Troop cohesion in BMQ

[Bert]

I read in a few posts, can‘t recall the thread, that one unoffical way of dealing with troublemakers or slackers in the troop (may pretain to SQ/QL3 than BMQ) was the "blanketing".
After reading the posts, I starting thinking about troop cohesion in BMQ.

Using the benefit of the doubt, I‘d expect recruits to want to learn and develop as much as they can during BMQ. Some people are fast learners, some are slow, some are physical adept, others are not, some are academically skilled, others may not be as book smart, some are enthusiastic, some may be alot less than that. So you get a varation of people.

I‘d also expect in BMQ everyone will at least once screw up where the whole troop gets disiplined.

If you get a varation of people, then alot of things can happen in BMQ. The troop is responsible to the staff. Within the troop, obviously social dynamics affects the individual recruits as well. How does this happen? Are there pitfalls? What if animosity/problems between indviduals or groups of individuals occurs? What sort of troop justice would entice some to "blanket" a fellow troop member?

 

[inferno]

Generally, only the "idiots" of the bunch get blanketed.
People who learn slow, or mess up 2-3 times are no problem. It‘s the people who are seriously lacking any common sense, listening skills etc. These are the people no one likes.

No one wants to babysit some jack-*** in BT.

 

[Dire]

Question?


What is blanketing?

is it like in Full Metal Jacket when they tie you down with a blanket and beat you with soap?

 

[WINDWOLF]

There is another thread that deals with
blanket parties & blades Dire.Check it out
Every detailed about who/what/why & when.

I tried to find the thread, with no luck.
You may be more system savy then i am &
able to find it.

Aloha

 

[D-n-A]

Question?


What is blanketing?

is it like in Full Metal Jacket when they tie you down with a blanket and beat you with soap?

yup

 

[Etown]

I think this is the one you are looking for:
Dealing with blades...

 

[311]

Does "blanketing" still go on...like is it a common thing. I remember the MCpl on my BMQ said on one of his courses, they had a guy who did nothing and they "got him". My main problem with it is the whole "slacker" or whatever.Im in fairly good shape strength wise, but my distance running isn‘t what it should be. Does this mean because I run 5k/6 that people are going to "blanket" me ?

 

[WINDWOLF]

No it does not.
A attitude adjustment is not required if
you are putting effort into your training.

Blanket,s are issued to those that try to
slide on training or just don,t care
that their slacka$$ performance effects the group.

 

[Bert]

From what you‘re saying, the slackers wouldn‘t put much effort into the training and somehow their actions affects the troop collectively. Then the troop would have to collectively tell the slacker to smarten up.

Considering in BMQ, if the individual gets into trouble, then the whole troop could be disiplined too. As taken from Pte Fergusons‘s example, if a recruit has trouble with running distances, an obstacle course, or whatever but tries as best as they can, then could the individual be disiplined by the staff and by extension, the whole troop gets it?

 

[Fader]

I think everyone remembers what Pvt. Pile (sp?) did to Sgt. Hartman in FMJ; another example might in "Tigerland," I forgot the name of the guy that went crazy after constantly getting the crap beaten out of him, but I remember on the pistol range he turned a live weapon on the protagonist and in his final field exercise, he smuggled live rounds in with the intent of killing the same guy.

Those are movies, and real live is quite differant from movies, there‘s no denying it. However, it doesn‘t seem so unreasonable that guys pushed over the edge would exact such extreme measures. As you said some people screw up no matter how hard they try; there are two ways to try and change that; positive or negative. Blanketing would be an example of a negative approach. Putting the person in an uncomfortable position for thier mistakes so that they fear making them again. The approach that I personally like is a positive one. Inspiring troops to be supportive of each other, reaffirming them when they‘ve done something right, making them feel that it is possible to do a good job.

In psycology, it has been proven that positive reenforcments to behavioural modification is more permenant and effective than negative ones. In practice, I‘ve seen how that‘s the case.

It feels good when an instructor tells you you did a good cleaning your quarters, or when your course mates cheer you on when your doing PT. People work harder and smarter when they know theres the possibility of a rewards than when they fear the prospect of a punishment.

