Who was your Drill Sergeant/Drill Instructor in Basic Training?

I don't think you can ever forget your drill sergeant. Back in 1969 mine was SSG Engleman, Viet Nam veteran with the Big Red One. CIB, etc, etc. We were the last group to wear color rank insignia and patches on our OG107s. He had a pencil thin mustache with piercing blue eyes and carried a swagger stick. One bright Sunday morning, 3 trainees in my company fell out without their covers. As they are in the barracks recovering their head gear, Drill Sergeant Engleman drives up and gets out of his car with a big German Shepard. The Joes come out and he says "Get down and crawl green snakes!". When they started to low crawl the dog grabbed one by ankle and starts shaking him while he's screaming. DS Engleman says "Come here girl! Stay away from those green snakes!" and the dog was immediately by his side. The dog knew you didn't cross DS Engleman, as we knew also.

TSgt Fox - Lackland AFB- 8/76. She was a tall woman that never smiled once in 6 weeks. From day one, she had it in for four of us in our flight. It was no secret which four as we were the only blacks out of 50 Airman. Systematically, each one of us were set-back and removed from the flight but not until we had to pull more dorm guard duty and KP than any others. I was the last to get set-back and it happened on the final inspection right after our graduation program due to a microscopic hair on my shoe. My Mom & Grandma had flown to Texas to witness the latest family member achieve what the majority of the family had done (my grandson just went into the Army 2 weeks ago so the military branches continue!) only to get a call from me saying I had to stay an additional 2 weeks. It was because of TSgt Fox I began smoking (smoke free 12 years now) as only those that smoked tended to get more breaks while others cleaned the dorm. The biggest impact from TSgt Fox...my first introduction to racism.

1970 MCRD
Senior - SSgt Ward
SSgt Lewis
Sgt. Diaz
They all influenced me in one way or another. Diaz was the compassionate one but strict. Lewis was the mean SOB and Ward was a combination of the other two.

I was drafted into the Army in 1967. This is from my for-family-only autobiography:

I have almost no memory of my first day at basic training. Others have written about their first day: the barracks, the drill sergeants, the shouting, the confusion, the uniform issue, the pushups. I remember nothing. Except my drill sergeants.

No need to add I don’t remember their names. They were two Black NCOs who’d served as infantrymen in Vietnam, and nothing like the famous drill sergeant in “Full Metal Jacket.” I never heard, not once, either of them shout, hit, insult, or curse one of us.

The older drill sergeant was nearing 40, much too old to still be a Staff Sergeant. He’d likely been busted a few times and was hanging on for his 20-year retirement. Though lean and hard, his body was stiff and his face a constant scowl as he taught us drill and ceremonies, marching and marksmanship. Rumor had it he was from Philadelphia – inner city, not the suburbs – and would sooner cut us up than chew us out. We feared him in a visceral way, not knowing he couldn’t harm us without bringing a lot of unwanted attention on himself.

His junior partner was at least ten years younger, with an athlete’s grace, always relaxed. He took us through physical training, led us on our runs (neither he or his starched uniform breaking a sweat, while we recruits were puking), and demonstrated all the events on the obstacle course, making them look so easy we had confidence we could do them, too. We didn’t fear him as much as like him. We never got close enough to him to test it, but he was the “Good Cop.”

Between the two drill sergeants, we – let me speak for myself … I – enjoyed basic training. I wish I still had their names so I could go back and thank them (or by now, maybe their families) for starting me off so well.

1967 Ft. Gordon GA. SFC Patton Perfect name for DS

In 1979 SSgt Luis Garza was a diminutive fellow! His counterpart was about 6'6 to his 5'4. They served in the marines together in Viet Nam. They made it their mission to turn us into first class Airman whether or not we liked the tactics. There was a Mural of the Hulk painted on the Day Room wall! SSgt Garza all of 5'4" made it a point to tell us that he was The Hulk and would kick all of our asses if we didn't perform to his standards.

Good morning CSM Uhlig,
I recall going through the WTC course at Ft. Sill because I was prior service active duty Navy and as well as Inactive Navy Reserves. I don't recall My Drill Sergeants names. We had two assigned to Our company. One was a short Filipino and the other was a stocky African-American. I learned a lot from both of Them as I did know anything about the Army. I recall one funny moment was when We were in the barracks and there was a bad snow storm that day and most of the power had gone out throughout the post. So. We were stuck eating MRE for most of the day. I was new to the MRE world. I had to ask how do I warm up the stuff from the MRE. Funny part was I had no idea what the gum was for, all I knew that is was regular gum and that it was minty. So, another "Battle" gave Me His. An hour later My DS told what's it for. I paid for it later that day, when I was in the latrine for 30 minutes. Word of advice, Please stay away from that MRE gum.

In Basic at Fort Sill we had SFC Lefevre, who was both Canadian and a Vietnam Veteran. At Fort Benning we had SFC Wolfman, another Vietnam vet, who must have been about fifty years old, which was very old to a bunch of 18-20 year old recruits!

I remember him well. He told us many times he was a real soldier until he “got shot in the gd dmnd ass and as punishment they made me a Drill Seargent. ❤️

SFC Butler and SSG Eaves. Butler was a mountain of a man with a square Jae, looked like he came straight out of the movies the quintessential Drill Sergeant. SSG Eaves was a lean, staunch man who could run around the clock. He was his own man who stood his ground and worked his heart out. These two men both cared about what they did, this was reflected greatly in how the tore us down and rebuilt us into a team.

I ran into Butler sone 8 years later and he remembered me instantly.

Great men from two sides of the tracks.