U.S. Military Differences Over the Years

Podcast #36 is about how different the U.S. military has become over the years from the time Boomer X was active duty and to when Millennial Z was active duty some 30 years later. Boomer X was in just as cursing or swearing was being discouraged by senior command, but was still common. Hands being placed upon recruits were also discouraged, but still happened and all the Drill Sergeant needed was a reasonable excuse for the contact. Almost no sleep the first three days for Boomer X after the intake process was complete and basic training truly began in the U.S. Army, with little sleep the next two weeks. Millennial Z did not experience this type of training at all with far less abuse of the recruits a few decades later.

Also, continuous insults and name calling was almost a competition between Drill Sergeants as to who could come up with the most creative put down for recruits during training. Millennial Z responded that he didn't experience that, but did experience jokes made at a recruit's expense which he found funny and frequently suffered consequences for laughing or "losing military bearing".

It was also clear during the discussion that the physical training and stress testing was far less after three decades as well as the mental stress. Millennial Z reported being injured and still able to complete the physical testing adequately without special dispensation where an injury in the past created an automatic recycling to an earlier training company as there was no way the recruit could complete the physical requirements of the time.

Please listen for more stories and descriptions of the experience for Millennial Z and Boomer X and subscribe to be sure and receive the next podcast.