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

SPC Margaret Higgins — Sat, 19 Sep 2015 17:47:43 -0400

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

SGT Jerrold Pesz — Sat, 19 Sep 2015 17:51:08 -0400

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

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 19 Sep 2015 17:57:48 -0400

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

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 19 Sep 2015 18:29:37 -0400

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

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

Cpl James Waycasie — Sat, 19 Sep 2015 18:35:51 -0400

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

CPT Jack Durish — Sat, 19 Sep 2015 20:39:04 -0400

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

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 19 Sep 2015 21:25:34 -0400

No.

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

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 19 Sep 2015 23:59:16 -0400

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

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 00:17:37 -0400

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

Sgt Tom Cunnally — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 05:00:00 -0400

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

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 11:31:17 -0400

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

SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 11:34:46 -0400

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

MSgt Jim Wolverton — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 11:40:23 -0400

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

SPC Margaret Higgins — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 11:41:22 -0400

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

SSG Jerry Eidson — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 13:59:56 -0400

Yeap sure did only after major inspections

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

SSgt Terry P. — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 14:33:21 -0400

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

Sgt Kelli Mays — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 14:47:30 -0400

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

Sgt Cody Dumont — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 15:04:55 -0400

Not in Bootcamp, 13 weeks of USMC!

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

LCpl Mark Lefler — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 17:08:00 -0400

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

SSgt Alex Robinson — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 18:39:16 -0400

I honestly don't remember it was 30 years ago

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

Col Richard Roessler — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 20:19:20 -0400

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

LTC Henry Barber — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 21:38:24 -0400

Fort Jackson, SC
To visit the USO.

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

SSG Michael Hathaway — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 23:46:57 -0400

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

SGT Rick Ash — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 05:04:17 -0400

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

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 07:10:03 -0400

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

SGT Apollo Sharpe — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 09:44:00 -0400

Yeh, once -graduation weekend.

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

LtCol Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 14:57:30 -0400

This is a trick question, right?

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

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 09:27:01 -0400

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