Comments

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  Dennis Pennington October 8, 2009 at 3:53pm

  NAVET February 1990.
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  Michael Hammer October 7, 2009 at 6:56pm

  NAVET in the spring of 1989
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  EWC (SW) Jerry Emert October 2, 2009 at 7:56pm

  I was a Company Commander there from 1986-1990. The best tour in my 20.
  C116 4/87-6/87
  K071 5/87-7/87
  C182 7/87-9/87
  K001 9/87-12/87
  C094 2/88-4/88
  CO87 3/89-4/89
  C124 6/89-7/89
  C181 8/89-10/89
  And three more female companies that I can't remember and don't have year books for. The male companies were the most fun but the girls smelled better! Very rewarding, I hope they all did well!
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  Kenneth A. Elliott (Spickenreuth October 2, 2009 at 5:03pm

  As a young recruit, RTC Orlando was heavan, uh I mean Hell on earth. I was in Company C072, during the Late winter/early spring of 1987. Our company was a bunch of hosed up ricky recruits, we aspired to achieve a monumental level in RTC Orlando history. You have heard of the hall of fame company, we were the hall of shame company. during graduation we had two flags, Our company flag and PT flag. We were awesome.
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  David Richardson September 28, 2009 at 7:07pm

  I was an instructor at WS/PT, I was the Yeoman that gave the tests..When I left Orlando I was given a plaque and from companies CO64 & KO15 I was awarded a paper weight for helping them get through their tests. I will sorely miss that place. Some good times there!
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  Mark Chambers September 28, 2009 at 6:44pm

  Just saw D. John's post about his boot camp experience...which was just like mine in 1971. How about getting kicked in the stomach for not doing a proper push-up? Or how about our RCPO (they picked on RCPO's) with his boxers in his mouth over a bucket of soapy water cleaning the stripes out of his skivvies while doing push-ups? Or being forced to drink out of the toilets because they got hit on inspection? And those are a couple of mild examples. Sleep deprivation and getting smacked around was the norm, but the discipline made a difference when I got to Vietnam. I had to laugh when I saw someone mention stress cards. I don't know what they are, but I can imagine that the scars on my knuckles from push-ups with fingers wrapped around my rifle wouldn't be there if I could have claimed stress.
  
  Nevertheless!...I, too, appreciate everyone's service and I'm sure that whatever boot-camp has become it is still an important rite of passage for everyone. My only real regret in life is that I didn't make a career of the Navy, but the 1970s were not a good time to be in uniform.
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  Jacquelyn Rae Martin/Gobelet September 28, 2009 at 9:27am

  PE in high school was harder then bootcamp (as far as the physical stuff). The heat did not bother me all that much, because here in West TN it is the humidity that will kill you. And no RMC Joseph, I was not a Quartermaster at A.T. land, just a E2. In boot camp I remember going to the grinder manuver testing and while we were there we also had a PI. It was the first time that my locker was checked. I was so mad when I got back to the barricks and saw my stuff on the floor. I forgot that just because the officers went through your stuff did not mean that they found anything wrong with it. I thought for sure that I was going to DSIT for that. I still went to DSIT because I screwed up during manuvers. I sluted when I should have gone to attention. I still would not change a thing about it (good, bad, easy, hard) because it made me the person that I am today. More confident, self reliant, and more easy going.
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  Lisa Spencer September 27, 2009 at 12:29am

  I was in boot camp in 89 I remember DSIT and IT
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  Steven Posada September 26, 2009 at 1:13pm

  and what exactly is wrong with Quartermasters?
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  John (Blue Eagle) Maddalena September 26, 2009 at 1:07pm

  I find it funny reading all you young folk's experiences in boot camp in Orlando.... You had it so tough, when I was there physical abuse was still allowed. to see a CC run over someone with a bicycle was the norm on the grinder.....To see some recruit get slapped in the back of the head was not unusual.....Doing pushups with your fingers rapped around your Springfield out on the grinder in the hot sun,hot blacktop, fingers mashing between rifle and blacktop with CC's helping foot adding a little extra incentive..... Oh!!! Now those were the good ol' days...We didn't have cell phones, compact computers, phone cards, email, or texting,when we were out at sea either, we had mail call ( you had to know someone who knew cursive ).... Anyway thank ya'll for your service, just had to pick a little, we are all still Brothers and Sisters for the same cause.....