What was the most "military" corrective training you experienced?

2016-05-12T22:31:52-04:00

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2016 10:33 PM

2016-05-12T22:33:39-04:00

Never had anything unreasonable done to me.

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made May 12 at 2016 10:36 PM

2016-05-12T22:36:03-04:00

Some young Soldiers once enjoyed filling 55 gallon 'Fire Barrels' using 1 gallon butt cans.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2016 10:40 PM

2016-05-12T22:40:30-04:00

I had to cut grass at FT Bragg in from of the 18th ABN CORPS building with scissors ...but that was back in 1996 when I was a private

Response by SFC Richard Giles made May 12 at 2016 10:52 PM

2016-05-12T22:52:24-04:00

Digging a 6'x6' in 29 Palms. Dug it and filled it back up twice. 1982

Response by SSG Dennis Grossmann made May 12 at 2016 10:52 PM

2016-05-12T22:52:36-04:00

Top many to mention, but not undeserved. I was a smartass

Response by SPC Rory J. Mattheisen made May 12 at 2016 10:55 PM

2016-05-12T22:55:14-04:00

I waxed and stripped and waxed and stripped and waxed and stripped the BN CQ area for a week straight. One of the SDNCO's told me to feel lucky,"When I was a Private I waxed the entire company area with an applicator brush and a tube sock, one damn square at a time."

Response by MSgt Richard Rountree made May 12 at 2016 11:04 PM

2016-05-12T23:04:53-04:00

Back in the day, in USAF Basic Training, if you screwed up bad enough multiple times but were considered to be salvageable, you were assigned to "Motivation Flight" for a week or so. The daily routine in "Motivation Flight" was highly structured and very rigid. Some of the fun we had included mowing grass with hand clippers; memorizing the entire manual for the M-16 rifle; running the "Confidence Course" every other day (a normal basic trainee only runs it once); following a strange protocol during meals (square meals); watching motivational training films; constant unannounced inspections; and lots of other attention to detail tasks designed to get us to conform, etc. Why was I sent there? I beat the crap out of abusive squad leaders...twice. Squad leaders got fired and I went to motivation flight to learn that I can't be beating up abusive authoritarians.

Response by COL Charles Williams made May 12 at 2016 11:15 PM

2016-05-12T23:15:23-04:00

5000 word essay, hand written, for using paste wax (lighting it on fire) at OCS... It was either that or no weekend pass...

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2016 11:39 PM

2016-05-12T23:39:35-04:00

360 burpees...for allegedly "racing" the most dilapidated riding lawn mower in the known universe. How was racing it the CSM"s conclusion? A crappy cut job...clumped up, uneven....because, you know, you're SUPPOSED to cut grass really in the morning after it rained through the entire night.

Another event waaay back as a private showing up late to PT had me doing "Iron Mikes" up and down the flight line twice.

Response by SN Greg Wright made May 13 at 2016 12:21 AM

2016-05-13T00:21:51-04:00

In boot camp, I was sent to Company Commander's row for some minor infraction, which is where they all come in/go home to/from work. Any recruit there is fair game for any and all of them.

After arriving at my first command, I once had to clean the metal traction strips on 3 flights of stairs with a wire brush.

Aboard ship, I spoke back to a half-drunk PO1 disrespectfully while holding my wanker at a urinal. He snatched me by my uniform blouse suddenly. Hard to say who got it worse: I was mid-stream.

Response by SGT Kyle Johnson made May 13 at 2016 12:26 AM

2016-05-13T00:26:14-04:00

Several of us were late for PT one morning.. long story. But the 1SG told us all to show up for extra duty at 1800. We did.. spent 3 hours sweeping, mopping and other chores with a twist. The 1SG did it via Simon Says.. we had to stand at attention till he said Simon Says "Sweep!" Stop! Did Simon say stop??? Do pushups.. Plus, had the whole company watching... It was truly hilarious. He was a great 1SG

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made May 13 at 2016 12:45 AM

2016-05-13T00:45:37-04:00

I mostly remember the hikes up and down the ski slope with loaded packs at West point for demerit accumulation. It got to be funny running into the same Cadets all the time.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 13 at 2016 12:47 AM

2016-05-13T00:47:33-04:00

You, go guard that mailbox. Why arent you walking your post in a military manner? Guard takes one step forward, left face, one step foward, left face, one step foward...

