Project 100 - A Vietnam Drill Instructors Struggles With Drafted Recruits 

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My dad had a 9th grade education, he was a Marine from the era. Left the Marines, worked hard, and provided to the best of his abilities. He is highly intelligent and thoughtful and speaks highly of his service as a Marine. I'm proud to be his son. He's "considered functionality illiterate." Happy to report all of his children are college graduates and high functioning adults, empathetic. Rah....

I spent 2 years in the 5th grade, 2 years in the 7th grade, and dropped out a few months into my 9th grade year. There was an Air Force billboard by the high school that said, "Guaranteed Jobs." I asked my buddy what that meant, and he told me you can pick the job you want to be trained in. I called the 800 number and received some material in the mail. Then the Air Force recruiter called and made an appointment for me to go in and talk. Not having a diploma or GED wasn't a problem. I took the test and was told I needed parental consent and I'd have to wait until I turned 17. On my 17th birthday I went to the induction center and took the physical and about 6 weeks later I went to basic training. It was 1972, and I believe Project 100,000 had ended, but I've always wondered. My guess is I have ADD or ADHD, but it's never been diagnosed. In basic training I had problems with everything. I couldn't make a bed, couldn't stay in step, they should have got rid of me. After basic they sent me to the other side of the base for security specialist training. I stayed 24 years and retired as an E-8. Then I did 16 years with the U.S. Mint Police and retired at 59. I'll be 69 next month and still wonder how I made it through my working years. I give God the credit for everything. One more thing on Project 100,00. We had a guy in my neighborhood (beside me) that was considered slow, or back then retarded. He got drafted in 69 or 70. He was sent to Army basic training and died there from "Sun Stroke." I remember his father saying, "why did they take him, they knew he was retarded." It's sad to think how many died, that should never have been drafted.

He’s spot on. Started Boot camp in 1966 in San Diego. Training cut down from 13 wks to 8. We had the same recruit profile he talked about, college grads to functionally illiterate. This was old Corps and recruits were physically punished. If you really screwed up you went to Correctional Custody. Using sledge hammers to break pieces of concrete and shovels to dig holes and fill them back. I actually reenlisted once to become an embassy guard. Two years in SE Asia. Got married over there. And my VA benefits got me a college degree. So I’m not complaining. Semper Fi.

My dad was a DI at MCRD San Diego from 65-69. 1st Bn. I had the honor of meeting some of these young Marines. I stood on those yellow footprints in March 1976. Semper Fidelis.

I was a Drill Sergeant in Special Training Company, Ft Benning Ga.. we trained the troops who couldn’t read or write on the 3rd grade level. My soldiers were African Americans from the South. They were not dumb. They had not been educated. Because of the ‘separate but equal’ segregation of schools, they had little opportunity. Many had to work in the fields at a young age to support their families. Most did well and in my opinion, working with them every day, and became good soldiers. Several were outstanding. They often learned reading/writing quickly in the 10 weeks they were with us. They had a half day of military training and a half day of elementary education. After leaving us they went to a regular basic company. Upon getting there, many were ahead of the raw recruits. They were fine men!

I swear the older I get ,the more I'm totally disgusted by the government,

During wartime, standards are often lowered. My Dad (a college student at the time) was drafted during Korea, and allowed to stay in, even though he was legally blind in one eye. On the other hand....when I enlisted in 1977 (after 'nam). My intake/reception group of 100 men were marched up to a building. The Drill Sgt. began reading names off to fall-in to the building, until I was the only one left standing there. The Drill then said to me, congratulations...it looks like you can read at or above the 8th grade level. Those that were marched into the building were having their reading abilities re-evaluated! To tell you the truth, the hardest thing about basic training was dealing with all the idiots around me.

I was drafted into the U.S.Army during Vietnam. Nobody failed basic training during that period, the Drill Sergeants “fixed” it so everybody graduated basic training. Uncle Sam needed body counts in the ‘Nam!

