The following are 3 letters posted on Sgt. Grit's website, written by Harold Beasley.

Sgt Grit,

This issue has focused on DI's. from Parris Island and San Diego. We all had the same kind of introduction to Marine life. I went through P.I. from June-August of 1958. I know what we went through at P.I. but I have heard some of my buddies talk about "Little Agony" and " Big Agony". Today someone talked about the "Reaper". I don't know if they are one and the same or not but this is one former Marine that is glad we didn't have anything like that. There were no yellow footprints at P.I. in 1958. We all seem to agree that we hated our DI's for 3 months and then thanked them for the rest of our lives. I may have mentioned this book before but this book was written by 5 former DI's. It explains boot camp from their point of view. They lay out week by week what is expected of them with their platoon. Pressure is put on them so they have put pressure on the platoon to accomplish all of these tasks.Some of them will put in as much as 100 hours a week sometime if that is what it takes. They break the training down week by week through the whole 13 weeks. The name of the book is, "The Few and the Proud" The old gunny Richard Ermey is one of the DI's. It will make you want to contact your DI. They would appreciate the call. Don't wait too long because 2 of mine had already passed away. The widow of my Sr. DI said that he would have been very grateful.

L/CPL Harold Beasley
1958-1962                                 See second letter below:

One Click
Sgt. Grit,
Someone wrote in this week about a memory locked in his head about the rifle range and the sighting of the M-1. I remember that but in our platoon the way we were to remember that was: B.A.S.S. meaning breathe, aim, slack, squeeze. Two other rules that stick with me are:

1. One click of the elevation knob moves the strike of the bullet one inch on the target for every 100 yards of range.
2. One click of the windage knob moves the strike of the bullet one inch on the target for every 100 yards of range.

I don't think I'll ever forget these instructions.

L/CPL Harold Beasley
1958-1962

                                           See third letter below:

Sgt Grit,
In this week's issue a former DI made his own case about what the DI means to all Marines. I may have suggested this book before but even if I did some may not have read it the first time. The name of the book is, "The Few and the Proud". It is written by 5 different Drill Instructors explaining how and why they have to train us this way. This book takes each week by week and explains what is to be accomplished with the platoon that particular week. They have to break us down to our lowest point then start building something new from there. That is why there is such an amazing difference in our posture, demeanor and pride when it is over. There is a tremendous amount of pressure on these men to accomplish these tasks over and over again. Sometimes they will put in 100 hours a week or more to get this job done. DI Lee Ermey is one of the five DI's in the book. It will make you want to contact your DI if possible. Two of my 3 have already passed away and I couldn't find the other