Best Drill Instructor/Drill Sergeant stories

2014-12-28T12:31:59-05:00

What is something really cool, or funny, or inspirational that one of your Drill Instructors or Drill Sergeants did? One of my favorite stories from boot camp was when our DI's asked me what MOS I was going to have. The conversation went like this:

Me: "0300, sir!"
DI: "Ah, so you're one of our stupid recruits. You get yourself an ASVAB waiver?"
Me: "No, sir. This recruit scored a 91 on the ASVAB!"
DI: "Bulls**t! If you're so smart, why the hell would you get stuck with an infantry contract?"
Me: "This recruit wants to be infantry, sir!"
DI: "You WANT to be infantry? So you ARE stupid, then!"

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 28 at 2014 12:55 PM

2014-12-28T12:55:47-05:00

My story was in June 1975, just a few days after I joined the Army. I almost literally bumped into a Drill Sergeant in a warehouse (I had been sent to get something). The DS asked me what I was doing. I explained and finished my response with "Sergeant." Well, he asked me if I knew his rank and why I didn't use it when addressing him. I was brand new, but I kind of guessed (he was an E-7), and I answered "Platoon Sergeant." He said, "I'm a Drill Sergeant, trainee!" And then I did pushups.

Response by CMSgt James Nolan made Dec 28 at 2014 3:47 PM

2014-12-28T15:47:41-05:00

How about, we are all sitting Indian Style on Quarter Deck (front training area of the squad bay for all the non-USMC types). We were being given a period of instruction on what to do in the event of "witnessing a nuclear blast" By that I mean observing. So, the Drill Instructor told us that we were to drop to the ground, helmet toward blast, rifle across chest, cover up with poncho, wait 30 or so minutes, then get up and fight.

So, having read a few books, and watched a few movies, it was my understanding (remember what happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki) that the blast was so powerful that it would essentially make a photographic outline of a body on a wall. So, I raised the old hand, and the Drill Instructor looked at me and said "What Recruit?" I responded with my question. He responded with "If you witness a nuclear blast, you will do what I F*cking told you to do!""Now Begin". So I began a lengthy regiment of calisthenics, and learned that what was written in the book was correct, and I was not..........NO MORE QUESTIONS. Really made Boot Camp much easier.

Response by TSgt Joshua Copeland made Dec 28 at 2014 4:43 PM

2014-12-28T16:43:42-05:00

There was an Airman Special in on of my sister flights. When we were still in BDUs without name tapes, a TI walked up to him because he chuckled.

TI: What, do you think you are special?
AB: Sir, Airman Special reports as ordered!
TI: you have gotta be kidding me...
AB: Sir, Airman Special reports as ordered!
After about what seemed like 5 minutes of this back an forth (prob really only 2) the AB loses it and breaks the position of attention, pulls out an ID and says "Sir, seriously, my name is ACTUALLY Airman Special. The TI just turns around an walks off.

Response by LTC Stephen C. made Dec 28 at 2014 5:37 PM

2014-12-28T17:37:43-05:00

Cpl Peter Martuneac, I was at Fort Jackson, SC for basic training from November 1969 to January 1970 (we had leave for Christmas). Wintertime in the south means cold weather with lots of rain. We were in final formation for the day and headed to the M16 range the following morning. Astoundingly, a naive trainee (not me, thank goodness!) actually had the courage to speak and asked the Senior Field Leader what would happen if it rained. SFC Freddie Lockwood just looked at him incredulously and exploded in a booming voice with the often quoted Army maxim, "Son, it don't rain in the Army!" Sure enough, it rained cats and dogs all the next day! In fact, it rained so hard that the foxholes on the range had eight inches of water in them and the rain beat the food out of our mess kits more quickly than we could eat it!

Response by MAJ Jim Woods made Dec 28 at 2014 6:51 PM

2014-12-28T18:51:56-05:00

I had an absolute miserable DI in Basic in 1966 (Ft. Dix). He was terrible and always looking for a fight (we were afraid to hit him back). He had a really outstanding "little man's issue (he was only about 5'5").

A few years later, as a Senior Officer Candidate 2 weeks away from graduation, I ran into him as he was now assigned as an instructor (Drill and Ceremonies) to the Committee Group in OCS. I discussed with him the advantage he would have if I never saw him after Commissioning. And guess what, immediately after OCS I was assigned to the.... you guessed it..... Committee Group as an instructor in Tactics & Firearms and frequently assisted with D & C. We eventually had a hamburger together and buried the hatchet. We never did "hang out" but he has stuck in my memory as one of my worst DI experiences.

As back in that day there were lots of "Hands On" experiences I never did have one that was the best. I had some that I respected more but they were "DI's and I was a lowly E1 & E2. In other words lower than Snake Sh_t in their eyes.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 28 at 2014 7:07 PM

2014-12-28T19:07:29-05:00

This is in 1974 at Lackland AFB in Basic. The TIs called the dorm guard over the intercom and asked him his name. He responded with, "I am Francis Morrow from Rochester NY". It took him a minute to say that and so long that the TIs were laughing. You could hear them, but I also felt kind of sad for him. FRAN-CISSSS MOR-ROW FROM ROC-HESTER NEW YORK.

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Dec 28 at 2014 7:44 PM

2014-12-28T19:44:11-05:00

HAHA, Maybe that DI was a supply sergeant before he opted to a DI. You never know!

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 28 at 2014 7:45 PM

2014-12-28T19:45:20-05:00

Lol

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 28 at 2014 7:46 PM

2014-12-28T19:46:42-05:00

Sir,

Looks like you got off easy

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Dec 28 at 2014 7:47 PM

2014-12-28T19:47:12-05:00

I like the Marine stories. I need to hear more please.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Dec 28 at 2014 9:29 PM

2014-12-28T21:29:21-05:00

My DI in BCT (1966) was MSG Dunn. His assistant was SSG Gore. I don't mind using their names because I intend to do them honor...

I didn't know what to expect when I enlisted in the Army. I certainly didn't expect what I found: A training cadre that was hell-bent on whipping us into shape and training us to survive combat. And they were good at what they did.

I wish I could shake their hands today and thank them. I survived. And I wish that I could console them on their failures. I'm sure they sorely felt them.

Sure, there must have been "bad apples" in the training cadre. Thank God I never met them. Thank God I was blessed with the ones I had.

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Dec 29 at 2014 1:36 AM

2014-12-29T01:36:11-05:00

I witnessed an DS repeatedly tell a recruit his chin strap was not a throat strap because the recruit had his chin strap in his throat due to it not being tightened. The DS grabbed the recruit by his chin strap and pulled him down to the ground and proceeded to scream at him about his chin strap. Well that was about all that took to fix his chin strap.

Response by CMC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 29 at 2014 10:46 AM

2014-12-29T10:46:03-05:00

Oct 86, Ft Bliss TX, when my Drill informed me that the last time he saw me I was a little shit! Then informed
Me that he was a member of my Dad's team in Vietnam and at Ft Bragg. Needless to say, my first phone call home was not to my wife, but to my Dad wanting to know what he did to piss this guy off.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 29 at 2014 11:10 AM

2014-12-29T11:10:32-05:00

No one ever believes this story, and I wouldn't either if I heard someone else tell it.

I went through basic at Fort Leonard Wood, MO during the summer of '06 in A Co, 1-48 IN. One of my Drill Sergeants was known to be a fairly standard DS type dick, but was prone to fits of absolutely ridiculous rage. He exemplified this one day by spartan kicking one poor bastard off the top of the repel tower. The trainee would have surely died or been seriously injured had he not been already secured to the rope and the belay man below not been on their game. We never saw that DS ever again.

Response by SrA Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 29 at 2014 11:49 AM

2014-12-29T11:49:30-05:00

I had a fellow trainee in my flight who liked to doodle and draw in a personal note book he kept in he drawer. One day when we were doing drawer inspe tions the one MTI found thr trainee's notebook. Found.SkEtch of the other MTI and called him out on it. It was hilarious. A couple days later at chow abother trainee spilled gatorade and the notebook trainee was sitting at the tavlw and the original MTI saw if happen and asked the drawer if he was goingtto put that on his sketchbook. I almost choked onmmy food laughing.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 29 at 2014 3:26 PM

2014-12-29T15:26:33-05:00

I have a few. Here's one that comes to mind. I should mention that I enlisted at 150lbs, at 6 foot 3. So, for me every calorie counted. Basic training in my experience was just a weight loss camp, and I didn't need to loose an ounce. I don't know if the Drill Sergeants didn't notice it right away, or if they were letting me get by with it because of how skinny I was, but I would take my piece of bread, and the sugar container that sat on the table and generously layer that bread with sugar, as we were not allowed to pick up butter or jam or anything on the way through the chow line. I'd fold this in half and inhale it more or less. So, I'm eating as fast as I can, looking straight ahead, when out of the corner I see a Drill Sergeant approaching. She sits down on the table right next to my plate, takes the sugar out of my hand, and dumps it on the bread until it's about an inch thick. The corners of the bread are all that isn't buried. "Eat, private." I hesitate a second. "Eat, private. Sugar is good, private." I picked the thing up and ate it, and she walked away.

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 29 at 2014 5:55 PM

2014-12-29T17:55:17-05:00

My last name is Glade, which people CONSTANTLY get wrong somehow... I was in the chowline early during boot at beautiful Ft. Sill (3/321 FA, B Btry) when a Drill Sergeant looks at me and says "Private Glad! You GLAD to be here?" To which 17 y/o me replied "It's GLADE, Drill Sergeant, and no..." The next word out of his mouth was "DROP." SO many push ups, lol...

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 29 at 2014 6:28 PM

2014-12-29T18:28:27-05:00

When I was in boot (way back in '85), I got tonsillitis after returning from Christmas break. I wound up in the hospital for a couple of days. The Senior Drill showed up on my day of discharge (he was a HUGE as in BUILT like a bear!), and escorted me down to his car. When I got in, and we started to drive off, he asked "What sort of music do you like? I replied "Rock..." He said "OK" and switched his radio from the Jazz station he liked to the nearest rock station. Asked me if that was Ok, and I said sure. We talked a little small talk, and he asked me a few questions. As soon as we got back to the barracks, we got out of the car. He said "You know the drill" and then he winked and started yelling "TROOP! You better MOVE your F***ing *SS now! GET BACK IN THOSE BARRACKS! YOU THINK BECAUSE YOUR SICK YOU CAN JUST SCREW OFF!?? YOU BETTER DOUBLE TIME!" I broke into a double time with the biggest grin on my face I'd ever had - Him yelling was all for show. After that, all my stress about basic was completely gone...

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 29 at 2014 6:46 PM

2014-12-29T18:46:15-05:00

There was a guy in my platoon whose name was pronounced "Carryon" The first day the DSs asked him what his name was. He answers, "Carryon, Drill Sergeant!" Took the poor guy a little while to figure out what the excitement was about. For the rest of basic, every time a drill sergeant said "Carry on," he had to answer "Here, Drill Sergeant!" Drill sergeants in our company of course told other drills about him, so the guy got no lack of attention. "Private, how do you pronounce your name?" "Carryon, drill sergeant/first sergeant/sir" whatever the case was, and then the fun would begin. "Did you just tell my 1SG to carry on private!"

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 29 at 2014 11:27 PM

2014-12-29T23:27:31-05:00

When I was in AIT at Ft. Sam Houston, I did a spot on impression of our Senior Drill. One day, our former Drill Corporal, now Drill Sergeant, Lochmann aka "Lance" (poor guy got NO RESPECT from anyone, cadre or trainee, lol) heard me do the impression near the cadre office and made me go with him to the chow hall to do the impression for Senior Drill (thinking I'd be embarrassed and probably smoked). Senior Drill was sitting at the table with the Battalion CSM (RIP). Unfortunately for Lance, Senior Drill LOVED my impression and the CSM gave me the rest of the day off!

Response by Sgt Packy Flickinger made Jan 24 at 2015 4:31 AM

2015-01-24T04:31:08-05:00

Oh geeze. Lots of them. Boot was interesting. I'll post one or two at a time

We shipped from MEPS Phoenix. Some one screwed up the arrival time so we showed up at about 1800. None of the DI's were there yet so non- DI Marines started to check us in. First half of initial check in was calm and quiet. Not like you saw in the movies. It hit the fan a few hours later but the bottom line is we were in the rack before midnight and well before the rest of the company who arrived at 2100 (or abouts) like they were supposed to.

First revelie went off next morning and we all got out of the rack. The trash can flew down the aisle like in the movies. One person didn't get up. The DIs got in his face "GET UP'!!!! "NO" was the reply. The top rack, complete with recruit, went 6 feet in the air. He never made that mistake again.

Response by Sgt Packy Flickinger made Jan 24 at 2015 3:03 PM

2015-01-24T15:03:15-05:00

One night we are awoken middle of the night to somebody calling perfect cadence VERY loudly. DIs fly out of the hut yelling top of their lungs, who the hell is calling cadence?

It was little alphabet (28 letters in his last name), the quietest guy in the platoon. Sound asleep calling it. You could see the start of a smile on the DIs face as they went back into the duty hut. Probably to laugh their ass off.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 24 at 2015 8:11 PM

2015-01-24T20:11:02-05:00

I cant say i had it to hard in basic lol. My main DI was from the same home town in Nebraska and it was his last rotation before he went back to being a Cav Scout.

Response by SPC David S. made Jan 27 at 2015 2:30 PM

2015-01-27T14:30:08-05:00

Had a great DI for our platoon. He was from the Old Guard. We got along great as I like all the shinny boots and drill and ceremony stuff. Made me the guide on. However at the end of the first week one of the DI's from another platoon got liquored up one night. He pulled the fire alarm and went out in front of the barracks yelling that he was going to kick all our asses. I had some guys sneak up behind him as I went outside to confront him. We got a blanket over him and got him squared away to say and shoved him into one the mop closets. MP's and fire show up as well as the NCO on duty and the company commander who was a CPT. MP's are asking questions about what was going on. Being new to the Army I wasn't sure what to say. I simply say that the fire alarm was pulled and that I'm not sure who did it. Then I start making crazy eyes at the NCO. CO leaves as well as MP's and fire but the NCO sticks around. He asks me what the hell is really going on. I take him to the closet open the door and show him Sargent Hank the Tank who was now passed out. Needless to say the CO as well as the other NCO's took a liking to me. CO took my ruck on a couple of the road marches we had as well as my own DI. Welcome to the Army.

Response by Sgt Franklin B. made Jan 27 at 2015 4:38 PM

2015-01-27T16:38:46-05:00

Thanks for sharing. I enjoyed the short store. You got me thinking back when I joined. That was June of 64. The memory's are good and not as good but we all have good and not so good when it comes to DI's

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 29 at 2015 1:38 PM

2015-01-29T13:38:49-05:00

1979 Verbal order issued from US Army Training and Doctrine Command, Fort Knox, Ky. "Drill Sergeants may no longer curse, or use derogatory comments during IE training phases". Yours Truly being an idiot, asked my Senior: "is that true Drill Sergeant"?
He said: "what do you think, you stupid son of a bitch?" He was 5' 4, only six years older than I. He may be a member of RP, but I doubt it.

I modeled my own Instructing tenure from that one encounter. He knew exactly how to loosen a tense situation with humor.

Response by SSG Christopher Parrish made Feb 6 at 2015 1:48 PM

2015-02-06T13:48:42-05:00

So there I was, stepping off the plush cattle truck we rode from Reception to our BCT barracks at Ft. Leonard Wood. As we ran as best we could hugging our duffles, with the DS speaking quite words of wisdom in to our young ears, they informed us once in formation we would drop our duffles at the same time so they only heard one thud.

An hour and a half later, as we are still trying to perform a perfect coordinated duffle drop, I hear another recruit respond to one of the nicest DS ever "No, Sarge..." (I pause the response because I didn't hear much after "Sarge"). That nice man all of a sudden became this thing, this monster from the pits of Hell. His fellow DS asked him what was wrong and when he answered they too became the monsters of legend, the type that Perseus would have battled.

Then there was the time I got busted with some others smoking on the sick call truck on the way back from field exercises. The 5 of us thought everyone else was asleep. I'll not go in to too many details, but to this day I still hate planting grass. And the number 15 makes me twitch.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 6 at 2015 2:09 PM

2015-02-06T14:09:54-05:00

I joined the army with NO intentions of being a super troop. None of my family inspired me to achieve in the service, and I had no friends who joined and could tell me what it was like. I showed up to basic like, is it over yet?

My Drill Sergeant (No Mr. Sexton), led "A" group on a run. So there I was, little PVT Adame, dogging it in back of the formation. As Sexton came around he looked me dead in the eyes, down into my soul and said, "If you can't hang with the big dog, stay your assistance on the porch!"

If anything has shaped my career, it was that moment. No yelling, no amount of push ups, nothing... just the thought that I couldn't hang with the likes of that man propelled me to a level of pride and fervent desire to be the best I could be. No amount of clever jokes and outrageous myths could compare to what the Drill Sergeant did. My career goal since that moment was to be a Drill Sergeant. Though there have been some obstecles, I will be in a position to give a soldier what he gave to me. Purpose, direction, and motivation at the highest level.

Response by GySgt Joe Strong made Feb 10 at 2015 12:45 PM

2015-02-10T12:45:00-05:00

So there I was, there I was, at good old MCRD San Diego...

First the back story,
Pt 1. I had been a Cross-Country runner & distance guy on the Track and went to MEPS with a bag of groceries having literally been put on the bus by my Recruiter after a big Red Lobster meal and instructions to not dare piss or shit until after they weighed me in or they'd never ship me. - This meant after about the first week when one of the DI's actually saw me they made me a Double Rations Private. I'd leave the Platoon and go eat, eat again while they were there and occasionally would be told where they were going and to meet them after stuffing myself on a third round.
Back story Pt 2. Our Series Commander 1st Lt G.D. Brown was my doppelganger, no , for reals, you couldn't tell us apart without the rank insignia. At the time of my story he was still a 2nd Lt.

SDI SSgt Ryan was having a great time on the Drill deck instilling Attention to Detail and Immediate Response to commands when, having finished my expansive repast, I strolled ever so exuberantly(and in a military fashion) to rejoin the Platoon and take part in some Excellent Instruction in the Art of Drill.
Unbeknownst to me Lt. Brown had also decided to look in on the Platoon and was approaching from 180 degrees relative to me.
SDI SSgt Ryan could not apparently make out the distinctive rank insignia of 2nd Lt. Brown (Butter bars had an uncanny way of disappearing into Woodland Camo) and had to make a choice.
So he halted the Platoon, executed the most perfect about face I have ever been privileged to see and rendered an exemplary Salute to a certain Double-Rats Private, just as Lt. Brown came around the end of the Platoon.
Have I mentioned that my name is Strong...
I think I still have residual strength from that evolution all these years later....

Response by SN Tucker Breton made Feb 12 at 2015 1:42 PM

2015-02-12T13:42:28-05:00

We had one RDC who could do a spot-on Cartman impersonation, and would do so. Frequently. While beating us. It was really, really hard to keep a straight face during IT hearing Cartman count off push-ups.

Response by TSgt David Holman made Feb 16 at 2015 9:45 PM

2015-02-16T21:45:38-05:00

During an open ranks, I was standing next to a trainee who was probably one of the quickest thinkers on his feet. When he went to give his reporting statement (to a female MTI) he said "Sir..Ma'am" she quickly responded "Do I look like a sir to you! Do we need to go to the latrine for me to show you that I am not a Sir!", his response "Ma'am, that would be a one on one situation and would not be comfortable"... the entire flight got a free patio break out of it

Response by SGT Rik Thibodeau made Feb 23 at 2015 11:38 AM

2015-02-23T11:38:52-05:00

I originally joined the Reserves while I was in college so I went to basic training after my freshman year in the summer of 1990 at Ft Dix. First night there I drew the 0300-0400 CQ shift. The guy I was relieving was half asleep and basically just told me "just buff the floor, don't open the door for anyone and don't wake the drill sergeant", then went to bed. Few minutes later one of the other drills was knocking on the door and sure enough yelled at me when I opened it for him, then went into the day room where the drill on duty was sleeping. Now, full disclosure, I had never, ever in my life used a buffer so I honestly had no clue how they worked but I'd seen people using them so I squeezed the handle and started buffing away. After a little while, the two drills came out to the hall and were talking when the duty drill says "Private, how can you buff with the wheels up?". I shot to parade rest and said "I'm sorry drill sergeant, I've never used a buffer before!". The other drill, a short guy with a Napoleon Complex comes over and kicks the wheels up and asks me where I was from. I replied "New Hampshire, drill sergeant", he asks me what I did in New Hampshire and I replied "I'm a college student drill sergeant". Then he looks at the other drill and says "Jesus, they don't teach these idiots anything in college these days.". I kept my mouth shut of course but in my mind I was thinking, "Yeah moron, I'm majoring in janitorial services, I just haven't had the buffing 101 course yet..."

Response by SSgt Tim Ricci made Mar 25 at 2015 1:43 PM

2015-03-25T13:43:10-04:00

I went to both Army and Marine Boot camp, In Marine Boot Camp we was doing Rifle Drill, the DI I was standing not 8 inches from me and the Brim of His Campaign Cover was just touching my forehead, the DI was maybe 5'5" Panamanian and his English was lets say very hard to understand. When I was performing Inspection Arms and bringing my arm up to go to Order Arms my hand knocked his Campaign Cover off of his head and I couldn't help but to bust out laughing at him, he proceded to cuss me out in a high pitched Panamanian and I just couldn't stop laughing at him. he told me he will take care of me when we got back to the Squadbay but he never did. at the end of boot camp he told me that he found out I was prior service Army that same day and thought I was Planted in Boot Camp as a spy!

