Mildly entertaining military stories.

Full. Metal. Jacket.

There was a recruit who I'll call Private P.
On the first day of Basic, our company was being briefed by the Battalion Commander and Sergeant Major. Private P stood up and announced that he wanted to quit.

What followed was an absolute shit show, they wouldn't let him quit [Because the Army just needs every, single, member], and from then on he was a target for abuse by D.Ss and recruits alike. Over time, his behavior became more and more... concerning.

He always just stared off into space, wouldn't talk to anybody, and if anybody made fun of him or pissed him off, he'd pull out his notebook, something every recruit is required to have, and write something in it.

One day after we had been at the rifle range to practice qualification, we were inside the barracks conducting weapons maintenance when the Senior D.S told us to get the fuck outside ASAP. We were put in formation and ordered to strip down for a search/shakedown.

Obviously we asked what was going on, and one D.S held up a live round. Live rounds are never, EVER, supposed to leave the firing range. He then grabbed Private P and hauled him in front of the Company. He was crying while the D.S was on his face yelling at him.

We didn't put two and two together yet, when the M.Ps cane and took him away.
Turns out, he smuggled 6 live rounds, and he had written in his notebook his plan to kill 3 Platoon D.Ss, our Company Commander, First Sergeant, and himself.

We speculated that he wasn't gonna go through with it and only wanted to get kicked out.
But you never know. We never saw him again.

[That was something out of FMJ. This was darker than usual, and I debated in wether or not I should put a warning, or even just outright not include it. But this is how the service is. Days of boredom, with slim moments of hilarity, misery, and terror. I did, after all, compile this collection of stories to let y'all see how life in the service is.]