignments. When I arrived in Korea I was immediately advanced to SP4 after having only spent 5 months total military time (that includes 2 30 day leaves!) The 2 leaves was the result of first giving our entire AIT class to Vietnam then when Russia invaded Czechoslovakia we all had order rescinded, sent home, told to await further instruction and then do as told. I was given orders to report to Travis AFB in California and then to a transient unit at Ft. Lewis. From Ft. Lewis we were then PCS'd to Replacement Center, ASCOM, South Korea and away we went for the next 27 months!

Since my Basic Training,AIT and all battalion and Division training was done at the same place,Ft. Lewis Wa. because the Division was being reactivated and was in fact gearing up for a Germany deployment (Yay) but unfortunately that bad boy Vietnam was our future,anyway we trained for ten months so it would take me quite awhile to come up with my most memorable moment,although the first time we were allowed to go to the donut shop (in company formation of course) in our eighth week of Basic was something after all these years sticks in my mind ,not a big thing,but you almost felt human again,almost!

In the mess hall, a private gets a refill of kool-ade, turns around, spills it all over drill sergeant Fabiano's campaign hat. I am guessing, that 32 years later, that poor soul is still doing push-ups in MOPP Level 4 (It was August, at Ft. Leonard Wood).