Response by SGT Corey Franks made Mar 25 at 2015 3:15 PM

2015-03-25T15:15:08-04:00

Oddly enough, MY Drill Sergeants are on RallyPoint, yes I'm talking about the best ones I know, CSM Private RallyPoint Member and SGM Private RallyPoint Member CSM Cameron. Both were E-6 at the time. It was November of 1999. Their voices still resonate in my head like it was yesterday. They had us line all our "civy" bags in the walkway aisle between our bunks. All nice and neat, dress right dress. Then on each row, they stomped on all our gear waiting to hear some go "CRUNCH". The excitement on their faces said it all.

Something I sure they do not remember about our group is this....on day during a "smoking session" after dinner chow, we were getting PT done the good ole fashioned way; till one of us puked. I remember looking down and being able to see my own reflection under the pool of sweat that had accumulated underneath me. Then I heard, "We aint stopping, until one of you little fu*ks puke". Mind you, it had been prolly close to 45 minutes of non stop PT. I looked to my left, I looked to my right, giving them the eye signal to do it. But neither one of them wanted to.

30 minutes later, we were back on floor this time doing mountain climbers, I gave the look to my left and right again, still no one wanted to do it. I said to myself, "well fine, I'll do it". Stuck my finger down my throat and puked all my dinner (Spaghetti if I remember correctly). "Whooo hoooooo", said Drill SGT Cameron, "We got a winner".

They then called for "Classroom" which consisted of the entire platoon sitting on the first 3 bunks so they could all see our faces. Unfortunate for my entire platoon, my bunk was the second one.

I did pull a stupid card and got out before my training was up but I got back to it a few years later. Just wanted to let you two know, BCT was a effin joke after going through the "House of Pain" at 2-58. Thanks to you, I made it home safely.

A Co. 2-58 INF "Love of Country"
2nd Platoon "Dominators"
"House of Pain"

Response by LT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 25 at 2015 3:25 PM

2015-03-25T15:25:39-04:00

This one is probably different than all the others posted, I went through Basic, AIT, Airborne, and Pathfinder all very early on in my career. While I was in Pathfinder school I ran into two of my Drill Sergeants from B Co 1/38th, Ft Benning. One of them realized that I had a lot of info from my unit and started asking me questions about landing zones. As a result the three of us started a study group for the three weeks of training.

After I completed the final field exercise one of my classmates said to me, "just because you passed pathfinder school, doesn't mean you're on our level". In contrast, during the "graduation ceremony" the two Drill Sergeants flanked me, one on my left and one on my right (thats port and starboard for you nautical folks). The basic training battalion commander attended the graduation to pin the wings on his Drill Sergeants and they made a point to say "These are the kind of troops that we're producing down in Bravo Company".

While I have come across some bad DI's, there are far more DI's that are committed to training the future of the armed services.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 28 at 2015 6:21 PM

2015-03-28T18:21:54-04:00

I enlisted in USAF in 11/63 . We had to have a TI in the barracks 24/7, so we had a senior TI and an assistant who rotated shifts. Problem was they hated each other, and we got the brunt of it. We reached a point where we were allowed an 8 hr pass to go down town (in Class A's). The assistant told us to get into class A's. About that time, the senior showed up and yelled "what the hell are you doing in Class A's, get back into fatigues. Now the the assistant shows up and says "what the hell are you doing in fatigues, get back into Class A's. While we were in formation, the two of them went behind the barracks and had a "wall to wall discussion". We were finally allowed to go on pass "in Class A's"

Response by Sgt Michael Selbach made Apr 1 at 2015 11:48 PM

2015-04-01T23:48:51-04:00

We met our real D.I.s a few days after actually getting to MCRD and we were expected to know not to break the POA... As the D.I.s walked in and were introduced one of them was the biggest man I had ever seen in my life... he ducked and came through the door sideways. I saw this out of my peripherals and I turned not thinking to see him better...because I thought I was imagining this guy. He looked right at me and started walking very fast at me...I froze and he walked right through me like I wasn't even there ( I went through the rack and out the other side) he kept going to the wall and said who made this scuff on my wall pointing at a spot. I don't think I ever broke POA again.

Response by SSG Gerhard S. made Apr 17 at 2015 12:04 AM

2015-04-17T00:04:14-04:00

December 1983, last week or two of basic training at Ft. Dix, NJ.
Drill Sgt. "Van" (an Airborne Ranger) came onto the floor around midnight, clearly drunk off his a$$, and proceeded to inform us about the circumstances leading to his limp. He was shot in the leg in the DMZ, and was left behind, separated from his patrol, he crawled back to safety unable to walk. His advice to his recruits, nearly graduated? "Remember men, "buddy" is only half a word. "

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 17 at 2015 12:22 AM

2015-04-17T00:22:12-04:00

It was the second week of Basic and the DS had the entire platoon taking a knee in front of our bunks as he walked around giving us a lecture. The DS (only like 5'4") walked up to me as I was kneeling had to do a double take because I was pretty much looking him in the eyes while I was kneeling(I'm 6'9"). The only thing he said was "Don't you dare smile or laugh".

Thought it was a pretty good laugh at the time. Had two DS's that were that height...needless to say I stuck out like a sore thumb.

Response by SPC Angel Guma made Apr 17 at 2015 1:51 AM

2015-04-17T01:51:16-04:00

I remember one time (this is in Fort Benning), we were lined up outside to get our haircut. It was blazing hot out as this was in the summer. For some reason only God knows, this old lady came by (again- I have no idea how an old lady got that far into Fort Benning), pushing this damn ice cream cart, with little bells on it. Our Drill Sgt yelled at us to not get any ice cream from the old lady, and to not look at her. He then proceeded to buy himself a sundae, ate it in front of us, and walked off.

About five minutes later, when the knuckleheads thought Drill Sgt was incognito, they broke the line, haggled the lady for ice cream, ate some, and ran back into the line. Drill Sgt of course pretended like he didn't know what was happening.

About 3 hours later, everyone who ate the ice cream ended up with the shits back in the platoon bay. The Drill Sgt came rushing in, yelling at us about integrity violations, and began smoking everyone, including those that had the shits. Most of it was squat benders, with some mountain climbers thrown in. The guy in front of me shitted himself and smiled proudly about it.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Apr 17 at 2015 2:02 AM

2015-04-17T02:02:34-04:00

Not too funny, but here goes...

Christmas eve and we had just gotten back from evening chow. We finished our "pump and dump" (head break) and quick field day of the barracks when our senior Company Commander DCC Hall walks into the barracks.

Barracks watch calls "Attention on deck!" and Chief Hall immediately screams "DROP!"

As soon as we were all in pushup position he continues in the same screaming voice "MERRY CHRISTMAS, I'M GOING HOME!"

Response by Cpl Patrick Reade made Apr 21 at 2015 5:26 PM

2015-04-21T17:26:14-04:00

Laying on the top rack before we were supposed to get our first rest in many moons. The dumbass to my left waited until the scout sniper kill hat waited to go inside his chamber. Then started eating peanut butter packets talking about how dumb the drill instructors were. While in mid sentence kill hat pops up next to his rack and says "thought I was gone didn't you?" "Now who is stupid stupid?" The following hours consisted of much pain.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Apr 22 at 2015 5:17 PM

2015-04-22T17:17:19-04:00

When I was doing Beast Barracks at West Point, the Upperclassmen would brace you against a wall for minor and frequently fictitious infractions. So for whatever reason a HUGE cadet and I were braced side by side. You had to touch the wall in so many spots and there had to be a certain number of wrinkles under the chin. Thumbs had to be on the crease, etc. So after being dressed down, the UC yelled:

"Repeat after me. Sir, I'm America's fighting man!" "Ball you go first!"

If you ever tried to brace, grab wrinkles and yell out, it isn't easy so I did manage to bark it out fairly well. Problem was when HUGE did it, it came out like a constipated Pee Wee Herman. That made me laugh which is also a no-no but somehow got overlooked by all the UCs rolling on the floor.

Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 6 at 2015 11:30 AM

2015-07-06T11:30:19-04:00

This one time, my drill instructor yelled at me...

Response by 1SG Michael Blount made Aug 3 at 2015 2:35 PM

2015-08-03T14:35:59-04:00

Context - Day 1, Privates just coming off the bus from Reception, me talking to an IET Soldier who barely came up to my navel
Me: "How tall are you, Private?"
PVT: "4 foot 8 First Sergeant"
Me: "Does your mom know you're out playing Army?"

Epilogue - that Soldier damn near became my Soldier of the Cycle
Moral of the story - DO NOT, DO NOT, DO NOT pre-judge the size of the dog in the fight. Rather, judge the size of the fight in the dog.

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 25 at 2015 7:11 PM

2015-08-25T19:11:23-04:00

My Drill Sergeant story happened when I had been in the Army for about four or five days. Someone sent me into a building to get a training aid and I literally bumped into a Drill Sergeant as I was hurrying on my way through the building. I said something like, "Sorry, Sergeant." He said, "What's my rank, trainee?" I was still learning the ranks. He was an E-7, so I guessed "Platoon Sergeant?" (I actually had it right. In those days an E-7 was known as a Sergeant First Class or a Platoon Sergeant.) The Drill Sergeant was not impressed with my vast knowledge of the Army's rank structure. He said, "I'm a Drill Sergeant, trainee! Drop and give me 25!" I did, and I was happy to get out of there with only a slap on the wrist.

Response by Cpl Keith Mears made Nov 2 at 2015 5:08 AM

2015-11-02T05:08:20-05:00

My Lead Drill Instructor was a bad ass! Like they say, dynomite coming in small packages . Staff Sargeant Tupulo was small in stature and i think he was of Philipino decent . The first day that we went to the obstacle course, he was giving the instructions of how to properly climb the rope and touch the top of the cross bar and come bacmotivatorickly as possible ! He then said , "watch as i demonstrate" !
The ropes were just far enough apart that he had one hand on one rope and one on the other and standing with his heals together like he was at Attention ! He went to the top and tapped and back down without moving his feet! Two ropes ! One in each hand ! Needless to say, we stood there in amazement at what we just saw . MCRD San Diego. platoon 2047 June 1981

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 13 at 2016 6:12 PM

2016-02-13T18:12:46-05:00

When I was a DS back in 1978 at Ft Benning, I had a recruit sneak out of barracks at night and go sleep on the Horizontal Ladders because he was weak on that task. When I found out he was doing this, I asked him why he did that and he said. "DS, you told me that I was weak on the bars , that I needed to sleep on them til I could complete them".....He really took everything I said serious. After that, I was careful what & how I said things. The soldier did pass the bars and went on to graduate BCT.

Response by SPC Nate Lamphier made Mar 18 at 2016 12:51 PM

2016-03-18T12:51:32-04:00

I know this is an older thread but I'm going to share one as well.

This isn't one of the "funniest" or anything like that....but it is one in which made everyone in our platoon run through not only one wall (which we were already at that point) but run through a whole darn building for our DS.

We were coming up on our last few "final" phases of competing for the best platoon label. So there were only a week or two left of training. About two weeks before this sequence one of the platoons got a new DS. This guy was a guy who would try to be everyone's best friend (ie talk play station games, etc with recruits) and then the next minute tried to be a hardass. By far the least respected of all the DS. Not only was this known by all of us, it was known by the other DSs.

One day, we just won the platoon with the highest PT score ribbon which then won us the first in chow hall that evening. We were lined up in chow hall when this new guy comes down and starts screwing with us (something little yes, but for whatever reason that didn't sit well when our DI came back from a meeting with Top). Our DI and him stepped aside and it was a way way discussion between a SSG and a SGT (ours being the SSG)...you could tell if our DS would have lost his barrings or not have had us around, he would have thrown down right then and there. He turns away from the SGT, comes up to us, yells at us to now go back to our original spot (where he left us) and to "hurry the f*** up before he kicks all of our a**s" then goes right back to Tops office. When this happens this SGT now is looking like a dog who has been beaten. A few minutes later our DS returns and Top comes and gets his SGT. After we eat, we get taken out and smoked for not doing as our DS instructed. It went on for about a good 45 minutes...it was also the most intense, pumped up smoking that we had. We took it as a sign of our DS showing that other DS that we weren't a bunch of pussies.

Anyways, we went on and won the rest of the ribbons that DS never once came over and tried to screw with us again.

Given we were actually a squared away platoon, there had to be more to it then that one chow hall line up....there had to be some agreement within the DS....

If I saw Drill Sergeant Soloman (sp), Drill Sergeant Dugan or Drill Sergeant Jackson now, I'd run through the wall for each and everyone of them.

Response by SFC George Smith made Apr 1 at 2017 10:31 PM

2017-04-01T22:31:54-04:00

Thanks for the Share... Great information...

Response by CPL Beth Allsop made Apr 2 at 2017 7:38 PM

2017-04-02T19:38:01-04:00

If you've read my name you can just about imagine what OSUT was like for me.
Myself and another PVT got instantly paired together due to the fact that we we both weighed 100 lbs each and had long hair.
My recruiter and apparently everyone else's had told us about the nirvana of AIT with 2 man rooms etc.
But that PVT and I spent the better part of 5 months dropping every time someone did something wrong!

With a last name of All SOP, I was supposed to know everything before they taught it!

Needless to say, I gained 20 lbs of muscle during OSUT so I guess all in all it was a good thing, in hindsight I wish I'd had a different last name!

Response by SFC Giovanni Bennett made Apr 3 at 2017 7:49 AM

2017-04-03T07:49:51-04:00

One of my Drill Sergeants, DI SSG Rife, was really stingy about toilet paper. There would be cases of the stuff but we were always rationing it as if it were some golden treat. Well a few cycles after I graduated from OSUT Infantry Badic on Sand Hill, Fort Benning, Ga, DI SSG Rife was relieved and kicked out of being a DI because he was caught selling toilet paper to new recruits. I'm not Bullshitting!! I didn't hear that from a guy I went to basic with, it came straight from the mouth of one of the other DI. In the 2nd Brigade DFAC on Schofield Barracks, Hawaii there is a big picture of SSG Rife. It looks like some random picture of an Infantry SSG with a 10th Mountain Division Combat Patch but it is no shit my toilet paper hoarding DI Rife. LOL!! He was stationed on Schofield at one point in his career and received his Combat Patch for being one of the UN Forced that went in and helped the Rangers and Delta get out of Mogadishu, Somalia. I went through basic between 7 May 2001 to 31 August 2001. Yup I graduated 11 days before 9/11. Some of the DI were being called away to help with the Blackhawk Down movie. We had quite a few Rangers from that fight as Drill Sergeants. It was nice because we had Infantry instructors that had actually been in the "shit". And SSG Rife loved the opportunity to throw in a "And who went in to rescue you guys?" Every chance he got when a DI would tell us stories from that Blackhawk Down fight.

Response by SPC Jeffrey Reese made Apr 3 at 2017 9:13 PM

2017-04-03T21:13:08-04:00

You mean like our (Basic training 1986) Senior Drill Sgt breaking his arm trying to get to a guy he found sleeping behind his wall locker after the rest of the company had left for training for the day. Scared the hell out of the guy behind the locker But he was the one that pulled the wall locker off the Senior Drill Sgt. after it fell on him in the ruckus. That Kid never got out of trouble until we graduated and left for AIT and I wouldn't bet it didn't follow him then. He was doing details up to the night before graduation and this happened the 3rd week in. He was in my Platoon every one thought he had gone on sick call.

Response by SPC David Weddig made Apr 29 at 2018 9:11 AM

2018-04-29T09:11:45-04:00

Indoor mail call had me on line across from 3rd platoon D.I. office. Drill Sgt. Pierce made it a point to be at his desk right before we started. After sound off, "29, last man on line Drill Sergeant ", mail call started and Drill Sergeant Pierce would ask "what you looking at private?" As everyone here knows, there is no correct answer you can give. I wound up doing push ups every time - but guess what, I went from barely clearing reception push up test to crushing the final. Guess he knew what I needed work on.

Response by Cpl Gabriel F. made May 17 at 2018 10:27 PM

2018-05-17T22:27:41-04:00

The Drill Instructor ran us for a couple of miles then marched us to packed clay and rock field we had never been before. The DI placed the platoon on line ordering red books out. We had a red study note book in the left rear pocket to be placed with the left hand in front of out face turning pages with left thumb and fingers. Standing in this modified POA we could hear cadence being called at a distance on the platoons 1500 position in a female voice. Yes, now we were at attention. As the cadence got closer recruits were leaning out looking right attempting to observe this new and strange sound. The female voice changed tone almost man like and we heard familier commands setting a platoon in the on line position. Some stepped out to try and see. Most like me never saw them to many shaved heads in the way. We had no idea that female recruits or any female was on Parris Island. The female voice yelled out "That's right ! There's yards and yards of dick over there and not one fucking inch will you get" "Now drop ! All I want to hear is forty cunts sucking sand" Well that did it, we all did something we had not done in a long time, we laughed. All of us laughed like fools. Could not hear anything else until almost at the same time the DI was there in a instant screaming that we were all just animals, animals to stupid to maintain the position of attention. Kicking punching screaming get on the ground now crawl like filty animals, crawl, crawl on your hands and knees filthy animals. Crawling, laughing, punching, kicking, DI screaming, cussing and a lot of crawling until no more laughter. Then more crawling. Later, after sweat popping PT with some recruit reflection it dawned on us we were set up. He knew they would be there at that time. We never saw them again until briefly at graduation and then they were gone. There were a lot less than 40 on graduation.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 5 at 2018 2:55 AM

2018-06-05T02:55:24-04:00

From the “Drill Sergeants will never hit you” phase..
we’re in formation one morning, and this one particular hard headed DS is walking through our platoon, generally making life miserable. And he had this one kid he liked to pick on. Some big, corn fed, muscle bound Goober from Indiana. (He was actually a nice kid, turned out to be a good soldier).

DS decided that this morning would be the day he took it to 11. I was behind Goober in formation. The DS got in PFC Goobers face, directly. And brimmed him with bad intentions. Twice. And snarking asked, “you like that?”

Goober really didn’t talk much, and very calmly replied, “no Drill Sergeant, I didn’t.” And as the DS started to move on the the next joe, Goober chimed up, “And you can yell at me all day, but if you ever touch me again, I WILL f*ck you up.”

We all just about swallowed our tongues while the DS did an about face and walked right up to him, about 5 inches away. He had that “should I or shouldn’t I” look on his face. He decided he should, and poked his brim squarely into Goobers nose. Bad choice, because in about 4 seconds, Goober had boxed him up with 3 or 4 clean shots, taken him down, and locked in a rear naked.

Half the platoon froze. About a quarter were screaming “fight!” Like it was high school. Me and the soldier beside me jumped in and it took both of us to get him to release his grip. The two that went inside to get another DS, all we hear is them screaming from inside the hallway, “you don’t understand, PFC Goober is killing him!!!”

By the time they got outside, we had pried Goober off of him. Me and my pal were reviving the DS back to consciousness, making him drink from our 2qt, getting his blood flow back. The Drill Sergeants asked him what happened first. Fully expecting him to lie, I was amazed when something to the nature of, “he told me if I hit him again, he’d fuck me up. He wasn’t kidding.”

He didn’t seem too pissed, but after that day, he left the company, and we never saw him again. (The DS)

Response by SPC David S. made Sep 5 at 2018 2:53 PM

2018-09-05T14:53:42-04:00

At Dix one of the DI's got hammered on his birthday and his buddies dropped him off at our barracks. He pulled the fire alarm and started screaming that he was going to kick our asses. Not really knowing what to do I came up with a plan to get him inside before the MP's or fire showed. I went out and confronted him while a couple other guys came up from behind and tossed a blanket over him. We got his squared away in one of the mop sink closets just shortly before the MP's arrived with the NCOIC. Even the company commander showed up. MP's were asking all sorts of question and everyone played dumb. I began making crazy faces at the NCOIC and he came over at asked what the hell is really going on. I took him to the closet to show him hank the tank and he took it from there.

The next morning the CO was not pleased as he knew something was not right and smoked the entire company as he thought it was one of us. While that day sucked after that basic got a lot more enjoyable for all - the group that saved the DI's ass got a pass on a day we had a long ruck.

Response by CW4 Craig Urban made Apr 23 at 2019 1:17 AM

2019-04-23T01:17:14-04:00

How about pvt why can't you.hit that 200 meter target? For Christ sakes put on my glasses. Got glasses that day. Qualified as expert. Met him again at fort bliss. I was SSG. Him too

Response by SrA John Burns made Apr 27 at 2019 12:27 PM

2019-04-27T12:27:15-04:00

Lackland AFB. June 1989 3706 BMTS

TI: (walking up and down center aisle of squad bay).”Nobody walks this aisle but me! Nobody better walk this aisle but me! Me and Jesus are the the only two people who better ever be in this aisle!”

In mid “rant” he stops in front of a small Hispanic trainee who’s name tape read JESUS.

TI barely misses a be before saying: “Nobody walks this aisle but me! Nobody better walk this aisle but me! Me and GOD!”

We tried not to laugh. Didn’t work. Let the GI party begin.

Response by SPC Adam Tebrugge made Apr 27 at 2019 4:01 PM

2019-04-27T16:01:54-04:00

Back in 97, in BCT, our DI never filed us into mess the same way. At the head of the line we had to sound off with our last four for accountability, etc. One particular dinner, we were filed in such a way that myself and another recruit with the same last four of our SSN were in line one behind the other. They thought we were being funny, and we almost missed chow before they checked our dog tags. So many pushups and flutter kicks.

Response by SPC Calvin Robinson made Jul 17 at 2019 8:21 PM

2019-07-17T20:21:02-04:00

My drill sergeant told my company that if we all passed on the rifle range in the first tyr he would take us all to the Burger King on the post. We all passed.