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 13 at 2016 7:26 AM

2016-05-13T07:26:57-04:00

I could talk like Donald Duck and did so in formation in BCT, well ,y Platoon Sgt was combat Vietnam return and didn't think it was funny. Made me duck walk around the platoon quacking till he got tired of hearing me. About 10 minutes. never opened my quack hole again!. lol

Response by SPC James Dollins made May 13 at 2016 7:30 AM

2016-05-13T07:30:42-04:00

LOVE this!! Wish I could save it to my photos!!

Response by SGT David T. made May 13 at 2016 7:51 AM

2016-05-13T07:51:16-04:00

Way too much to mention. I didn't conform very well my first few years.

Response by Maj John Bell made May 13 at 2016 8:19 AM

2016-05-13T08:19:37-04:00

Nothing the junior Marines don't do all the time. But they all got a kick out of me (a Captain) having to do it. S-3 HumVee was redlined. Needed to conduct a range reconnaissance in Monte Romano, Italy for a joint FirEx with the Italians. Nobody was using the Bn CO's HumVee, and it was listed as available, so I signed it out with a motor pool driver. When we were done, there was about 4 inches of Italian clay on every inch of the exterior. Stopped by the CP to turn in my report. Bn CO thought the condition of the HumVee was funny until I told him it was his.

I had to personally wash it. There were no pressurized hoses in Monte Romano. So it was me, a bucket a squeegee, a water bull and two or three dozen onlookers (all LCpls and below) who had what they thought were very amusing "helpful" hints. By the way, Italian clay is pretty much impervious to water.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made May 13 at 2016 8:31 AM

2016-05-13T08:31:22-04:00

I once "lost my a@@"...

After some infraction (can't recall what), I was ordered (along with my squadmates) that I no longer rated my own six. This meant that I couldn't sit, visit the head, put on trou, pull off trou...etc, without obtaining the permission of the Detail. Naturally, this resulted in continuous "smoke" sessions for about a week.

Response by Cpl Justin Goolsby made May 13 at 2016 9:09 AM

2016-05-13T09:09:02-04:00

Nothing quite this bad, but I did get chewed out for not using a broom properly. I then received a period of instruction on how to sweep a floor. All of this because my NCO didn't like that I was a thorough cleaner. He just wanted a quick and easy bare minimum sweep and I hold myself to higher standards.

Response by SFC Roberto Garza Jr. made May 13 at 2016 10:00 AM

2016-05-13T10:00:47-04:00

I had to shovel rocks into bags, load the bags onto a truck, go weigh the rocks (500 pounds), then put the rocks back out. I was the only one, didn't do it in one day, but the level of suck was maxed out.

Response by MSgt James Mullis made May 13 at 2016 10:18 AM

2016-05-13T10:18:35-04:00

I recall making great big signs in bright Red letters saying "THINK" to go over the exit doors of my shop (Munitions Storage). All a fellow Airman and I had done was drop some 2.75" rocket warheads off a loading dock. As I recall the forklift I was using caught on the pallets banding as I was backing out (at speed), snapped it, and the outer row of boxes just rolled off the pallet and then off the loading dock. My boss said we got off so easy because when he arrived on seen, both of us looked white as ghosts and scared s***less.

Response by MAJ John Buchanan made May 13 at 2016 10:55 AM

2016-05-13T10:55:19-04:00

Army Airborne School in 1981 as an Infantry 2LT. I wore the Expert Infantryman Badge AND my Air Assault Badge I had earned 2 years prior when I went as a cadet to the old 101st Airborne Division Air Assault School. Senior Blackhat decided since I was so proud to wear those badges whenever I owed them pushups every time the Blackhats saw a helicopter. My helmet number was ALPHA101. I heard my helmet number called from all over grounds for 3 weeks. The worst was on the ride up on the 250 foot tower. A flight of 12 flew buy. As soon as I landed I was out of my harness with a Blackhat with a bullhorn in my face.

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made May 13 at 2016 11:09 AM

2016-05-13T11:09:05-04:00

I remember during the last night of basic training we were goofing off in the barracks and the DS walked in. He made us all get into summer PT's and go stand at attention on the Drill Pad.

I don't remember how long we were outside, but anytime somebody started to shiver we would do 10 push ups. If someone was still shivering we would do more until they stopped, and then we would be back at attention.

I do know that I didn't get very much sleep that night, and that was the coldest 25*F weather I have ever been in.

I may or may not have been a chronic shiverer.

