What is your wildest story from basic training?

During basic at Lackland AFB in Texas (1965), we were required to grab a rope tossed to us and swing across a pool of water. This required that the boot ahead of you swung the rope back properly so that the next boot could grab it and swing across. Meanwhile, the drill instructor was urging everyone on to keep up the pace. As I ran forward to catch the rope, I discovered that it wasn't there at the edge when I arrived and I jumped forward into the water anyhow. It was not only very embarrassing but I lost my eyeglasses in the water and spent the next few days doing the best I could with limited vision.

1966 Basic Training.

During the 7th week of 8 week Basic Training there was a final all day test for they Company including shooting, hand to hand, obstacle course and a number of written tests.

The next day was practicing marching for they "graduation".
I hadn't been feeling well for the past week or so. The next day I went on sick call since I couldn't stay awake.

At they evaluation site the medics took my temperature. After a few minutes they brought me into another room and took my temp again. 104!!

They had me take a bus in the snow to the base hospital where after waiting in a hallway for 2 hours they admitted me with pneumonia. I slept for three days.

The following week, after the graduation, the 2nd Lt. came to see me with a sheepish grin on his face.

The story;
Apparently I had won the Scholarship award for the full day test. The 1st. and 2nd. Lts. We're afraid to tell the General that the award winner was in the hospital with pneumonia so they found a guy about my size in the platoon, broke into my locker. took my class A jacket and had him impersonate me to receive the award.

Because of the delay. I was sent to a generator class instead of the machinest class enlisted for.

I completed Basic with an undiagnosed bilateral pelvic fracture & right knee fracture. They still hurt when it rains.

Not necessarily a "wild" story, but I'll always remember my first train trip ever from Indianapolis to Ft. Dix, NJ, for BCT. A big adventure for a farm boy from rural southern Indiana!

I joined the Air Force in 1961 under the "Buddy Plan"! We traveled by air from Trenton, N.J. to Lackland AFB. Upon arrival at the base from the airport we departed the bus my "Buddy" was instructed to go to the RIGHT! I was right behind him and assumed I was going that way, BUT told to go to the LEFT! END of "Buddy Plan" and never got to see him again till 2018 when somehow he sent me an email. Needless to say I visited him at his home after ONLY 57 years! WHAT a "Buddy Plan"!

I was an Airman Basic at the time on what is called Dorm Guard at Lackland Air Force Base outside of San Antonio Texas. Each Airman Basic had a scheduled time of 2 hours of Dorm Gard.. One day as I was on Dorm Guard a Sargent came up to the door and started yelling at me to open up the door and let him into the dorm. There is a process of asking for 2 different types of ID to let someone in to the dorm. He kept yelling and what kind of trouble I would be in if I didn’t let him in. He finally showed the proper ID and then I let him in to the dorm. He commended me for doing the right thing and that I went through the right process of allowing someone. into the dorm.It was just a test and I passed it. I could have been thrown into the brig if I failed the test.

In 1972 during Air Force basic training every AB is required to carry a completed form 341 Excellence/Discrepancy in their breast pocket at all times. Every time we left the barracks the last man down the stairs always got a 341. About a week into training our "Gomer" shaved after the latrine was cleaned and closed. When we mustered out to formation Gomer was the last man down the stairs. Our TI asked for three 341's, One for shaving after latrine was closed, another for not shaving close enough, and the third for being the last man down the stairs. He caught hell for the duration of basic.

The wildest story I can remember from basic training is going to the rifle range to fire M-16s with only toilet paper in our ears.

My training company got to the firing range in the early morning. We were told to get into the hole in the ground. I did not get into that hole with a small animal with it. Maybe a racoon. The guy on the PA told me to it again. I yelled back RACOON IN FOX HOLE. Soon higher uppers came over and shot the animal and got the body out. I did get into the hole and shot well.

Basic Training Day #1 – Drill Sergeant tells me to go to the barracks paint closet and get some white paint for painting our room, so I go to the paint closet and start looking at the stacks of paint cans for the color white when one of the paint cans lids pops-off and green paint starts spilling all over the closet and as the paint pours out of the closet, I start to try wiping it up when I see a pair of boots which were attached to my Drill Sergeant staring at me with the meanest look you never want to see from your Drill Sergeant on Day #1 of Basic… From there, it was the longest eight weeks of my life.