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Just watched "Full Metal Jacket", again... Is the "Boot Camp" portrayal of the Sargent accurate to any degree? Personal experiences? Wondering, Roger

Great movie. Don't know about accuracy though. I also loved "Platoon" and my favourite, "Saving Private Ryan".

Roger Morrison wrote:Just watched "Full Metal Jacket", again... Is the "Boot Camp" portrayal of the Sargent accurate to any degree? Personal experiences? Wondering, Roger

I'm an ex-Marine, so I can answer your query:

Yes, the drill instructor in the Boot Camp portion of Full Metal Jacket is entirely accurate.

The actor, R. Lee Ermey, was an actual drill instructor in real life. Stanley Kubrick had hired him merely as an acting coach for the guy originally slated to fill the role, but was so impressed with Ermey that he fired the actor and hired Ermey instead.

Dr. Shades wrote:The actor, R. Lee Ermey, was an actual drill instructor in real life. Stanley Kubrick had hired him merely as an acting coach for the guy originally slated to fill the role, but was so impressed with Ermey that he fired the actor and hired Ermey instead.

Wow. I just read up about this on wikipedia. The fact that Kubrick allowed him to improvise on the set speaks volumes about the man.

Wow. That guy freaked me out. I didn't realize he was the real deal.


:O

Ermey and a special guest: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8slpQyQZUYk

My father, both grandfathers and my husband were all Marines, so I've heard literally hundreds of boot camp stories!

My husband said the drill instructor in the movie was very accurate, but that his own drill instructor was worse. I knew he'd say that, lol!

According to my husband, there were times his instructor was physically abusive, even though, supposedly, that shouldn't happen. He says his DI threw him across the squad bay once and later, while at Pendleton running the tunnels under the rifle range (I think that's where the tunnels were...), there was ample opportunity for the DI's to do things to recruits that weren't technically allowed, like shove them or otherwise mistreat them when the Senior wasn't around.

Tom (my husband) has dozens of funny stories from boot camp and equally as many horror stories. I've heard them all. Lots of times. ;)

KA

WOW!! That's for real!!!??? WHY?? It is beyond my understanding that such demeaning, degrading psyche rape would be considered necessary AND acceptable in the "land-of-the-free"??? Might such an attitude--destruction of individualism to serve the Institution without question, or objection, in fact root the the problem of corruption and survival at all costs of self-righteous rule and dominion??

Wonder IF all nations trained their military forces according to the same principle of dehumanization?

Thanks for the posts. Gotta really think this one through... How would/will higher education effect that tradition? Opinions?? Roger

They tear down before they build up. I had a brother who went in as a longhaired grunge rocker, and came back a completely different person.

He didn't know whether to keep his hat on when we ate at a picnic table at the park. he couldent remember what to do because oyu take your hat off to eat, but are supposed to leave it on when outside.

Its to instill the necessity of following orders, you can't have questioning in the combat field.

Roger Morrison wrote:WOW!! That's for real!!!??? WHY??

Take a look at the fighting quality of the average Marine compared to the average soldier of any other nation in the world. Then you can answer your own question.

It is beyond my understanding that such demeaning, degrading psyche rape would be considered necessary AND acceptable in the "land-of-the-free"???

You can't argue with results.

Might such an attitude--destruction of individualism to serve the Institution without question, or objection, in fact root the the problem of corruption and survival at all costs of self-righteous rule and dominion??

Care to rephrase that in English for us?

Wonder IF all nations trained their military forces according to the same principle of dehumanization?

Can't say, since I've never been in anyone else's military.

Thanks for the posts. Gotta really think this one through... How would/will higher education effect that tradition? Opinions?? Roger

The higher educated ones (officers) are the selfsame ones ensuring the tradition continues.