Can any Drill Sergeants out there give an honest assessment of being a DS with a family?

Its tough long how and when you are off you just want to sleep! What was the key was my wife would bring my kids by so I could see them awake. Me and my battle would trade off and break out and try to eat lunch with or family. When I got off at night I always tried to give my wife at least an hour of time before I crashed. When I was off I always did something fun. This is important because if the quantity isn't there you need to have quality and make some good memories! My marriage made it but you have to make you family a priority just as you do your Soldiers!

It is tough duty Drill! The first month my kids were asking if I was in Iraq again. That should put it into perspective. Expect to be up before the family and get back home long after bed time. I have met many families that divorced or were on the brink of divorce. If you have marital issues before being on the trail... well... they won't get any better. You have to make sure you make big deposits in the Love Bank now! That way, when the Army says you have to withdraw, you won't be braking the bank.

The good thing is predictability. I was working hard but playing even harder. I planned some decked out mini vacations with the family every 10 weeks (if I could afford it). Some of them included Disney and visiting relatives.

The one thing many spouses hate; the FRG. Our FRG was STRONG!!! It definitely made a difference. It was nice to come back to a full breakfast in the company day room with all the families coming together at 0300, all shortly after the final FTX and 10 mile road march. Trainees hardly ever saw family members, but they were there, specially when they were marching in at 0300 and they were there to cheer them on. They appreciated it. It also showed them how the Family should be integrated into the Army lifestyle. Sadly not all FRGs worked like that. I did enjoyed having family members coming together IOT decorate some cookies for valentines day; that was neat.

If you and your family make it together, you will only be stronger, wiser, and more resilient. My kids took pride in what I did. My wife knew that under the hat I was supposed to be the meanest son of a gun under the sun; that is why I was not allowed to bring the hat into the house... literally. They knew and understood that The People of the US have untrusted us with their most valuable asset; their sons and daughters. My family understood that our sacrifices and efforts helped shape the future of our nation. I made sure they knew their tears at night were not in vain; you have to make sure they know it too.

It is tough duty Drill!!! but not impossible!

It was a long 3 years, the first year was the worst..
It literally revolved around me leaving home hours before they got up, and coming home hours after "dinner" time. Many nights I fell asleep at the table in front of a plate of cold of food, my wife would wake me up and off to bed I went.
Next 2 years were better as I had learned a self preservation rhythm and sustainability.. To include family visits at work, daddy day care while doing TA-50 layouts and more.
Of course this was all in Mid 90's, when there were no restricted training hours, you trained or works from when ever needed to when ever done. Those were the days of DS doing ALL of the training, we also owned our own gear....for an entire platoon.. accountability, maintenance exchange. We did our own barracks maintenance like retiling the barracks floor, and painting. ..because if we did not do it, it was not getting done, and it had to be done. We were both short handed, most platoons only having 2 of 3 DS authorized ..and of course we were the first Gender Integrated units,,so we were dealing with that as well.

Bottom line,,,,,, MAKE TIME for the family, find it in bits and pieces, a 10 min visit is better then not seeing them for three days. If your Chain of command is worth a damn, they will work at keeping thier DS's happy... Happy DS's keep thier junk in thier pants (male and female junk), they don't act out in frustration or anger....and all of that makes the CofC easier and happier.