Does this happen in the army?

Key word is he was in "school." Therefore a trainee or student and if the Black Hat decided this was appropriate corrective training then so be it. Seems to me that if really worked since your friend remembered that incident and I am sure he never strolled down the street yakkin on his cell phone again. The military has rules, discipline and is a calling like no other. It is not Wal Mart or McDonald's. If you can't follow the rules there are consequences for it and sometimes the lesson is pounded home by ingenious yet legal means.

This was not a waste of time or cruel game, and if you think so the military is not for you. This is to instill discipline and teach a lesson about following regs. Image the lesson this guy learned, do you think he will walk and talk on his phone again? If he was in uniform, he cannot do this. If you are driving an automobile, you cannot drive and talk without hands free. Apparently your friend is the undisciplined one, and someone thought he needed to be taught some discipline. There is probably a bit more to this then you are being told.

Whats cruel about it ?

He could have been kicked out of airborne school, or given an article 15 for disobeying the regulation that forbids you to talk on a cell phone while walking down the street in uniform.

Instead, the Black Hat took it easy on him and gave him an object lesson.

IE: you do not talk on a cell phone while in uniform walking down the street.

So this way, he got to finish airborne school, did not lose a stripe or get fined

And learned to obey regulations.

The Army, like any other employer, has standards of conduct and job performance that must be enforced and maintained. At Ft. Hood, for example, you are not allowed to walk and talk on your cell phone in uniform, smoke and walk in uniform, or walk around outside without your headgear while in uniform. Similar "corrective training" can be brought to bear for a violation of these standards. In Airborne School, you are considered a "student" of sorts, and as a result have fewer privileges than someone who is not "in school." Once your friend completes Airborne, I'm sure he'll be able to walk around (in civilian clothes at least) and talk on his phone, smoke, etc.

Apparently Yes the USMC do it and hazing and Bullying has been outlawed in the US Military

Get a civilian to report it to www.hazinglaw.com as well as on www.hazing.hanknuwer.com

it is time these Bullies with rank were kicked out of any organisation it is an Abomination

Pol Pot Adolf Hitler Idi Amin Mugabe Eisenhower Patton Stalin Napoleon were all Bullies and into Hazing

This does happen. I recently heard about this stuff . If people get caught doing something stupid they'll be forced to catch somebody else doing the same thing. Was happening on the big bases in iraq too... saw one guy holding a "no speeding/speed limit sign" lmao

im a army wife in GA...and i have never heard of that and espically not in public. commanders yeah they will get on your *** but its not as bad as everyone makes it out to be.