I was a high school dropout. PI in the summer of '68. Nam in early '69, back for 6 more months in early '70. I started driving the rough terrain forklift. While in Nam, I took an auto mechanics course and later became a mechanic. After the Corps' early-out, I went back to high school in '70-71 then on to Business School on the GI Bill. I know I am one of the "blessed" Vietnam veterans.

Boot camp November 1966 there was a man in my platoon several years older than most and I learned he had several children. Since he could not be drafted, I asked him why he had enlisted, taking 3 years. He was a Missouri country boy, some would call a hillbilly. He said he joined because he didn't have any teeth and the Army would give him dentures.

In 1981 my Platoon at Parris Island had over 100 in it. My Laundry number was in the 90's. I feel what you are saying, and it was true in the volunteer force too in my day. But, here is the thing, Not everyone is cut out to be in service, but, there should be implemented a system where as many as are physically able, even if some are uneducated to be able to serve in some capacity in this Nation. The old WPA and CCC, type projects where men and women helped clean up and build and refurbish public places, roads, parks, etc. should be revived, and some serve there. All inductees to the Draft would go into a pool. you test them, and those with an I.Q. above a rock can serve in the Military if they can handle certain tasks. Drivers, cooks, maintenance, and so on. The highest scoring Draftees and volunteers who qualify can do the other jobs within the Corps, Army, Navy, Airforce. The Draft is important in my mind, because everyone should have to shoulder some responsibility for this Nation's care and Defense. This non serving civilian population has become privileged snobs. They have no skin in the game, they just bitch and whine about everything, they all think they know everything about everything, but in reality they are ignorant, and have never sweat even for the freedoms they have, and that is why those freedoms aren't dear anymore. If we keep on allowing this to go on, they will destroy it. They need to get there ass in the grass with the rest of us, in some capacity, and learn what it means to have those freedoms, the cost of it, and how precious it is. Using all volunteers only wears out and kills off the best and brightest. it doesn't take a rocket scientist to carry a rifle. These "Dummies" can pick up a PC controller and do things with it, you and I old farts cannot learn quickly, They ain't stupid, they are sharp, they just need direction and purpose and an opportunity to learn, even the hard way. Make enlistments 3 or 4 years for added time to get them up to speed. But make everyone have to do their part. Our Nation needs that change in thinking desperately. Volunteers are getting sick and tired of carrying the load for the privileged masses who do not give a damn.

The casualty rate among "McNamara's Morons" was horrendous...

July 1967; MCRD San Diego... "If you cannot read or write, raise your hand and someone will be appointed to read the test to you."

I went in the Marine Corps right after I graduated from high school in 1981. I’m ADD myself the ASVAB was hard for me, but I got it done. I was a Deputy Sheriff when I was younger, and those tests were much harder than the ASVAB, so I learned in life. All of our kids are professionals too. Semper Fi.

"Shows you how smart you is". Exactly...

Semper Fi 74-78 and I came in after High School 1st Sgt. Thank you for your service.

My cousin was a high school dropout. Enlisted in the USMC during the Vietnam War, got a GED, and was discharged as an E-5. Started at the entry level position at large national printing company, and retired as a regional plant manager.

I served during the end of the VietNam years (71-74). More than half the troops were using drugs during their active duty service after bootcamp. It was a tough time.

Went to school with three guys that shouldn’t have went into the service let alone to Vietnam, all three of them were killed. Later I went over and was in the same area where two of them were killed. You tried to protect them type of guys because it could be bad for everyone but everyone has a job and you can’t watch them all the time, it was sad when something happened to them. Our government should be ashamed of themselves. Vietnam was just a money maker for the politicians and the rich to get richer.

Glad I found this channel. As a former Army Drill Sergeant I understand about the education and cognitive discrepancy of the recruits you get. Sadly not much has changed. 2010 to 2012 Iraq and Afghanistan was going hard. Fifty percent of those recruits are not mentally tough enough for the military they pass the usual requirements but exposure on the battlefield is something different. I admire the courage some of them had to enlist during a time like that and wish them all the best in their careers.

