When did they stop hitting recruits in basic training?

fingers

Ask any veteran, they will tell you it happened right after they left, "cause when I went things were not easy like they are now." We are all liars...

ettubozo

most likely when the draft ended....
I turned 18 in 1969 and had to register for draft and take physical at AFEES.(Armed Forces Entrance and Examination Station)
I am not saying they beat people up at AFEES...but...they were not very cordial.
That changed with volunteer force.
Can't treat volunteers like dragged off the streets kicking and screaming conscripts

holly

I'm not sure if it's written anywhere, but it was the '90s that started the trend of "hey, we really look like a bunch of morons hitting people for petty siht and not letting them hit back."
Also, gratuitous swearing(at least at boot camp) was demoted from the "norm" into "unprofessional" in the '90s.

Sandra M

Probably when the draft was lifted although you can still hear "war stories" from individuals who claim that DIs hit them or someone they know. The reason why corporal punishment was abandoned is because the idea of basic training is to build a soldier, sailor, airman. coast guardsmen, or Marine. It is not to demean a person.

Also, there is little or no training benefit to corporal punishment. Hitting a recruit will not do much to build their skill or confidence. However, it might make the DI feel better.

All branches have made corporal punishment illegal and a DI or other cadre who hit a trainee can face legal action. That is not to say that a drill cannot defend him or herself if attacked. If someone is dumb enough to go after a drill, they get what they deserve.

EDIT: It was administered during the civil war and punishment could be for insubordination to an officer, not just stealing or anything that we would consider serious. In addition, some drills in basic may have not touched trainees themselves, but they encouraged other to adjust the attitudes of a failing recruit. What generally happens when you ask a bunch of 18 year olds to help adjust someone's attitude?

"Drill Sergeants Physical Abuse- Understandably, I get e-mails almost every day asking me how much physical abuse drill sergeants can administer. The answer is zero. People watch movies about basic training in the 1960â€™s and 1970â€™s era and see all the abuse administered to those recruits. Drill sergeants are not allowed to hit recruits anymore; however that doesnâ€™t mean it never happens. Civilians arenâ€™t supposed to murder each other either, but that happens every day. When you arrive at basic training you will receive a briefing on this subject. If you ever get physically abused by a drill sergeant, you will learn the proper channels to report the abuse. Also, if you are too afraid to tell someone in person, there will be an anonymous drop box where you can write letters reporting such abuse. Drill sergeants are so adept at wearing you out mentally that physical abuse is not needed. Also, drill sergeants are required to travel in pairs, so in case something out of the ordinary happens another drill sergeant is there to witness the event. This strategy works the other way around too. Many recruits file false reports claiming a drill sergeant hit a recruit. When claims like this occur, it is investigated and since drill sergeants travel in pairs, someone is always able to corroborate their story."

http://www.military.com/opinion/0,15202,171907,00.html

jizzin5

when were they allowed to hit the trainees?

Pat

Occurred in 2000 in USMC. A bunch of us stood guard in the hallway to the showers and opposite bay whilst a DI administered a very mild beatdown.
I also got punched in the gut in tech school for being spastic on electronics... I gave him permission beforehand to do it though.
And it's still very commonplace for Marines (esp recruits and mos training) to smack eachother on the backside of the head when their buddy is obviously falling asleep when they shouldn't be.

Thrust Of Just

yesterday.

yarbsea

I'm pretty sure corporal punishment was last served during the Civil War, but even then it was only for "punishment" (i.e. stealing, going awol..etc).

I don't think hitting in basic training (as we know it in modern times) has ever been allowed nor tolerated.

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