Boot camp recruits have their heads shaved and are issued uniforms identifying them as new arrivals. Trainees live in barracks that must be kept clean and are subject to inspections at any time. If one recruit fails, the entire division is punished collectively. The document describes an intense physical training session conducted as punishment after a fight, where recruits did exercises for hours until water dripped from the ceiling from the heat and humidity in the closed barracks. Marching long distances and training in shipboard firefighting and using gas masks are also described as part of the boot camp experience.

1. BOOT CAMP

2. Getting all my hair shaved off was
not as bad as I thought, mainly
because everyone with had the
same thing happening to them.
The bad part, is you quickly find
out what your head really looks
like. Some people, like me, do
not have a head that looks good
bald.
The first week, recruits have to wear sweat
pants and t-shirts . This labels you as new
arrivals. I arrived in July, so
we were issued shorts instead. It was hot
then, and we actually had a few days we
were not allowed to perform any strenuous
activities while the temperatures were over
95 F.

3. In the barracks people are chosen
at random, if there are no
volunteers, to fill leadership roles
and various other duties.
The barracks must be kept clean
and presentable at all times. There
are very specific details that must not be
overlooked in order to pass inspection.
Inspections can happen at any moment, day
or night.

4. Unfortunately, I could not find a
Navy barracks that had been
“tossed” like this one, but this
is a Marine barracks in disarray.
I’m not saying the Navy is better,
but this was a great example. To
show unity, good or bad, if one
man is out of place the entire
division pays the consequences.
Trust me when I say, it works. If
there is someone struggling with
sections of the training, there
will be multiple people trying to
help.

5. Everyone pays together
We had a drill instructor tells us
we would work so hard that it
would rain in the barracks.
We started by closing all
the windows and putting
on all the cold weather
clothing we had been
issued, including a pea
coat, wool sweater, utility
jacket, and a wool knit
cap. Then all the showers
in the head were turned
on as hot as they would
go and we started.
We did push-ups, jumping
jacks, sit ups, running in
place, and my personal
favorite, holding our wool
blankets at arms length out
in front of us while we did
squats. Four and a half hours
later, I could not hold the
blanket up any longer and
there was water dripping
from the ceiling. This event
took place because two guys
got in a fight earlier that day.

6. Marching to class
Fire fighting
We would march to class at a fast walk,
up to three miles each time. It doesn’t
sound like much, but its good exercise.
Ship board fire fighting is essential,
because the ship is were you live , and
there is no local fire department to call if
something happens.
The gas chamber was an interesting
experience. They used pepper gas and we
had to stand in the room for five minutes.
When the instructor would get to us, we
had to remove the mask, count to twenty,
then state our name and rank. Then step
outside where all the snot, saliva and tears
would then exit your body. Apparently if
anyone drank milk for breakfast, that would
come back up also.