Did you go off base during Basic Training/Boot Camp?

2015-09-19T17:47:43-04:00

Response by SGT Jerrold Pesz made Sep 19 at 2015 5:51 PM

2015-09-19T17:51:08-04:00

Yes, several times. I also got a three day pass for my score on rifle qualification.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 19 at 2015 5:57 PM

2015-09-19T17:57:48-04:00

Got to go to the USO once in basic, and got two 4 hr. passes to the brigade AO and USO during the AIT portion of OSUT.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 19 at 2015 6:29 PM

2015-09-19T18:29:37-04:00

Yes. For Family Day. The day before Graduation ceremonies.

Response by Cpl James Waycasie made Sep 19 at 2015 6:35 PM

2015-09-19T18:35:51-04:00

Yes Ma'am. Parris Island had just started a new program called Natilus recruits. We went three times a week to Beautford MCAS and worked out on new ( Back then) specialized workout equipment. Of course D.I.'s were with us and there was nothing relaxed about it, lol. But we did get to se the outside world through the Bus windows.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Sep 19 at 2015 8:39 PM

2015-09-19T20:39:04-04:00

Funny you should mention it... I got a one day pass in BCT and left base for a few hours just to see the sights (such as they were around Fort Gordon, GA). My companions were all teenagers and begged me to buy booze for them (I was 23 at the time).

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 19 at 2015 9:25 PM

2015-09-19T21:25:34-04:00

No.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 19 at 2015 11:59 PM

2015-09-19T23:59:16-04:00

I was able to leave Boot Camp for a couple of hours because I volunteered to give blood. They transported us to the Navy hospital, we gave blood, and they fed us a very good steak dinner. As an added bonus, there were no DIs along to harass us. This was the first time donating blood, and I have since donated blood well over 150 times.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 20 at 2015 12:17 AM

2015-09-20T00:17:37-04:00

SPC Margaret Higgins No but I did during AIT phase of my OUTS

Response by Sgt Tom Cunnally made Sep 20 at 2015 5:00 AM

2015-09-20T05:00:00-04:00

No Ma'am in Parris Island Recruit Depot we were restricted to the base for the ten weeks we were there. However on the first night there; a guy from Boston who was in my charge went AWOL...He said "These DIs are crazy & I am out of here"....So just before lights out a DI noticed he was missing and had a search party try to find this guy. They did find him a few days later in the swamps in bad shape. So when I was on a bus leaving Parris Island after graduation I saw this guy again cleaning ditches; wearing dungarees with BRIG stenciled on the back of them.. So I waved at him & yelled "Good Luck"...

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 20 at 2015 11:31 AM

2015-09-20T11:31:17-04:00

1987 one 8 hour pass to go to the PX.

Response by SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. made Sep 20 at 2015 11:34 AM

2015-09-20T11:34:46-04:00

We actually got a week off at Christmas in '67 .. Emptied the BCT at Ft. Lewis.
I imagine the DS enjoyed their time off as well!

Response by MSgt Jim Wolverton made Sep 20 at 2015 11:40 AM

2015-09-20T11:40:23-04:00

No. We have a town pass to go into San Antonio but I stayed behind and enjoyed the quiet barracks and a casual stroll to the Exchange instead.

Response by SPC Margaret Higgins made Sep 20 at 2015 11:41 AM

2015-09-20T11:41:22-04:00

I never got off base during Basic Training. I think we had a chance to though.

Response by SSG Jerry Eidson made Sep 20 at 2015 1:59 PM

2015-09-20T13:59:56-04:00

Yeap sure did only after major inspections

Response by SSgt Terry P. made Sep 20 at 2015 2:33 PM

2015-09-20T14:33:21-04:00

12 weeks all i could see was San Diego Airport through the fence,Quonset huts,and Drill instructors.No candy,no sodas,no chips,nothing considered junk food. First liberty was 2 weeks into ITR at San Clemete.LOL--Semper Fi

Response by Sgt Kelli Mays made Sep 20 at 2015 2:47 PM

2015-09-20T14:47:30-04:00

Yep...during basic there is a weekend that basic trainee's are allowed to go into town...go to the malls, go to the Riverwalk or where ever.... I went off base...and pulled a huge No No....my brother and his best friend drove down from Austin...took me up to Austin to my parents house...where I hung out for the day and barely made it back in time.

