Question about the movie 'Jarhead'

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PurdueRy

Lifer
Nov 12, 2004
13,837
4
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In all seriousness...

This regards the scene where they are training for combat and crawling under the netting with live fire. A soldier stands up and gets a bullet to the head...

My brother and I both wondered if the military ever actually does excecises like this where getting shot would be a real possibility if a soldier did not do what he was supposed to...seems too dangerous. Anyone know?
 
Whoozyerdaddy

Whoozyerdaddy

Lifer
Jun 27, 2005
19,216
1
61
It was in the book. Swofford wrote it as an autobiography.

My brother watched a guy die in a live fire excercise when he was in marine boot camp. It happens.
 
P

PurdueRy

Lifer
Nov 12, 2004
13,837
4
0
Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
It was in the book. Swofford wrote it as an autobiography.

My brother watched a guy die in a live fire excercise when he was in marine boot camp. It happens.
Click to expand...

damn, that scene :shocked: me

The rest of the movie was BLAH though IMO
 
S

Sentinel

Diamond Member
Jun 23, 2000
3,714
1
71
I would believe that, why the fvck would you poke your head up with hundreds of bullets flying overhead?
 
Whoozyerdaddy

Whoozyerdaddy

Lifer
Jun 27, 2005
19,216
1
61
I once worked with a part time guy who was in the army. He told me about a guy in his paltoon who shot himself in the head during basic. His Sgt. gathered the platoon around his body and went on a tirade about how "This is what happens when you're weak!!!"

It's a very intense environment from what I understand. (Never been in the military) Sometimes people break.
 
OutHouse

OutHouse

Lifer
Jun 5, 2000
36,410
616
126
yes it happens. I went through that at Ft Dix and they had 2 M-60's on 10' towers shooting over our heads. you want to hear something loud, be on the business end of a M-60... anyway the class that was 2 behind us had some kid killed becuase the idiot who was operating one of the M-60's didnt have it properly mounted on the tripod. while he was firing the gun came loose and sprayed the ground killing one kid. very tragic...
 
P

PurdueRy

Lifer
Nov 12, 2004
13,837
4
0
Originally posted by: Citrix
yes it happens. I went through that at Ft Dix and they had 2 M-60's on 10' towers shooting over our heads. you want to hear something loud, be on the business end of a M-60... anyway the class that was 2 behind us had some kid killed becuase the idiot who was operating one of the M-60's didnt have it properly mounted on the tripod. while he was firing the gun came loose and sprayed the ground killing one kid. very tragic...
Click to expand...

damn...unbelieveable... I had no idea!
 
FoBoT

FoBoT

No Lifer
Apr 30, 2001
63,084
15
81
fobot.com
they do not do anything like this in Navy basic training (i went through it in 1986). safety is very important and of course the Navy generally doesn't get involved with small arms battles

the only interaction we had with real guns/bullets was everyone was required to shoot 6 rounds from a fake Colt .45 , it was actually a .22 . you didn't have to hit the target, you just had to fire it 6 times.
 
Amused

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
57,355
19,537
146
I don't know about before, but by the time I went through Army Infantry basic training in the mid 80s, there were no instances in which any live fire was directed towards any soldiers in training.
 
J

jlbenedict

Banned
Jul 10, 2005
3,724
0
0
I went through something similiar back in 1994, while in basic training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Basically.. a couple of M60's mounted in high towers, with the drill instructors firing above our heads while while low crawl over a wall, and underneath wire, etc.. the course length was probably close to half a football field.... It was a long fvcking night!
The belt of ammo usually has tracer rounds inserted periodically throughout the belt.. so, you can see them while they are buzzing above your head
 
Amused

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
57,355
19,537
146
Originally posted by: jlbenedict
I went through something similiar back in 1994, while in basic training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Basically.. a couple of M60's mounted in high towers, with the drill instructors firing above our heads while while low crawl over a wall, and underneath wire, etc.. the course length was probably close to half a football field.... It was a long fvcking night!
The belt of ammo usually has tracer rounds inserted periodically throughout the belt.. so, you can see them while they are buzzing above your head
Click to expand...

Was this during basic, or AIT?
 
N

NikPreviousAcct

No Lifer
Aug 15, 2000
52,763
1
0
Originally posted by: PurdueRy
In all seriousness...

This regards the scene where they are training for combat and crawling under the netting with live fire. A soldier stands up and gets a bullet to the head...

My brother and I both wondered if the military ever actually does excecises like this where getting shot would be a real possibility if a soldier did not do what he was supposed to...seems too dangerous. Anyone know?
Click to expand...

Yes, training is done with live ammunition in many cases. If you don't listen -if you're a freaking retard- and you die, too bad.
 