He called us to formation and marched us all the way across Ft. Leonard wood to the Burger King. In the parking lot he called us to parade rest and gave us a congratulatory speech. When he finished his speech he called us to attention, left face, and forward march. There was murmuring all through the ranks.

He called us to a halt and asked why we were so loud. We reminded him that he promised to take us to Burger King if we all passed at the rifle range.

He said, "Well I did. I did take you to Burger Kind, didn't you see it. Now lets double time so you all can get back to the mess hall for chow! FORWARD MARCH!"

That was so cold.

Response by SSG Anthony (Tony) Krejci made Jul 17 at 2019 8:56 PM

2019-07-17T20:56:38-04:00

I am a 68 year old retired (20 year 34th Army Aviation Veteran). When I was in Basic Training, October 1969-March 1970. I was in my last week of Basic training at Ft. Bliss, Tx. I was in great shape Ranked 11th out of 256 other young recruits. My Drill Sergeant was named Humphries! What a guy! He was a Staff Sergeant! In the 7ths week of basic, I was carrying a full field pack and my trusty M-14, Yes, we were the last group to go onto NAM without even handling a M-16. I use to be a High Jumper in High School and tried to jump a wood cross beam on the Infiltration Course. Well, my back pack came loose and midway through the jump, I hit the bar (Balls first). even today I still have a Vericose Seal in my Left Testicle, Thanks VA! The First Sergeant came running over and said KREJCI get your ass up or Ill recycle your little ASS! Well, my Humphries did not take that likely, I was his best trainee and a 2nd Platoon Sergeant. He stuck up for me all the way! Wish I could find that guy in ElPaso, Texas...

Response by PO2 Daniel Malloy made Jul 17 at 2019 8:58 PM

2019-07-17T20:58:18-04:00

Well, Company Commander story. At Great Lakes, Ill. 1977 I failed the rifle range not hitting one target. I was given intensive training for it. The next day, my unit voted me as honor man of Company 230. I was chosen to carry the colors (color guard) at graduation.

Response by SPC Michael Thompson made Jul 17 at 2019 9:07 PM

2019-07-17T21:07:45-04:00

I enlisted in 1980 fort Jackson. There were a lot of strong minded kids in the 3rd herd. There was one guy who probably grew up somewhere in the Midwest. This guy could do 100 sit ups and 100 pushups in no time flat. Later on the whole battalion had pass and review. The same guy which like everyone else was standing at parade rest. He was told by our drill Sgt to move a little left or right. He didn't listen or here the command by the drill. The drill proceeded to push privates aside to get to this guy. Drill Sgt picked him up by his l b e and placed the hardheaded guy in the proper space. The hardheaded prvt picked up the drill Sgt and threw him down. Then afterwards marched the hardheaded guy to C c f. The whole platoon talked about it until graduation.

Response by SPC David Batterson made Jul 17 at 2019 9:14 PM

2019-07-17T21:14:35-04:00

I had Basic Training at Ft. Bliss, TX in 1966. Our Drill Sergeant had just graduated from Drill Sergeant School, and I was in his first group to train. I remember his name, Sergeant McMorris, and we called him Sergeant Mac. What I liked about him was that he was never mean, never swore, and never mistreated any of us recruits. He was strict, but in a respectable, friendly manner. He was there to teach us, not bully us. And we responded well to that. We liked him very much. He was almost like our dad, who we wanted to please. We learned never to drop our rifles. If we did, it was a long run, and you had to say out loud: "I dropped my best friend." Good times.

Response by Sgt Joe Bending made Jul 17 at 2019 9:14 PM

2019-07-17T21:14:48-04:00

July 1954.....Paris Island.

Returned from sand March early evening. Stood in formation waiting for mail call. As your name was called you ran to stand at attention in front of the DI and receive the piece of mail. You then requested permission to return to the ranks.
Unfortunately for me, the envelope contained a lipstick print on the back of the envelope. After a thorough dressing down from the DI, I was told to stand in front of the platoon and lick the lipstick from the envelope. Mail call was finished but I wasn't.(very hard on the tongue) After the DI was satisfied the envelope met his expectations, I was dismissed to go in the quonsit hut. The girl received a nasty letter from me demanding she never kiss the envelopes again. She didn't.....I never received another letter from her.

Response by PO3 Jim Polichak made Jul 17 at 2019 9:21 PM

2019-07-17T21:21:15-04:00

Back near the end of the Vietnam War in 1974 I was a recruit at Great Lakes. Our company commander wasn't very good as his job. Why? Well, for one thing - He never asked to do it.
The position was given to him because he was waiting for an opening at what was called back then and probably still is called "dry dock." Short for drug and alcohol rehab.
He was an EM1 who hadn't been on a ship for over a decade because he drank too much.
Being the oldest recruit in the company {24 with a wife and son}, the most educated {AA from a community college}, and the son of two alcoholics; we sort of became friends of a sort. Since he lived off base I was given the key to his bunk room and used it to tutor the many poorly educated members of my company which was primarily drawn from New York City and a few rural southern states.
Our days were either good or bad depending upon his sexual conquests or lack of them. One of the things he confided to me was that he'd been told that he had to pass the upcoming Chief's exam or his re-enlistment would be turned down two years short of enough time to get a pension. The main reason was because his drinking meant he couldn't work in his rating so the exam was ~ Do or Die!
He was very depressed and wouldn't even accept my offer to help him study or my offer of multiple guess exam strategies.
The day after the exam he came in strutting like a rooster! He was 100% certain that he'd passed with flying colors. Some who were in the Navy might be able to guess why. For the rest of you let me explain...
Chief exams can be about any subject in the entire Navy since a Chief will have a multitude of ratings reporting to him. Less then a third of the questions are scattered in a wide assortment of areas while over two-thirds are concentrated in one area of command. That year that area was drug and alcohol rehabilitation. Since he had already been the dry dock four times already he naturally won his gold anchor as did many other drunks and drug addicts through out the Navy.
After boot camp and A school I did my service at NTC/RTC/ORL next to Disney World.

Response by CPL Warren Winger made Jul 17 at 2019 9:26 PM

2019-07-17T21:26:19-04:00

In boot camp, Fort Dix NJ, Poppa Company, October 1964
Addressing the entire company, the DI announced the training plans for the next day.
Trainee: What will be the uniform of the day?
Di: If you don't know the uniform of day, you can fall out with wall-lockers at port-arms!

Response by SPC Ross Sanders made Jul 17 at 2019 9:54 PM

2019-07-17T21:54:45-04:00

I took Basic at Ft Leonard Wood in 1967. One exercise was to go into the tear gas chamber and remove your gas mask. You had to tell the DI at the exit your service number to get out. By the time I got to the exit I was choking and panicked. I couldn’t remember my service number, but I quickly realized he didn’t know my number either. So I rattled off the correct number of digits and out I went. What a relief.

Response by Sgt Richard Teaman made Jul 17 at 2019 10:15 PM

2019-07-17T22:15:07-04:00

as a boot in parris island 1950,we were lined up outside supply hut, while one squad went in for their uniforms. the rest were given right face ,left face,etc. the DI.said when i say attention you don't move a muscel. we were in our civies. i was at attention when a sandflea lit in my ear. i picked it out and snaped-to. the DI,saw this and took his cap off and beat me on the head and shoulders.now he wasn't hurting me,and i starting laughing the more i laughed the more he hit me. then the rest of the company started laughing." he said that bug has been on this island longer than you, you had your chow now let that bug have his". needless this to say was the funnyest thing that i can remember.

Response by SPC Victor Sellers made Jul 17 at 2019 10:41 PM

2019-07-17T22:41:43-04:00

In Basic Training, 1970, at Ft. Lewis WA I was admitted to the Madigan hospital with severe tonsillitis and had only been in a hospital bed for an hour or so when two of my drill sergeants came to my bed, pulled the covers down, set me up, dressed me completely, and carried me out and back to the field, against Orders from the Medical Officers. Agent Orange weakened my immune system causing permanent defects and about a year later I contracted Group A Streptococcus with Pharyngitis, and it was not properly treated. I got malaria in Vietnam and was medivac’d out of Vietnam due to it or the Dioxin Ingestion, and feel the tonsillitis from basic training just got stronger over time, becoming GAS with Pharyngitis which became Rheumatic Fever. The damage from the drill sergeants physically dragging me out of the hospital prevented the curing of tonsillitis, and allowed other conditions to develop, especially after Vietnam. I was definitely exposed to Agent Orange and had a stroke at 19 years old. The drill sergeants told the Medical Officer to “tell someone who cares”, as they carried me out. My welfare never mattered to the VA either.

Response by PO2 Michael Knowlton made Jul 17 at 2019 11:03 PM

2019-07-17T23:03:31-04:00

In the Navy, the senior active duty instructor is called the Company Commander.

Our very first night in the barracks at Recruit Training Center in San Diego our Company Commander came in early in the evening with a radio. There was a little shelf in the bay made especially for this radio. He put the radio on this shelf, plugged it in, and tuned it to a local rock station. He said he hoped we enjoyed this radio and left, all smiles. Life was good!'

0500 the following morning we woke to the banging of shitcan lids and much yelling and screaming. The Company Commander called us every name in the book and said that we didn't deserve a radio... he unplugged it and told us if we want to listen to the radio, we would have to earn the right!! He then stormed into his office with the radio... nothing left but an empty shelf on the bulkhead.

We worked our butts off for the next nine weeks trying to earn this radio back... never did. We were Brigade Honor Company, Academic Company, even carried a flag with crossed rifles (infantry) attesting to our marching skills... but no radio. It was a few years before it dawned on me what he did that night... good leader, he could discipline you with a look.

Response by HN Irwin Bryan made Jul 17 at 2019 11:07 PM

2019-07-17T23:07:29-04:00

My boot camp was during the Vietnam war. I was guaranteed to be a Hospital Corpsman after finishing boot camp.
One day the company went to the gun range to become familiarized with a .45 pistol. We also shot at targets and the ten best shots, including me, were able to come back that night to earn marksmanship awards.
My company commander called me to his office afterwards. He told me not to go shoot. He said since I was going to be a corpsman, if I qualified in marksmanship I would be sent to the Marines and probably to Nam.
The instructor probably saved my life. Especially since I had years of riflery training and could definitely have earned a badge.

Response by SPC Tim Clark-McKitrick made Jul 17 at 2019 11:29 PM

2019-07-17T23:29:41-04:00

When I was in BCT in 1970 one of the company drill sergeants was a bayonet instructor from the Deep South they called "The Rock". He was a fearsome creature, leathery and menacing, never raised his voice but spoke louder than anyone else, and was a great but very tough, demanding teacher.
One day a few of us got chosen for duty at Battalion HQ and he was in charge of the detail, and since we were alone, we asked him about Vietnam (of course). And he--with two tours there--told us "I hope you kids don't have to go there. I can't see we're doin' nothin' there but gettin' our kids killed. Don't see any damn reason for it." It was a shock, the first time any of us had ever heard such a thing from a man who embodied the image of a soldier and a patriot, and I've never forgotten that; to me it has always informed my behavior as a citizen.

Response by SGT Phillip Matous made Jul 17 at 2019 11:36 PM

2019-07-17T23:36:23-04:00

Our bus dropped us new recruits off at Fort Knox for boot camp. We were still in civilian clothes when a top sergeant walked atop a platform that was at least ten feet off the ground. We surrounded the platform. His uniform was perfect as was his demeanor. I'll never forget his words, "My job is to make you like me."
I immediately thought, "That's a perfect description of a good manager." A good manager should want all his/her employees to know everything the manager knows, so that the manager him/herself can learn and handle greater matters. I've used his advice in my career for 45 years.

Response by SGT David Spearel made Jul 18 at 2019 12:41 AM

2019-07-18T00:41:43-04:00

One of my funniest times in Basic Training was when I got my first pass. We all got dressed in our Class A’s and went before Drill Sergeant Singley,a short and on the heavy side Staff Sergeant. When I made it up to his desk he said in his husky voice,” Huh,Huh,Huh Huuuuuh!! Private Spearel, Mister 21 Questions!! I’ve been waiting for you!” I knew then he was going to play with me and start asking me a bunch of questions to which he did. He would ask me questions until I missed, and then sent me back to the end of the line. He did this until I answered 21 questions right before giving my pass.Later that night when we returned at our prescribed time to be back to the barracks, all the lights were off in the building to our puzzlement. It was pitch black around the Drills office and as we all assembled we heard coming from the window upstairs a command “ Attentions!!” All we could see in the window was Drill Sergeant Singley’s pearly white teeth in the dark in the middle just like in a cartoon. Everything he said, all you could see was his teeth up there moving along with the words. We all were trying not to laugh, but it was too funny not to and had to try to hold it in as best as we could until dismissed. I don’t think Drill Sergeant Singley knew what we were chuckling about down below until he asked someone what was so funny at formation.when told, he let out a belly laugh and said he’d laugh too.

Response by CPL Al Vrooman made Jul 18 at 2019 1:11 AM

2019-07-18T01:11:54-04:00

In Boot, I had CQ one night. The Drill Sergeant dropped in and I guess he wanted to make small talk. One of the things he asked me was: "You really hate me don't you"?? I replied: "No, Sergeant, you are just doing your job".... I had never seen him so pissed!! His face turned beet red, and he went storming out of the office!!!!

Response by SPC Fred Hinkson made Jul 18 at 2019 4:43 AM

2019-07-18T04:43:13-04:00

Jump school black hat tried to push me out the tower,I grabbed him your going with me. He never said another word to me. A mother time on the ground hooked up to the 250 ft. Tower and female LT. Yelling it hurts. I said to her you got nothing down there to hurt . Another black hat heard it made me get down and beat my boots.

Response by Amn William Barrett made Jul 18 at 2019 5:57 AM

2019-07-18T05:57:08-04:00

TI. What are you doing boy, looking for a place to sh_t ?
Am. No sir
TI. Salute with a 45 degree angle
Am yes sir

Response by Sgt Gail Hardy made Jul 18 at 2019 6:41 AM

2019-07-18T06:41:49-04:00

Back in Air Force Basic Training in the 60s men and women were trained separately. One day our Training Instructor (TI) was marching us to the chow hall. As we passed a male barracks where the men were policing the area, the Red Rope yelled "eyes right". We passed the barracks, then our TI stopped us, had us do an about face, and marched us back to that barracks. She then had us do a right face to face the barracks and put us at parade rest. She then proceeded to chew the Red Rope up on side and down the other. At one point he answered her with a "Sir", and she yelled at him, "Do I look like a "Sir" to you?" To which he stammered, "No, Sir, I mean, Ma'am". She then made him walk the ranks of our flight and apologize to every single one of us. Do you think any of us would even look at him? No way. We all stood there at Parade Rest, staring straight ahead. When he had finished our TI marched us all off to the mess hall, and all of us were proud to have her for a TI.

Response by SSG Robert Marshall made Jul 18 at 2019 7:25 AM

2019-07-18T07:25:48-04:00

While in jump school in 1963, I failed to field strip a cigarette properly. The drill Sargeant made me bury it in about 4 feet deep. After a half-day of digging when I told him I was finished, he said Pvt Okie I don't believe you go dig it up and bring it to me.

Response by LCDR Ross Fontana made Jul 18 at 2019 9:04 AM

2019-07-18T09:04:42-04:00

During AOCS one of our first encounters with our Marine Drill Instructors.
We had just had our heads shaved and it was the first morning, the drill instruction had put us up against the wall to begin "the Fun". After several attempts to get us in sync the drill instructor began to PT the whole barracks.
This went on for a few minutes(that seem like hours).

Well the drill instructor was obviously becoming irate that we could not execute situps and push-ups properly (Go Figure!). More yellng, more PT.

Here is the funny part...after doing that several times, the drill instructor started barking that we are incompetant and that he could get anyone to pis in a toilet properly (or something like that)...Drama building. He got in the face of several of us...panic building...Al of a sudden he threw up his hands said he give up and that we are hlepless... her runs to the end of the barracks ( mind you we are on an upper floor) then he jumps straight out of the window.

Of course everyone was to scared to move because that was his last command.... Several minutes wen buy and a few had guts to lean off and look out the window....

No Drill instructor. Time passes, No Drill Instructor. I know it was probably less than 5 minutes but it seemed like eternity. We were all deal exhausted from the PT, sweating our you know what off and now, no drill instructor.

Is this a good thing or a bad thing???

Finally, someone came off the wall and said, Do you think we need to check if he is injured or dead?

From clearly out of no where, the drill instructor popped up on our deck from the main stair case.

We all slammed ourselves back against the wall, almost as though we would have knocked the wall down we hit so hard with one loud clap.

The Drill Instructor starts on his tiraid, like he had never left.

We nicknamed him the Anti-Christ because it had to have been the devil that kept him alive and he was mean as piss and fire.

SGT Hancock (I hope he doesn't mind me naming him here. I definitely am to old to be PT like that again), as we came to know, by the end of camp was an excellent Marine. His passion and clear concern to create young officer that will be molded to take care of their troops and mission success was unparralleled. I have (hard to believe) fond memories of my experience at AOCS and was appreciative (albeit after the fact) of the Drill Instructors who gave thier time to us.

My Chest, I think still has the bruises lol. I hope the remainder of your career was meet with honor and respect. You certainly garnished it from me.

Batt I June 1987 time frame! "youz jus a bunch o gerlz" best I could do to mimic his famous coment to us.

Yes, to answer your first question when your grilled me straight in the eyes on our first encounter
"I would much rather have had you give me the keys to my own Tomcat!" lol

Oorah! Semper Fi

Response by SPC Laura Ortiz made Jul 18 at 2019 10:02 AM

2019-07-18T10:02:31-04:00

While at Initial Processing Center, I was put on the chow line serving cold foods. In comes three sergeants, super friendly and one asks; "Hi PVT Ortiz where you from"? I said, a tiny island called Puerto Rico! He continues by telling me, with excitement "I'm from Panama". "Oh that's cool, I replied". I continued the lead, "So what can I serve you today sergeant"? He shared that he was saving his appetite and wanted something lite to eat because he was going out on a date later that evening. I then suggested a few options, and he chose the italian cold cuts with provolone cheese on wheat toast. I wished him a great date and evening, we chuckled and went on about our day. A few days later, and it's now the day to be picked up by your platoon sergeants, of course I was a bit anxious and excited all at once. Up the crest, comes marching in him in full drill sergeant uniform with the meanest face, and yelling my last name; "Ortiz, Ortiz you better get in formation before I loose my patience"! He proceeds to yell at my face while he enlightens the new recruits by sharing how we met a few days earlier and how he would never forget my name! It turns out he never made it out on his date, nonetheless the toilet; because the cold cuts I served him in his sandwich were spoiled and he got food poisoning. He vomited, had diarrhea, fever mixed with chills and was to weak to even swallow... The rest of our time together, he picked on me every chance he got, and went on to see things in me I never knew I possessed. He always protected me from interested male cadets. He gave me opportunities to lead and shine my light. He put me in leadership positions like squad leader, floor sergeant, and will ask of me to march the company at drill ceremonies, and even in front of the general. Till this day, I always think of him and how that one encounter turned out to be one of the greatest experiences I ever had during my 8 year tenure in the Armed Forces.

Response by PO3 Cornelius Louis made Jul 18 at 2019 10:48 AM

2019-07-18T10:48:50-04:00

When I joined the the Navy my three older brothers (Navy & Coast Guard - WW2 and Korea) warned me "If it moves Salute It, if it doesn't move - move it, if you can't move it, paint it!". When we finished getting our gear, the Master Chief asked who would volunteer to go to a dance! Everybody but me raised their hands. Chief told me to step aside & remain at attention! I followed his instructions and the rest of the recruits went into the drill hall. Chief asked me why I didn't volunteer and I said it was against my religion! He told me to store my gear in my locker, but first I had to observe my follow recruits. They were all doing a slow shuffle on steel wool pads, polishing the Drill Hall Floor!!

Response by CPL Carl Mozingo made Jul 18 at 2019 11:06 AM

2019-07-18T11:06:12-04:00

The day we did bayonet training the drill instructor gathered the group together and said "Just remember this, if you're close enough to stick'em, you've been close enough shoot'em for a long time!!

Response by LTC Gary Earls made Jul 18 at 2019 11:16 AM

2019-07-18T11:16:54-04:00

My drill sergeant one morning while we were standing in formation noticed that I had missed a spot of my beard when I shaved the night before. He got out his pocket knife and proceeded to dry shave me. I didn't move a muscle. :-)

Response by CPL Michael Boore made Jul 18 at 2019 11:48 AM

2019-07-18T11:48:21-04:00

Best story for me was Ft. Jackson, S.C. July, 1975, 'tank hill' hot as hell ! Our drill sergeant... SFC Bryant was determined to keep our platoon the 'Honor' platoon EVERY training cycle. well, we had a Barracks inspection and he didn't like what he saw up on the second floor of our WW2 era Barracks... He proceeded to throw foot lockers out the windows (at least he opened the windows first). when he was done, the ground was littered with busted up lockers and we all stood at attention in disbelief !!
oh... we made honor Platoon :)

Response by SGT James Janke made Jul 18 at 2019 12:16 PM

2019-07-18T12:16:47-04:00

18 years old, summer of '69, just completing infantry AIT at Ft. Polk LA, orders for 'Nam in hand. Orders suddenly change to Ft. Bliss TX. We get off bus at FT. Bliss. DI screams "You MF's are the LUCKIEST A******S in THIS MAN'S ARMY." We all look at each other, no idea what he's talking about. DI screams "What, you DUMB F***S don't know why you're here?" We all look at each other, no idea what he's talking about. DI screams "You are here for REDEYE MISSILE TRAINING!" We all look at each other, no idea what he's talking about. DI screams "You scumbags are the LUCKIEST MF's in THIS MAN'S ARMY cause they AIN'T NO REDEYE MISSILES in Vietnam!" I guess the remainder of my life changed at that moment.