9th grade drop out , spent two tours in Vietnam and came home took my GED and went to college, had to take all remedial courses. But proud of my accomplishments.

McNamara's 100,000 Club. Knew one in the Air Force. Supply guy. Only guy there who could get you the right parts and not give you crap about "Need a better part number."

Air Force POL officer here. Had 2 of those troops at Myrtle Beach AFB in '68. One was in the program because of a DWI ticket and was a wonderful airman. He also was one very good golfer and I was getting calls from full colonels asking if Airman X was available to play. You can imagine how many times I'd say 'no'. The other guy was a real country kid from a rural area and he was close to illiteracy but willing to do his best. Because he tried so hard and it was so obvious my NCOs went out of their way to help this guy. We got him through the '5 level test' and he produced. When I was getting ready to go back to Vietnam I called him into my office and was almost begging him to reenlist when his 4 years would be up. I explained that there was nothing at 'home' for him , he MIGHT make E-5 someday and the AF gave him a home, job and a future. To this day I never found out what he chose to do. Those were my experiences with Project 100, 000.

Graduating in 1970 from a Prep school I was #32 in the draft that year. Signed up in the AR and must have been considered a genius. Basic, leadership school, squad leader 11B10 and under the hat at age 19 as an acting jack. Training men up to 32 years old who should not have been there.

I was born with dyslexia which makes reading, writing and spelling just about impossible to understand. I was born in 1944 and my years in school were rough. Back in those days dyslexia wasn't understood by others or those of us he has it. My parents were always told I don't pay attention. I became a journeymen meat cutter and was making good money for the mid 60's. I was drafted and went through basic training and took the job of a squad leader. When I graduated from basic and went on to AIT training Ft. Polk, La. I was informed I had been recommended for NCO school (Non Commissioned Officer). Army was losing NCO's in Vietnam and needed new ones to replace those lost. I went to Vietnam as an E5 11B infantry Sargent. Wasn't until I was in my 30's that I was diagnosed as Dyslexic. This former drill Sargent smirks at those he called illiterate. I'm sure a good portion of them were dyslexic.

My father served from 1952 to 1972 as air rescue. Never went past 9th grade. Died at 88 with a safety degree from Penn state. Not bad for an uneducated individual!

I saw it in Basic Training, and when I went overseas. I remember one guy who could barely march in step and failed on the rifle range, they still passed him, and another guy who, I swear, was Downs Syndrome and still passed. Then, there was a guy in the next training Flight (USAF) who got sent home after two weeks. I remember when or TI said something about him being washed out, someone said, "for what?" We all busted out laughing. Boy did the TI get pissed.

Thank you, very informative. This was my era and we knew this was going on! I was seeing and hearing horror stories out of Nam before Nixon ended the draft! Needless to say I wasn't raring to go into that disorganized shooting gallery! I had friends come back with a thousand yard stare, they were never the same again! You don't have to be shot with a bullet to be damaged!! Thank you sir for your service!

I was Artillery fire control. Graduated Boot Camp in May of '68. Made Sergeant in two years and one week from graduation. I knew some of those guys he's talking about. No f'n way they should have been allowed to be Marines. On the other hand many did their duty the best they could and earned their honorable discharges.

History will soon repeat itself.

I was in AF boot camp in 1964. If you wanted the TI or DI to go ballistic you responded “yes,sir”. The correct response was “yes, Sergeant.” These TI’s were Sergeants and proud of it.

He said they pick the above average for grunts, which I believe is true. What amazes me is the number officers (now authors) that believe that isn't true. I saw one where they claimed mortar crews were selected for low intelligence. I was thinking, who do they think is sighting that mortar in - some Captain at HQ?

I served under General Gray. A fine Commandant of the Marine Corps indeed.

Semper Fi! When I joined the Marines it was at the peak of OIF. There were guys there who should not have been allowed to join. In the Fleet I saw a couple of guys that tried as hard as they could, they wanted to improve and do a good job. But they just could not make it. A few former DIs told me that during that time, there was not a "failure to adapt" option. Every recruit got pushed through. It ended up putting a lot of extra stress and wasted energy on these guys. It was not like Project 100k, but still in the same ballpark.