N

NikPreviousAcct

No Lifer
Aug 15, 2000
52,763
1
0
Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
It was in the book. Swofford wrote it as an autobiography.

My brother watched a guy die in a live fire excercise when he was in marine boot camp. It happens.
Click to expand...

Yup. A buddy of mine saw the guy in front of him fall from a rope, land on his head, and break his neck. They carted him off and training just kept on going.
 
J

jlbenedict

Banned
Jul 10, 2005
3,724
0
0
Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: jlbenedict
I went through something similiar back in 1994, while in basic training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Basically.. a couple of M60's mounted in high towers, with the drill instructors firing above our heads while while low crawl over a wall, and underneath wire, etc.. the course length was probably close to half a football field.... It was a long fvcking night!
The belt of ammo usually has tracer rounds inserted periodically throughout the belt.. so, you can see them while they are buzzing above your head
Click to expand...

Was this during basic, or AIT?
Click to expand...

Basic Training, June 1994, in the summer heat of Fort Sill, Oklahoma.. fun times
 
Amused

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
57,355
19,537
146
Originally posted by: jlbenedict
Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: jlbenedict
I went through something similiar back in 1994, while in basic training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Basically.. a couple of M60's mounted in high towers, with the drill instructors firing above our heads while while low crawl over a wall, and underneath wire, etc.. the course length was probably close to half a football field.... It was a long fvcking night!
The belt of ammo usually has tracer rounds inserted periodically throughout the belt.. so, you can see them while they are buzzing above your head
Click to expand...

Was this during basic, or AIT?
Click to expand...

Basic Training, June 1994, in the summer heat of Fort Sill, Oklahoma.. fun times
Click to expand...

What was your MOS?

Funny that there was nothing like this in Infantry basic at Ft Benning. You'd think Infantry would be the first to get this type of training.
 
J

jlbenedict

Banned
Jul 10, 2005
3,724
0
0
Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: jlbenedict
Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: jlbenedict
I went through something similiar back in 1994, while in basic training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Basically.. a couple of M60's mounted in high towers, with the drill instructors firing above our heads while while low crawl over a wall, and underneath wire, etc.. the course length was probably close to half a football field.... It was a long fvcking night!
The belt of ammo usually has tracer rounds inserted periodically throughout the belt.. so, you can see them while they are buzzing above your head
Click to expand...

Was this during basic, or AIT?
Click to expand...

Basic Training, June 1994, in the summer heat of Fort Sill, Oklahoma.. fun times
Click to expand...

What was your MOS?

Funny that there was nothing like this in Infantry basic at Ft Benning. You'd think Infantry would be the first to get this type of training.
Click to expand...

I was a 27E, Land Combat Missile Systems Repairman
AIT was located at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama

 
S

shenrick

Junior Member
Oct 4, 2012
2
0
0
jlbenedict said:
I went through something similiar back in 1994, while in basic training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Basically.. a couple of M60's mounted in high towers, with the drill instructors firing above our heads while while low crawl over a wall, and underneath wire, etc.. the course length was probably close to half a football field.... It was a long fvcking night!
The belt of ammo usually has tracer rounds inserted periodically throughout the belt.. so, you can see them while they are buzzing above your head
Click to expand...

I remember that night very well. I was the Squad Leader on the squad that PVT White was in. He was the soldier who was killed that night. And you're right. That really was a long night. The next few days were even longer, as we were questioned over and over by CID. I still remember when our CO Capt Mabry got on our bus that night and informed us that PVT White had lost his life. A bunch of his buddies in the back just broke down. I just stared at the floor of the bus, feeling very guilty. For years after, I blamed myself. Our squad was broken up into Alpha and Bravo teams. PVT White was in Bravo. I was supposed to order Bravo up but accidentally ordered Alpha up. I felt had I not messed up, PVT White would not have been there when the round struck and killed him. I no longer feel responsible, but that night still haunts me. I remember going to PVT White's memorial service at the chapel days later. In my naive 18 yr old eyes, I remarked to the soldier next to me that they had given PVT White the Purple Heart. He said something to the effect of "Sure his family doesn't care about that. sure they just want him alive" PVT White, you will never be forgotten. RIP friend.
 
S

soulcougher73

Lifer
Nov 29, 2006
15,885
4,436
136
FoBoT said:
they do not do anything like this in Navy basic training (i went through it in 1986). safety is very important and of course the Navy generally doesn't get involved with small arms battles

the only interaction we had with real guns/bullets was everyone was required to shoot 6 rounds from a fake Colt .45 , it was actually a .22 . you didn't have to hit the target, you just had to fire it 6 times.
Click to expand...

Ha same as my experience in 93' Navy bootcamp. Was lame.
 
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