Mike Ruppert speaks of civil war!
If I am not mistaken those 'bootcamps" for the kids are an alternate to 'juvy' and yes they are run very much like a real bootcamp. The main goal of all bootcamps is to de-construct the individual, alleviating most original destructive thoughs in order to create a clean slate to then mould. "Break The Man, Then Make The Man" For the young, this camp may make the difference between spending the rest of your life in prison, or becoming a citizen that recognizes the personal space and inherent rights of other people and their property.
In the real military it's a bit different for obvious reasons:
What they are seeking is for all the recruits to share the exact same state of mind and then to form them into a cohesive unit that reacts to commands instantly. If you have ever seen movies about boot camp, you notice them all marching. You march everywhere you go except on bridges. Sympathetic vibrations set up by hundreds of boots pounding the pavement at the same moment could weaken and finally collapse a bridge.
You learn how to march by the call. Then you learn how to drill, reacting in split seconds to commands. Some services are taught how to drill with weapons also. You spend countless hours until your whole unit, squad, troop, flight, whatever, responds in a motion so exact, that there is only one sound. Depending upon just how evil your Drill Instructor is, you can spend hours in close order drill or all day until all of you get it right.
ALL non conformity is recognized instantly and dealt with even faster with the alacrity and force of lightning. If you haven't seen the movie Full Metal Jacket and want a real picture of what basic training is all about, I recommend you see it. The DI is played by R. Lee Ermey. For those that have been this way, his portrayal has never seen an equal. it's the closest one I have ever seen. For those that have never been in the military, it may be very hard to understand just why this type of training is done to a poor, nice kid from anywhere USA, that possibly never hurt a flea in his or her whole life. You may have visions of our kids being hooked up to machines and having their brains wiped clean and the latest forms of 'brainwashing' then used to make some kind of automaton to be used for evil purposes. Not so.
The truth of the matter is that all of this is done to increase the odds of survival for the recruit on the field of battle. The presence of seasoned, experienced NonComs (Non Commissioned Officers: Petty Officers, Chiefs, Sergeants) that know how to react in situations of extreme duress or pressure wether it be in an emergency or under fire, increases those odds of survival even more. Instant reaction to orders given can be the difference between success or failure in any response to those orders. God help you if your immediate supervisor up the chain of command is an idiot. Because where he treads, so doth thee.
There are sections in Basic Training for those that do not conform readily to this type of training. In the first occasions of non conforming, the recruit may be 'set back' in training a week or more, leaving the unit he was with and being forced to join a unit a week behind the one he left. If this does not work then a more harsh answer and environment awaits him. A Motivation Squad.
I have witnessed both the re-training or "Motivation" as it was called and the end result of such training. The inductee is not allowed to speak, he half step marches every where, all day long. There are no smoke breaks, no personal time, no freedom of any sort. I have seen them drill at their tables after they have all received their food and they have half step marched to their place with their trays full of food and drinks suspended exactly 3 inches above the table, held in place awaiting the command to 'Drop'. Woe be unto the first served for his wait is the longest. Woe be unto that group that does not have the trays hit with one sound. And woe be unto that group that does not get it right in the first few tries. You are not allowed to go back for a unadulterated tray. The smart, forego liquids during meals for obvious reasons. We wondered why such cruelty was allowed. Then it was explained to us what it took to be a member of that group. The participants basically dug their own grave as it were and were perfectly qualified to be there.
It was more than enough for the majority to realize that we never wanted to go there. That was the ONLY form of brainwashing I have seen in the military. For those deemed impossible to train, it was the stockade or jail until you processed out as undesirable and unfit for duty. Having a Un Honorable Discharge follow you for the rest of your life is not something you want to experience. Even a General Discharge in some circles can create a stigma that is hard to break.
For some, the military life fits just like a glove and can be a fine way of making your way through life. For others, it's a single 'tour' for the four or six years depending upon your contract, and then on to other things.
In retrospect, I would not trade my training or experiences for all the money in the world. Being wealthy and 'lost' in the boonies without a clue, training and your ass is on the line is not an ideal situation to be caught in. Being penniless, having all that you require to survive in the wilds, backed by training, and your ass is on the line, I would tend to pity the opposition.