I know one of the guys. He completed basic and had a mental breakdown in AIT. It probably saved his life. He should have never been drafted. Not one of the DoD's finest hours.

He’s not wrong I watched it in person.

I was in Army Basic Trng at Fort Leonard Wood, 1981. I was stunned to realize during a test, that the man next to me couldnt read or write. He kept tapping me on the elbow, "What did you put for number....."

This has been one of the most interesting videos I have ever seen. I was not aware of that project 100,000 and it is beyond sad that governments do whatever is expedient and in its best interest, including drafting those that obviously should not be in the military. But this video and the multiple comments have shed some light on what may have happened to me in Boot Camp in San Diego in the summer of 1969. I volunteered for the Corps and was a high school graduate, so I wasn’t in that group of 100,000. As the saying goes, if you look up the word “average”, or even “slightly below average”, in the dictionary you will find my photo. I wasn’t the strongest nor the fastest maggot, not even the smartest! But I pulled my own weight, barely, and bona fide, completed the course. But, here’s the funny thing that I, until now, could never understand: I made Platoon Honor-man! The most imponderable of all things. There was a literal “poster boy” recruit who had been in the running for platoon honor-man, and to this day I believe he surely deserved it on physical accomplishments alone. He could have beat me into the ground without working up a sweat. But I got it?! The only distinguishing thing about me was that I saw how many of my fellow maggots were needing extra personal help to get squared away, and I dedicated myself to helping them out as much as possible. Part of it was so that the rest of us didn’t have to be punished for their failings, but part of it was my interest in seeing them succeed. And so, maybe our platoon had a large complement of those 100,000, and the Drill Instructors saw my helping them was gong to save their lives later in Vietnam. I don’t know. But toward the end of boot camp, our senior drill instructor told me that there had been two recruits in the running for platoon honor man, the poster Marine, and me, a scrawny, glasses wearing, average recruit. And the drill instructors voted for me. (I wouldn’t have voted for me!) I do hope, now that I am becoming aware of this Project, that maybe my help to some of those Marines in boot camp helped them later on, especially if they made it over to Vietnam.

Mentally challenged with a loaded M-16. Watch-out fellow squad/platoon/company mates. "Keep that safety on Private Smith!"

Unless I’m mistaken it was know as ‘ McNamara’s Morons’. Trust me I know,I enlisted in 69 and regretted my entire time in Nam. Drugs, fragging, no camaraderie and everyone that was new was CID. Will live with the memories and hate till I die.

Yes, project 100,000 was a disaster. But, before you push out all those below average "intelligence" recruits, you should remember there are people who may be slow readers, but put them in a field situation and they have superb hunting, tracking and situational awareness. The college grad may look out into the battleground and see nothing while the slow reader spots movement, assesses the threat and responds magnificently. I know Infantry Officers who have poor "garrisons" soldiers who are their best when they head to the field.

Now that you mention it I've seen several officers that could read but were just plain dumb.

They lowered IQ minimums to below 85, cost a lot of lives.

Guys mentioning the ASVAB.. actually a very easy test..scored mid 90s.. able to choose almost any MOS I desired.You got three choices with your most desirable choice as #1. Of course with the USMC you might not get your first choice but mine held through.

I was one member of Project 100,000. I still have my records to prove it. Interestingly enough, I passed every written test I was given with scores of 95, and a bypass specialist test for a surveyor with a 90. My IQ is 128. Project 100,000 was for morons, so I was told! During a routine records check, the clerk who was making my review couldn't believe that I was in that program, but sure enough, I was! I made USAF, SSGT, E5, in 30 months while in country Vietnam. Yes, the government had me listed as a moron, but I wasn't stupid enough to reenlist!

Lieutenant Dan! Ice cream!!

I had several of these troops in my platoon in the 1st Cav in 1970. They were functional.