Response by Sgt John Sokoloski made Jul 18 at 2019 12:52 PM

2019-07-18T12:52:10-04:00

The biggest surprise I got was when I was in Casual Hold after basic and I and some of my basic training buddies ran into our drill instructor. He sat down with us and talked as nice as could be...just like a real human being. We laughed to realize that while whipping ups into basic airmen he was just playing a role. Now that we had graduated he talked to us as equals. How funny, I thought, that the man who scared the heck out of me for six weeks should now be sharing jokes and stories with us like we were old friends. And maybe in a way we were. That was in June of 1969.

Response by PV2 Morris Graham made Jul 18 at 2019 2:27 PM

2019-07-18T14:27:17-04:00

I was in boot camp (back in 59) in Ft. Benning, and our drill sergeant was 6' slim, mean but honest. Many a night we washed the floors with brushes on hand and knees. Just because one guy or more would mess up. we all paid for it. We were on Sand Hill. I believe worst place there. Sand got into every thing. I finally had enough and figured I was bad enough. While everybody was in bed we went out back. MISTAKE. I was a child. He didn't leave any marks on me. He was good. But I had his respect. Never told any one about it. Being a scout was best job. Out front at all times.

Response by CPT Elmer Armstrong made Jul 18 at 2019 2:50 PM

2019-07-18T14:50:16-04:00

No humor here, but tremendous respect and graditude for my drill sergeant while stationed at Ft. Polk in basic training in 1966 in D-1-5. His name was Staff Sgt. Willie McLoud. We stayed in touch over the years as he worked his way up through the enlisted ranks to become the Command Sgt. Major of the Special Forces located at Ft. Bragg. He served in combat all of this planet and was a real man of great character and leadership on a daily basis. He died 4 years ago at age 79.

Response by SGT David Baker made Jul 18 at 2019 2:54 PM

2019-07-18T14:54:31-04:00

My story starts with morning formation right after breakfast, Ft Jackson 1980. I am talking old school barracks on stilts. We were all lined up in formation with one Drill instructor as the other was going through the building inspection. All of a sudden the windows on the 2nd floor flew open and laundry bags blankets boots anything that was smaller than a foot locker came flying in from overhead. I didn't think a man that small could get so angry. Then with the classic you have 5 min to get MY &$%$%# barracks in shape and 3 are already gone. you saw nothing but A&E looking for matches to shoes and boots. Worst part was the inside looked worse than what came flying out the window. Needless to say that would not happen again!!!

Response by SFC Casey O'Mally made Jul 18 at 2019 3:12 PM

2019-07-18T15:12:14-04:00

OSUT, Fort Benning GA, Septemper 1997. Day before graduation. A battle buddy and I were sent down to 30 AG for some detail or other. Reception Drill is pretty cool and laid back - we were there as Privates, not as maggots. We are in the main entrance lobby, laying out info packets for anbound busload, when Drill calls us over and asked us if we were ready. We were wondering what he was talking about and hadn't even answered yet when his entire demeanor changed. He was 4 inches taller, his boots were shinier, somehow starch had worked its way INTO his uniform. Then we saw that the bus was there. He proceeded to smoke the shit out of us for show. We figured it out real quick - I have never sounded off so loud or so proud (Mailed Foot, Drill Sergeant, Mailed Foot!). Battle and I had huge grins the entire time because we were in on the show.

After the bus of recruits shuffled through the lobby to wherever they were going, we recovered and Drill just started cracking up and so did we. We finished our duties and hiked back up to Sand Hill. Good Times.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 18 at 2019 6:26 PM

2019-07-18T18:26:16-04:00

Great story: One night on watch we had our CQ/Dorm Guard. The MTI's asked the DG his name, he said, "I am Fran/cis Mooor/ow from Rock ches ter, New York. The TIs are laughing their butts off hysterically. They repeated their request and Francis Morrow of NY did his little spiel again. Once again they were almost crying, too funny.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jul 18 at 2019 6:38 PM

2019-07-18T18:38:21-04:00

I had a foreign born DS who said you will wake up with my dick in your mouth. He said that a lot.

Response by A1C Jerald Tenelshof made Jul 18 at 2019 7:47 PM

2019-07-18T19:47:52-04:00

i WAS STATION AT LACKLAND AFB 1952 the Sgt appointed one of us to act as a in between us and him This guy would inform us if we wanted liberty we would have to make a donation to the Sgt for cigars This happened several times We of course did not know we could have turned him in. He was a drunk so he needed it for booze

Response by PO3 Francis Becht made Jul 19 at 2019 11:04 AM

2019-07-19T11:04:09-04:00

This is a Company Commander story from NRTC Great Lakes. The summer of 1967 I was in Great Lakes for boot camp. Halfway through basic I developed appendicitis and had to have an emergency appendectomy and spent a week in the hospital. This same week was 'service week'. The Company Commander felt that since I missed service week I was some sort of malingerer and my penalty was not being able to attend boot camp graduation. I had to stay behind and clean the barracks.

Response by PV2 Bob Ondown made Jul 19 at 2019 4:03 PM

2019-07-19T16:03:53-04:00

1979 MEPS to Ft. Jackson on a train. At Ft. Jackson we were issued uniforms, got shots etc. Oh yea we got haircuts too, but I didn't. I took a razor to my head a couple days before in a drunken bout of motivation. I paid for that by doing pushups while everyone was getting haircuts.
From there, we bused to Ft Benning and arrived 0300ish at Harmony Church. The DI's boarded the bus screaming a good morning and throwing some of us off the bus. The moment we hit pavement we were doing 2hr smoke session and some were puking.

DI's finally let us take a piss break and said we have 3 minutes. There was nothing but A&E running into the WW2 barracks bathroom with open urinals and shitters. Upon seeing this, I had a short-lived culture shock expecting privacy in the privy. I had to shit real bad, everyone was peeing in the shitters and urinals. Once it was my turn, I wiped the toilet seat and did my thing while 2 dongs were peeing in the shitters besides me LOL. I'm thinking to my self "this shit is fucked up."
Before I knew it every one is gone and it's quiet, so I take a well deserved deep breath and continue to grunt it out. Soon after, I heard a commotion outside. The DI's were all screaming that someone is missing... a couple of seconds later I hear heavy, rapid footsteps stomp into the barracks and into the bathroom. A DI screams he found me, leans into my face and shouts unrelenting profanities at me while I start wiping myself. Just like that, like flies on shit 2 more DI's charge in. Now I have 3 DI's inches from my face screaming to get the bleep out and into formation all while I'm trying to do a good job wiping my ass(on a forever wipe).
I paid a price for "takin my sweet time." For all of Basic, I was in charge of cleaning the shitter. The platoon had to do another smoke session for leaving me behind, while I watched.
To this day I keep my bathrooms clean to the Army standard.

Response by CW2 K Town made Jul 19 at 2019 6:05 PM

2019-07-19T18:05:17-04:00

Late 1980's, Infantry Boot Camp, one of the last recruit cycles to use the old WWII plank wood buildings. (It was still Boot Camp... not "Basic Training". We ate in Mess Halls... not "Dining Facilities".
For punishment smoke sessions the Drill Sergeants would stuff us into a training room that had the old linoleum covered concrete floors. The desks we sat in to clean weapons and take classes were crammed into a corner and the Drill's would close all the windows and crank up those old radiator heaters... mid-summer in the south; ambient air temp was already 95 to 100 degrees. Then they would smoke us until the windows fogged, the walls sweated, and that slick linoleum floor was covered in enough sweat so that it looked like someone hosed it down with a garden hose. And that’s where this incident occurred:
If you recall the days of "water deprivation training", I'm sure you also remember how we assumed the front leaning rest position when the Drill's yelled "Drop!!”. You couldn't simply get down. It was more like launching yourself into an elevated spread eagle position; ensuring a sufficient amount of levitation and hang time before plummeting towards the earth like Wile E. Coyote. Otherwise, accusations of laziness and shamming would ensue and the torture would increase. During one smoke session in our training room, one of our squad mates had reached his limits and when the Drill yelled "Drop!!", he simply couldn't catch himself at the bottom of the fall. After reaching max terminal velocity for a human body, his hands hit that sweat soaked linoleum floor; and devoid of any remaining upper body strength his arms slid outward, completely unimpeded by any beneficial existence of friction. His face splatted unceremoniously into the concrete floor. It wasn't all bad though. After all, his GI issue prescription BC glasses absorbed some of the impact before shattering and embedding themselves in his face. And he was spared a certain concussion when his nose broke and cushioned the rest of his fall. So, with these positives working in his favor he was only blacked out for a couple of minutes.
When he started to come to and began trying to pick his face up out of the puddle of blood, snot, and sweat, the Drill asked/yelled, "Enjoy your F***ing nap recruit?!!?". The Drill then turned away and resumed his search for other shammers, malingerers', and similar criminal miscreants. After several sliding and slipping attempts, our squad mate managed to weakly raise himself, kneeling on all fours with his head hung down and dripping of blood, snot, debris, and other unidentifiable goo. With one hand, he began probing his face, trying to emerge from the confusion and miscomprehension. With a cursory self-assessment, he felt he had enough information to alert the Drill to his condition. From his kneeling position, still peering down at the floor, and with one hand cupped under his face in an attempt to keep his face from falling off, he began pleading, "Dwill Sahgunt, Dwill Sahgunt, muh nose is bwoke!" (and one front tooth he hadn’t discovered yet). The Drill didn't hear him or simply ignored his anguished status report. Not completely the Drill's fault however, after all, he was busy ensuring that the rest of us convicts were receiving our fair share of capital punishment.
Sounding much like a little boy that just got smacked in the face with a dodge ball on the playground, our squad mate repeated his attempt to get the Drill's attention; "Dwill Sahgunt...". Finally after another minute or two of bellowing, the Drill spun and stormed over to our squad mate, visibly perturbed that this sniveling recruit would dare interrupt him whilst he tended to the Nation’s business.
Drill: “What the F*** do you want recruit!!!??”
Recruit: “ "Dwill Sahgunt, I bwoke muh nose!".
Drill: “Well are your F***ing arms broke??!!
Recruit: “No Dwill Sahgunt.”
Drill: “Then F***ing PUSH!!!!!”

Response by Sgt Terry Rizzuti made Jul 19 at 2019 10:32 PM

2019-07-19T22:32:02-04:00

True exchange between me and my drill instructor in San Diego boot camp, May 1966:

Would you sleep with my wife, maggot?
Sir, no sir.
What’s a matter, maggot, ain’t she good enough for you?
Sir, yes sir.
Oh, so you would sleep with my wife, huh maggot?
Sir, no sir.
Can’t make up your mind, can you, maggot? Get down and give me 50.
Sir, yes sir. Private Maggot requests permission to get down, give you 50, sir.
Move maggot, move.
Sir, yes sir, Private Maggot moving sir.

Response by Sgt Robert Walsh made Jul 22 at 2019 8:45 AM

2019-07-22T08:45:57-04:00

I went through boot camp at MCRD San Diego in the fall of 1964. After we qualified at the range .. the DI allowed those of us who qualified to make a phone call home. He broke us into fire teams to march to the PX to place our one call. As each of us finished we stood in formation waiting to march back to our platoon. In doing so, the fire team leader took upon himself to light the smoking lamp.
About the time we lit up .. the OD stopped by and asked: "who lit the smoking lamp & what was our platoon number?"

Upon our return, our DI was furious as the word traveled fast from the OD. The DI crammed the platoon into a Quonset hut and made my fire team stand in front. He then asked for five non-filter ed cigarettes to be placed into the lips of each of us. Of course, there were many volunteers who gave up their smokes. We each placed the five cigs in our lips as the DI placed metal buckets over our heads. He then lit the cigs and told us to inhale quickly as he beat on our buckets with a nightstick. This my fellow Marines was far worse than the dreaded gas chamber. Snot and saliva streamed down our faces. So, after puking he said ... "alright girls .. who has five filtered cigarettes for each?" Again .. my fellow recruits were practically throwing filtered cigs at us. I'm sure you get the picture as to the final result. More puking and total laughter at our appearance and green faces. I can feel that sensation even today 55 years later. Semper Fi.

Response by SGT William Bill Turner made Jul 22 at 2019 11:31 AM

2019-07-22T11:31:36-04:00

When I was in basic at Ft. Knox our hand to hand instructor was Drill Sgt. Kendrix. We were in the hand to hand sand pit when he ask for a volunteer. Now my father was a WWII Vet and he told me to never volunteer for anything but a jerk behind me gave me a push forward because he knew I was a wrestler in school. Sgt. Kendrix said if I could take him down I could get out of PT for two days. So like a fool I used my skills and put him on his back in the pit. The other DIs could not help but laugh, all except Kindrix. Needless to say I got my two days but the rest of basic was hell to pay. I got every shit detail possible.

Response by SGT Kevin Gaona made Jul 23 at 2019 8:53 AM

2019-07-23T08:53:39-04:00

After a LONG week at Reception, we finally arrived at our barracks for boot camp. Ya'll know what that's like so I'll skip over that. After we formed up in our new platoons, we were commanded to "look to your right and look to your left. Remember your buddies to your right and left. When you file in formation, make sure you are next to the right individuals." Or something to that effect. That night, my very first night at boot camp, we had a fire drill around 0100 hours and it was cold. This guy tried to shove me out of my position but I didn't budge. I knew I was in the right spot. I didn't know what his problem was. That is until the Drill says "Look to your right! Now, look to your left. If you are in the wrong place, raise your hand." Gulp! That would be me! That's right, ladies and gentlemen, I was the dumb one!! So, my Drill gets in my face and lovingly says, "You. Are. A. Retarded. Monkey. What do you thing about that?!" "Yes, Drill Sergeant." Then he proceeded to notify me, in no uncertain terms, that I was going to work for him that night. And I did. I don't remember now how many M-40 Gas Masks I assembled that night but it lasted until 0500, when I had to execute the three S's of military life and begin my first PT session. Good times! ;)

Response by SGT Gary Taylor made Jul 23 at 2019 11:36 AM

2019-07-23T11:36:56-04:00

during basic training there was a lot of pt and our senior drill instructor liked to participate in pt with his troops, literally. while double timing up heartbreak hill in fort knox ky this di jumped on a recruits back and along with a 70 lb pack rode up the hill on this trainees back. it was amazing!

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 23 at 2019 4:14 PM

2019-07-23T16:14:37-04:00

I went through Boot Camp in 1984, at Ft. Bliss. One evening, just after sundown, DS Guiterrez comes into the bay, and yells, "Listen-up, 1st Platoon! I need a light. And if I don't get one, you're ALL gonna do push-ups!..."
"I've got a light for you, Drill Sergeant!" I yell. I get into my locker and grab my flashlight off of my LBE. I turn around, and say, "Here ya go, Drill Sergeant!.." with my arm extended. He's there with an unlit cigar in his mouth. (you could still smoke in Basic, back then)
He puts me in the front-lean-and-rest position and I knock out 5 push-ups and literally fall flat on my face laughing. I realized he wanted a lighter...
The next morning, he calls me out in front of the whole BTRY. "Listen-up, Bravo!" he yells, as he's patting my shoulder. "This here is PVT Lewis, the pride of 1st Platoon. Any of you smokers out there ask him for a light; he'll give you his Godd**ned flashlight!.." The whole BTRY, from the 1SG down, broke out laughing!....

Response by Sgt James Gross made Jul 23 at 2019 4:22 PM

2019-07-23T16:22:07-04:00

When I was in Basic (Air Force) my lead TI motivated me to go beyond my limitations (self imposed) and achieve more that I thought was possible. That was in August through September of 1970. His outlook still inspires me today.

Response by SPC Mike Miller made Jul 23 at 2019 5:18 PM

2019-07-23T17:18:01-04:00

Basic at Ft.Sill 1993. My drill Sgt was a Ranger who jumped in Gernada and he had a gold star on his Jump wings. The guy looked like the SGT. Slaughter wrestler. He would throw stuff at us at random. He would tell us me was a Hero and we were sucking buttermilk. He made us one low crawl on the main bay concrete with our sleeves rolled up. Bloody elbows we all had. He yelled at us. You pussies! Wait to see combat lol

Response by TSgt Sean LaPlante made Jul 23 at 2019 9:02 PM

2019-07-23T21:02:58-04:00

Here’s something I think just about everyone would enjoy reading. I haven’t finished it yet; but humor in this book is fantastic. It’s not even a novel, it’s just a bunch of short stories.

Response by SSG Jeremy Dunman made Jul 24 at 2019 2:05 AM

2019-07-24T02:05:30-04:00

I re-enlisted after getting out for a few years and was sent to Fort Jackson to process back in to the Army. Got my orders in hand from Montgomery MEPS about 1630 and out the door I went. Jumped in the good ole POV and started driving. After getting to Jackson its late, somewhere around 0130 when I pull into the 120th Reception Battalion. I walk around the outside of the building for what seemed like forever looking for a way in and couldn't find one. By this point I am getting exhausted after being up all day doing the MEPS thing, driving and everything else when I see a bus pulling in! I think finally signs of life! I start walking over to find someone who can help me when several DS's come walking out the door and begin going off on everyone and here is poor ole me standing off to the side which garnered some special attention since I wasn't where I was supposed to be. It was a SGT DS who started ripping into me about leaving the group. The exchange went something along the lines of "Private, what the hell are you doing over here", Me "You mean Sergeant?" lots of expletives later I am finally able to get a word in edgewise and finally am able to say "I am a sergeant, I am here checking in!" The look on his face was hilarious when he said Shit why didn't you just tell me that! He took me back inside got me set up and gave me directions to where I was supposed to be and the most welcomed cup of coffee I think I have ever had! We had a few good laughs over that exchange when we ran into each other a few days later and I had been issued uniforms. This time he didn't call me Private at least..

Response by CPT Daniel Cox made Jul 25 at 2019 4:31 PM

2019-07-25T16:31:45-04:00

I was in AIT at the Military Police School at Fort Gordon, GA in 1974. Co-Ed AIT was still a fairly new occurrence in the Army. I was going to be the Honor Graduate but was not going to be promoted. Two far inferior students academically were being promoted, both female. The promotion was their payoff for sleeping with the two Drill Sergeants. I went to the Company Commander and SHE took care of it. Both DS were court martialed, the women were offered the choice of discharge or another MOS, and I was promoted to Private First Class.

Response by SPC Jason Miranda made Jul 25 at 2019 8:54 PM

2019-07-25T20:54:29-04:00

Before I went into the Army I was in the Air Force. There was a tall lanky puerto rican kid, who hardly spoke English and often would be confused as orders were barked at him to do this and that. I remember the Airman looking sooo confused the first day of boot camp. I never understood why until one day we were allowed to get mail. His family sent him condoms, chocolates, and dirty magazines! XD It was hilarious! The D.S. said, "What...in the living hellllllll is this about?! Does your family know where you are?!" The Airman replied for the first time with a thick accent "I thought I was going to college Sir.....and so do my family. So they send a me....this." All our jaws dropped and the D.S. looked at him dumbfounded saying, "You thought this wholeeeeeeee time until you got here... you were going to COLLEGE?! ARE YOU SERIOUS!?! HAHAHAHA!!!! YOUR RECRUITER SCREWED YOU SO HARD!!! I mean your FAMILY is going to FLIP THE FUCK OUT when they see what you're REALLY DOING!! HAHAHA!!" The D.S. face was beat red from laughing so hard, and called the rest of his buddies in to tell them the story and show them the smut. You could tell from this Airman's face and demeanor the whole time he DEFINITELY didn't know what the hell was going on since day 1. They asked them, "So if you thought you were going to college this whole time, what the hell are you supposed to be going to study after basic?" He looked at everyone and said hesitantly... "I ...I.. I don't know sir. I didn't even know I coming here." We all died from laughter. He later finished basic and went on to only God knows where.

Response by SSgt Barry McQuade made Jul 26 at 2019 2:48 PM

2019-07-26T14:48:48-04:00

Back in 1966 there was an Air Strike going on so we had to go by train for 3 days from Pittsburgh PA. to Lackland AFB in Tx. We got there around 10:00 at night, they fed us and took to our barracks and put us to bed. After spending 3 days on the train, the fan in the barracks sounded like a train rolling along the tracks. I fell asleep and I guess I walked in my sleep. The next thing I know is I'm standing on the small balcony on the second floor of the barracks with this minimal size dorm guard handing on to me for dear life. He took me to the T.I.'s office and called the T.I. who had to come in from home at 1:00 in the morning. While I was waiting for him to arrive I crawled into his bed in his office. When he finally arrived and found me in his bed, he was not at all happy. Standing nose to nose with me and yelling at the top of his lungs, he accused me of trying to get out of the service the first day I was in, which was not at all the case. Needless to say I did not make a very good first impression on my new T.I.

Response by SP5 Thomas Jameson made Jul 26 at 2019 5:15 PM

2019-07-26T17:15:30-04:00

Early in Basic training in 67 - lots of hot shot cocky bantam rooster CPLs and SGTs around as cadre. (They survived VN - they had a right to be cocky.). So one day I’m formation, they called out for an artist. Before I could control it, my arm shot up and I (horrors!) volunteered.

So I find myself at the top of a rickety extra tall step ladder in the mess hall, painting the rickety arty lattice decorations at the top of the windows.

So this scrawny little jackass butt of a sergeant sat down there and started hitting pieces of chalk my way with a pointer. Until one of them caught me right on the edge of my eye.

