Memorable Moments from Boot Camp

Who can forget boot camp? That place where your world turned upside down – where drill instructors broke habits and denied common privileges. Marines wanted to know the most memorable ones, and a survey on www.marines.mil resulted in thousands of responses. Early on, it looked like the “teddy bears and security blankets” option was going to be number one. And we thought we were the only ones who missed our blankies. Slowly but surely, however, the ban on “me’s” and “you’s” in recruitspeak topped the list. Wouldn’t the reader agree?

• 10 no-nos, 12,124 hurt feelings:
• No pronouns (like “I”) – 2,566
• No teddy bears or security blankets – 1,794
• No contact with the opposite sex – 1,739
• No scratching yourself – 1,607
• No leisurely bathroom time – 1,088
• No moving at an unhurried pace – 774
• No junk food – 756
• No sleeping in – 690
• “It’s not my drill weekend.”
• No eating with both hands – 565
• No tobacco – 545

Marines needs your ideas: Send interesting survey ideas to hqmc_pa_mcnews@usmc.mil. Look for future surveys on www.marines.mil.