Re: JLTC/scout punishment

Michael Bowman said:

...
>As to the military close order drill and punishment exercises - that
>probably should be considered as unnecessary hazing and not allowed.
...

Strike the word "unnecessary". It was hazing, plain and simple.

I am a graduate of Aviation Officer Candidate School (AOCS). This school
was fictionalized in the movie, "An Officer and a Gentleman". In AOCS,
I had a U.S. Marine Corps drill instructor for 15 weeks. Punitive
physical training, aka "punitive PT", has its place in military basic
training. It has no place in Scouting. The same is true of punitive
marching.

Now, I once had my Scouts ask me to teach them basic marching, so they
would look good whilst participating in the Camarillo Christmas Parade.
This was a different issue, as their was no punitive aspect to that
situation.

In my considered opinion, the Scouters who allowed this to take place
need remedial training in the aims and methods of Scouting, vice the
military services. Given their tacit endorsement of hazing of Scout
trainees by junior leaders on JLTC staff, one must question their
fitness to run a Scouting training course.

Yours in Scouting,

Rodger
Rodger Morris <rodger@fishnet.net>
Assistant Scoutmaster, Troop 852, Camarillo, CA
Ventura County Council, Boy Scouts of America
National Woodbadge 416-18, Philmont, 1973
"I used to be a Beaver..."

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