Can you be Long Tabbed as a Drill Sergeant?

2020-01-25T05:57:57-05:00

I'm looking at training up for selection and then hopefully passing SFAS. Say by some miracle I don't get dropped from Q-Course and I do pass, would I be able to volunteer for Drill School?

Response by SSG Dennis O'Connor made Jan 25 at 2020 6:55 AM

2020-01-25T06:55:05-05:00

Went through the school early 2010 and if I'm not mistaken we had a long tabber. So yes you could still be a DS

Response by MAJ Javier Rivera made Jan 25 at 2020 7:20 AM

2020-01-25T07:20:51-05:00

Yes you can. Unless it changed SF branch has an obligation to send folks to Ft. Benning IOT to be DS as part of the 18X program.

Response by MSG Dan Castaneda made Jan 25 at 2020 8:46 AM

2020-01-25T08:46:07-05:00

SF branch has a requirement to send SF NCOs to Drill Sergrant duty Ailey because of the 18X program. Since they train our SF babies we have to help in lame terms.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 25 at 2020 9:02 AM

2020-01-25T09:02:13-05:00

There were two SF drill sergeants in my OSUT company back in 2012.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 25 at 2020 9:40 AM

2020-01-25T09:40:24-05:00

Yes- but you’d probably spend some time operating first...

Response by 1SG Frank Boynton made Jan 25 at 2020 9:40 AM

2020-01-25T09:40:28-05:00

Back in 1981-83 my partner in Drill Sgt School was SF. We formed a life long friendship. He’d been asked to volunteer for the duty. I was the first person in my class to complete the course and John was the 2nd.

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Jan 25 at 2020 10:12 AM

2020-01-25T10:12:56-05:00

Highly unlikely, being accepted means just that. There is no value in sending you to DI school.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 25 at 2020 12:09 PM

2020-01-25T12:09:28-05:00

You could, but you won't want to. Once you pass the Q course, which will be one to two years long, you'll owe three years on a team, by regulation before you ETS. But by professional development model, you'll need four years of team time. After that you'll return to SWC to be an instructor. This is when you would be a drill if you chose, it's your force generating assignment. At that point you'll be a SFC and coming from a relatively unstructured and fluid environment. You will not want to go back through Basic Training, being treated like a private, and then looking forward to two straight years of back to back to back teaching brand new kids how to be Soldiers, many who don't even want to be there. Not when the other choice is going to SWC and working in a committee that you want to work on teaching a skill you enjoy teaching. The second choice is easier, more fun, and more in line with your career progression model. It's the same reason no one leaves SF and goes to the 75th, it's harder and doesn't help their career progression in any way.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 25 at 2020 12:46 PM

2020-01-25T12:46:23-05:00

Yes you can

Response by MSG Frank Kapaun made Jan 26 at 2020 2:16 PM

2020-01-26T14:16:41-05:00

Easy there Tiger! Save some hooah for the rest of us.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 30 at 2020 9:51 PM

2020-01-30T21:51:11-05:00

Apologies for the late reply; I had just returned from a field exercise/project site up in Susong. Thank you all for your insight to my questions!