Before I enlisted and went to Air Force boot camp, I was enrolled in the United States Marine Corps poolie program. The poolie program is part of the delayed entry program (DEP), where recruiters get you involved before you are even old enough to enlist.
In the poolie program, they try to prepare you for boot camp by running together, reviewing general orders, and treating you similarly to how a drill instructor will during basic training. This is meant to get you mentally and physically ready for the three months of intense training ahead.
So why didn’t I go through with it and become a Marine? Well, that’s a long story, but the short version is that my recruiter conducted himself in ways I found deeply troubling. He had a criminal record, including a serious conviction, and even at a young age, I was uncomfortable with his attitude and the culture he promoted.
I believe strongly in treating everyone with respect, and this recruiter’s comments and behavior toward women, including remarks about my girlfriend while I would be away, were things I could not overlook. He was eventually transferred to another recruiting station after making inappropriate advances toward my then-girlfriend, who was also a poolie, and he went on to face additional serious charges. That behavior reflects on him as an individual, not on the Marine Corps as an institution, but it was enough for me to choose a different path. You can read the full story in the link above.
When I arrived at Air Force basic training, I thought my previous experiences would prepare me well. When my military training instructor spoke to me, I instinctively responded by speaking loudly, the way I had during my time in the poolie program. In the Air Force, that was not how things were done, and I was immediately corrected for it.
Why are you shouting at me Rodriguez? What is your problem? No one here yells like that. We are civilized. You will speak clearly but not shout like you’re talking to your buddies. Do you understand me, Rodriguez?
My background came up more than once during training, even when they discovered I had medication for a throat infection. Every time I was called on, I would respond loudly out of habit, only to be corrected again. After a day or so, I learned to adjust.
I picked things up quickly, and they made me an element leader early on. I worked hard to support my team and get things done. However, I was removed from the role not long after because the environment I was building was seen as too positive and supportive. They wanted someone who would take a firmer approach to enforcing rules. So on one hand I was being told not to raise my voice, and on the other I was expected to be harder on my element. That was a bit of a contradiction I had trouble making sense of.
The bottom line? If you are heading to Air Force boot camp, do not speak loudly at your training instructors. They will not respond well to it.
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