Marines will tell you that they may not remember what they ate yesterday or where they parked their car at the mall, but they will always remember their drill instructors.

One day our drill instructor marched our platoon to the dispensary.

"When I give you the word you will get your ---- through that door in front of you," he said. "Once inside you will line up in a single line, front to back. Do you maggots understand me?"

"Sir, yes, sir!" we said.

"Do it now!" he said.

Our platoon of 75 guys ran into the building as fast as we could and lined up front to back inside the room, standing at attention.

"When I give you the word, you will strip down and place all your clothing in a neat pile on the deck next to your right foot. Make it happen," he said.

Everybody took off everything except their skivvy shorts.

The drill instructor went berserk.

"Didn't I just tell you maggots to strip down?" he yelled. "When I say everything, I mean everything. Do it now."

Everybody took off their skivvy shorts and put them on our clothing piles then snapped back to attention. Picture 75 guys, lined up front-to-back, completely naked.

The drill instructor then yelled, "Tighten up that line!"

Wait. What?

We all moved forward about half an inch.

Then, the worst words I ever heard in boot camp.

"I said tighten up that line and that's what I meant!" he screamed. "Tighten it up, and I better not see any daylight between you!"

Vietnam was nothing after that.

Judd N. Green
USMC
1964-1968