Here's a story from beast barracks 1970. A cadet from Florence, AZ selected by Senator Barry Goldwater. No prior military experience, was almost killed one night in the showers at the Academy. I was doing well, as confirmed by my squad leader, Sgt. Green. But one afternoon, my asst. table comm, Sgt. Brown. began a torture session that lasted 7 days. No food morning, noon, or evening. Water was available in the room. After 5 days I passed out in Morning Formation and revived with smelling salts, this happened twice. After the seventh day I rebelled, told Brown to go f himself and I started eating. After brown and the platoon leader shouted at me stop and come to attention, and I wouldn't, the top cadet arrived and took over. He asked me to stop, I did, as he was being kind in his speech and demeanor. After finding out I hadn't eaten in a week and been made to recite the chain of command at every meal, this cadet reamed brown and I thought, at least there is justice here. Wrong. That night, while asleep, several cadets covered and wrapped my head in a wet towel, picked me up, stripped me naked, pounded on me, took me to the showers, and held my head under a shower until I couldn't breathe and I began to slip away. It was a peaceful feeling as co2 built up. Like in an enclosed space, I heard someone yell an officer was coming and I was dropped on the hard floor and the cowards ran away. The regular officer refused any help and ordered me back to my room. There's more to the events, but that was my tale of the beast barracks of 1970. I left and went home to disgrace and ridicule. Those events still haunt me to this day. I'm 67, retired after 45 years in medicine, the last 38 in anesthesia. I still hate bullies with a rage and am still filled with guilt that I didn't serve my country. But I am at least happy, I wasn't turned into a Mike Pompeo, who tolerates liars, cheaters, and stealers. And he was FIRST in his graduating class at USMC. I had a nephew graduate from USMC and he experienced much less of what we did in 70. Thank god. And I hope that now days, the academy trains and motivates, doesn't bully or corrupt cadets.