Response by PO1 Brian Austin made May 13 at 2016 11:20 AM

2016-05-13T11:20:34-04:00

In Panama i was assigned extra duty for having a "stupid" moment. I painted 64 white "decorative" rocks that lined the drive way leading to the Quarterdeck and barracks. Had to do it in my Dress Whites...lol It was hot, humid and miserable and needed a new set of Dress Whites afterwards.

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made May 13 at 2016 11:23 AM

2016-05-13T11:23:19-04:00

I just remembered another situation that I got myself into. Me and another member of the E-4 mafia (about 1.5 years ago) were doing during PMCS on several different vehicles. Just the two of us, all day. At one point we were put in charge of keeping a brand new, fresh out of basic, PFC busy. "Show him the ropes" they told us.

He did not have a military Drivers License so we told him he couldn't drive. We jumped in a 1097 and went on our driving route. This route included the Interstate for 10 miles, and then a couple county roads totaling in about 25-30 miles. When we got off the interstate, the other E4 who was driving drove down into the ditch, and stayed there for a while. We told the new guy that you had to test out the suspension by driving off the road, and if you don't do that you are being lazy and you could get in trouble.

The next drill was his drivers course, test, and oddly enough he had to do a PMCS on a vehicle that was in the shop over the last drill weekend. 1st Sergeant went with him to "verify how well we trained him".

Let's just suffice it to say that all of the vehicles that we conducted PMCS's on are EXTREMELY clean. EVERYWHERE.

Longest drill weekend of my life.

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made May 13 at 2016 11:30 AM

2016-05-13T11:30:51-04:00

This would be unacceptable in my organizations. While I believe in discipline I have always believed that the punishment should fit the crime if other than extra duty following UCMJ. In which case this Soldier would have used the mop where it served a purpose.

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made May 13 at 2016 11:37 AM

2016-05-13T11:37:25-04:00

Ok, I will lighten up. I had to clean 50 years worth of clay tile replacements from an attic in a barracks in Germany, the building housed a full battalion, rooms and offices. (WW2 era buildings). Don't tell!

Response by SCPO Jason McLaughlin made May 13 at 2016 12:16 PM

2016-05-13T12:16:27-04:00

Had to count all the tiles on the mosaic deck of the head. I reported my results to the Company Commander. He asked me if I absolutely positive. When I said yes, he told me to double check. There were 171,124 tiles. That was 26 years ago.

Response by CSM Richard StCyr made May 13 at 2016 12:49 PM

2016-05-13T12:49:26-04:00

The Ops NCO (we all called him Satan) had my buddy and I dig a grave and bury a cigarette once when I was a Private (neither of us smoked, just walked by the cigarette and didn't police it up). In the middle of digging the grave the 1SG came buy and lit us up for ruining his grass and asked who told us to do it. For some reason I replied the "Devil made us do it First Sergeant". Not seeing any humor in it Top made us fill the grave and do push ups for being disrespectful of the Ops NCO. Some days you just can't win.

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made May 13 at 2016 4:17 PM

2016-05-13T16:17:29-04:00

I remember bear crawling around our bivouac, yelling out my infraction at the top of my lungs, as an officer candidate. I don't even remember what it was that I did.

Another time the whole class did front-back-go while a classmate laid out on his previously unsecured sleeping bag. I guess we didn't correct our classmate properly before the TACs discovered it.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 13 at 2016 6:30 PM

2016-05-13T18:30:45-04:00

id fell out of pocket had to do 100 push ups fot 1st no big deal

Response by SGT Jerrold Pesz made May 13 at 2016 7:56 PM

2016-05-13T19:56:47-04:00

I may have been the luckiest guy in the history of the military. I was never on the recieving end of anything bad. Never got smoked, never got screamed at, never got any extra duty. There were a few times that the entire company got screamed at but never me individually. I don't know that I was that good but we usually had enough fuck ups around to keep the heat off of everyone else.

Response by LCpl Michael Harrell made May 13 at 2016 9:34 PM

2016-05-13T21:34:01-04:00

Yes sir I did that once!
Had to move a beach from one side of the water to another and fill bottomless sand bags

Response by MCPO Private RallyPoint Member made May 14 at 2016 12:37 AM

2016-05-14T00:37:10-04:00

In Korea, 1986, Camp Casey.
A buddy was restricted for too much drink and pissing fire (again). Our Platoon Sergeant was coming in after an overnight pass and saw my buddy coming in on his bogus, "slicky" pass. That night, they climbed the bill behind our Company HQ and our SFC pulled out a lawn chair, propane lantern, and a book. My buddy showed up with his e-tool.