On course, there‘s often an interesting mix. Sometimes you‘ll be threatened with having your weekend taken away (which in Kingston is quite a big punishment). Sometimes you‘ll be offered the prospect of getting the day off early (which in Kinston, is quite a big reward). Both positive and negative approaches arn‘t really done to an extreme, though, and because of that, the social dynamics between people on course are normally fairly reminiscent to the social dynamics between people when they‘re not on course.

Again, this is coming from me, a SigOp, and my courses are quite a bit differant from guys in the combat arms, I‘m sure. However, with referance to that whole "pushing people over the edge" argument, I‘d imagine on such courses as infantry or engineer or BMQ for any trade, things are more extreme, but probably not to the point where students will every crack and turn thier rifles on each other; correct me if I‘m wrong combat arms people ^^

 

[WINDWOLF]

If your are a decently trained NCO,
& have been watching your guys,then no.

Extra training may be required by that soldier.

People are good at different things,as long as you meet the min requirements "with effort" you should not be disiplined.
It,s the ones that can,but don,t
that should be adjusted first by the section
NCO & then by the troops themselves if needed.
:warstory:
I was great on the range but crap when
it came to drill,the left/right thing
always screwed me up. To much daydreaming.
I was warned by my Mcpl.I did better.
Then i slacked off one morning and cost
all of us our weekend pass. I paid the price.
No hard feelings,not done with malice,just a
tune-up.

 

[Bert]

Interesting post CFL_Lui. I think Pte Ferguson and I amay be asking a simpler question though.

There are things a recruit can control and things he cannot. As an example, a banana peel left on the floor during morning inspection or chronically unpolished boots is controllable. Effort is needed to make sure the peels are off the floor and the boots are adequately polished.
This kind of thing may get the whole troop disciplined.

In a situation where a recruit has shin splint or calf pain during distance running and can‘t run as well as others or has difficulty scaling a wall
but tries hard, these scenarios are less controllable. For situations where a recruit is deficient or less able in a less controllable way, will the troop get disciplined too?

These are theoretical situations. Its just would the recuit get the blanket or the troop in trouble for something he can‘t really do much about?

Its kinda a silly question I know but the social dynamics of BMQ are not general knowledge.

 

[Bert]

Sry Windwolf, caught your post after my last post.
I think I understand.

 

[WINDWOLF]

Outstanding Bert.

Now explain it back to me so that
i know we are on the same frequency.

 

[Bert]

I have work hard, strive to excell, not fudge up,
and remove bananas from my diet.

If someone runs faster or farther than me, I throw a blanket over him.

If someone climbs a wall better than me, I‘ll throw a blanket over him, maybe a spiderman blanket.

If I‘m on the firing range and I feel like slacking off or mixing up the left/right thing,
well, there better be a blanket handy
somewhere.

note to self> bring blankets

 

[WINDWOLF]

There you go ,lad.
By thunder i think he ,s got it.
Have fun & be the best.
Aloha

 

[311]

....man im friggin scared now...

 

[WINDWOLF]

No worries mate.
Keep your nose clean,mouth shut & ears open
& you will do great.

Remember PTE,it,s drive,determination &
desire to succede that will get you thru.
The Triple D,s.

( don,t you just hate us old salts & our sayings)
:sniper:

 

[shaunlin41]

Just because you are not a good runner or poor at drill dosen‘t make you a candidate for a blanketing, the people who are, would be someone who is not a team player, doesn‘t give a sh-- if his or her lazy poor attitude gets everyone a sh--sandwich or someone who just pisses everyone off all the time. A good example of this would be a guy on my basic who jerked off every night just as his bunk mates fell asleep and he wouldn‘t stop no matter how many times he was asked. This person needed to be asked in a different way thus the need for the blanket.

 

[Bert]

That is disgusting. Now I‘m really scared. Just like my girlfriend‘s cat. Any blanket, pillow, or stuffed animal gets a porking. Roll him up in a blanket .. and he likes it... because it will get a porking later. Ugh. Man. I won‘t ask anymore questions about BMQ. It just gets worse and worse. I thought the big bad sergeant was the one to be fearful of or a troop blanket party or having to take an emergency dump during PT... no... its the guys on either side on of my bunk late at night. Im gonna have nightmares after I upchuck. I just told my girlfriend, and shes looking at ME as if IM crazy. Im gonna take the weekend off and have a few beers.