A Boot Camp True Story: Allison Writes 63 days

In the 80’s, "boot camps" for troubled teens became the new treatment dejour for parents at their wits end. However, after numerous allegations of severe abuse, untrained staff and several deaths, these camps came under much scrutiny. Steve Cartisano ran the most notorious of these camps, called Challenger Foundation. I was 15 when I was kidnapped from my bed and taken to Challenger. 63 Days is the story-in-progress about my brutal experiences there, my subsequent escape and the aftermath. This is my story, this is my life.

Every parent who is contemplating a "strict, break 'em down" style placement for their child should read this journal.  (If you are looking for CEDU information, scroll to the bottom of the story)

1. Mom calls in the transporters.
2. The transporters take Allison, who had made friends with a non-LDS kid, to a camp with no amenities, no food,  and little shelter.
3. What made the parents decide to send Allison to this "break 'em" teen bootcamp.
4. Allison's introduction to the therapeutic style of bootcamp:

today we're going to hike 12 miles. There's water here, in that little stream down there, but there's no food. Not today. Not for 5 more days. This is called Impact, and you're asses are at Challenger. Do not try to run, you will be stopped." He nodded again at the gun, and yeah, it was totally rehearsed. I knew because it was identical to the first one. He loved that move, you could tell. "If you slow down, I'll kick your ass. If you stop walking? I'll kick your ass. Try to run, don't even get me started. The rules are simple. You only do one thing. Walk. No talking, no running, no skipping, no singing, no crying, no laughing and most of all, no leaving the pack...ever. You need to go to the bathroom? You hold it until I say so. You piss your pants? I don't give a shit. Piss'em, you ain't gettin' a change of clothes for weeks. Oh, and by the way, if you're lucky...you'll be here 9 weeks. That equals 63 days."

"This is a relationship-based program, and they closed this like it was a factory," a counselor at one of the schools told the Spokesman-Review newspaper in Spokane, Wash.

Brown Schools operate 11 boarding schools and educational facilities in Idaho, Texas, Vermont, Florida and California, according to its Web site. Facilities in Austin and San Marcos were sold to Psychiatric Solutions Inc. in 2003.

• RMA closing;
• CEDU shut down #1
• CEDU management notes
• A partial list of sites critical of "troubled teens" facilities
     
• Brown Schools, Parent of CEDU, Declares Bankruptcy;
• More on CEDU closing immediately
   
• A Parent's Plea: Don't Close CEDU
   
• An Alumni Pleads: Don't Close CEDU
   
• Bankruptcy Trustee Finds $1.5 Million Too Late to  Keep Schools Open
   
• CEDU Closing: Parents Out Prepaid Tuition, Employees Lose Retirement. McCown Deleeuw Still Solvent
• King George's Head Thinks on Feet, Keeps School Open
• CEDU Closing Stuns Struggling Teen's Len Woodbury

Comments

[Saint Nate]

I remember reading this article back when I was a member of Investigative Reporters and Editors:
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3720/is_200009/ai_n8908675

I've been wary of the boot camp solution ever since, especially since 1.) it's not proven to be effective 2.) it's played up as a form of vicarious revenge on talk shows, where the snotty kids get shouted down by a drill instructor until they cry, and 3.) in this age of cognitive behavorialist therapies and psychiatry, it seems like a barbaric solution at best, especially since these kids have it harder than real military recruits.

[Rose]

I am a surviver of the challenger foundation boot camp 1990 april to June was my stay.As for Alisons storey of 63 days which I just read is the truth of everything she shared . Im a witness to her storey and lived it also.As I now evaluate my life I have learnt a few things.There are consequences to my own actions because I have free will.Unfortunatly my journey as a child and a young adult for myself was never ending consequences do to my actions and today for where I have come spiritually its very hard for me to blame others any longer.Its kind of like something like this if I do not obey the law there will be consequences thats pretty much a fact cause I have my own proof for myself.As for my character issues I have now lived long enough to realize the rights and the wrongs spiritually speaking by my own proof of experiance.I guess you can say when it comes to any thing in life you either get with the program or the program is going to get you. (whether it be good or bad) That has also become a fact do to my own experiance..lawfully spiritually and physically.As for someone dictating when or how or where a human being will get well is impossiable.Alls we can do is try.I guess we can say when it comes to any catogory in life some get it some dont.I will say by my experiance in life is that there needs to be a self responsibility or someone else or something else will gain the responsibilty for you whether it be good or bad.In this thing called life along the way terriable things happen every where in churchs in hospitals in high places in low places in authority in programs in school in marriages in jobs in nature etc.Usually us human beings always like to hear about the negative especially in the news.Dont forget folks that there is lots of good things happening inbetween the disasters.So as for myself it all boils down to self responsibility and as for the things that seem to slip inbetween the lines just remember the spirit does not lie and cannot lie.And one more thing I learnt is I rather be well spiritually,mentally and physically so I am not at the mercy of other peoples hands cause ya I do not know whos working there what there motives are and that can be dangerous.As for police departments if im disobeying the law I only hope Im in the hands of a good cop if not I will be at the mercy of a bad one.Thats why one of the most important things I have come to believe is self responsibility God Bless you all with everything that is perfect and good love Rose

[Rose]

Hello again I think I made a mistake I may have been sent theretowards the end of february to june sorrey about that .

[Rose]

wrong again I was sent there end of March to June

[Ash of Challenger, Sequioa, and Northstar]

Sweet Rose, My name is Ash. I was there...Several times, and appreciate the note and wisdom, anyway people like us can talk to eachother? LMK nothigh73@gmail.com

[Pam]

Hello. I was a follower and fan of 63days.com. I can no longer see the site online and I was wondering (and concerned). Whatever happened to Alli and her website?

[bootcamp for teenagers]

most people do cry or have emotional thoughts while they are in boot camp, some display it more than others.

[Chad Phillips]

Hey bootcamp for teenagers,

I'm not sure that the intent of this board was for you to spam your bootcamp. Rather it is to expose the fact that, at least in the past, several of these so called "bootcamps" have been like the refuge camps found in the secluded areas of Vietnam during the conflict in the 60's.

As a father I know first hand you shape your child. Torture and torment to change ones psyche (your child) is not a means to an end, especially in a childs case. It is more so a means to completely mess a person (your child) up for life. For those who have experienced youth bootcamps I hope for your sake that you were able to move on. You should know that what you had to go through is not your fault but the fault of the ones who raised you. (Offense was not intended)

Childhood shouldn't be scary or hard. It should be a time to soak up as much fun and interesting experience/knowledge as you possibly can. Of course these experiences musn't include dangerous or illegal activities, but why would they? Why would a child want to participate in such events?

If you are hindered from experiencing the joys of life and love at a young age an inner rebellion will start. As the hinderance continues the rebellion will become an all out war. Parents need to stop it before it starts and just be a part of childs life i.e. listen to them, be their friend, support their wants and desires, etc. Really there should be no stopping needed because you should love them unconditionally regardless.

This approach obviously has it's flaws, but at least you never neglected your child so much that they hate life. Good example of a life to hate would be one where you find yourself not listened to you're existence is quite possibly not even being acknowledged at all. Yelling at your children from time to time because of not completing chores really doesn't count as acknowledgement.

Do you find yourself constantly denying your childs requests however small or big they are? Be there for your kids and love them!

Yes, this is a lengthy post, as my eyes have just been opened to the reality of places such as child bootcamps... wtf