What are your favorite Drill Sergeant Memories?

2013-12-20T02:08:45-05:00

As a former Drill Sergeant (class 02-06 FT. Leonardwood, MO Oct-Dec 2005), I overcame one of my biggest worries" confidence to do a demanding duty", I asked myself a simple question; am I able to be a strong vibrant leader and be a Strong Drill Sergeant like my peers." The knowledge base is enormous as a cherry coming on the trail. The quality drills I had around me in C/2-47 IN " Charlie Rock" Fort Benning, GA ;made me a stronger and better leader for the rest of my time on the trail; by instilling traits of "lead by example" has been my foundation of success.

As a former Drill Sergeant (class 02-06 FT. Leonardwood, MO Oct-Dec 2005), I overcame one of my biggest worries" confidence to do a demanding duty", I asked myself a simple question; am I able to be a strong vibrant leader and be a Strong Drill Sergeant like my peers." The knowledge base is enormous as a cherry coming on the trail. The quality drills I had around me in C/2-47 IN " Charlie Rock" Fort Benning, GA ;made me a stronger and better leader for the rest of my time on the trail; by instilling traits of "lead by example" has been my foundation of success.to become the selfless leader.

I am today. BLUF....... the TRAIL was my best experience as an NCO, because it made me a better leader and its true in my opinion, you will always be held to higher standards because you were a Drill Sergeant at one time. Leadership will seek out Drill Sergeants, it does not stop after the trail, believe me. This goes far beyond the military its for life! What are your experiences Drill Sergeants and Former Drills?

Response by SGT William B. made Dec 20 at 2013 4:17 AM

2013-12-20T04:17:48-05:00

<p>SFC,<br></p><p>The only memories of my drill sergeants that I still have are from being able to turn coal into diamonds between my buttcheeks whenever I would go to parade rest as they'd walk by.</p>

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 16 at 2014 9:26 PM

2014-01-16T21:26:44-05:00

I had a Drill Sergeant that smoked like a chimney ( he was trying to hide it ) at least two packs a day and still ran pt in the morning with the "A" group (the fastest and longest). If I remember correctly his name was SSG Vanmeter.

Response by GySgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 17 at 2014 3:16 AM

2014-01-17T03:16:19-05:00

In equivalent, our Drill Instructor "Green Belt" had awakened the whole platoon about an hour after lights out.  He quietly told the platoon to dump out all of the foot lockers and mattresses into the middle of the floor.  The recruits hated this because the only thing we have that is ours is all the gear that is given to us within these foot lockers and when we had to mix our socks, skivvies, personal letters, uniforms, tooth brushes etc with the 80+ other recruits, you almost never get the same ones back.  It was a good method to strip everything that is yours and start from scratch again.  In this process of creating a tornado in the middle of the squad bay which is a sight to see with 80+ mattresses and gear piled up, the Drill Instructor paced up and down the squad bay.  He stepped on a tube of toothpaste that was part of the mess that ended up exploding shooting a stream of paste onto the backside of his Charlies from head to toe.  He did not notice it, but all the recruits did, and for the minutes he paced up and down the squad bay, everybody was standing in fear for when he would notice it.  Thank goodness nothing came about it, it would have been a fun night.   

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 18 at 2014 10:52 PM

2014-01-18T22:52:43-05:00

muahahah... in May1995 I had DS Berry, whom was missing his two front teeth and every time he was in your face yelling about something you were guaranteed to have some sunflower seeds stuck to your face... since he was always chewing on them. DS Berry was the shiza!

