I served in the Marines Corps during the 80's. Our intelligence briefings reported that the Soviets used "live" nerve agents when training for chemical and biological warfare. During their training it was not uncommon for 10-20% of their conscripts to become affected by the agent.

Deaths during operations are quite normal. During a desert training session with 5,000 Marines - 2 guys died because they fell asleep under a truck and were ran over; 4 died in car accidents. That number didn't seem to bother anyone and was considered acceptable.

Marine Bootcamp in the early 80s was intense. Physically and mentally abusive. A few months after I graduated as a Marine - a trained LA County Lifeguard died during the "water survival" course. At the time we just accepted it as the way they harden into a Marine.

I have a several friends from the former USSR that served in the Russian Army (late 80s) and they said it sucked, but that it wasn't specifically brutal.

Jim

Junior enlisted (E1-E3) in the US Navy, Marines, and Army have also died due to hazing during ceremonial/color guard training. They weren't accidents or training techniques, they were examples of government sponsored sadism.

I'll never forget the day that they made us run around the building, with bayonets attached to our ceremonial M1s, during a lightning storm.

during training in Soviet army, it was not very bizzare for a recruit to be shot during formation or at a whim. the accepted loss rate during training due to "accidents" or friendly fire or whatever was very high. I have friends who served in both russian army and us marines.
this comes from them.

In response to Jim's comment above, I think that treatment in the Red Army has becomes much more specifically brutal. I just read an article in Vice magazine, albeit not a world renowned news source, but it reported on some pretty shocking things going on in the military there today. I sure hope the marines don't face this.

http://viceland.com/index_int.php?country=us.