Prison better than our own Military Training Camps

Yes, I understand that our military camps aren't easy....but....

I just got off the phone with my mom, and she told me about the phone call she just got from my brother who is in Basic Training for the Army right now. He called home and mentioned he has pneumonia. And all the guys in his camp have the same pink eye problem. And his bunkmate has ringworm. They don't send anyone to the infirmary until they have a bad fever. At 100 they finally sent him...kept him that day, gave him antibiotics and sent him back out for training. With pneumonia.

Come to find out, all the guys pour their warm water from their canisters back into a communal tank so they can fill their canisters back up with cold water. The water just gets circulated back into the cold water tank. It's disgusting, and makes me angry that our prison system is better than our own military training camps.
They have absolutely no soap at all, and the few hand-sanitizers they do have are almost always empty.

He said that before the actual training began, when they were only doing some pre-basic because the group before them hadn't finished on time.... 5 guys had passed out and one tried to commit suicide.
Yes, our military needs to be strong, and they definitely need to weed out the ones who can't handle it. But basic health needs should be looked after.

If I didn't think it would get my brother in trouble, I would be making some serious noise to get that changed. As it is, he already had to do an addition 25 pushups because his care package from my mom was addressed incorrectly. WITH PNEUMONIA! grrrrrrr (sorry, he's my younger brother and I'm incredibly protective)
Thankfully he only has a week left.

*sigh* definitely in the rant section.

Difference between military and prison is one is volunteered and one isn't. I'd be willing to go through punishment for something positive (aka Military) but the prison thing, I don't think it's the same.

A little ironic I suppose. But at the same time, you are right, basic hygiene and health should be important. Will this help them if they are stuck somewhere in the middle of nowhere, or in a POW camp? Probably.

Strange situation actually.

One thing I would like to say though, is that the military should earn everyone's respect, for putting themselves through this and maintain that respect from civilians. Unfortunately, due to political wars, the respect has dissipated for men in uniform. And it is almost like they are doing it for nothing (aka prison).

But that's the point, isn't it? Soldiers these days are trained to be unstoppable killing machines.

On a personal note, my brother talked about joining the military for a long time, and I threatened to tie him up and leave him in a basement for a few years. What seems like a good idea at 18 looks like a horrible one at 21 or 22; I've seen more than one friend that waited to enlist until after doing some more living and going to school, and they had quite different aspirations after doing so.

In any case, on the bright side, my uncle always said that once you got through Basic, it was a lot easier after that.

reply to post by boncho


Yes, I agree to an extent... which is why I made the comment we have to weed out the ones who can't handle it. There are just a few lines that should be drawn with BASIC training. When he starts doing his SpecOp training...I would expect them to be treated that way. Pulling that stuff in first round basic training though? It's like throwing a baby in the water to see if he will be an Olympic swimmer. You can still weed out the losers without nearly killing them.

Personally, I feel all inmates should go through basic if it's that much of a hell. Actually, I think they should anyway. Teach a lot of them respect. How many kids do you hear about who were major trouble makers, went into the military, and came out better?
Yes..there are a few then went the wrong direction... but more often you hear about how much better the military makes our youth who need discipline.

He'll toughen up. Basic isn't meant to be a field day it's their job to treat you like crap. Like my old DI said basic is a POW simulation.

Originally posted by AnIntellectualRedneck
But that's the point, isn't it? Soldiers these days are trained to be unstoppable killing machines.

On a personal note, my brother talked about joining the military for a long time, and I threatened to tie him up and leave him in a basement for a few years. What seems like a good idea at 18 looks like a horrible one at 21 or 22; I've seen more than one friend that waited to enlist until after doing some more living and going to school, and they had quite different aspirations after doing so.

In any case, on the bright side, my uncle always said that once you got through Basic, it was a lot easier after that.

I fully expect my brother to go through some serious s***.... but when you have another kid who nearly commits suicide, and an entire camp has an outbreak of pink eye? It's not ok.

haha, I feel like mamma duck or something. Too protective because I do know that for some, everything after basic is easier. My sister has been in the military for 12 years, and said the same... but even she was appalled at how they were treated.

Well, I gotta tell ya. I've been through Basic Training. Also, my daughter went through Basic Training. I got pneumonia when I was there, too. Marching in hot sun and then going into air conditioned barracks (air conditioned: Yeah, that's tough) will do that to you. As I remember, my temp was 105.

And i also got the teary eyed call from my daughter on how "tough" it all was and how all these people had all these problems. Reading your account brought back the memories. Thanks.