Response by SFC Wayne Robinson made Jan 18 at 2014 10:53 PM

2014-01-18T22:53:44-05:00

my most memorable occasion was during JROTC training.<br>The Senior cadet was a striking young lady who was having trouble firing her M16 rifle.<br>I without thought jumped into the pit and was instructing her on the rifle.<br>I caught the expression on her face and I immediately jumped out of the foxhole and dunked my campaign hat and me in the ice water.<br>my Company Commander came over and said, i have never seen a man jump straight up from the pit before and land on his feet and hit the dunk tank like you did.<br>Carry on Drill.<br>That was a lesson i learned the hard way.<br><br>

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 23 at 2014 2:35 PM

2014-01-23T14:35:44-05:00

Drill Sergeant: "Private did you buy my action figure at Wal-Mart?!"<div><br><div>Private: Stammering, "No Drill Sergeant!"</div><div><br></div><div>Drill Sergeant: "Then why are you playing with me?!</div></div>

Response by SSG Gordon Hill made Mar 21 at 2014 9:20 AM

2014-03-21T09:20:12-04:00

When I was a trainee back in 1985 at Ft Knox, our DS were above reproach, I remember one of my fellow trainess in my platoon who went to parade rest for the DS instead of saluteing the officer who was with DS. Do you ever hear of that happening in todays army.

Response by AN Wade Noble made Nov 18 at 2014 11:41 PM

2014-11-18T23:41:18-05:00

I made the couple of BIG mistakes one day when BTC Campbell (our Company Commander) decided to play his favorite game of "What I did to your Momma last night" with me. First mistake, I snickered. "YOU FIND SOMETHING F@#KING FUNNY NOBLE!?!". Second mistake, I answered "You wouldn't be saying that if you knew my Momma, SIR!". I have never PT'd so much in my life. It HURT, but was worth it. He never played that game again, and he never really got in my face again. He even gave me and three others a ride to the train station after we got out of bootcamp. He let me ride in the front and the others in the back of the pickup. He was a hard @$$, but a really good guy.

Response by 1SG Michael Blount made Feb 23 at 2015 10:25 AM

2015-02-23T10:25:53-05:00

The best thing about being a drill comes from my first Iraq deployment. While there, I found three (3) of my former IET Soldiers running fuel convoys from Basra to Fallujah (I was based in Fallujah at the time. All were in firefights, IED events, name it. However, EVERY LAST ONE of them made it home intact. That's when I knew what I did made a difference.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 29 at 2015 7:57 AM

2015-12-29T07:57:36-05:00

I always liked it when my drill sergeants would just huddle us up and the hat would come off. That's when advice and stories would come out. You NEVER forget your drill sergeants. I try to live up to them as much as possible.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 29 at 2015 8:28 AM

2015-12-29T08:28:16-05:00

I came down late one day with a few of my battle buddies. I'm pretty sure it was a Sunday. Our DS made us stand at the position of attention for 3 hours!! Every 15-20 minutes he would stick his head out and check on us. Of course today this would be considered abuse. I was NEVER late again.

Response by SGM Erik Marquez made Apr 29 at 2018 10:17 AM

2018-04-29T10:17:24-04:00

As a privet : we had been "misbehaving" and were caught by a DS not ours, he dropped us, and our enthusiasm at being beat on won over both the other DS and ours... The smoke session ended quickly and we went back to work.

As a DS: there are many, but one in particular.. A female SM refused to go down the tower, I was the "get um to do it DS" and was working the tower that day as usual, try as i might, she just could not overcome her fear. the tower was not "mandatory" though they were pressured to try.

After we were done with the company on the tower, forming up to march back to the company area.
The 1SG approached to tell us get um home for dinner meal, the one SM that had refused to go down the tower asked to try it again, 1SG said ok her and buddy could stay and come back in the company truck, the rest would march home for dinner.... She said that was not fair that she got a ride, could she walk back like her platoon????
The rest of the company without prompt started calling out to stay and "help her". Normally we would not have allowed the privets to "drive the Bus" But the day was about team building as much as personal achievement, so we told them, they can stay and support her, but when done , we were running back to the company area not marching........ to a person, they shouted "STAY< STAY< STAY" stay.... well ok then.

