In the Marine Corps are there such things as Junior Drill Instructors or Assistant Drill Instructors?

David Hunt — Sun, 03 Jun 2018 17:07:34 -0400

Or after passing Drill Instructor School are all graduates full-fledged Drill Instructors?

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 3 at 2018 5:32 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 03 Jun 2018 17:32:22 -0400

David Hunt We had three Drill Instructors. A Staff Sergeant who was the Platoon Commander, a Staff Sergeant Drill Instructor, and a Corporal Drill Instructor. All Drill Instructors have passed DI School. What is your interest?

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Profile of Marine Corps Drill Instructor Duty

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Response by MSgt George Cater made Jun 3 at 2018 9:04 PM

MSgt George Cater — Sun, 03 Jun 2018 21:04:21 -0400

(Traditionally), PISC had Senior Drill Instructors (SDIs), black belt, as the NCOIC of each platoon. Their rank could range from Sgt to Gunny, depending on the total DIs in the company. Each SDI had 2, occasionally 3, Assistant Drill Instructors (ADIs), green pistol belt with waist plate). Usually the “4th hat” was a recent graduate of DI School.
San Diego staffed recruit platoons the same, but called the NCOIC position Platoon Commander and the others Junior Drill Instructors (JDIs). Of course recruits NEVER used the assistant or junior terms. It is DI, SDI, or Plt Cmdr.

This may be out of date and both coasts may use the same terms now. I noticed in recent pics that MCRD SD stopped using “thumper straps” on their campaign hats (meant only for officers) and now use the single enlisted ‘foul weather strap’. Never could figure why they did it differently in the first place, but local tradition can get entrenched.
BTW, every grad of DI School is a full DI, the rest is seniority and duty billet title.

Response by CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 4 at 2018 6:31 AM

CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 04 Jun 2018 06:31:07 -0400

SDI and crew of DIs. They move up through billets with time on duty.

Response by MSgt Gerald Orvis made Jun 4 at 2018 1:53 PM

MSgt Gerald Orvis — Mon, 04 Jun 2018 13:53:39 -0400

When I was on the drill field at MCRD San Diego back in the late '70s, the most senior drill instructor of a recruit platoon was called the Senior Drill Instructor, and his assistants were called Drill Instructors. Usually (but not always) there were two assistant DIs to a platoon. Each DI had a role: One DI was the "hammer" (hard-ass disciplinarian), one was the "teacher" (who taught a lot of the ad hoc classes and who could be a hard-ass disciplinarian when necessary) and the SDI was the "Daddy" who could play it any number of ways with his recruits. Once a Marine graduated from DI School, he started out as an assistant Drill Instructor and gradually (and if he was good enough) worked his way up to Senior Drill Instructor (with the black garrison belt), or maybe Series Gunnery Sergeant on the Series Commander's staff. A few even made it up to Battalion Drill Master (especially if they had prior tours as a DI). There was no guarantee that a first-time DI would make SDI in a two year tour on the drill field - it all depended on merit and time served as a DI.

Response by CWO4 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 4 at 2018 3:32 PM

CWO4 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 04 Jun 2018 15:32:48 -0400

Once Marines graduate from drill instructor school they are DIs and will hold the additional MOS of 0911. The titles and billets denote experience and responsibilities. Some of the terminologies will change depending on era, culture, etc. I served as a DI at PISC from 2008 to 2011. The SDI leads his or her team of DIs and wears a black belt that distinguishes him or her from the others (their belts are green). This person is addressed as SDI GySgt/SSgt/Sgt LName and is "assisted in his or her duties" by the other DIs. We referred to the second DI (the "heavy") as the experienced DI. All other DIs, third and below, were sometimes referred to as junior DIs. EDIs and JDIs are addressed as DI GySgt/SSgt/Sgt LName. Also, during my time, series GySgt was officially changed to chief DI. The chief doesn't wear a belt and is addressed as CDI GySgt/SSgt LName.

Response by SSgt Kurtis Bock made Jul 6 at 2018 5:52 AM

SSgt Kurtis Bock — Fri, 06 Jul 2018 05:52:42 -0400

I was a Drill Instructor from 1995-1997 with Kilo Company 3rd Bn. and went through DI School at MCRD San Diego in 1994. At the time a new DI was called Bob Newhat and there was an "undefined" pecking order. We usually worked a 3-man team but occasionally four. Typical, at least at the time was the junior DI, strong J and senior. If on a four-man team the new hat or Bob Newhat was the fourth man.
This was 21 years ago the third hat was primarily the enforcer, the strong J the primary instructor drill, pract, etc. the senior primarily the "dad" someone the recruits could "relax" a little with but could bring the hammer, "don't piss off dad."
So at least at MCRD SDCA, we did use the term junior DI. I do not recall the term assistant.
Semper Fi!