I don’t know what restrained me, except I was 23 and had some work experience and college in me. And maybe a desire not to leap from the top of the ladder onto that shithead.

And that’s it. Lots of good lessons that day.

Response by PO2 Mike Baumgart made Jul 26 at 2019 5:57 PM

2019-07-26T17:57:01-04:00

When I showed up for BUDS Training (Basic UDT SEAL Training) on a Sunday afternoon, late January 1969, I met Vince Olivera. I knocked on the training door from where loud laughter and adult language were emitting. This man came and asked what f--- I wanted. I told him and he called me a banana and several other things and walked away. I thought seemed a bit rude, so knocked again. Two passersby asked what I was doing and I told them. They said "What ever you do, Don't knock on that door!" I found out the next week that his name was Vince Olivera and his nickname was god!!! The first week of actual training he spotted me ... came over and called me out in front of the other two BUDS classes that were in session ... more vulgarities and references to my family and my mental and physical capabilities ... dropped me for 20 pushups and left. My class proctor 'Mother Moy' (Terry) got me upright from the 'position' and that event gave me a HUGE "X" / TARGET on my back for all of the BUDS Cadre!!! Sure was in great shape when I graduated. Thanks Vince, for a life long memory!!!

Response by SP5 Randall Karle made Jul 26 at 2019 7:26 PM

2019-07-26T19:26:23-04:00

First day of basic at Ft. Jackson 1968:

First Sergeant at morning formation, "Private XXX, front and center!"

Me: Yes, First Sergeant!"

First Sergeant: "Private, are you any relation to First Sergeant XXX?"

Me: "First Sergeant, that would be my father!"

First Sergeant: "Private, your father was my company First Sergeant in 1948 and made my experience in Basic pure hell. I have been waiting for this for 20 years!"

First Sergeant with evil smile: "Dismissed!"
It was an interesting 2 months. Just one of the benefits of growing up as a military brat.

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 27 at 2019 3:14 PM

2019-07-27T15:14:07-04:00

In all fairness, a 91 on the ASVAB would get the troop a MOS that makes them marketable after their MSO comes to an end.
Might be smart to take advantage of it.

Response by MSgt James "Buck" Buchanan made Jul 28 at 2019 2:38 AM

2019-07-28T02:38:30-04:00

While in technical school at Chanute AFB, the marching formation came to a road crossing and road guards were deployed; as the guards were moving into position the lead TI noticed that one of the cars approaching was the base commander's staff car, and he is inside the car (a MajGen if memory serves me correctly). The TI really tried hard to get the attention of the road guard in order to have him allow the General's car to pass....didn't happen. As the TI is having fits and literally turning purple, hence his nickname "Purple Hayes", the General is seen laughing himself into contortions in the backseat. I always chuckle when I think about that day.

Response by CPT Don Kemp made Jul 28 at 2019 2:09 PM

2019-07-28T14:09:20-04:00

This is from the other side of the aisle. I was about to start Drill Sergeant School as a 21 year old junior E-5 (Ft. Dix, February 1976) when my company got a shipment of new trainees. They gave me a hat and told me to go yell at troops. The first guy I walked in front of started crying alligator tears. I froze. Didn’t know what to do. Unfortunately, I found the most sadistic DS in the group to help out. When I went back a week later, he was gone. As the story goes, his wife called and asked his status. When she was told he was on the way home, she said, “I sent him to the Army for you to make a man out of him.”

Response by SSG Robert Cepeda made Jul 29 at 2019 12:37 AM

2019-07-29T00:37:17-04:00

Showed up to basic. DI’s last name was Zepeda. Mine is Cepeda. The rest of my time was spent understanding that I had spelt my name wrong.

Response by SFC Tyrone Brown made Jul 29 at 2019 8:49 AM

2019-07-29T08:49:41-04:00

You know how you meet people from all over the country when you go to basic training. Well I'm from Chicago and in 1990 when I enlisted in the Army, I met a guy from Texas.He wore a big 15 gallon hat. When we made it to the reception station in Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, upon exiting the cattle truck, the guy stepped on the Drill Instructor's highly shined boots...what did he do that for?

When the Drill looked down at his boots and back up the private, he slapped the private so hard that he 15 gallon hat fell off of his head. When the private started to cry, the Drill Sgt took the guy's hat and tossed it like a frisbee. The hat was thrown into the distance for yards and yards. Then they focused on me with my 4 full duffle bags and a suitcase. I tried to hobble and huff out of their way, but they got me too.

Response by SSG Gerald Komnick made Aug 1 at 2019 4:52 PM

2019-08-01T16:52:40-04:00

I went through Paratrooper training in 1968 and at the end of the first week I could not complete 5 pull ups. A Drill Sargent took 3 or 4 of us out back of a building. He told us we had failed. He said we had 2 choices, go back through the first week again (it was a killer!) or drop out. He added that whichever choice we made we would remember it for the rest of our lives. I chose to go back through the first week again. When I did, I passed. I remember that Drill Sargent (Sgt. Perez) and the opportunity he gave me to excel.
Never give up!

Response by MSgt Don Dobbs made Aug 5 at 2019 10:18 AM

2019-08-05T10:18:35-04:00

One of my all time favorites. A new MTI and I walking across the overhang area next to the dining hall exit. The new MTI spots a trainee exiting the building without his hat on. The TI calls the Airman over and asks him "What is on my head that's not on yours?" The Airman promptly responds, "Hair Sir". May the butt chewing begin.

Response by LtCol Brent Norquist made Aug 5 at 2019 8:08 PM

2019-08-05T20:08:52-04:00

I had four fillings put in one day at dental while a first phase recruit at MCRD San Diego in 1985. One in each of my back molars in each corner of my mouth. They shot me up pretty good with Novocain. When I returned to the squad bay the rest of the platoon was on “square away time” sitting in front of their racks with one “hat” patrolling the bay. The two other junior DIs and the Senior were in the duty hut so, as trained I slapped the door frame to the duty hut three times and yelled “Sir, Recruit Norquist reporting back from dental as ordered sir!” Only I had not spoken since getting the Novocain shots and my mouth and tongue were completely numb so what came out sounded more like “Thurrrr rebooded Noarthboodsts rbooordenn baadth fuuum dennndul athhhh orbeded thurrrr!” The DI’s had a field day! The rushed out of the duty hut surrounded me me and began yelling “What??!??” And making me repeat myself. Several of them had to pop into the duty hut to hide their laughter between screams. Even I thought it was funny! They stopped when I bit my tongue and lip and started to bleed. I think I owed them quarterdeck time later for spitting blood and drool on the floor

Response by Sgt Adriane Ramos made Aug 6 at 2019 8:41 AM

2019-08-06T08:41:46-04:00

we were Rainbows, just got in formation on the PAD. For some reason (not that she needed a reason) our TI SSgt Burnes started yelling at a female that had already been in the NAVY. SSgt Burns said, " what is wrong with you??!!" Do I make you nervous Recruit?! She was like 1 inch away from the recruits face. The recruit barely replied as she threw up on the PAD and almost on the TI. TI responded to that by saying, "did you just throw up on my clean PAD!?, When you are through throwing up on my pad, I want you to clean that shit up!!" I loved those days!!

Response by SPC James Seigars made Aug 30 at 2019 12:02 AM

2019-08-30T00:02:17-04:00

During one of my AIT’s (I had four) I had the misfortune of having a roommate who literally looked & sounded like a real life Elmer Fudd from the Looney Toons/Bugs Bunny cartoons. Naturally most people made fun of him when the DS’s weren’t within earshot. This went on a couple of weeks until he snapped. Someone had lied to him and said I was the one telling them to treat them like that (I was actually defending him since I had been done the same way growing up), so he decided to urinate inside my inspection boots a day or two before the big command inspection for our cycle. I came in that afternoon to find my previously highly shined black boots had turned white (from the salt in his urine). I freaked out and reported it to the DS’s. They came and looked at the boots, confirmed they were ruined and got someone to tell them that “PVT Fudd” as he was called had admitted to doing it. He was ordered to buy me a replacement pair, but didn’t have the money to since he had to buy himself a pair. So the DS went with me to the PX and bought me not only a new pair, but a pair of already shined Corcoran boots. I offered to pay him back, but he refused. He said he was supposed to buy himself a new pair anyway, but had bought them before his allowance came in so I was actually helping him out. I said thank you and we went on about training (except Elmer. He got in a lot of trouble and was kicked out before graduation).

Response by LTC Charles Lauderdale made Sep 11 at 2019 5:58 PM

2019-09-11T17:58:07-04:00

Note: Have been advised by counsel, that in light of the current PC culture probably should not be telling war stories on drill sergeants encountered during my first days in the army. Such reminiscing may result in the drill sergeants being dug up and hung after a ‘fair trial’, while my fellow trainees and I may be thrown in the stockade (OH! Pardon the hell out of me, I meant the ‘correctional facility’) for just being there! Soldier/Cop/Grunt, Retired

Response by SGT Kenneth Butler made Sep 30 at 2019 9:06 AM

2019-09-30T09:06:37-04:00

I remember when I was in basic training 1981, cold as heck in fort fix in January. You know all the beds and racks had to be made before formation at 0530. The drill instructor was huge about 6’8 will over 300 pounds kind of a Hawaiian, scream and yell get outside in formation while I check my house( check to see if everything was clean). Well, while we was all out in formation at attention in 10 degree weather waiting for the results before chow.. there was this huge crash and he opened the second window(if anybody been to six you know how the barracks are) he was forcing a bed rack out of the window. The bed rack hit the ground, everything was wondering whose rack it was. He came and stood at the door hands on his hips screaming everyone needs to run back and see how bed this is. We all ran back, I was hoping it wasn’t mine just like everyone else. When the person found out that it was his bed. OMG, he made the soldier make the correctly outside in the cold 10 degree weather.brrrrrrrrr

Response by PO1 Lyndon Thomas made Sep 30 at 2019 3:47 PM

2019-09-30T15:47:55-04:00

Okay, we're in boot camp around week 3. This is the "Weed em Out" stage where the drill instructors are turning up the heat to "Hell High". One of our two drill instructors is a 5' 3" Napoleon Complex-ed Bada$$ with a mouth to Match. Fearless and Ready to take on any comer. Across the room is, Le's call him Buck. No Buck is your average 6' 8" 320 or so Corn fed, did Everything slow Good ole boy from t\he Dakotas. One day we go out for PT and Buck faliled miserably, I mean he couldn't muster up the strength to do Any of the exercises well enough to please Napoleon. Back at the barracks, everyone is preparing to bed down for the night, and Napoleon decides he wants to challenge Buck. Because yet again Buck isn't moving fast enough to get ready for lights out. So Napoleon stomps to the end of the barracks grabs a 55 gallon trash can and flings it down the aisle yelling Hot Dammit Buck, pick up every piece of that trash!!! You got m1 minute!!!! Buck, at a turtles pace begins to move picking up one piece of trash at a time, Buck mumbles something under his breath "We believe he called Napoleon a Bastard". This sends Napoleon through the roof, he is now at Defcon!!!! Hot enough to melt steel! So he grabs the can fro buck turns it upside down, Jumps on top of the can and he's now chest to chest with Buck. He screams in Bucks face "You think you can kick my ass? You want a shot"? Buck slowly says, Yep! Napoleon jumps down off the can and orders Buck into his office. We are all scared for Buck's life, because this little man is madder than anyone we'd ever seen. Shortly after they enter the office, a loud bang followed by louder rumbles for about a minute.... a second or two of silence and Buck emerges from the office without a scratch. We all Immediately run to the office and there we find Napoleon literally Hog tied wrists to ankles in the middle of the for barely conscious. Needless to say, that was Buck's last night in boot camp. They processed him out and sent him home. I hear he's making it Big on the PBR tour

Response by SMSgt Lyman Howard made Oct 9 at 2019 12:10 AM

2019-10-09T00:10:15-04:00

I got 2

First, we had a female TI and we couldn’t match for $*it with her. She pulled our squad leaders in and ripped into them asking why. One of the morons said some of the guys have trouble taking orders from a female. By lunch they had every Female TI on the base in our mess hall. Was not a pleasant meal.

2nd, was final dorm inspection. Out TI came in ranting giving us the last instructions for the inspection acting all pissy and loud saying the place better be spotless or he’s washing us all back. On his way out he placed a dime on the door frame above the door. Too bad our house mouse saw him. He went around and collected 10 pennies and replaced the dime. We did well on the inspection and he started yelling as he was leaving throwing the door open saying, but I bet you didn’t get up here and ran his fingers across the door frame tink, tink, tink. He shut up mid-sentence and keep walking.

Response by GySgt Tim Shepherd made Oct 17 at 2019 12:13 PM

2019-10-17T12:13:43-04:00

Parris Island, S.C., Marine Corps Depot, Outside 2nd Battalion Chow Hall, November 1975, 18 years old. I was the 2nd Squad Leader. All Squad Leaders were required to finish chow before the platoon and get outside in formation, with our "Red Monsters" (Marine Corps Handbook) displayed in front of our eyes and not looking anywhere else. I could hear whistling in the distance. It grew louder. It was a familiar song, "Bridge Over the River Kawi." I could soon see out of the corner of my eye, the entire 4th Battalion of Women Marines, (All Female Marines forgive me, that was the correct terminology in 1975), marching toward me whistling the tune. I started to smile real big (possibly laughed), not at the women, but how each female recruit looked identical and maybe because they were the first females I had seen in months. All in the same uniform, (blue slacks, light blue blouse) and the biggest puckered, red lips I had ever seen, whistling the tune, which by the way was in tune and in unison. By the way, male 1st Phase Recruits in 1975, were related to "Joe Sh_t the Rag Man" because we couldn't starch our uniforms or covers (hats) or blouse our boots. We were referred to as a "Thundering Herd," or "Mob" until we acquired the art of marching together. It's a ritual and rite of passage to gain privileges later in 2nd and 3rd Phase of training. Well, my smile didn't last for long. I had a Marine Drill Instructor in my left ear, who had gone undetected from my six, reading me the riot act. Wouldn't have been so bad, but it was a female Marine Drill Instructor. She was a Staff Sergeant and was stealthy. She could have been a Scout Sniper. She tore me a "new three bedroom, two bath, double-wide A-hole," without ever taken a breath. It was all I could do to wipe the smile off of my face, but somehow I did. Our Senior Drill Instructor, Staff Sergeant Carlton, (known to some of the recruits as Sgt. Carter because they got too nervous to say his name right), saw what was going on and immediately came to join in or rescue me. She opened up on him. He listened until she was through and then told her he would handle it. God, at that point I thought I was dead. Just recycle me or send me to the brig to rot. Surprising, the Senior took pity on me and offered up a smile. He said, "Don't worry about it, Peach," my nickname for the rest of boot camp, since I was from Georgia. The Senior was too. He was laughing as he walked away! From that point on in my career, I never said anything to or smiled at a Female Marine without the utmost respect.

Response by SSG Everett Wilson made Oct 20 at 2019 9:09 PM

2019-10-20T21:09:03-04:00

I was a medical hold-over and was waiting for a Medical officer to approve my movement to Ft Lee, Va, the 1SG and Drill Sgt’s would hide me when the Bn came around locking for a detail. The Training Bn behind us had their Mess Hall close down for a day and our Mess had to reopen. Our Bn had to provide servers for the lunch meal, according to my 1SG, then he added that since I was going to Ft Lee, the Medical officer who approved my movement stated with a broken foot wouldn’t effect my training at Ft Lee, as I would be sitting in a classroom and wouldn’t be doing any marching. Then 1SG added if I missed movement, he wouldn’t miss me.
I reported to the Mess Hall, and took my place behind the counter. The Mess Stewart came up to me and asked what unit I belonged to, so I told him. Looking at me, the Mess Stewart said that he didn’t recall me ever being on KP. Well I didn’t pull KP during basic, I got over looked and a couple of soldiers pulled the duty four times. After saying that, he told me he was putting me on KP. Just then one of my Drill Sgts came through the line and I told him what the Mess Stewart was going to do. The Drill looked at me and asked, didn’t 1SG say you were shipping tonight. Yes, Drill Sgt and he said if I missed movement, he wasn’t going to miss me. Suddenly the Mess Stewart asked if my 1SG had threatened me. No, all he said if I missed movement, he wasn’t going to worry about me.
The Mess Stewart looked at the Drill Sgt and said, I’ll make sure this Pvt gets off in time to meet his bus. The Drill smiled and I’ll find out this shipment time, and said don’t worry.
A few seconds later the 1SG came in told me to get from behind the chow line, my movement time had changed. Who’s going to take his place the Mess Stewart asked. I don’t know and I don’t care, all I know is this boy is shipping to Ft Lee in an hour. As we exited the Mess Hall, I started to run towards the Orderly Room. Where you going stud? The 1SG asked. To get my gear, 1SG. You’re ship time hasn’t changed, and no one puts any of my soldiers on detail with talking to me or your Drill Sgt’s first. When we got up to the Orderly Room, there stood my Drill Sgt, who wasn’t happy, looked at me and told me to go and get in her car, as we were going to disappear for awhile.
For the first time since arriving to Basic, I was able to leave post and enjoyed my first non-Army meal. When we came back on post the Drill Sgt said now remember one thing—I interjected not to miss movement as you will not be missing me. The Drill Sgt laughed and said, you military brats are something else.

Response by Sgt Ivan Boatwright made Dec 1 at 2019 5:19 PM

2019-12-01T17:19:10-05:00

In 1964 corporal Rudy was one of my drill instructors, Staff Sgt. Clausen was the senior instructor. ( Platoon 338 R) We were several weeks into training and I had seen what they would call physical violence today. I was careful not to draw the ire of the DI. One Sunday when they rushed us to run o/s and get our clothes off the line, I grabbed mine but left one skivvy drawer behind. Afterward, there was a stack of clothing left. He sent someone to bring them in as he yelled and ranted about how stupid we were and lower than whale shit in the deepest ocean. There were about 80 of us waiting for the end of life as we knew it. In the pile, he grabs one article of clothing, mine. I knew he was going to hit me as he usually hit someone. ( always in the stomach) I ran up, stood at the position of attention waiting. He looked around screaming over and over about how much we were useless and would die in combat for stupidity. I had prepared by tightening my stomach muscles so when he hit, I went back one step and returned to the position of attention. I believe I was the first to ever anticipate being hit as the look on his face was (now, not then) priceless. He threw everything at me and told me to get out.

Response by SFC Charles McVey Sr. made Dec 24 at 2019 9:39 AM

2019-12-24T09:39:06-05:00

I was stationed in what was then West Germany, and I was the only PVT E2 with a set of Dress Blues. Needless to say the number of times I was saluted by NCO's and even a couple of Butter bars would take several pages. My First Sergeant during a pre-IG Inspection along with the Company Commander 1LT Baker told me to hide my Dress Blues at the Dry Cleaners as it might be a bit difficult to explain to the IG how a PVT E2 could afford them when several of the more Senior NCO's in the Company who lived in the Barracks could not. I did as requested, and needless to say more then a few senior NCO's never forgot it.

Response by CPL Joseph Elinger made Jan 5 at 2020 3:41 AM

2020-01-05T03:41:28-05:00

LOL!

Response by PV2 Davey Stimans made Jan 6 at 2020 9:56 AM

2020-01-06T09:56:27-05:00

When I was in basic I was with 4 other trainees and we were supposed to be cleaning the general area. The rest of the company was doing training we had done already. (We had been recycled and got told by our Company commander we could clean instead if we wanted to rather than sit and do nothing) half way through cleaning I felt over tired and being a dumb 19 year old I decided to nap. I asked my battles if they would care if I took a quick nap, they said they didn't. So I lay down using a rucksack as a pillow. Sure enough our DS comes up to where I'm at and kicks my boot. I jump up go to parade rest. "Yes drill sergaent!" DS looks pissed "Private why are you sleeping?" I look at him and simply state the truth "I'm lazy drill sergeant" DS now looks confused, "you're lazy?" "Yes drill seargent, it is very lazy of me to sleep while my battles work their asses off" He walks away without saying a word, not wanting to be in more trouble I worked the rest of the time. Later on the ds approaches me and I naturally go to parade rest. He tells me the reason he didnt smoke the shit out of me was because in his entire time of being a drill sergeant, not once has a trainee been honest with him. Needless to say he expected me to try and bullshit my way out and was so surprised that I didnt he couldn't figure out what to do.

Response by PO2 Lawrence Janiec made Jan 9 at 2020 2:26 AM

2020-01-09T02:26:16-05:00

I went to RTC Orlando in the beginning of 1991. On our controlled liberty, we went to Universal Studios. On one of tours or shows or whatever, the guy wanting volunteers asked, "Who is the most senior military person in the room" I raised my arm and pointed, "MM1 STEADMAN IS!!" and I think I got mashed a little extra that night, since he suddenly had to go up on stage and be part of this show. We all (the rest of us in the crowd) thought it was hilarious, though.

Response by PO2 Lawrence Janiec made Jan 9 at 2020 2:29 AM

2020-01-09T02:29:31-05:00

Okay, re-reading the initial post made me think of another one. There was a kid in our company who wanted to be a BM (Boatswain's Mate) which is pretty much the same as being infantry in the Army (sorry if it's a poor comparison). Anyway, this drill instructor was yelling at him and was like YOU'RE GOING TO WIND UP A BOATSWAIN'S MATE, AREN'T YOU, RECRUIT?!? Yes, sir, I am! DON'T YOU FUCK WITH ME RECRUIT!!! No, sir, I really am. WHY IN THE FUCK DO YOU WANT TO BE A BOATSWAIN'S MATE?!? Because Boatswain's Mates get to drive boats, sir! (sort of a stunned silence, and then) Uhhhh carry on, recruit.