PVT Brock her buddy and I went up the tower, a DS and two SM went to belay.
Brock harnessed up, and hooked up with out pause and said she was going down the wall one way or another,,,,dont let her back down....., well ok then....
I counted to 3, and she stepped off and got in a perfect L, cleared hands, rope path confirmed and she was told go... two long bounds down and on the ground she was.....asking if she could do it again....lol
We formed up and started running home, only went about 1/8 miles as we were in boots.....but they did not know that and were raring to run the whole way...
It was a lively dinner meal, we let them enjoy the team building and accomplishment of their peer.

It was a good day.

Response by MSG David Johnson made Apr 29 at 2018 12:59 PM

2018-04-29T12:59:48-04:00

My Drill Sergeant was this big, red headed Arkansas Hick.
On the first night he said to us "You will forget your girlfriend, you will forget your mother, you will forget everyone's name but mine, My Name Is Sergeant First Class Cock-er-ell, You WILL Remember My Name til the Day You Die!"

I happened to run into him a number of years later as he was processing into the unit as the new 1SG as I was out processing. I didn't expect him to remember me, but I told him it was good to see him again, and thanked him for his help during OSUT.
It was partially due to his mentoring I decided to transfer to active duty from the reserves.

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 19 at 2019 10:29 AM

2019-01-19T10:29:52-05:00

I have to say my favorite memory was my drill SGT cussing out my identical twin sister in McDonald's, because he thought it was me wearing civilian clothes during graduation weekend.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 22 at 2019 1:00 AM

2019-03-22T01:00:42-04:00

When the px was out of green monster and DS had to buy blue monster....he would walk up and down the halls sipping the blue monster “it’s gonna be a bad privates,it’s gonna be a bad day” lots of shrimping and lots of wall sweat sessions

Response by LTC Gary Earls made Mar 22 at 2019 8:41 PM

2019-03-22T20:41:06-04:00

I was a young private in E-9-3 and in morning formation, my Drill Sergeant, Lee R. Little decided that I hadn't shaved close enough. He got out his pocket knife and proceeded to dry shave me. I didn't move. :-) When he was done I said, "Thank you, drill sergeant". He taught me a lot.

Response by PVT Mark Zehner made May 26 at 2019 6:42 PM

2019-05-26T18:42:56-04:00

Congratulations! I wouldn't have tried! Good for you!

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made May 26 at 2019 8:09 PM

2019-05-26T20:09:46-04:00

We had one with a heavy PR accent. He told us left flank march. Right down the line half went right and half went left.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made May 26 at 2019 8:12 PM

2019-05-26T20:12:58-04:00

MSG Dunn was a damn good man and a fine DI but his hand was crippled at some point in his past and he couldn't "extend and join" his fingers in a proper salute. It wasn't fair but we all snickered when he taught us to salute with his middle, ring, and pinkie fingers hooked. Still, we learned to salute properly and never mimicked his. We wouldn't dare...

Response by CW4 Craig Urban made Jun 10 at 2019 7:20 AM

2019-06-10T07:20:39-04:00

My best experience when I was a sp/4. Attended the 7th army NCO academy. My tac a SFC says urban you were number one. Well I was the boss as a sp/4. Made sp/5 the day I got back.

Response by Cpl Mark Gallant made Oct 29 at 2019 1:41 PM

2019-10-29T13:41:16-04:00

I was in a DS slot for 30 days in Nov 1980 in Ft Knox, I was a recruit in basic, a Marine Nam Vet. THE SFC WAS TAKEN OFF STATUS for 30 days for slapping a recruit. I was 2nd under a SSgt. This was the worst PLATOON in the company.
30 days later I have him back the BEST PLATOON in the company, when he came back he gave me the position of last man in 4th squad, and the PLATOON went downhill again. I am proud that as an E-3, I made 30 Army recruits be the best they could be in 30 days.