The task: Dig an entrenched position by the book - with grenade sumps on each side.
It took a LONG time because of rocks and tree roots. Finally done, the Platoon Sergeant jumps in to check standards and finds it satisfactory. He climbs out, pulls out a dime and checks the date, then tosses the dime into the position - and orders my buddy to fill it in, landscaping it afterward so it looked totally natural.

In mock surprise and outrage, the Platoon Sergeant slaps his pockets and announces, "Oh, no! My favorite coin in the WORLD is gone! It must have fallen in when I was checking it! Get it out!!"

My buddy digs and empties the position - EVENTUALLY finds the dime and gives it to SFC Clayton, then has to re-fill the position.

They were climbing down the hill as we formed up for PT the next morning. The Platoon Sergeant led PT in full BDUs and boots.

No paperwork, no record of the event (even though it was an auto-field-grade Article 15 offense)... and my buddy never even CONSIDERED getting another slicky pass!!

I learned a LOT from that evolution. SFC Percy Clayton taught me how to be a good NCO.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 15 at 2016 3:53 PM

2016-05-15T15:53:01-04:00

I had to count rocks for around two hours in a stock pile once.

Response by GySgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 15 at 2016 6:10 PM

2016-05-15T18:10:01-04:00

Make a wall of sandbags; but first, fill the bags with sand using a fork.

Response by CW2 Carl Swanson made May 16 at 2016 4:24 PM

2016-05-16T16:24:05-04:00

I had a buddy back in the 80's mouth off to our S-4 NCO when we were in the Marine Corps. He got to dig a 2 man fighting position in the detachment's volleyball pit. After it was inspected, he got to fill it in. Had to have the grenade sump and everything according to the manual. He wasn't as mouthy after that, but he knew how to dig a fighting position by himself.

Response by Chris Grimm made May 17 at 2016 3:56 PM

2016-05-17T15:56:35-04:00

As a Cadet we were all out on an FTX. While sleeping that night two Cadets hopped in their sleeping bags and had a little romp. Only reason it was found out was because the Cadre found the condom wrapper and condom the next morning.

Never has a smoke session lasted that long, or have I heard such a long lecture on fraternization.

Honestly, I was slightly impressed - wasn't so impressed once the smoke session started.

Response by SSG Nicholas Wright made May 19 at 2016 6:18 PM

2016-05-19T18:18:22-04:00

Not my story but you might enjoy this. A crusty old Staff Sergeant told me about receiving corrective training that required him to fill a large tub of water using only his canteen. And he had to low crawl from the sink at one end of the hallway to the tub and back. And he couldn't use his hands.

Response by SPC Kirk Gilles made Jun 10 at 2016 7:30 PM

2016-06-10T19:30:01-04:00

I was the substitute Legal aide for a few months. Our Bn Cdr would actually take the rank pins off forcibly and slam them into the rank-holding-bin near his desk. The dressing down was pretty effective on Article 15's.

Response by SPC Kirk Gilles made Jun 10 at 2016 7:33 PM

2016-06-10T19:33:55-04:00

We were sent to the Drill Sergeant Training Barracks to clean it. That made us Training Aides for Drills in Training to work on all aspects of first line supervision. Glares, yells, curses, threats. Being in a 360 degree circle of Drills while buffing was extreme.

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 1 at 2016 1:56 PM

2016-07-01T13:56:43-04:00

It didn't happen to me but some Army Reservists on a Field Exercise in Fort Hunter Liggett were on fire watch at an ammo point guarding two boxes of 7.62 ammo and they got cold so they took one of the 55 gallon drums and took the palette the ammo was sitting on broke it apart and put it into the barrel and set it on fire. The Base CO saw it on his morning drive into the base and sent the CSM out there so when I showed up for weapons watch at the same point they were scraping the paint and soot off of the 55 gallon barrel with quarters.

Response by Cpl Mike Dano made Apr 15 at 2017 2:06 PM

2017-04-15T14:06:31-04:00

Nearly 4 hours sweeping a dirt parking lot, to remove all the stones

Response by CPT Robert Boshears made Oct 3 at 2019 7:50 PM

2019-10-03T19:50:15-04:00

Wiping a boiler (on an Amphib) with a sponge, that I squeezed into a bucket. It was a never ending job.