Response by CPO John Bjorge made Jan 12 at 2020 10:07 AM

2020-01-12T10:07:14-05:00

BOOT 1972, all that needs to be said.

Response by LCDR Mike Morrissey made Jan 13 at 2020 12:31 AM

2020-01-13T00:31:25-05:00

Not a DI story but in line with other last name anecdotes.
As an NROTC midshipman, I was home on leave and dating a gal when she invited me for dinner. I already knew her dad, active duty USAF Master Sgt., was not enamored with daughter dating a “sailor”. Finally at the after dinner around the table time, the ice broke.

Her dad told me that his last name had been changed shortly after he made sergeant. Previously it had been “Darling.”

Not because of her dad or anything, we drifted apart as things usually go at that age. But I’ll always remember his gentle gruffness.

Response by SSG Marshall Paul made Jan 13 at 2020 4:20 PM

2020-01-13T16:20:02-05:00

a black hat in jump school, Nov 1967, used to call out as we marched to chow, that the 173d needed us badly, he had a deep southern accent, and that 'only the strong shall survive and the weak shall fall by the wayside'. well, it seems to have stuck in my head.

Response by SSG Marna Porter made Feb 2 at 2020 6:06 AM

2020-02-02T06:06:18-05:00

First, a bit of background. I had always wanted to serve in the military, but Congress has had many rules regarding females in the military. First, if you were married, you couldn't serve; then, you could be married, but not have children; then it was could be married, have children, but if you got pregnant, you would be discharged. Finally in 1976, you could be married, have children, and have children while in service, and stay in - they had finally caught up to where I was in my life! So I enlisted, expecting to have a 20 year career. This was also during the time when we had a WAC (2 years later the Corps was disbanded and we suddenly became "enlisted personnel") On the second day of Basic at Ft. McClellan, our DS had us write out a synopsis of our lives so that she could get to know us and where we were from and our background, so I laid out the pertinent details (bad move on my part - I just wanted to serve) - age 28, married, children, Bs Ed degree, taught jr high and high school, airline recruiter, etc. Suddenly, I am the platoon assistant in charge of getting 39 other gals (mostly 18 and 19 year olds) up and ready for the day, checking the schedule for activities and uniform of the day, etc. - basically "mother hen" - oh JUST what I wanted (sarcasm intended!). Anyhow, my DS was exceptional. She never, ever yelled at us. Her voice was loud enough that we all could hear, but not yelling or belittling. If there was a problem, she stood toe-to-toe with the offender and spoke quietly so no one else could hear. Now, don't get me wrong - we all suffered the punishment for the infraction, but it was more dignified.

Now the incident - I have everyone up and out on the quad and we were running PT and I was calling cadence rather loudly (which I had learned by this time). The third time around the quad, I hear a VERY loud order "Platoon, HALT!" This was coming from a third floor window of our barracks. I had never seen this DS in anything but immaculate uniforms, "breaking starch" at least twice a day, never a hair out of place, never saw her sweat in the Alabama heat, Campaign Cover on at just the right angle , could quote chapter and verse of every pertinent regulation- just perfection! Now leaning out the window looking out at me is this 24 year old E-5 DS wearing a robe and curlers in her hair. The exchange went something like this: DS: "PFC Culp (my former married name), what are you doing?" Me: "Running PT, Drill Sergeant." DS: "Why are you running PT?" Me: "It's on the training schedule, Drill Sergeant". DS: "Are you sure, PFC Culp?" Me: "I will verify, Drill Sergeant." So I put the platoon at parade rest and run up 3 flights of stairs to check the schedule, and back down. Still leaning out the window she says "Well, is PT posted for today?" Me: "No, Drill Sergeant" - (massive groans from the whole platoon). DS: "What day is this, PFC Culp?" Me: "It's Sunday, Drill Sergeant." DS: "And what does the schedule say for Sunday?" Me: "Church is scheduled until noon chow". DS: "Well then, I suggest you get your butts back in the bay and let your troops go to church." More moans and grumbles about having been able to sleep in for just one day and me getting then up to run PT. DS figured I didn't need extra punishment, since the whole platoon was "punished" by my reading the schedule incorrectly, and were punishing me in their own way. It never happened again! Just strange to see this "perfect" DS was actually a human being after all! I really did enjoy Basic. My Army service was some of the best years of my life. Given the chance, I'd do it all over again.

Response by PFC Pamala (Hall) Foster made Feb 10 at 2020 4:05 PM

2020-02-10T16:05:25-05:00

AIT Combatives after my Christmas leave in 2008: I got my nose broken in 2 places and a severe concussion. I was told that I passed out and came to but called my DS 'ugly' and passed out again. At the hospital, ALL my DS's came and gave medical a F5 verbal attack for me waiting for 4 hours to be seen and I had a head injury. That DS-the one I called 'ugly' said he did NOT have the heart to write me up and I felt miserable, but he and the others showed me a RARE side-
PV2 is injured and not able to stand without falling, others saying they forgot to bring food back for me and another soldier. Let's say doors on my floor got punched open and a few got a lesson in respect. Best, the DS and I gained a new respect for each other and I credit them, the cadre and in my first unit, one who was an AIT cadre, showed me that being the oldest ever (PATRIOTS at 38) in the MOS training cycle took guts and he respected me. I still say they saved my life and glad that I am alive so I can show others that WHEN YOU BELIEVE IN YOURSELF_ALL IS POSSIBLE.
B 3/6 and ADA 3/43 saved me more than once. THANKS GUYS!

Response by SGT Robert Pryor made Feb 12 at 2020 11:22 AM

2020-02-12T11:22:41-05:00

Basic Training, Fort Ord, CA, July of 1967. That was back before the PC days. Most of us were from California so the Drill Instructors were always hurling California insults at us, mostly about homosexuals. "The only things to come from California are Steers and queers and I don't see any horns on you." The list went on.
So we were getting our initial uniform issue and were trying things on. One guy put on his boxer shorts backwards. The Drill Sergeant noticed and had the fool stand up on a foot locker with his back to the rest of us. The DS had a pointer stick and used it to open the access point in the fool's boxers, exposing his butt crack, and says, "I see you California boys know how to dress for speed."

Response by PFC McKinley Phipps made Feb 25 at 2020 11:57 AM

2020-02-25T11:57:02-05:00

I was told in the jungle there is only 2 things out here, there is the quick and there is the dead if you don't react quickly you will be dead. It has saved my life so many times after the military experience. It is almost automatic. I just respond after so much constant training.

Response by SPC Greg Campbell made Feb 25 at 2020 7:51 PM

2020-02-25T19:51:42-05:00

after about 3 days in to basic I figured out it was mostly a head game and time to learn something new. I got the giggles, dad was a WW2 Marine captain and I had heard all the abuse. learned a lot, tanks Drill Sargent.

Response by SSG Eric Blue made Mar 24 at 2020 3:36 PM

2020-03-24T15:36:06-04:00

Many, many stories. First one I'll tell is from about White Phase in BCT. I was at Ft. Sill in 2000. In the beginning, our Platoon Drill Sergeant briefed us that there were three MWR events we could choose to attend. An Army Band show, a boxing/kickboxing smoker, and a Silk concert (in chronological order).
You only got to choose ONE! By this time, the band had already done their show. So it was time for the smoker. Two of my classmates were on quarters for something, so that left two spots open. Two of my drill sergeants already knew that I was a martial artist, so they both said that I should go. I responded, "What about Silk, Drill Sergeant? I already chose that event." They told me that I'd still get to go, but that I should go to the smoker as well "for observation purposes." So my Platoon Drill Sergeant took me and when we got there, the announcement came over that one of the matches was cancelled due to the fighters being ill. My drill sergeant said, "Blue, let's put on a show for them." He was also a martial artist, so I said, "Let's do it, Drill Sergeant!" So we got to stage a demonstration! IT WAS F---ING AMAZING!!! All my battles that were there were hi-fiving us when we got done! Then we settled in to watch the matches. And yes, it was educational.

Response by MAJ Jeffrey Johnson made Mar 29 at 2020 9:54 PM

2020-03-29T21:54:25-04:00

We were in the Special Leadership Preparedness Program while in Basic Training. Graduated of this program would ship immediately to Vietnam and be promoted to E-5 upon arrival. A drill sergeant took delight in harassing us until we were miserable. Upon being seated in our classroom he stated, " I just gave you your first lesson in Army leadership. Don't ever treat your soldiers, your family members or your soldiers family members like I just treated you! " I enlisted because I that statement and stated for 24 years. As an abused kid, I followed his directive as closely as I could. My kids turned out great. A couple of my favorite soldiers retired at E-8. Several of my cadets outrank me in retirement. And, I still am married to the same girl that married me when I was an E-4. I revere the lesson I learned that day. It was the first time I heard that the way I was treated while growing up as a kid was wrong!

Response by PO3 Steve Ayola made Apr 14 at 2020 11:51 AM

2020-04-14T11:51:02-04:00

Boot camp 1971, NTC San Diego. Our company commander, TMC Lay, during the announcement of where our next duty assignments were to be upon graduation. After telling everybody else what schools or commands they were being assigned to, "And all of you ladies that qualified for the nuclear program! You have been scheduled for your surgical procedure at Balboa (Naval Hospital) prior to shipping out to your schools...they are going to surgically implant a porthole in your navel so you can see where you're going with your head up your ass!"

Response by 1LT Allan Holder made Apr 24 at 2020 12:21 PM

2020-04-24T12:21:41-04:00

I went to boot camp 40 years ago, 1980. The Vietnam war was freshly over. The Army was " remaking itself " as a result while at basic instead of the usual crew cut and no facial hair. The Army allowed a " short hair cut style " and we could have a mustache. Since I had a mustache since I was able to grow one I decided to keep mine. As a result my Army ID photo showed me with my stash. Later that same year I attended Jump School. There the standard was buzz cut and clean shaven. Back in the day we wore the green pickle suites. We did not run or workout in a PT uniform and running shoes as they do today. The morning inspection was in fatigues, buttoned all the way up, highly shined boots, helmet, dogs tags out and holding your ID card in your left hand. This was done the same way each morning. Soldiers who had a deficiency found themselves low crawling through the gig pit. You first low crawled through a field of cold. cold sprinklers, then down into a pit of sand and saw dust. The black hat made sure to fill every inch of you with this great mixture. The first few days i was lucky enough to pass inspection.However it is impossible to avoid the gig pit for ever. One day as I was being inspected, the black hat yelled you didn't shave this morning. Knowing I had in deed shaved that morning, I replied, Sgt. black hat, I did shave this morning. He said you didn't shave you mustache on your ID card. Off to the gig pit I went, every day, for not shaving my ID mustache. LOL, Jump school was very hard back then. All the black hats were combat vets, back then they could do just about anything to you. They, of course swore at us, and would beat the shit out of us. Getting a slap to the head and punched in the gut was just part of the training. They would step on our hands when in the front leaning rest doing push ups, knee you in the side when down. It was a different jump school back then. We ran every where we went, you could never be walking. I hear now they run in PT gear and running shoes, and of course they can't use " bad " language and can't touch the trainees, and they don't run every where.

Response by 1LT Allan Holder made Apr 24 at 2020 3:40 PM

2020-04-24T15:40:31-04:00

Basic was 40 years ago, 1980, Fort Leonard Wood Mo. Of course we got there late at night, Met our drill Sgt's, SSG. Trump and SSG Reed. First thing SSG Reed says to us is, " There ain't but two things I give away, That's hard dick and bubble gum, and I'm all out of bubble gum." He added that after tonight we would never forget their names, and I never have. Both were combat veterans, good men.

Response by SN Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 25 at 2020 10:40 AM

2020-04-25T10:40:20-04:00

In boot an RDC from another division walked in and the two of us manning the door sounded off. The following conversation was between said RDC and the girl manning the door with me.
RDC: What condition is your weapon in?
Recruit: My weapon is in great condition Petty Officer!
RDC: WTF did you just say to me?
Recruit: I mean.. My weapon is in Condition 3 Petty Officer!
RDC: Do you even know WTF that means?
Recruit: Trigger forward, hammer on-
RDC: Hammer on?? So it's a flashlight now?
All of our divisions RDCs were in the office laughing so hard and I was having to cough into my sleeve from getting caught laughing.

Response by SPC Brian Blaney made Apr 26 at 2020 7:02 PM

2020-04-26T19:02:40-04:00

While I was in Basic Training, Ft Dix NJ, Mar 89, I developed Pneumonia. Spent a week in the hospital, which nearly caused me to be recycled. Luckily I didn't have to, as I was released the day of the final PT test. I arrived directly from the hospital to the training are for the final PT test. I aced it, which was great. Though there was a catch. My Drill Sergeant was contacted by the hospital, while I was doing the 2 mile run, and informed I was to be sent back to the hospital, as I had walking pneumonia. I finished my run and the Drill comes over to me and tells me about the phone call and what I wanted to do. I said stay with the Company. The Drill was more than impressed that I finished the PT test with walking pneumonia. Suffice to say the Drill Sergeants treated me a bit differently for the last few days.

Response by CPL Cadrew Strickland made May 17 at 2020 1:30 PM

2020-05-17T13:30:27-04:00

When I took basic in 1974at Ft. Polk I was only 17 years old and never have shave before. Well the drill sergeants told us to shave every morning. Well I had no beard and no razor, so the next morning the DS asked if I had shaved. I say I had no beard so he made me shave in formation with just a razor. No water or shaving cream. I still to this day shave every day

Response by SPC Steven Nihipali made May 28 at 2020 6:02 PM

2020-05-28T18:02:31-04:00

We had a female on the qual range, she was three very last one. Everyone, 227 of us are sitting on the bleachers, reloading mags, picking up rocks e.t.c, the tower calls out the usual, "and watch your lane", a few targets pop up and fall, a few more targets in and she drops her mag, clears the rifle, stands up and whips the rifle down range, all while yelling, "who the fuck is shooting my mf'ing targets! Im not shooting em! "

Turns out our sniper DS was standing on top in the tower, stood 6'4", shooting her targets!

Funniest thing ever

Response by SPC Robin Colbert made Jun 5 at 2020 9:19 PM

2020-06-05T21:19:01-04:00

Had a friend at Ft. Riley who told us this story...He was at Ft. Knox and was late to formation after lunch and tried to take a short cut...well his D.S. caught him and told him to stop because he heard the grass crying....The D.S. told him if he could get back in formation without making his grass cry he'll not discipline him...wen the D.S. turned his back my friend hauled ass and got back into formation, the Sgt. asked how he got there? My friend told him that he levetated? The Sgt said ..you expect me to believe that? He said D.S. if you can hear grass cry..I can levitate!

Response by SGT Ken Houston made Jun 21 at 2020 9:32 PM

2020-06-21T21:32:23-04:00

One of the DS's with another platoon found out I rode a Harley (he didn't mess with me too much after that). He rode one himself. We were on biv and threw live grenades on my 27th birthday. Well I wound up in the pit with him and he started in telling me how late he had stayed out riding the night before and didn't I wish it was me and just kept rubbing it in. I finally said Drill SGT has anyone ever told you that you can be a real asshole. He just said shut up and throw the damn grenade. Never messed with me at all after that except to joke around when nobody else was around.

Response by SGT Michael Hearn made Jun 22 at 2020 6:13 AM

2020-06-22T06:13:42-04:00

I had a drill SGT named Drill SGT Shoe he could not break me down , He would turn red in the face because I could not stop grinning he would tell me to get down and give me 25. I did and got back up stood at attention, but with a grin, He would drop me again I would do 25 more etc He got tired of dropping me I had CQ with him one night and he said Jodie is doing your girlfriend I laughed and told him I know but Drill SGT while your on duty who is doing your wife?'LOL

Response by Sgt Reginald Stracener made Jul 8 at 2020 4:12 AM

2020-07-08T04:12:09-04:00

In basic back in 1964, on the 3rd or 4th day, we had one kid go awol. When they caught him and asked why he went awol, he said he joined to get away from his dad but his D I was worse than his dad.

Response by SFC Dennis Yancy made Aug 9 at 2020 12:44 PM

2020-08-09T12:44:44-04:00

Went to basic in 1972 at Fort Dix. Turns out the Senior Drill knew my Dad. Dad served in Army in WW2 and later switched Air Force. So I became plt guide and became responsible for many the addional duties we did. We did KP back then, made sure plt knew uniform of the day, barracks got cleaned, ect As such I had a private room and desk. Being a military brat, over 19, 18 was drinking age, so I had a couple of bottles in the desk. One evening about 2000hrs our Drill came charging into room. Opened desk drawer, grabbed a bottle, took a seriously healthy swig, put bottle back and never evened yelled at me.

Response by MCPO Oslo Wilhunky made Aug 18 at 2020 1:26 AM

2020-08-18T01:26:54-04:00

Same here, $2500 sign on bonus was a buttload of money back then, I wasin the 95th percentile on the ASVAB.

Response by 1SG James Kelly made Aug 21 at 2020 10:26 AM

2020-08-21T10:26:00-04:00

Too many; USAF and USA.

Response by PFC Kim Howard made Sep 8 at 2020 4:32 PM

2020-09-08T16:32:06-04:00

My ASVAB, DLAB and Diddybop (morsecode) test scores were really high, since nobody was passing the DLAB, my Army recruiter was going to get me in any way he could. But I was 4'11" and only weighed 82 pounds. Military standard was minimum height was 5' weight was 93 pounds. I needed two waivers, height and weight, which was finagled at Miami MEPS. I get off the cattle truck at holdover this happens:
Sgt IO: "how the hell did you get into my Army"?
Me: De plane, boss, de plane. (you would have to recall a show called Fantasy Island to appreciate where I was going with that). I thought that was hella funny, but he clearly didn't share my sense of humor.
Sgt. IO: "Drop and give me 500". I did 5, not 500
Me: permission to recover drill sgt?
Sgt. IO: get your goat smelling ass out of my site.

Evey minute of it was equally as blissful. We were the first unit integrated with one platoon of females and 3 platoons of males. FUN TIMES.

Response by PFC Kim Howard made Sep 8 at 2020 5:23 PM

2020-09-08T17:23:10-04:00

I started smoking regularly at boot camp. Early 80s I get to Fort Lost in the Woods. One day we are out on a 20 mile road march. Now we stop for a brief pause and the top sgt says: "those who got em, light em, those who don't, pick up trash", I started smoking that day.

Another day we are at ease in formation and DI says who here smoke? Smokers raise their hands. Who smokes menthols he asks, some raise their hands. Who smokes Camel non filters? And a couple of guys raise their hands. He says to the Camel smokers. Bring me your smokes, and they do, he proceeds to take one from each pack and sends them back to their prospective locations in the formation. He lights one and says; "who says beggars cant be chosey"! To this day, 38 years later, I have not forgotten him.

Response by SPC Kenneth James made Sep 27 at 2020 9:20 PM

2020-09-27T21:20:07-04:00

Mine was in boot camp we had a Drill Sergeant Scoggins and all through about a month in he was hard a hell on me but I got it my mos was 13 Bravo FA I had no real idea what that was because my Recruiter told me about being a tank recruit so in AIT we got to the field for the beginning of our training but there was no tanks and when I saw the 105s I was to use for the next 6years I asked for permission to speak I asked where was the tanks at and within a heartbeat Drill said where is the paradise I was promised and with a big smile dropped me for more than the normal 20 pushups because we were laughing so hard I couldn't count out my pushups still to this day I tell that story

Response by SSgt Kathy Ragsdale made Oct 3 at 2020 12:14 PM

2020-10-03T12:14:48-04:00

When I was in basic training in 1979 my grandma sent me 26 dozen cookies. Our TI let us eat as many as we could for two hours. Awesome TI - she even helped, motivated (nicely) me when we were running our last 1.5 mile test.

Response by SPC Wendy Parsons made Nov 6 at 2020 11:40 AM

2020-11-06T11:40:01-05:00

I joined after finishing college. When I was in basic, I was the only regular army in my platoon. The rest of the platoon was either Reserves or National Guard and the majority of them were 17 yo. Whenever we went to chow regular army would line up on one side and the Reserves and Guard would be in the other line, except, of course, my platoon. It wasn't set as to which side was which so you would have to yell either first or last and which component you were. Since I was the only regular army, my drills always had me at the front of one of the two lines. When my turn came, I would yell my last four and say, "first and last regular army in the door drill sergeant!" Every meal for weeks, I would get the snide response, "well whose behind you?" or "I don't think so soldier." They always thought I was being a wiseguy, and each time my drill would explain my situation. So glad I was switched to their platoon the first day (they were trying to make the platoons roughly the same size so a few of us were shifted). They were good men. I wonder where they are now and how they are doing.

Response by SPC July Macias made Dec 5 at 2020 7:42 AM

2020-12-05T07:42:25-05:00

The Drill Sergeant asked me why I didn't help mop the floor during fire watch last night. I told him I was hiding in the latrine, jerking off. He started laughing and walked away.

Response by SSG Dennis Butler made Jan 23 at 2021 9:51 AM

2021-01-23T09:51:33-05:00

While in basic, Ft. Gordon 1968, getting ready for IG inspection discovered i had no dress green jacket. Either it was stolen or never got issued in the rush of things at initial issue. Told my plt DI and he later brought in his dress green jacket and gave it to me. he said he had orders for VN and didn't need it. He was considerably larger than me and said just DX (direct exchange) it through supply.
That could have cost me almost a months pay. T
Thx SSG Johnson.

