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CSM William Payne
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Did it on the Reserve side and loved it. Was a Drill Sergeant, Senior Drill Sergeant, Drill Sergeant Leader, Senior Field, First Sergeant of a BCT Company, Command Sergeant Major of a BCT Battalion, Commandant of one of the former Army Reserve Drill Sergeant Schools, Brigade Sergeant Major with DSS, NCOES, CAS and GGSOC.

Then I went to Iraq to train the Iraqi Army while more of my Soldiers were training the Afghanistans how to run their Drill Sergeant School.
Returned to become the Command Sergeant Major of the 108th Training Command IET, with all of the Reserve's Drill Sergeant assets in two Reserve Divisions, the 98th at Fort Benning Georgia and the 95th in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, training at Jackson, Leonard Wood, formerly Knox, Benning and Sill.

Also had the 104th Division with ROTC instructors out of Joint Base Lewis-MCord, Washington.

We sent the first all female Drill Sergeant Company to Afghanistan to train the first class of female officer candidates for the Afghan Army.

Spent a lot of time training Soldiers over the years. It can be very rewarding if you are inclined to do that kind of work.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
8 y
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CSM William Payne roger that, first and foremost with the UTMOST RESPECT AND DIGNITY thank you for your duty to the Drill Sergeant Corps and to the Nation. I appreciate your introspective experience and response. Drill Sergeant Duty is what defined my career, even in RETIREMENT its the epitome. Long live the Drill Sergeants and the Hat/Badge that has inspired many to go the distance.
SSG Warren Swan LTC Stephen F. SFC William Farrell SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" CSM Charles Hayden
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CSM William Payne
CSM William Payne
8 y
Hooah! My Drill Sergeant, SFC Eugene McDaniel, D-13-4, Fort Knox, Kentucky, October - December 1973 also left a profound impact on me, one that I tried to imulate my entire Army Career. The good ones can have that effect as much as a bad drill sergeant can have the opposite effect. Thank you for your service. Are you a member of the United States Army Drill Sergeant Association?

https://www.facebook.com/The-United-States-Army-Drill-Sergeant-Association [login to see] 96768/
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SFC Combat Engineer
SFC (Join to see)
8 y
Wish it was like that these days. I can't get trail time at all. So I get a measley 2 weeks a year. It's frustrating as hell. Being a drill sergeant isn't a part time job.
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Sgt Joe LaBranche
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At 70 years of age I don't believe I have what it takes, SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM , DSL! When I was in the Corps I wanted to be a DI, but chose college football instead.
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LTC Stephen F.
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Edited 8 y ago
As they say I am over the hill SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL since I am almost 60 and am 80% disabled by VA standards.
These standards seem very reasonable for aspiring Drill Sergeants to meet.
[Update] I mentioned this in response to another discussion but it seems relevant"
in 1978 I served as an acting Drill Sergeant at Fort Dix for a BCT cycle while I was a cadet at West Point between my Sophomore [yearling] and Junior [Cow] years. While it was challenging to be responsible for a platoon of training soldiers a few years younger than me I could draw on my BCT and AIT experience at Fort Leonard Wood [Nov 74 to March 75] I had the platoon to myself for a few weeks while the assigned Drill Sergeants went to a competition.
From Feb 1985 to October 1986 I commanded A Company 9th Infantry Training Battalion at USAIT, Fort Benning where in addition to training infantry soldiers we hosted USAR infantry training battalions each summer and helped them master the skills they needed to maintain proficiency.
In 1987, I commanded the Training and Evaluation unit at USAITC, Fort Benning which consisted of about 68 senior NCOs who were all drill sergeant qualified. WE were responsible for administering the tests which every infantry trainee had to pass to be certified as infantrymen.

SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT SFC William Farrell
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
8 y
LTC Stephen F. thanks for the response, well said and articulately expressed.
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LTC Stephen F.
LTC Stephen F.
8 y
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL - You are very welcome. After I thought about I decided to include my drill sergeant and training experience.
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SSG William Jones
SSG William Jones
8 y
I was older than the entire Cadre when I got my hat and pumpkin patch. In my forties and about a year older than the senior drill as I recall. I'm now into my 69th year on planet earth but age notwithstanding, I'm a senior "sheepdog" these days.
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