I remember the time I spent in the Marine Corps, several of the men were definitely having problems with the information they were expected to learn. Some couldn't even read the Marine Corps manual. That was 1968. I found the Marines did use those who were graduates for the combat arms. He explained it well.

How about "McNamara's Morons"? That was crazy!-John in Texas

In 1974 , I enlisted in the Marine Corp on a delayed entry program, due to the fact, I had to Graduate From High School which was in June of 1975, Mainly due to the criteria requirement for Actove Duty Recruitman deployment was to have High Achool Diploma and not a GED equivalent. No exceptions to that criteria requirement.

Then Col Al Gray was my regimental CO when I was in 3/4. I had a GED to enlist. Grays encouragement pushed me to a regular diploma.

I went through USMC boot camp in 79.When I got to my duty station they made every high-school drop out get a GED.

On Parris Island in early 1969 there was at least one person in our platoon with a 5th grade education.

@markklangkamp3153 I think LBJ and McNamara both died and went to where it dont snow for what they did to our young men and women in Vietnam.Awar for what.

I went through in Feb.72, started with 72 Rick's, graduated with 39.....You fucked up, you were punished......No regrets....Semper Fi..

Saw some of them at Ft.Bliss During BCT in 1969. Hell, I guess I was one of them. Quit high school, weighted 110 pounds. Had to eat 5 box lunches and a bunch of water to make the weigh in. I turned out to be the top scoring marksman in out battalion. I ended up serving on a Hawk missile site 75 miles from the Soviet border.

I enlisted in The Marine Corps in 1979. The minimum GT score was 50 and you had to be a HS grad or possessed a GED to get in. If you wanted to be a well rounded “grunt” you had to get educated about your MOS. I soaked in everything: tactics, Land nav, supporting arms, PT, Swim qual, weapons, drill, inspections, deployments,…ect. Or just be like cattle and be led around by the nose.

Robert MacNamara's first reaction upon being notified that President Lyndon Johnson wanted him to be SECDEF was "I'm Not Qualified!". Out.

I believe he’s talking about Project 100,000 not the regular draft

We had a bunch of them in a tank battalion, in Germany in 1968, there was only one of them that I would call a real soldier. Most were able to get by, but just barely. We made it through gunnery with all tank crews qualifying. Not too many high scores.

I enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1976 as a high school dropout (I also missed acing the ASVAB by a few points (I was accused by the Navy proctors who administered the test, but then they realized that it wasn't true.) . The mandatory HSD didn't go into effect until some years later. After I was discharged as a sergeant, I went on to earn two college degrees.

I was a HS drop out and singed up at 17, that was 1967. Got my GED in the core that was probably the best thing I ever did! Until Jesus saved me and changed my heart and life!

"GUMP...why did you put that weapon together so quickly?"

My father enlisted in the Marines in late 1968 upon receiving his draft notice. When he got to San Diego he trained with men who quite literally had just come straight from jail, many of whom could not read or write. In Vietnam many of these men were liabilities in combat who frequently were KIA very quickly.

He is not wrong. I worked the rifle ranges at Fort Ord, California as rifle range instructor. Some of the young draftees just could not get the techniques of aiming and breath control. They were passed through anyway. I still think about those young men that could not shoot and possibly died as a result.

I served in the US Army and was sent to Vietnam as a personnel specialist. I was assigned to the Ninth Infantry in the Delta. During my tour in Nam, I processed the paperwork for a young soldier on unfitness and unsuitability. My observations of this soldier were that he was not shirking his duties but was unable to carry out simple everyday tasks. One being tying his shoelaces! But I would watch him load sandbags in 100-degree heat for hours without supervision. He had no concept of money and would throw his monthly pay into the air after receiving it. I told him to request a board of officers for a hearing. I told him that the Army had put him into harm's way when he was drafted. Without a proper hearing, he would most likely receive a dishonorable discharge. He requested a board of officers and was granted a General Discharge. Years later I learned from his nieces that he returned home and was in and out of several hospitals before becoming homeless on the streets of New York. His death came at the hands of an off-duty police officer in NY. I had no knowledge of Project 100,00 prior to the service and during my time in Nam. I became aware of Project 100,000 after hearing of the book, 'McNamara's Folly", written by Hamilton Gregory. Nearly 400,000 mentally challenged young men were drafted into the service, Marines, Army, etc., and became nothing more than cannon fodder. Very sad...