Response by SPC Jessica Flowers made Jan 23 at 2021 9:58 AM

2021-01-23T09:58:23-05:00

i had many funny DS stories. the best one... my last name at the time was DILLOW (rhymes with pillow) one time my DS called me private DILDO, to me it was a common mistake in the civi world so i didnt blink twice but the platoon started with the giggles. DS wanted to know why everyone was giggling and I told him. DS snapped to attention and said "DS apologizes for calling you the incorrect name. Do you wish to report DS for the unintentional sexual harassment?" I said "I am smart enough to know that that was not sexual harassment and I am old enough to not care, can we resume weapon cleaning?" I was in my 30s when i joined and it was in 2003 so rules change with the times.... but it was funny to see a DS go to attention for me

Response by SP5 William Sells made Feb 8 at 2021 9:35 AM

2021-02-08T09:35:05-05:00

Fort Leonard Wood 1972 July Hot! DI asked if anyone knew how many inches in a meter to convert rifle velocity! No one knew; except Me of course! I stood up and said 39.37 inches in a meter! Sir! He said you sure about that answer? I said Yes Sir! He said sit down Mr ASA Spock!

Response by Sgt Terry Rizzuti made Feb 9 at 2021 10:55 AM

2021-02-09T10:55:01-05:00

When I was in bootcamp at San Diego in May 1966 one of the first things they made us do was write a letter home telling our parents to inform all our family and friends not to visit or send us packages. Well, I had an uncle who lived in Anaheim who just had to visit his favorite nephew, so of course I found myself standing at attention in front of the company commander. And as I stood there staring at the blackboard behind him, I realized that every 15 minutes of every single day was choreographed, that it mattered not one whit how well or bad we behaved or performed, we were gonna be rewarded or punished according to that choreograph. I kept the information to myself, and laughed to myself at how easy the rest of my time in bootcamp was.

Response by Maj Dale Smith made Feb 11 at 2021 5:21 PM

2021-02-11T17:21:55-05:00

It was a "no win" situation when going through basic in 1972. About half way through officer summer camp, I had an exercise in reporting to a superior officer. My prep was an AF Capt. that handed me a 3x5 file card with the instructions of, "Read ver batum what is on the card". Believing that this was an exercise in following directions, I did just that. I walked into the senior officers office and stated ver batum what was on the card, "Smith comma Dale A reporting as directed Sir". I was told by the senior that you don't say the comma. I informed the senior that I was instructed to state that which was in quotes ver batum. He asked if I was quibbeling and I said no and found myself out on the track running wind sprints. Truly a no win situation.

Response by Jacqueline Nihipali made Feb 28 at 2021 12:18 PM

2021-02-28T12:18:33-05:00

Hello I am looking to hire a drill sergeant for an hour on Mon, Tues, or Wed for a company video. We are gearing up for our sales meeting and wanted to get some footage of a drill sergeant yelling at employees. Will pay!

Response by CPL Raeanne Mitchell made Mar 5 at 2021 11:34 AM

2021-03-05T11:34:42-05:00

In 1987, I was unlucky enough to get food poisoning just at the end of basic. After getting out of the hospital, I had one of several DIs sitting across from me at every meal ordering me to eat. Meanwhile, half the newbies in the chow line are trying to lose weight!

Response by SGT Ronald Audas made Mar 21 at 2021 2:28 PM

2021-03-21T14:28:07-04:00

In basic,I was always amazed by our Drill Sargent ,being able to maintain count as we marched.Even on long force marches.In formation 1 day I asked how he did it ,he went into this loud rant about this ability can only be achieved by exercising specific memory control,and only real soldiers could acquire this,and so far none of us showed this ability.Just before basic graduation,he told me that his thumb touching his index finger was the negative count and his middle finger was the even count.

Response by SGT Doug Blanchard made Mar 21 at 2021 8:44 PM

2021-03-21T20:44:43-04:00

My OSUT unit at Sill had just graduated a couple of days before, along with several other OSUT units. So it was going to take several days to catch a flight out of the airport in Lawton. My wife at the time was back home in Florida. Her and my parents were involved in a multi car accident which put my wife in the hospital. Red Cross made arrangements for me to fly home on emergency leave, but no flights were available out of Lawton for at least a week. So the senior drill of my platoon took it onto himself to drive me down to Dallas/Ft Worth International to get a flight home. I offered to pay him for the gas and such, but he refused to accept it. He stayed at the airport until I caught my flight. A few years later I ran into Ssgt Reynolds while I was at Ft Campbell. I got to thank him again for what he did for me back in April 1976. He ended up becoming the godfather of my daughter.

Response by PFC Stephen Trynosky made May 2 at 2021 8:08 PM

2021-05-02T20:08:18-04:00

Back in '69, at Ft. Lost in the Woods, MO, we had a DI named Midget who actually was pretty damned close to being one. I still have visions of him in my head jumping up and down like some kind of cartoon character. Anyway after a very long day of Bailey Bridge Building, as the company marched back after Midnight because the effing buses never arrived, somebody started whistling the theme from "The Bridge on the River Kwai", Pretty soon, just like in a movie everybody picked it up and it was a tonic. Backs got straightened, the step lengthened, heads went higher! At that point, the Midget went stark raving nuts screaming, "Stop it! Stop it! You are not authorized to do that". Well we stopped and we fell apart. Several weeks later, I was filling in for the Company Clerk on leave when our scores were posted for the 12A10 finals. We got the LOWEST scores in the Brigades history the First Sgt was absolutely puzzled. Despite having some really positive experiences in the Army and great interactions with DI's, when Nixon started the early out program during the wind down, I jumped at it. THAT damned night sticks in my craw till this day. I owe the Midget one thing, he taught me how NOT to lead. Sent three sons off to the military, one is deployed today in the ME. They ALL know the story and have benefited. In the early '70's when you started hearing about fragging I wondered!

Response by SPC Tj F. made May 17 at 2021 12:30 PM

2021-05-17T12:30:36-04:00

My girlfriend just bought frames for some pictures she found of mine in boxes, and it's currently sitting on my desk (right next to me) as we just painted the basement walls of our new house and hasn't been hung yet (never thought I would even bother hanging up my Basic Training picture, but might as well now). But, back in Sept 1999, being part of 3rd Platoon C Co. 795th MP BN OSUT training, in Fort Leonard Wood, Mo (aka Fort Lost-In-The-Woods, Misery), we were conducting MOUT training. That is, Military Operations in Urban Terrain. My Drill Sergeants were not rookies, and all have been training soldiers for many cycles. Drill Sergeant Rhine (or perhaps Rhein) had never been "captured" or "killed" in MOUT training before. Until he met me. >:)

I was rear guard for my squad, quite frankly, because I didn't trust any of them to watch my a55. I punched the guy in front of me after they came out of the first room being cleared, because they all breached the room without his physical contact. He was supposed to pat either my arm or shoulder, when the squad was proceeding forward, and he didn't. He did from that point on though. The building was a long hallway, with appx 8-10 doors down it that the squad would have to search. At the far end of the hallway was a partial stairway up, a flat landing to the right, and then the rest of the stairs up back to the 2nd floor directly overhead. The squad cleared the 1st floor without contact, or at least without incident, I cannot remember which. However, once they proceeded up to the 2nd floor, I was at an impasse.... I didn't trust their search of the 1st floor, and so didn't want to leave it unprotected, however they were on the 2nd floor and still needed me to cover their 6. Seeing as how there was a landing halfway up the stairs, I decided to stand up on the landing, (so I can see my squad), and simply lean to the right around the wall back down the stairs (so I can also watch our 6 from the 1st floor). Good thing too. VERY shortly after they started searching the 2nd floor, I saw a pair of boots walking towards the stairwell. As the person got closer, I saw the knees. Then I saw the thighs. Eventually I saw the blouse. As soon as I saw the Brown Roun', I knew it was a DS, and the squad failed at searching. I already had him in my sights. Remember I'm already 5-6 ft up on the landing, and another 5ft up behind the wall, only leaning out - he didn't see me yet. As soon as he stepped up on the first step, I yelled, "Bang! You're dead!". He froze, whipped his head up to see me leaning around the wall, and had him dead-to-rights! (1st kill). He Swore so much, it was music to my ears!!!!! He stormed off. At this point 1) my squad was moving a little farther down the hall and 2) He knew I was there. So, I did the only thing I could.... I moved up to the second floor. The 2nd floor has an open railing up top, blocking the stairwell from the 2nd floor, so you have to go down the stairs. Good!!!!! It's open! I simply stood behind the railing above the stairs, looking straight down onto the first steps up. I knew he would come back, so I had to be patient. Good things come to those who wait. Sure enough, very slowly I saw the Brown Roun' poke into the stairwell. He was looking up and down that partisan wall to see if I was still on the landing. I wasn't. I was looking down on him like death from above. The moment he took that VERY CAREFUL first step up, I shouted down to him, "Bang! You're dead!" (2nd kill). He screamed and swore again and stormed off back into the 1st floor. The DS, who had never been killed before, was now 0-2 to a Private E-2 rookie. There's not much else for me to do now. I can back up to my squad and be shoulder to shoulder with them, but that left the stairwell defenseless. Regardless whether or not someone was missed during a search on the 2nd floor... I KNEW there was still someone REALLY pissed off still on the 1st floor. I remained where I was as I still had a tactical and position advantage over him. I didn't know what to expect, surely not what was actually coming my way. The next thing I know, I see an arm coming flinging into the stairwell, throwing a grenade off of the back wall of the landing, bouncing it off toward the side wall to the 2nd floor stairwell, ricocheting it to land only about 2 feet from my boots. Well, sh*t. Most people would likely have shouted, "Grenade!!!" and dove away, perhaps dove on top of it, who knows. But I decided to kick it back down the stairwell, exactly in the path he tossed it up. I bounced it off of the sidewall in the 2nd floor stairwell, only to bounce off the back wall of the landing, to fall down the 1st floor stairwell to land, assuming, within 1 yd from HIS boots!...then BANG!!!. Of course being, well, ME.... I shouted "You're Dead!!!" (3rd kill. From his own grenade) He was screaming any and every profanity one could muster the entire way back down the hallway, out of the building, and down the street, until he was finally out of earshot. Our senior drill sergeant, DS Smith, came in the building and asked what was going on. So I told him. I don't think I'v ever heard of a DS breaking character to badly before and showing their human side. He was practically doubled over from laughing so hard. Needless to say. Drill Sergent Rhine (or Rhein) was now 0-3 vs. Pvt. Fleischmann. First time(s) being killed in MOUT training. Three times, with the final Salt-In-Would added by being finished off by his own grenade.

Response by SPC Alisha Dick made May 19 at 2021 5:43 PM

2021-05-19T17:43:00-04:00

There was a lot of fun stories.
Reception battalion they decided to have roll call. It went like this: Large, Green, Dick, Condon
In Basic, another private called out to me....Yes, my last name was Dick. The DI thought he was being swore at and didn't realize until I got up from the front leaning rest position what my name was.
Another time, a private was sleeping in the wrong uniform and got told to change. She started to change right then in her sleep...and thought a cop told her to do it.
In hold over, we were told to clean the DI bathroom. We knocked and yelled, but didn't realize until we started heading in and the male DI was showering. Yes, we were all female.

Response by SPC Robert Bobo made Jul 29 at 2021 6:00 PM

2021-07-29T18:00:00-04:00

DI: after chow, go hang drywall in Captain's office
me: Never hung drywall
DI: you're a got dam 12b Combat Engineer, figure the shit out , I'll volunteer a 11b to help you
Me: yes DI, can I miss formation tomorrow morning
DI: hell no, just get the shit done , should only take a few hours !

Response by CPO Kenneth Kalish made Aug 1 at 2021 6:52 PM

2021-08-01T18:52:40-04:00

At 17, I got off the bus with a lot of other new boots and lined up on the yellow marks at Great Lakes. We were told to arrange ourselves by height, and after a few minutes we got that sorted out. Then our short, muscular, Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class DI kicked things off with a challenge:
"Anybody here think they can beat me in a fight?"
There was a long pause and then from somewhere behind me came a deep voice:
"I can."
The DI demanded that the speaker come forward and identify himself. From the middle of the formation came a man built like a bull elephant. He stopped in front of the DI and identified himself as a linebacker for the Packers.
The DI looked him over then ordered him to stand next to him. Once again he challenged us:
"Anybody here think they can beat the two of us?"
That was the first good laugh our DI gave us.

Response by SMSgt Michael Gleason made Sep 2 at 2021 12:18 PM

2021-09-02T12:18:12-04:00

My Drill Instructor in Army Basic at Fort Knox in May, 1968, a SSG from NYC, thought pretty highly of himself (not what the rest of us thought of him). He once stood in front of us and shouted "Sound off like you've got a pair!". I was in the front row of the formation, and being young (but a few years older than most of my company) and brash, I retorted, "Testicular presence has NO bearing on vocal prowess". He stopped, looked intensely right at me, scowled, and then continued his tirade to the company. He either didn't hear me (but I'm sure he did) or he didn't understand what I was saying (fortunately for me - I could have ended up in "deep kimchi"!).

Response by SPC Bryan Tucker made Sep 2 at 2021 5:02 PM

2021-09-02T17:02:19-04:00

I went through basic in 1989. My drill sergeant asked me why I joined the army. After I told him why he said: “Bullsh** private, you joined the army to kill communist bast**ds.” A few weeks later we had a dress inspection by the commander of the unit who happened to be an LTC. Of all people he had to ask this question he picked me. He asked me why I joined the army. I yelled as loudly as I could: “To kill communist bast**ds sir! I saw the drill sergeant who was to his right do everything he could to keep from laughing. The colonel just shook his head and went to the next guy.

Response by SFC David A McGILLIS made Sep 24 at 2021 4:26 PM

2021-09-24T16:26:37-04:00

Okay, all B.S. aside, true story.
Late spring of 82, on the eve of graduation from Basic/AIT as a Tanker and our Drill Sergeant informs us that after chow there will be a 1900 hrs. platoon formation. Any plans of sliding down to the snack bar for a cold one, are dashed.
1900 rolls around and our Drill Sergeant calls us to attention, then a right face, then a column of twos to the left… and away we go, heading southeast outta Disney Barracks across the street and into the woods a few hundred yards.
Parked in a clearing is his pickup truck and he stops our formation, leaving us standing at attention and goes into a congratulatory speech, telling us all how proud he is of us especially for winning the “Honor Platoon” award.
He then points to a large, corrugated steel trash can and says “men, we are not leaving this spot until everything inside of that can is gone” and then tells us to fall out. And fall out we did… we lifted the lid to that trash can to discover if filled to the top with beer on ice and a bottle of Crown Royal on top!

Granted, in 1982 there was not a minimum drinking age in the Army and if you had a military ID card on post, you could buy all the liquor you wanted. So, we did as we were instructed and our Drill Sergeant only had to carry one man back to the barracks over his shoulder, with graduation going off the following day without a hitch.

Response by PO1 Ken Helmick made Nov 8 at 2021 7:01 AM

2021-11-08T07:01:08-05:00

It was during the "work week" at Bootcamp in Orlando. I was exempted from working in the galley, or policing the grounds, because I had 4 wisdom teeth extracted -- and all 4 went "dry socket". The painkillers they gave me were amazing and I was higher than a kite half the time. This made it totally impossible for me to do things like march in a military manner or answer questions with great fluency. A couple of drill instructors did stop me during that time but they saw the chit, sighed, and waved me on -- not that I cared -- I was really doped up that much.

Eventually, the dental department stitched up the holes after deciding I wouldn't heal naturally and I recovered enough to do some actual work. This work was in the barracks since it seems that adding someone to an existing working party on base was an insurmountable administrative challenge. For whatever reason, the chief decided that the universe needed some sort of balance and replaced that lost challenge by ordering me to have a cup of hot coffee awaiting him upon his arrival in the morning -- which, by this point in the training, tended to vary by an hour or two due to other duties he had.

I had enough work to do that running down to the first deck every few minutes to get a cup of coffee was simply impossible (as he knew it would be) and so I jerry-rigged a small hot plate by turning a clothes iron upside down and supporting it with a few books. After a few days of this, the chief asked me, quite curiously, how I managed to always have a hot cup of coffee on hand. Rather than spill the beans -- and probably get gigged for an unknowable infraction related to electrical safety or some such drivel -- I simply repeated one of his favorite lines: "A recruit must always be adaptable, sir!" Surprisingly, he just looked at me mildly for a few moments and stated that I no longer had to have the cup waiting.

Strangely enough, I ended up getting out of a lot of busy work immediately after that. The base's civilian switchboard operator was pregnant and had to take time off to deliver. Apparently, a backup was also on vacation and this led to a search for an operator amongst the recruits to handle a 4-hour shift in the evening. As it happened, I had spent two summers working as a switchboard operator on the midnight shift for the local National Guard base. When I was led to the board, they tried to reassure me that it wasn't as intimidating as it looked. What they didn't realize was that it was exactly the same hardware, but with maybe less than half of the lines. It would appear that a large national guard base had a LOT more phones than a naval training command. This gig was supposed to just last a day or two, but went on quite a bit longer. One can only assume that they were resigned to a few days of calls being bungled and the pressure to find a fill-in disappeared when things went smoothly.

Another incident occurred previously due to the Catholic "religious petty officer" being sent back in training. I don't know about other services, or time periods, but we had to have a recruit responsible for taking troops to religious services and evening prayers. Suffice it to say, I was about the last person I would choose for the job -- a view to which our two chiefs did not subscribe. Apparently, they were more concerned about having to find a replacement and placed the likelihood of passing the course above any particular religious leanings. So, one chief gave us a lecture about how the command required someone to assume the duties and how the unit would get extra PT if there were no volunteers. As this was going on, the other chief stood right in front of me and stared right into my eyes. I didn't quite grasp what was going on immediately simply because there is so much implied intimidation at boot camp that it sort of became a given -- like the sun rising; the fact that I figured this didn't apply to me didn't speed up comprehension. Eventually, something clicked and I raised my hand, upon which a smile appeared on the chief's face. This disturbed me a bit because such a thing had never been directed my way up to this point...

Response by Sgt Michael Valgos made Nov 27 at 2021 12:24 AM

2021-11-27T00:24:53-05:00

My senior drill instructor liked me I broke my foot and it would be in this boot for 4 to 5 weeks and I reported to him and it said on the outside of the orders envelope drop med rehab He told me I am going to keep you only if you keep up with the platoon on crutches When we were in 3rd phase the senior drill instructor called me in and said sit down and that never happens and said relax I want your opinion on something Who do you think should be the honor grad I said the guide and he said that's good because that is who I am going to select now get ta f out of here

Response by TSgt Robert Wayne made Jan 7 at 2022 1:44 PM

2022-01-07T13:44:23-05:00

I have several boot camp stories. I'll just mention two. The first day we were taught to identify ourselves by rank and last name when talking to a TI. The TI came up to me in formation and I was at attention yelling "AB Wayne reports as ordered Sir!" He said "That is Airman!" I said "Thanks for the promotion Sir!" My first Sunday they marched us to church where we broke off into our different religions. My group finished first and I ran to the latrine. I was in and out in record time and everybody was gone! I ran out and saw my flight in formation so I jumped into formation with them. My TI was right there yelling in my face then asked "where were you?" I was at attention and yelled "Taking a shit Sir!" His response? "Give me a 314!" I was 18yrs old right out of high school in 1975. LoL

Response by PO1 Sanford Snyder made Jan 20 at 2022 12:01 PM

2022-01-20T12:01:57-05:00

Just remembered one story. Aviation Bosuns Mates ran the carrier arresting gear, one of their jobs. They had a young airman, last name of Pinto. On the shops organizational board he was listed as Pinto ABEAN. Needless to say he was not totally happy when he made Petty Officer Third.

Response by SGT Tim. Wilson made Jan 20 at 2022 2:00 PM

2022-01-20T14:00:15-05:00

My favorite DI at Ft McClellan for OSUT MPs in 1980 was SSG Cato. When we first started basic he was clean shaven and anyone that had or attempted to grow a mustache was told that it was nothing but a shock absorber for a c*ck sucker. Well, nobody grew a mustache during basic. We had a four day break between basic and AIT, we all stayed in the same platoons as it was One Station Training. Anyway, when SSG Cato returned to start AIT Low and behold he had a near full mustache grown in four days!
One of the guys made the comment wondering if it was real or if the DI had taken up sucking and was heard. Let’s just say that did not end well for him and within a week just about everyone that could was growing a mustache.

Response by Sgt Tom Cunnally made Jan 20 at 2022 3:06 PM

2022-01-20T15:06:34-05:00

I think something that was "cool" or interesting: back in the 40s and 50s, the Marine Corps had Junior Drill Instructors who were Pfc's. Our Jr DI was Pfc Kelly here shown on the right in this photo. Our Sr DI was S/Sgt Kendall shown on the left. He was indeed "senior" being over 40, with gray hair. He had served in China in the 30s, and in the Merchant Marines in WW2. But he returned back to the Marines during Korea. I never understood why the Marines had him as a DI because he was 15 + yrs older than his Jr DI and the recruits in his platoon. He just was unable to relate to Marines who were teenagers, so handed out punishment as his way of communicating with people 15 yrs younger than him. In 1956 after the S/Sgt McKeon Court Martial for the Ribbon Creek Incident, the Marine Corps dumped many of their DIs for mistreating recruits. I often wondered if Kendall was among them????

Response by CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 20 at 2022 3:43 PM

2022-01-20T15:43:42-05:00

Least fun was part of a Platoon in the whisky locker getting burnt out, with ammonia on the deck. Very close quarters. CS Chamber was fun. SDI sent me back in without mask to look for an imaginary list. Only blocked the hatch for a bit. Still big fun.

