This movie helped me survive!

It was great to hear your story. I watched it when it originally aired (I was 8). It left a strong impression on me - one I never forgot. I haven't seen it since but remember much of it vividly. It's amazing how something like that can have such an indelible effect.

I too watched this movie when it aired. It aired several weeks before I went into the service. ;] --- I would think that it would help at least some others to make it in basic training. After tech school I was sent to South East Asia 'for my senior trip' as a field medic.
To say that the show made an impression on me while true, would be an under statement.
It is too bad that the current crop of movies & stars don't seem to measure up to the older ones. Lee Marvin, "Capt Kangarue"sp? and others who served. These two were at Iwo Jima. Do you remember "Mister Rodgers"? He was a Navy Seal. Danny Kaye and Jimmy Stewert and even Elvis. They all put aside star carriers to serve this nation......... There have been many 'ordinary' folks who have left a good thing here in the US to go in harms way since 9-11. I do not watch sports on tv because most of the sports 'heros' are anything but.... with the obvious exeption of Tillman [[I think that was the MAN's name]] who left a multimillion contract to serve.
Oh well, guess I should get off the soap box.... TRIBES was a great show.

i got through army basic training by watching stripes.

Like you, I saw this film when it first aired...I was 6. I saw it again a couple times when I was older. Like yourself I joined the army to become a medic not at 18 but at 26, and this film weighed heavy on my mind when I signed up. My DI, who was a year younger then me, took an odd but keen interest in me. It worried me. I thought the guy must really hate me. It wasn't like he yelled at me. In fact, he never did. I wasn't sure what his intentions were, when he seemed to single me out all the time. Later, I understood he saw something in me, something that made me stand out over everyone else; I joined when I was older than most, already divorced, a parent, mid art career, self assured, unafraid, I was kind natured. Here is a photo of me in front of a mural I painted in our barracks. I'm the big guy in the middle.

http://charliefoxtrotfilms.com/images/09_photo.jpg

Anyway, like in the film "Tribes", my DI did the same thing with me with the pugil sticks, making me fight my squad. After I beat the six guys in my squad, no small feat, my arms were like jelly noodles, but he wasn't done with me yet, having me next square off with him. I got two or three good licks in on my DI, but he absolutely kicked my a$$. It was like a prowrestler vs. a school girl. LOL

I thought I was being punished. Instead, after the pugil sticks he made me squad leader, and then told my guys that I was the soldier they should all aspire to be more like, and he added that I had my "sh*t squared away." My Drill and I became friends not long after that. He even took me clubbing after graduation.

I watched the film "Tribes" today, which is why I came here today....and it made me think of my old DI, and why I admire the guy so much.

I saw this movie also when it first aired. I was 19 and of draft age. I remeber thinking "So this is what I will have to face if I am drafted." I saw it again today and I must say that I enjoyed it a lot more now than I did back then. In fact I found some parts rather funny.

I think there have been many instances of new recruits relying on a movie to get them prepared for basic. I think it helps, since no matter who you are, what you've been through, what you've done, or where you came from .... Basic Combat Training WILL be a shock to your system & mind.

I was much too young to see this movie when it came out & didn't even know about it till recently. But my "prep movie" was Full Metal Jacket, which not only prepared me for basic, but somewhat for the 2 combat tours I would later serve.

I went into basic, based on the movie, as expecting the worst but hoping for the best. It wound up being about half-way between & I was as prepared for it as anybody actually could have been. Knowing what I know now, I'd love to go through it again .... well, maybe just a week of it. :) :)

Hi cherokeecfg,

I just recently finished watching parts of "Tribes" (1970) on UTube. Being retired and on a razor thin fixed income I sometimes get discouraged. Whenever I see a movie like "Tribes," The D.I., etc, it reminds me of my military service, especially Basic Training at Fort Benning, GA. My company commander was a graduate of West Point, Airborne and Ranger qualified and I think he had a tour in Viet Nam. There wasn't a drop of civilian blood in his body, but I survived this training, learned a lot and graduated. Even though I didn't like Adrian(Jan Michael Vincent) and I thought his D.I. (Darren Mac Gavin)eventually grew too soft, my sentiments and support lies more in the direction with Sgt DePayster (Earl Holliman). After 40+ years, this training has still kept with me and gives my morale and self-confidence a boost.

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