Lauren Achtemeier: Liminal Action

The idea of pilgrims being in a state of in-between after stepping out of their social bounds and its application on military people was thought provoking. I was very intrigued by the idea of boot camp stripping away identity and forming a new one based upon fitting into a particular mold. It became evident that during the transitioning phase wearing the same clothes, haircut, and being treated as a piece of a unit and not an individual effectively changes people. It was interesting to hear it unraveled, how the person in boot camp is no longer a citizen, and not yet a soldier, marine, etc. With this total loss of identify, it is remarkable how these people keep moving through it to become stronger individuals. The phrase “Army Strong” took on a whole new meaning after I learned more about boot camp’s liminal action.