There was a very good 1970 made-for-TV movie about a Marine draftee titled Tribes. It's fiction but made some good points about the social intergradation of volunteers and draftees at the time. It's available online. But, as to this video, I dropped out of high school in order to go to Army Basic Training in the winter. The very first week of Basic, I was sent to GED testing to get my GED certificate. Everyone without a high school diploma was. If the Marines did not do that, they did a disservice to their troops. The DI is correct, grunts aren't just dumbass cannon fodder, we were all actually trained to be able to Call-For-Fire and call in Airstrikes in case the FO was wounded or killed. Range finding and target identification are skills. Immediate first aid when the Medic is overwhelmed. All skills.

Plt 162 ACO. 1ST BN. 6/1972 i helped a fellow pvt. Read his guidebook. He could not read anything or understand

I went in 67 usmc 8th grade education was a grunt in 9 th marine regt vietnam i saw many educated that had no common sense made rank to cpl was hit and medically retired i did well eith my life i have no complaints

We had School everyday in the early 80s. Got a lot of fine Marines that managed to get a GED.

General Wallace Greene was Commandant when I was at Parris Island in 1964. He inspected our barracks during his visit.

I went for my draft physical and passed, of course. A friend from school was there and he joined the Air Force to avoid the Army. 3 weeks later Nixon signed the bill to abolish the draft and I didn't have to go. Always wondered how crappy he felt when he found out. 😊😅😂

USAF 1969-73, one year in SEA. In basic, San Antonio, we had a guy from Tennessee in our group, a tall and lanky guy. Nice enough fellow. We had to fold our clothes in a certain way to display in our lockers for inspection. He couldn't grasp how to fold clothes, so the rest of the guys had to do it for him. I couldn't understand how someone like that could get into the Air Force. He was slated to become a Security Policeman after training. Fifty years later, I heard about McNamara's Morons, and it fit. They weren't trying to lift the mentally challenged to a higher position in society, they needed cannon fodder for Vietnam. Sickening.

A recruit with 2 years of college may have trouble learning the Marine ropes. It is the pushy time frame that almost popped my fuse. Pre -seasoning would have put me ahead of the game. Not all can be say a combat engineer or a field radio operator.

I enlisted in the Corps in June 1970, served in Vietnam 71-72. Many of my platoon at San Diego MCRD 2075 were illiterate and challenged mentally. Still were patriotic devil dogs. Marines until the day they died.

My Father was in the Army in 1960-1964. Airborne. During Indo-China conflict. He said 40 years ago, the military isn't concerned with education because they don't figure most of us were going to come back alive anyway.

Platoon 3002 , Parris Island October-December 1971 , I didn't see any of these " functional illetrates".

I proudly graduated Kindergarten after ONLY 3 years. I then joined the fight against the savages in New Jersey and we almost won, except for the Battle of Hoboken. You're welcome. 😮😅

I went to Army BCT in June 1976. I was shocked that some guys never brushed their teeth, ever! Others had to attend remedial reading and then recycled back into a newbie company. Our society should be ashamed at the disposability of young men.

The notion on the part of "the powers that be" that intelligence was not necessary to be a grunt is just insane. They were confronting an adversary (the VC) who were experienced masters of concealment and ambush tactics. The U.S. commanders just fed the troops into a meat grinder.

The first night at Ft. Leonard Wood at the reception center the guy in the bunk above me went to the latrine and slashed his wrist. He did not die. I was so tired and cold I slept through it all. In AIT I passed the stockade. He was leaning on the fence and waved at me. I was drafted with number 65.

