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While in Army basic training, my duffel got swapped with another guy's (no idea whose). Back at the barracks, I discovered that they'd snagged some spent shells

by LVB 2y ago

While in Army basic training, my duffel got swapped with another guy's (no idea whose). Back at the barracks, I discovered that they'd snagged some spent shells from the range. Massive no-no. Young, naive me assumed that presenting these to the drill sergeants and explaining the situation would be the correct move. I was severely disciplined as a result. Others were like, "Dude... why didn't you just quietly toss that shit in the trash?!?" It was a big wake-up call for how poorly I could gauge people (e.g. the sgts), adapting to the situation, etc.

TimTheTinker 2y ago
Naive civilian question here -- If the drill sergeant is your boss in basic training, I don't understand why telling him info you think is important got you into trouble. After all, "talk to your boss if you have a concern" is the #1 piece of advice given to anyone who has a job. In healthy work environments, the culture is to assume the best about the intentions of others ... sounds like he wasn't doing that at all.
- LVB 2y ago
  It wasn't a particularly healthy environment, as I recall (it was a long time ago). Rather than "tough but fair," I remember my drill cadre being volatile and sort of mean. It was ridiculous that they punished me for coming forward. OTOH, I knew them well enough by that point, and a wiser me would have chosen to continue keeping a low profile until I could GTFO.
- frickinLasers 2y ago
  Basic training isn't supposed to be a healthy work environment. It's about breaking the recruits down and reforming them into perfect, interchangeable cogs that won't interfere with the operation of the machine. Recruits leave with a sense of pride and belonging, and they fit seamlessly wherever they end up, doing their required work with minimal hassle. They address problems at the lowest possible level (e.g., a supervisor handles the discipline--no need to run it up to management unless the ramifications are severe.) Notionally, anyway.
  - eru 2y ago
    You are partially right. Another justification for making parts of basic training hard, is that fighting a war is hard. So before they send you out into the field, they should make sure they know how you handle sleep deprivation, bad food and confusing orders etc.
- djeastm 2y ago
  >In healthy work environments There are healthy work environments in the military. Basic training, however, is not one of them. There are certain things about joining a military, like the prospect of having to be sent to kill other people you've never met or be killed by them, that changes the calculus of what is "healthy" or not. I remember in basic there were Drill Sergeants you learned that could be reasoned with and those that could not. Your experience depended largely on which DS was on shift when you screwed up.
- bombcar 2y ago
  > talk to your boss if you have a concern This is one of those pieces of advice that is spoken but has a huge unspoken part, mainly - if talking to the boss makes them look bad or causes problems for them more than not talking would then you stay silent.
deleted 2y ago
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by LVB 2y ago

TimTheTinker 2y ago

Naive civilian question here -- If the drill sergeant is your boss in basic training, I don't understand why telling him info you think is important got you into trouble. After all, "talk to your boss if you have a concern" is the #1 piece of advice given to anyone who has a job. In healthy work environments, the culture is to assume the best about the intentions of others ... sounds like he wasn't doing that at all.

LVB 2y ago
It wasn't a particularly healthy environment, as I recall (it was a long time ago). Rather than "tough but fair," I remember my drill cadre being volatile and sort of mean. It was ridiculous that they punished me for coming forward. OTOH, I knew them well enough by that point, and a wiser me would have chosen to continue keeping a low profile until I could GTFO.
frickinLasers 2y ago
Basic training isn't supposed to be a healthy work environment. It's about breaking the recruits down and reforming them into perfect, interchangeable cogs that won't interfere with the operation of the machine. Recruits leave with a sense of pride and belonging, and they fit seamlessly wherever they end up, doing their required work with minimal hassle. They address problems at the lowest possible level (e.g., a supervisor handles the discipline--no need to run it up to management unless the ramifications are severe.) Notionally, anyway.
- eru 2y ago
  You are partially right. Another justification for making parts of basic training hard, is that fighting a war is hard. So before they send you out into the field, they should make sure they know how you handle sleep deprivation, bad food and confusing orders etc.
djeastm 2y ago
>In healthy work environments There are healthy work environments in the military. Basic training, however, is not one of them. There are certain things about joining a military, like the prospect of having to be sent to kill other people you've never met or be killed by them, that changes the calculus of what is "healthy" or not. I remember in basic there were Drill Sergeants you learned that could be reasoned with and those that could not. Your experience depended largely on which DS was on shift when you screwed up.
bombcar 2y ago
> talk to your boss if you have a concern This is one of those pieces of advice that is spoken but has a huge unspoken part, mainly - if talking to the boss makes them look bad or causes problems for them more than not talking would then you stay silent.

deleted 2y ago

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