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>>Personal experience in basic training:
>I saw similar events, but they were directed at people who had done something that caused problems for the group.
>If someone has messed up and caused extra drills for the group that person might get some special attention that night.

In basic training "extra drills" are part of the curriculum. Even if that had happened - which I severly doubt, as such knowledge not only would have skewed my decision matrix back then, but I probably would have mentioned it in a byline myself back then to block it to be used as counter-argument, it would uncertain if the "punishment" was not already planned for the slightest misbehaviour to adjust recruits into accepting that frame of reference -although it could be classified as a [unwanted ???] side effect of internalizing plus self-enforcing chain-of-command "logic".

>I was too young then to feel anything except relief that I wasn't on the receiving end.
>Today, I'd probably try to stop it.

Having seen some army movies in advance and already been through harder culling in sports had given me more points to retreat into myself - although I was often taxed to get myself back to the smart-aleck front I kept there ;-)

And looking back I am certain the wish to derail the for me especially mysterious "group mind" was stronger than the wish to help...