I never graduated from high school. After the Marines test you, they know if your WORTHY or not. I got blessed as a o341, then 0845. That’s not a path everyone gets to take.

McNamara's plan to get more draftees. Someone wrote a book about it. It started in early1965. Most didn't make it.

We loved Al Grey. SFMF

He said, how smart you is

In Army Basic, 1/1972, there was one soldier who was so stupid he did not know his left foot from his right. DIs lost patience quickly and they assigned him to me for a day to train him. I had to physically pick up his right foot (boot) after him not understand the difference. It took all day and he was still challenged but it would barely march. Then I went back into my own training later becoming a Medic.

My Dad called us moron's all the time. 😂

I'd be interested in hearing his insights about the ones who had the choice of jailtime on the outside, or entering the service to shape up and stay out of trouble.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion. The marines had to draft after the fighting along the DMZ and Laotian border during 67.I don't know where the numbers came from when units reported strength after perusing some command chronologies. Field strength of Rifle Companies starting mid-67 and onward was roughly 60-65...shmaybe 70%, but you were really FAT and knew somebody to have that many marines in your company and in the field to boot. I've heard this before and also all the other 'standards' that were 'stepped on'. I was a Mcnamara moron. I grew up in a crime ridden, low income neighborhood. I did graduate...with a 1.1 GPA. BUT unlike today's military recruits, I had-have a high military aptitude, which was tested at the time, and I did have a solid understanding of the impact of violence. Dare I say it...I even had been involved in violence and had more than I can remember fist fights n such. I can prattle all day, and we can review combat effectiveness and individual marines. Volunteers make easier robots for 'leaders'. Good leadership works for all, but you may have to change style and re-earn things taken for granted. This DI mentioned Gen Al Grey and I recall a comment he made to media some years back. He was asked to compare Today's marines and Vietnam Era marines, that would include drafted, and He smiled and simply replied "the Vietnam Era marines were more resilient". Just ask Ho and Giap why they changed their minds regarding Tet -- occurred in Nov, 67 and only folk regularly fighting NVA were....ah, I forget, oh yes -- Marines.

Before being sent into the Vietnam slaughter I missed gunnery school because of emergency leave due to my father's death. But I was sent over with no training on the 20mm cannons, 40mm grenade. launchers, .50 caliber machine guns, M-16s, and hand grenades I was soon using on my Riverine ATC boat. The war machine didn't give a shit about our lives.

In that cover picture of the two DI the one the left is a ringer for my drill instructor in 1976 ,Staff Sgt O.

In any institution … when you lower the standards. The rest of the crew has to baby sit or do double duty.

I had a First Sergeant that was allowed to enlist under this program. We always wondered how he was able to achieve this rank with his limitations. He even had a successful tour on the Drill Field. Guess showing up on time, keep your head down, and kissing a-- helps. As they say in Alcoholics Anonymous: fake it till you make it.

The service numbers for the project 100,000 always started with 67

Two tours as A Marine in Vietnam and served from 1967-71, I find this former DI be personally insulting to his fellow Marines. He was a “ grunt” himself. I have the highest respect for my fellow Marines.

My dad also seved in that war And it took its toll on him agent orange ...i miss my father he since passed And they say we can now sue the government but i dont know too begin....

IT was called "McNamara Folley" to lower the standards because there was an inadequate amount of draftees who could pass the standards. Unfortunately the KIA rate of these lower standard recruits was excessively high!!!

I had these two friends and we were in the 9th Infantry Division in Nam operating in the Mekong delta. the two were nice guys and real tight with each other but not that bright, we called them the twins even though they were of no relation. One of them had to have Asperger's because he kept talking about something so repetitive i draw a blank while the other sweet guy also did everything he was told to do by our C.O.. Anyway one day we were ambushed our platoon was almost completely wiped out the repetitive guy died while the one who followed orders got a medal for disobeying an order. Man I will never forget Bubba and Forrest.

Gen Gray was our Commandante in 89 when I was a young buck