Is boot camp "tough"? Yeah, especially compared to Mommy making your bed for you and making sure you are okay. No Nintendo DS for you in boot. Sorry.

Is boot camp a mixture of disease and illness, people killing themselves, etc?

Nope. It's just drama in action. Little boys & girls that have never left the cozy confines of the nest who are expected to perform. In every company there are at least a couple of wimps who "can't take it" and wind up being quietly discharged "for the good of the serrvice."

Your brother will get over it; and there's not a darned thing you can do about it.

reply to post by CeeRZ


Ya the military is not known for the best and brightest (as far as treatment goes). My brother was a marine his first wife died because the navy docs did not preform a proper procedure after a miscarriage. Then my sister joined the navy sum years later during basic she began to have stomach pain they forced her to train for another week after she reported it before it became so bad she collapsed. Then in the infirmary she was not allowed to lay down accept at night to sleep, a week later they to her (22 years old at the time) she needed a hysterectomy to solve the issue or she would be discharged. She elected to be let go they kept her under the same conditions for another 3 weeks till she was allowed to come home. One month after we got her home she was diagnosed with Celiac's and the only reason she was having the pain was because of their food.

It's called the recruit crud. I had bronchitis, pneumonia, pink eye and VGE during boot camp. Two of which I had when they pulled four of my wisdom teeth, novacaine only. I don't know how the Army does things but we can see a corpsman every morning if we need to. Most guys can pull through without getting dropped or getting sent to the medical platoon.

I think your brother is stretching the truth to gain sympathy from you, because he is not getting any sympathy at basic training.

While pink eye and pneumonia happen frequently in basic training, they are addressed immediately. The water conditions he described to you are not believable at all.

Just my 2 cents. Take it or leave it.

reply to post by CeeRZ


Okay...what country is this ? Having been to basic training recently and over 20 years ago someone is not telling the whole story here. Is basic tough in the American military, yes and no kinda depends on the person. You do live in close quarters with everyone so yes illness is a part of it.

You also recieve many vaccines with some live viruses which can make you ill and give you fever. Pink eye is very contagious so if the first person is not discovered yes other will also contract it. Pneumona comes in several degrees, young people bounce back quickly with treatment. As for the water situation this sounds like Bull if this is the American military as you can't go anywhere without water fountains, sinks, and yes bottled water. As for cold water, it will not be cold long in a canteen so whats the point and cold water will general make you feel unwell especially after running and muscle failure so it would be best to drink it from the faucet.

As for comingleing water it just does not happen, no reason with water buffalos everywhere and bottled water so again if he is in the American military not happening. Fever is normal and yes its important to to treat but also important to put them back into training as soon as possiable, do not think they will let them lie in bed, otherwise everyone would be at sick call and lying in bed. Happens a lot anyway but nope not here, so I am curious what nations military?

As for the suicide attempt, if someone really wants to do it then they do not call it an attempt, they are just a statistic. Some young men and women away from for the first time can not deal with it and look for ways to get out. One way use to be to say I am gay and that would get you out the door pretty quick, can't use that one anymore so now sucide is another way to get sent home. Some kids really find out what war will be like (not like video games) they really want out and I do not blame them.

The Army has a grace period where you can opt out with no troubles, not advertised but used often. They have entire platoons made up of sick soldiers and if he was really sick he would be sent to the broke platoon until he was better. Military medicine is like civilian medicine some good some bad...military Docs are young and frsh out of school and internships so yes bad diagnoses happen just like in the real world. He will be okay just stick it out.


Oh he will do a lot more pushups before its all over, it really not about punishment, just another tool to get them ready and stronger for what lies ahead...if he plans on doing specops he may want to take it up a noch as BT is really easy, but will be getting tougher with all the cuts coming. Instead of waiting to weed em out in the real Army it will start right ther first.

reply to post by DJMSN


American Army. He's in Ft Jackson.

It's very possible I'm missing pieces of the story as I got it from my mom (who is known to embellish). My brother however doesn't lie, and doesn't look for a sympathetic ear...ever. I'm sure it was all just part of what he told my mom during his "awarded phone time" .... and I'm sure she asked all the right questions and only told me the bad parts. But then again, there are a lot of bad parts in basic anyway
As for the water.... he wouldn't make that up... though there could be more to it and my mom just twisted the facts.

And actually.. I'm kinda happy to hear that others have had pneumonia and other illnesses while in basic. Not that it still makes it ok... but my sister didn't have that hard of a time and no one really got that sick...so to me, it seemed too extreme.

As for the story about telling her to get a hysterectomy or quit? Wow.... Ciliac is easy to diagnose too...