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Gebbinn · 07-19-2009, 11:05 PM

Having spent a good part of my adult life in the U.S. Army Infantry, I have been witness to, party to, and willing participant in all manner of hazing. What I think most people who have never been a part of this time honored ritual do not understand, is the purpose behind the hazing. Too many people hear the word hazing, and immediately picture a bunch of college frat boys doing all sorts of unspeakable things to some poor defenseless freshman. Although that sort of thing still occurs to this day, that is the exception in my experience rather than the norm.

In the Infantry, a mentality must exist amongst all the men of the unit; a mentality that says basically "I will do anything for my brothers, as I know they will do anything for me, wether on the field of battle or off, I trust them completely with everything up to and including my very life" There is no real way to prove to anyone that they can actually rely on you to provide that level of comraderie and brotherhood. However, through acts of hazing ranging from simple jokes "get me a chemlight battery, a box of grid squares and some BA1100Ns" to more extreme acts such as "bloodwings" (when a member of the unit recieves any major promotions or achievements, the protective covers on the pins of the insignia are removed and each member of the unit then punches the insignia, driving the pins into the soldiers pectoral muscles) the member of the squad proves his willingness to stand with his brothers and take whatever they can dish, and know that next time, they will be the one returning the act.

Though these acts may seem barbaric to most, to those soldiers of the unit, they are the glue that helps to hold the unit together. (I have never seen a soldier who was unwilling to participate in bloodwing rituals be forced to either participate or to recieve, however if they chose not to recieve, they will never be allowed to participate.) Men and women who are expected to lay thier lives on the line for thier country at a moments notice must by the very nature of thier job be more barbaric than the average person. By participating in these hazings, they prove to those who they must rely on that they themselves can be relied on as well.

There have been laws passed all throughout our government and military to outlaw acts of hazing, and there are stiff penalties for commiting acts of hazing if you get caught. In 12 years serving our country, not one single time did I have a soldier complain about hazing, or turn anyone in for it.

So, is hazing barbaric, humiliating, degrading and demeaning. Absolutely. Should it be allowed. I say yes, in certain places, among certain willing participants, absolutely. Should I ever become a part of anything like the military again, I will willingly put myself to the stocks and prove that yes, I can take anything you can dish out, and I am not going to cry to my mommy, instead, I will return the punishment right back when my time comes.

07-19-2009, 11:05 PM	#19 (permalink)
Gebbinn Crazy	Having spent a good part of my adult life in the U.S. Army Infantry, I have been witness to, party to, and willing participant in all manner of hazing. What I think most people who have never been a part of this time honored ritual do not understand, is the purpose behind the hazing. Too many people hear the word hazing, and immediately picture a bunch of college frat boys doing all sorts of unspeakable things to some poor defenseless freshman. Although that sort of thing still occurs to this day, that is the exception in my experience rather than the norm. In the Infantry, a mentality must exist amongst all the men of the unit; a mentality that says basically "I will do anything for my brothers, as I know they will do anything for me, wether on the field of battle or off, I trust them completely with everything up to and including my very life" There is no real way to prove to anyone that they can actually rely on you to provide that level of comraderie and brotherhood. However, through acts of hazing ranging from simple jokes "get me a chemlight battery, a box of grid squares and some BA1100Ns" to more extreme acts such as "bloodwings" (when a member of the unit recieves any major promotions or achievements, the protective covers on the pins of the insignia are removed and each member of the unit then punches the insignia, driving the pins into the soldiers pectoral muscles) the member of the squad proves his willingness to stand with his brothers and take whatever they can dish, and know that next time, they will be the one returning the act. Though these acts may seem barbaric to most, to those soldiers of the unit, they are the glue that helps to hold the unit together. (I have never seen a soldier who was unwilling to participate in bloodwing rituals be forced to either participate or to recieve, however if they chose not to recieve, they will never be allowed to participate.) Men and women who are expected to lay thier lives on the line for thier country at a moments notice must by the very nature of thier job be more barbaric than the average person. By participating in these hazings, they prove to those who they must rely on that they themselves can be relied on as well. There have been laws passed all throughout our government and military to outlaw acts of hazing, and there are stiff penalties for commiting acts of hazing if you get caught. In 12 years serving our country, not one single time did I have a soldier complain about hazing, or turn anyone in for it. So, is hazing barbaric, humiliating, degrading and demeaning. Absolutely. Should it be allowed. I say yes, in certain places, among certain willing participants, absolutely. Should I ever become a part of anything like the military again, I will willingly put myself to the stocks and prove that yes, I can take anything you can dish out, and I am not going to cry to my mommy, instead, I will return the punishment right back when my time comes. __________________ There are 10 types of people in this world... Those who understand Binary and those who dont. I aim to please.. to bad for you I am a horrible shot. Every time you open your mouth, stupid comes out.