Response by CW4 John Snyder made Oct 30 at 2019 5:17 PM

2019-10-30T17:17:15-04:00

It's been 35 years since Basic, but thanks to DS SSG Anderson, Sgt Peterson and Sgt Dickerson. I became one of those awful lifers, made more friends than a Pine Tree has needles, served with and commanded some of the best damn soldiers in this mans Army; But by far is being smoked like a brisket in the cold, crisp Georgia winter mornings and being hit in the head (steel pot was on) by DS Anderson after accidentally hitting him in the chin with my steel pot.. He was a TALL man LOL

Response by PV2 Ronald Brown made Jan 4 at 2020 11:01 PM

2020-01-04T23:01:33-05:00

I am your mother your father your sister
Your brother and you hate your mother your father your sister your brother.

Response by SFC Ernest Thurston made Apr 25 at 2020 1:39 PM

2020-04-25T13:39:53-04:00

Two memories come to mind. One was of the welcome briefing given by my Sr Drill Sgt, SFC Brown when I was a private at Ft Jackson in 1974. He said, " You may have heard that there is "White Power" and you may have heard of "Black Power', but around here there is only one power, that is Brown Power that comes from me, Sergeant Brown. And then he said, "There are three things that you must learn to succeed here. One, Do what you are told. Two Do what you are told, and three G-d do what you are told.
The other memory I have comes from when I was a Drill Sergeant at Ft McClellan. I had a female trainee that was scared to death of me most of the time in the early part of Basic. She was a tiny blue-eyed blonde that didn't look like she ever should be in the Army. Every time I would approach her she would do what she was supposed to do and come to Parade Rest, but she would be shaking visibly. If I raised my voice to correct her about something she would start to tear up, but she still didn't break Parade Rest. Well, she made it through Basic and AIT just fine and gained a lot of confidence. When she graduated she got orders for Panama. Shortly after she got there was when we invaded Panama. I got a letter from here shortly after in which she thanked me for her training. She especially wanted to thank me for the training on the M60 MG. She said, "Can you believe it, they made me a sixty gunner on an HMMWV and gave me real bullets! So she got a combat patch and I didn't. Go figure.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 1 at 2020 2:09 PM

2020-05-01T14:09:24-04:00

The fastest guy in my PLT on the Confidence Course was injured, the second and third were sick with some bug that was going around so as #4 I got to represent the PLT. Toward the end, I was in second place and gaining when Drill SGT Freeman came running along of me to offer "words of encouragement" and to dig deep and yudda yudda yudda. I very briefly glanced over my left shoulder at him while he was shouting "PRIVATE ... ARE YOU HEARING ME!?!?" I guess he had the bug too as he started to go all Linda Blair on me and from about three feet away vomited his breakfast on my blouse. As a sympathetic vomiter, I returned fire in kind. I heard the guy behind me wretch and slide in the vomit contaminated mud. The first place guy turned and started to yak as the last place guy swang wide avoided us all and took the win.
The guy who was formally in the lead took 2nd place. I managed to stop throwing up long enough to come in 3rd. And the poor guy behind me was still spewing out last night's dinner. As I type this I am starting to gag thinking about that afternoon.

AFTERMATH:
Turns out Drill SGT Freeman had the bug (CQ Runner told us).
The injured fastest guy in my PLT on the Confidence Course was recycled.
For a short while afterward, the Drills referred to me as Private Puke, Private Vomit, or Barf Boy.

Response by SFC Tyrone Brown made May 7 at 2020 10:06 AM

2020-05-07T10:06:29-04:00

While performing muscle failure push ups in Basic Training in Fort Sill, OK 1990, I was resting on the ground and realized that I was resting on top of a fire ant hill. While maintaining my discipline and being afraid to say anything to the DS, I just laid there while my upper body became consumed with bites from the fire ants.

As the drill walked past, he paused and literally had to tell me to move away from the ant hill. Thank you drill sergeant for telling to do a move that would normally be a natural response to pain. Between dealing with you and the thousand bites of fire ants, I don't know which one would have been worse. How Ahh.