 Bruscino says "the military had developed personnel policies that actively and completely mixed America's diverse white ethnic and religious population.The sudden removal from the comforts of home, the often degrading and humiliating experiences of military life, and the unit- and friendship-building of training leveled the man the activities meant to fill time support of in the military reminded the man of all they had in common as Americans.Under fire, the men survived by leaning on buddies, regardless of their ethnicity or religion."