Response by SFC Stephen King made Jan 20 at 2022 5:29 PM

2022-01-20T17:29:00-05:00

Don't thank me, thank your recruiter

Response by 1LT Voyle Smith made Jan 20 at 2022 8:09 PM

2022-01-20T20:09:23-05:00

I got the same reaction when I told the recruiter I wanted to enlist in the Infantry to dodge the draft. But it was really very simple: I knew Service was going to be required because I’d had student deferments for six years and LBJ ordered the Selective Service Director to begin conscripting married men. I wanted a commissioning program,since I had a batcheor’s degree; but the personnel office at Air Force Security Service where I was employed would only give me “military leave” for 48 months, and the Air Force required 48 months of active duty after completing Officer Training School, which was four months long. And the Navy required 48 months of active duty after Abiation Cadet Training, which was ten months long. The army recruiter told me I would only need to serve 24 months of active duty after ten months of enlisted training,and he would garauntee me an OCS class date if I code a combat arm-
artillery, Armor or Infantry. I’m 6’3” and didn’t think would fit in a tank,and I didn’t want tot to drag cannons around a battlefield, so that left the Infantry. That’s what I chose. And as promised, Iwas released from active duty two years and ten months after I signed up. I have no regrets at all.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 20 at 2022 10:52 PM

2022-01-20T22:52:13-05:00

Summer of 2000, just got done with OSUT and had the 'privilege' of staying back at Knox and being assigned to the 15th Cav 'TRADOC'... During an event shortly after I start real Army life I got pretty jacked up and blew out my knee. I was devastated... as I left the commander office for the last time, heading to out process one of my old drill Sgt saw me. He told me that life was only going to give me what I earned... he asked if I wanted to come back in after I healed and I said yes... he said "I'm gonna hold you to that shithead" .... we had a very long conversation and he was a major influence on my entire life... I wish I could have tracked him down and told him how much that conversation meant to me and let him know I did make it back in and I am still serving now. It is remarkable the moments we can remember...

Response by Amn Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 21 at 2022 12:23 AM

2022-01-21T00:23:50-05:00

Portrayed by former US Marine Corps staff sergeant and real life drill instructor R. Lee Ermey, Gunny Sergeant Hartman could be considered the mold almost every other onscreen drill sergeant is made from.
https://www.skylightpaycard.online/

SkylightPayCard

Response by PO1 David Kingsley made Jan 22 at 2022 11:20 PM

2022-01-22T23:20:19-05:00

On my first boat, we'd gotten a new Auxiliary Gang Machinist Mate.
His name was William Miehe (pronounced "Me")
when he would answer the phones, he would respond "Bill Me!"

Response by SSgt Robert Dant made Feb 25 at 2022 7:45 AM

2022-02-25T07:45:55-05:00

I had a ton of fun in Basic and loved all of my drill instructors. I was not your normal Marine as I was willing to obey but always curious and always appeared to be on the border of getting by balls busted or praised. ! day after Phase 2 training we returned for phase 2 and starting covers was a big thing. I was headed through the chow line and the biggest chocolate chip cookies you have ever seen was being severed. I looked at the private and said - hey who is that SGT back there I think he is from my home town. When he turned around I slipped another chocolate cookie under my hat and proceeded by saying never mind wrong guy. Next thing I had a Mess SGT crabbing my shoulders and screaming all kinds of love language at me and I knew I was cooked. Then I heard a sweet voice that I could recognize anywhere say "You will get you D**K Skinners off my marine. I thought only God could have sent him at that time. I was let go and proceeded - after giving the cookie back.

My drill instructor come out as we formed up, walked up to me with the evil eye, tapped his DI Cover and said "Dant, I will see you in the barracks after mail call." All my joy left at that time and I had one crappy day knowing how much time I was going to spend in the pit that night.

Mail call ended and I headed to the DI Hut to receive my punishment. I was allowed to enter and told to sit down. When I did, he reached in to the refridgerator and pulled out 2 milks and a large chocolate chip cookie. He said one should never steal. But if you are going to - do it right and do not get caught. How can one have a cookie and no milk. He proceeded to have a chat about the Marine Corps, how well I was doing, and he thought I would make a good Marine.

From punishment to joy. Needless to say - never ever thought about putting anything on my chow plate or take anything unless it was offered. Good lesson with no pain.

Response by Sgt Ed Allen made Mar 7 at 2022 9:10 PM

2022-03-07T21:10:16-05:00

From MCRD San Diego, Platoon 1085 in 1980. The Drill Instructor was Sgt Martin.
If anybody in our platoon screwed up or wasn't pulling their weight, he would have have us sing out

"A Twinkie for you, a Twinkie for me, shall we never disagree. If we do, to Hell with you, give the Twinkie to me."
Alternatively, he would substitute Pepsi for Twinkie.

Upon graduation, I finally got to see the SOB break out laughing when my girlfriend presented him with a Twinkie and a can of Pepsi.

As for my Senior DI, SSgt Perez, once he found out where I lived (3 miles from Camp Pendleton and only 30 miles from MCRD San Diego, he would routinely call me into the DI hut and, invariably, would ask me the same X questions.

Question 1. Pvt Allen, where are you from?
Answer, - Sir, the private if from Carlsbad California SIR!
Question 2. Pvt Allen, why did you join my Marine Corps?
Answer. - Sir, the private joined the Marine Corps because he prayed about it SIR!
Question 3. Private Allen, are you f@#king crazy?

Now, how do you answer that last question?

Response by Landry Young made Mar 8 at 2022 12:21 AM

2022-03-08T00:21:00-05:00

Before I went to basic I always a picky eater. ( Probably why I’m skinny 6’4 160) When I went basic two years ago covid first started at the end of red phase. When covid started the chow hall wasn’t open to go anymore we was give hot plates. Everyday we ate the same thing. An apple, lettuce as salad, rice, peas and a different source of meat. Everyday we pretty much ate the same thing. I never ate anything but the meat because I didn’t eat the vegetables I guess you can say never did since I was young. I use to trade with the vegetarians ate there meat and give them my veggies. This one particular day we was at the range shooting and we had the same as usual only this time the meat had gravy on it but it was a second option of meat think lamb patties. In basic you don’t choose what you eat it go by the line and it switches back and forth. I never like gravy and hated it. I told the fellow trainee that was serving to break the rules and let me have the lamb because the way the line was I suppose to got gravy meat. He said no I felt like he was a dick we look out for each other especially cause he was in my platoon. I didn’t notice the DS behind me watching and listening . I lied to the trainee and said I was allergic to gravy and that I can’t eat. I told him I would die if I do. The DS heard ( this was a dick head DS and this the nicest he had every been to a trainee that cycle) DS said trainee if you allergic take it. Your health comes before anything. Get the lamb and enjoy your meal and get two pieces. I got the food and ate it. At the end of the day we had ammo check make sure no one was taking ammo from the range. That DS checked me and he was still in a good mood. He said trainee did you enjoy the food. I said yes DS I’m stuffed. He okay trainee we gone make sure you guys stay healthy. He walked off. I proceeded to laugh with my battles cause they knew I was lying. In the middle of my giggle I seen him turn around dramatically and looked my way. He yell TRAINEEE. Whole company automatically snapped into parade rest. He ran in my direction and yell HOW TF ARE YOU ALLERGIC to gravy. All the DS and the company commander and 1st sgt laughed not knowing what’s going on. I stood froze and sweating nervously. He said YOU CANT BE ALLERGIC TO JUST GRAVY. THERE HAS TO BE AN INGREDIENT IN THERE THAT YOU ALLERGIC TO. He started naming ingredients. He said I CANT BELIEVE YOU MADE ME LOOK STUPID. I CANT BELIEVE I THOUGHT YOU WOULD LOSE YOUR LIFE. I WAS YOUR FOOL. I HATE YOU AND I HOPE YOU GET OUT BEFORE YOUR CONTRACT ENDS. With all seriousness. I low crawled all the way back to the company. After that they called me gravy boy and he hated my guts.

Response by MSgt Dr. Elizabeth Masaniai, Ed.D. Lynn made Mar 12 at 2022 10:38 AM

2022-03-12T10:38:58-05:00

During basic training, we marched everywhere at Lackland AFB, Texas (yup, back in good old 1973). I’m sure many of you weren’t even born yet (smile). On one occasion, our drill sergeant, who we all feared greatly, stopped our marching for some kind of break. I honestly cannot recall why. In the meantime, some of us gals starting chatting and took our berets off and set them aside on a nearby window sill.
We were quickly called back to formation & I recall our drill sergeant yelling about someone stealing her beret. Of course, we were all wondering, ‘who the heck’ would do that as we feared this drill sergeant with our lives. We were frozen in place as she walked down the rows of our formation and I kept thinking to myself, ‘what idiot’ picked up her beret & why doesn’t she ‘fess up?’ Lo and behold, as the drill sergeant walked down my row, she stopped right in front of me-Yikes!! Guess who accidently grabbed the wrong beret off the window sill? Yours truly

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 17 at 2022 8:36 PM

2022-03-17T20:36:14-04:00

I will retire in Jul 2022, went to OSUT in 1983. The 1st hour of full metal jacket is just like what I experienced, except for the murder/suicide.

Response by SPC Clayton Ellzey made Mar 22 at 2022 12:54 AM

2022-03-22T00:54:14-04:00

I was on a weapon cleaning detail and one of the DS inspecting the rifle asked me.
Son when you shower do you wash the crack of your ###.
Yes I replied he said when you clean your rifle just like your clean the crack of your ### clean the cracks on the rifle

Response by SPC Robert Bobo made Apr 26 at 2022 1:33 PM

2022-04-26T13:33:38-04:00

Fort Polk 1973, DI ,you guys have done well over the past several weeks, take Saturday off however, if you go to that shit hole "Leesville", take about 5 or 6 guys with you, so you don't get Fu-k up and robbed by the locals, of course one dumb ass went by himself , he got robbed, beat up and showed up late for Sunday morning formation, SFC went off ,got him cleaned up by medics and put him on KP for a week for not following basic instructions! "he just had a few bumps a bruises" however, the ass chewing was award winning

Response by SSG Eric Blue made May 18 at 2022 11:12 PM

2022-05-18T23:12:15-04:00

Crazy, but here goes: we were in white phase in BCT at Fort Sill in Oklahoma. Co-ed BCT, too. About a 3:1 ratio male to female. Most of the females were having sex with someone in my training battery, but not me. Well, a health & welfare/contraband inspection came up and the drill sergeants came through to look for stuff we weren't supposed to have (condoms, pot, cigs, watches, etc.). While the drill sergeants only looked through a few items of everyone else, they tore my whole g--damn wall locker apart! They also checked the ceiling tiles and every inch of my bunk! I'm thinking, "WTF did I do? It ain't like I got a girlfriend here like my most of the other guys in the platoon!" I'm sure they were trying to find proof of sex and relationships in my battery because they'd heard that (insert trainees names here) were f---ing on the regular. I'm still confused as to how or why my name came up in it. I mean, yeah. There were a BUNCH of female trainees wanting to get down with me, but I wasn't ready for that in Basic. I never dimed out the ones WHO WERE having sex with female trainees because I knew they'd slip up soon enough...and they did and got caught.

Response by SSG Eric Blue made May 18 at 2022 11:21 PM

2022-05-18T23:21:20-04:00

I mentioned this one before on a different post. There was a VERY attractive female Drill Sergeant in BCT at Fort Sill that I liked. I think she knew it, too. Because she often went out of her way to walk by me most days. This particular day, I saw her walk past and forgetting where I was, I said out loud, "DAMN! You got ASS, Drill Sergeant!" The bad news is that I was yanked out of line and didn't eat until dinner chow that day because I was having a one-on-one smoke session with her. She even had me singing her love songs and s*** while getting smoked! The good news is that my voice didn't falter the entire time. It was painful, but I feel like it was worth it!

Response by 1SG James Kelly made Jun 23 at 2022 8:03 AM

2022-06-23T08:03:21-04:00

19Z5M, why walk when you can ride; and carry more beer.

Response by Sgt Cullen Smith made Jun 24 at 2022 6:47 PM

2022-06-24T18:47:14-04:00

My TI told me, "Smith, you always look sad or pissed off. Which one is it?" My reply: "Neither Sir, just stoned."

I had joined the Mississippi Air National Guard in 1980. The year before I had an accident involving heavy equipment which injured my back. Despite me telling them this, they passed me through on my physical because I was going into the guard (I guess, times were very different back then.)

So, I spent Basic Training on pain pills, had a medical waiver so didn't have to do PT every day. Didn't have to run or do push-ups, etc. They allowed me to walk the mile instead of run it - which I passed. Also passed the Obstacle Course.

TI told me I was lucky to join the guard because the regular USAF would not have let me in.

BUT

One and half years later the KKK members in my unit gave me an option: Get a Dishonorable Discharge or join the Regular AF. I chose the latter.

Response by GySgt Jack Wallace made Jun 26 at 2022 3:34 PM

2022-06-26T15:34:27-04:00

Same story Cpl. Martuneau, as me. But as Luck would have it, my first mos assignment was logistics 0441 and then I changed to the 5811 military police field. I was very grateful. Semper Fi Marine.

Response by PO2 Joan MacNeill made Jul 3 at 2022 1:11 AM

2022-07-03T01:11:53-04:00

So, there was this recruit whose DI saw him as the essential Gomer Pyle, couldn't do ANYTHING right. DI was always in his face going on about something. He was aware that he was making the recruit miserable. One day he said "AIR-WASTER, I BET YOU CAN'T WAIT 'TIL I DIE, SO YOU CAN PISS ON MY GRAVE!" Gomer said: "SIR! WHEN I GET OUT OF THIS ARMY, I'M NEVER GOING TO STAND IN LINE AGAIN!"

Response by Sgt Ed Allen made Jul 6 at 2022 2:04 PM

2022-07-06T14:04:15-04:00

Whether we were doing drill, PT, or studying. One of my drill instructors, Sgt Martin, determined that we were not working as a team like we should, they would make up sing one of two songs. Both were the same, just changing the work Pepsi to Twinkie.
"A Pepsi for you a Pepsi for me, shall we never disagree. If we do, the hell with you, just give the Pepsi to me."
In one of my letters home to my girlfriend, I mentioned this song. As a result, when graduation took place, we presented Sgt Martin with both, a Pepsi and a Twinkie.
Attached is a picture of him receiving his gift.

Response by SPC Edgar Jordan made Jul 6 at 2022 11:52 PM

2022-07-06T23:52:16-04:00

I took my basic training at Fort Jackson SC my Drill Sergeant was Drill Sergeant Brown we were going through our final PT test and I ran a mile in 4 minutes and he told me like Hilter said "If you let a monkey out of a cage he will run like hell"

Response by SSG Edward Mcghee made Aug 13 at 2022 8:03 PM

2022-08-13T20:03:25-04:00

I went to basic training in 1991, at Fort Sill, Ok. Home of the Field Artillery. Had to go home on Emergency leave shortly after AIT started. Everyone from the C.O. on down was awesome. When I returned to Fort Sill, my Platoon Sgt. Drill Sgt. Frazier took me into his office and offered me 2 options I could try to finish AIT with the platoon or be recycled, no problem either way. I opted to try and catch up on what I missed out on and graduate with my platoon. Fortunately learning artillery wasn't so bad and I did graduate. Towards the end my Drill Sgt. took me in his office once again and told me my mom had been calling down to Fort Sill to check on me and told me not to tell her he told me lol. I was 18 years old at the time and 30 years later I still remember my Drill Sgt's and am proud to have been able to learn from them and consider myself to be very fortunate to get to see both sides the trainer and the human being they can be. I am sure that what they did for me helped to shape the soldier and the man I turned in to along with a lot of other people.

Response by TSgt David Olson made Aug 18 at 2022 10:08 PM

2022-08-18T22:08:11-04:00

I did my Army basic in a Missouri army post, circa 1963. My platoon DI was SSGT. G, a Korea war combat veteran, infantry, C.I.B., and tough as nails. One day we had just finished noon chow, and were standing in formation. Our D.I. decided to do a spot inspection. When he got to me, I kept the eyes straight ahead. The next thing I knew, boom, he punches me right in the stomach. He said, “do not throw up on my boots”. I remained standing at attention, no I did not throw up my lunch. I think I earned a little of his respect that day. He definitely made a lasting impression on me that I remember to this day.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 31 at 2022 4:12 PM

2022-08-31T16:12:42-04:00

(Air Force Story) Sometime in July 1992, 10 of us were having a party in the common room when the Drill Instructor wasn't there. It was the 3rd week in and it so happened there was a guy that got recycled in our flight and 9 others locked the door so the sister flight wouldn't be able to open the door. We brought food, drinks and candy bars we hid/gathered and all sat in a circle and started telling stories of what we got away with. Little did we know the drill instructor from the sister flights ear was listening in...so nearing 3pm or so, the instructor flung open our main door and caught us (there was about 10 of us). He was cussing and yelling and we were ordered to get in formation downstairs.
DI : (talking into our faces bumping his hat on our foreheads) who's stupid lame idea was it to get this party going? (as he went down the first row of us. Who gave you the Fu@##%g permission to act like a bunch of wild idiots?
US : (10 of us): it was mine we said around the same time
DI : Well guess what you idiots, you just earned yourself a prize, pick a number from 1-10...he started going down the line.
US: one said, Sir 3 Sir!
DI : your being recycled 3 weeks idiot, get your F*&@g a$$ out of here and grab your s$it and form up in front of the head shed.
US: one said, Sir 2 Sir!
DI : pick another number dip$hit!
US: Sir 4 Sir!
DI : smart a$$, get your $hit out of here and form up!
DI : Idiot Flores, pick a number!
ME : Sir 0 Sir!
DI : Puts the brim of his hat in my forehead - Flores are you some special kind of idiot? Pick another number dipsh$t!
Me : Sir, 0 Sir!
DI : Flores what the F&#k is wrong with you (bumping his hat into my head) didn't you hear me, I'm going to shove my boot so far up your a$$, I"ll kick your mom in the cu$t, pick another F&cking number jacka$$!!
Me : Sir, 0 Sir!
DI : Fallout!, Flores stay the F*ck where you are, don't bat a f&cking eyelash
Me: Sir yes Sir!
DI : Left and came back with 5 other DI's - Flores get your a$$ on the ground and give me 50!
Other DI's, yelling obscenities at me, putting their boot under my mouth, boots pushing my butt down etc as I did my 50...
Me: Sir yes Sir! One Sir...Two Sir...Three Sir....Fifty Sir!
DI : Get your a$$ up and form up, what number do you have in mind now idiot Flores!
Me : Sir 0 Sir!
DI : left with the other DI's
Me : Standing at attention (getting dark out ready for chow)
DI : Bringing the flight down for dinner
Me : standing at attention
DI : Flight form up for dinner, Flores, stay the f&ck there!
Me : Still standing at attention, Sir yes Sir!
Chow's over, Taps playing
Me: Standing at attention
DI : 11:30pm - Flores, really what the F&ck is wrong with you (in a soft voice bumping his hat on my head?
Me : Sir, can I speak frankly Sir!
DI : Yes idiot Flores, go ahead
Me : Sir I don't want to be recycled Sir!
DI : Flores, your are damn F*cking lucky I like your hood a$$...get your special idiot a$$ upstairs.
Me : Sir yes Sir!

Luckily he let someone gather chow for me, as I came in the dorm, the watchman gave me some food in a container. I ate in the dark, didn't talk to anyone and had a good sleep. The next day we woke up to a party of mattresses being ejected out of the emergency door on the formation pads downstairs, what was left of the 10 of us, we were picking mattresses up and cleaning the entire dorm for the rest of the day because we hid food and snacks. We nor anyone in the flight ever did anything like that again. I was really was scared $hitless...and didn't want to be recycled ever again. When we graduated, the DI told this story to my mom...he was laughing with her and he said, Flores, I saw something special in you, you will go far in the Air Force.

- Ret (24 years) MSgt Flores

Response by SPC William Anderson made Sep 5 at 2022 2:01 PM

2022-09-05T14:01:28-04:00

I was in basic in Ft. Bliss for Air Defense in 1984 and we had a one day off of course we could not go anywhere we had to stay in the barracks. So someone had the bright idea to order pizza's. Of course when the pizza's arrived guess who arrived also the Drill Sergeants. So the Drill Sergeants had pizza and we did push up's and PT for the next two hours. Man that pizza looked so good too bad we did not get any. The drill sergeants sure had a good meal. Back to the chow hall for us.

Response by SSG Eric Blue made Nov 9 at 2022 11:28 PM

2022-11-09T23:28:48-05:00

Gosh, so many good stories! One of the worst ones was about week 4 in basic training. By now, friendships and relationships have been established. Since we were co-ed at Sill, some of the male & female trainees were already having sex with each other. So lots of notes about meet-up times were getting passed around. I wasn't lucky enough to get sex in basic like almost every other dude in my battery. But somehow, I was believed to be the mack daddy of the mack daddies and I was slanging Wang to every female in my battery & I was suspected of having all kinds of love notes and contraband in my wall locker. So during the health & welfare inspection, everyone got inspected! They only checked a few things with most everyone else, but they tore through everything I had! They even checked the ceiling tiles above my wall locker! The only thing that they DIDN'T do was give me a goddamn cavity search! But they couldn't find anything to incriminate me. Funny thing is that the story got out and THEN the female trainees started trying to get with me!

Response by SGT Katherine Iwatiw Menges made Dec 5 at 2022 1:23 PM

2022-12-05T13:23:38-05:00

I was in boot camp or basic training in 1984 in Ft Dix NJ. At enlistment, I had reached five feet tall standing straight. My Drill Instructor wearing her DI hat was shorter than I was. Standing straight, I could look over the top of her hat. Didn't take more than two days to realize this woman could kick mine and anyone else's butt without breaking a sweat. She exhumed power and control, and for that, I began to believe I would fit in with the Army. She inspired me that in a world designed for taller statues, the Army offered a comfortable place to call home, and so I stayed for ten years.