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

Both of mine stick out. SSG Joseph S. "Antoine" Anthony and SGT Manuel "Manny" Leza.

I can remember once everyone started echoing my name. I ran back to the barracks and everybody said "Drill Sergeant Anthony wants you." I go upstairs, report, and he starts calling out names of family members of mine. "Do you know so and so..." I'm standing there with this confused look on my face thinking how deep do they dig into you. He finally started laughing and said, "you know why I'm asking you these questions? Because I'm your COUSIN!! NOW DROP AND BEAT YOUR FACE!!

Drill Sergeant Leza was quiet but a force to be reckoned with. Basic training for him and us took a serious turn when he came down on orders to go to Korea with us. We were a package platoon, and we realized then how serious shit was back then. Both of them were real stand up guys and I think about them often.

In 1972 my drill for my platoon was an E-7 with a black book of all the names of the recruites. After you got layed by one of his girls your name got checked off.
I made best trainee in basic, but refused to pay for that service to get my name checked off in his book. So he put me with a young beautiful teenage girl from Columbus, SC. For free so he could save face and mark me out of his book.
He taught me, it takes power to control the lives of others.
What you decide to do with that power, wether for good or evil is what decides your ultimate fate.

In 1972 my drill for my platoon was an E-7 with a black book of all the names of the recruites. After you got layed by one of his girls your name got checked off.
I made best trainee in basic, but refused to pay for that service to get my name checked off in his book. So he put me with a young beautiful teenage girl from Columbus, SC. For free so he could save face and mark me out of his book.
He taught me, it takes power to control the lives of others.
What you decide to do with that power, wether for good or evil is what decides your ultimate fate.

SSgt Lowe

I believe it was SRA Ambrose..I don't remember. I was in the 3703 BMTS..at least until the last week. I was wrongly accused of talking back to a flight leader, so I was assigned to a different squadron for my last week of basic. It turned out that the flight leader lied about it in the end. So much for integrity.

Had a drill Sergeant named SSG Flemming first introduced was a smoke session at ft still man told us to strip down. This guy mopped are floor with pine sol told us get in the front leaning rest our private parts was touching the damn floor we hollering because of the pine sol he said privates this is what an STD feels like. This man was white male didn’t give a flying fuck what your race or religion was told you what it is and that’s it. Always heard yea General Dempsey is the tradoc commander but he don’t give a fuck bout yall privates I’m god over here. bootcamp was fucked up. Lol years go by I see this same Ds got reduced in rank at the time at the px we was the same rank e5 in 2012 gave his ass the business. Only thing i truly learned from him was always get your point across

Tsgt Viltz, it's been over 40 years and I remember him. The swagger from a big black German fresh from Vietnam. Instructing a bunch of guys from Cleveland and Mississippi. Calling out the "tough" guys to put on the boxing gloves. I knew he wasn't allowed to hit any of us, but that didn't change my opinion of him. He had that swagger I carried with myself during my whole 20 year career, I'm 60 now and still walk with that attitude.

SSG Carter then he was promoted to SFC this was in June to Sept of 1976..seriously..it was not the Carter on Gomer Pyle but close..he did not really influences my compatriots nor me..Vietnam was just on the cool down phases or stand-downs they are now called..there were other D.I.'s, but they were there to be recognized not helping..seriously..my second boot camp not sure of his name but he was ok and better to influence for better

SFC Partlow. Fort Jackson 1988. Incredibly competent, professional, trainer, and leader. He rarely raised his voice, but he didn’t need to.

GySgt Andersen
SSgt Wadley
Sgt (SSgt Selectee) Minnefield

Platoon 2092

October 4, 1967 - December 13, 1967
MCRD San Diego