Response by Sgt Cody Dumont made Sep 20 at 2015 3:04 PM

2015-09-20T15:04:55-04:00

Not in Bootcamp, 13 weeks of USMC!

Response by LCpl Mark Lefler made Sep 20 at 2015 5:08 PM

2015-09-20T17:08:00-04:00

Marine Basic training, letting someone off the base. hahaha surely you jest.

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Sep 20 at 2015 6:39 PM

2015-09-20T18:39:16-04:00

I honestly don't remember it was 30 years ago

Response by Col Richard Roessler made Sep 20 at 2015 8:19 PM

2015-09-20T20:19:20-04:00

Gee, I think we had a day downtown just before graduation. But, although I am an Air Force Officer now, I did not attend Air Force Basic Military Training, but instead attended Boot Camp at Great Lakes as my first service was the Navy. I do remember going to Six Flags on a regular basis on the weekends during follow-on training (Seaman Apprentice School or something like that). Used to take the bus in my white cracker-jacks and pray that they would not get dirty!

Response by LTC Henry Barber made Sep 20 at 2015 9:38 PM

2015-09-20T21:38:24-04:00

Fort Jackson, SC
To visit the USO.

Response by SSG Michael Hathaway made Sep 20 at 2015 11:46 PM

2015-09-20T23:46:57-04:00

Techinically, yes. But for the most part travelling in the cattle trucks from the barracks to a few of the ranges at Ft Benning required us to cross the highway via a bridge overpass. Up until family day, that was the only time I saw anything even remotely like off-post.

Response by SGT Rick Ash made Sep 21 at 2015 5:04 AM

2015-09-21T05:04:17-04:00

SPC Margaret Higgins,
Yes, many times. But, for many reasons. This was FT Dix in 1973. I had already become friends with a young black man, we even shaved our heads at the In-Processing Center. ( We were threatened by the DI's that if we got sunburned we would get an Article 15 for damaging Government Property )
Turns out, that young black man was Charles "Spud" James, son of the first black man to reach the rank of 4-Star in the AF! Chappie James. His two brothers had joined the AF and were already a Captain & a Major. Spud rebelled.
First day at Basic in the Day Room we were lined up around the walls. A 6'5" weightlifter, I sorta' stood out. The head D.I. named me "Trainee Field First" and gave me an armband with E-7 stripes.
I got my own room and got to pick my own 4 squad leaders. That 4 shared a room next to mine.
First weekend we were put on our own but restricted to the triangle.
Spud said Let's go so we walked up to the taxi stand and went to the first place we could to buy civvies. From there to Seaside, NJ and had a blast!
I ran a tight ship and my recruits always looked sharp. Spud and I continued our weekend excursions. I would call home and so would he, one night he talked to his Dad and they were at the WH eating Duck L'Orange with Tricky Dick and Nancy Nixon!
His Dad decided to come to our graduation but he outranked the Post Commander! He ended up giving the commencement address. He was awe inspiring, onstage and in-person.
Two months into Basic I got to fly home for my 1st Wedding Anniversary!
I will never forget that 3 months!
Rick

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 21 at 2015 7:10 AM

2015-09-21T07:10:03-04:00

when I was in basic training, we went off post to a church retreat and spent the day without drill SGTs and had real food and got to see a little of the town, Waynesville Missouri, just outside of Leonard Wood.. but we got our butts smoked when we got back.

Response by SGT Apollo Sharpe made Sep 21 at 2015 9:44 AM

2015-09-21T09:44:00-04:00

Yeh, once -graduation weekend.

Response by LtCol Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 21 at 2015 2:57 PM

2015-09-21T14:57:30-04:00

This is a trick question, right?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 22 at 2022 9:27 AM

2022-06-22T09:27:01-04:00

Nope, not even allowed to go to the PX by ourselves, Fort Sill, OK 1996