Drill instructor

US Marines drill instructor

A drill instructor is a non-commissioned officer in the armed forces with specific duties that vary by country. In the U.S. armed forces, they are assigned the duty of initiating new recruits entering the military into the customs and practices of military life. In the U.S. (in the Air Force, particularly) they may also be known as military training instructors. Outside of the U.S., they are assigned the duty of instructing recruits in drill commands only.

U.S. Armed Forces

Drill instructors are held responsible for the welfare, behavior, and military education of the recruits assigned to them on a 24-hour basis throughout the period of initial training, known as boot camp. The responsibilities include areas such as military discipline, physical fitness, and weapons training.

The rank held by drill instructors varies by branch:

• Drill instructors in the United States Marine Corps normally hold the rank of sergeant (E-5) through gunnery sergeant (E-7).
• Drill sergeants in the United States Army are staff sergeant (E-6) or sergeant first class (E-7). There are some sergeants (E-5), but they are few in number.

• Military training instructors in the United States Air Force are generally staff sergeants (E-5) through master sergeants (E-7), though some hold the rank of senior airman (E-4).
• Company commanders in the United States Coast Guard are Petty Officer Third Class (E-4) through Master Chief Petty Officer (E-9).
• Recruit division commanders (formerly Company commanders) in the United States Navy are Petty Officers Second Class (E-5) through Senior Chief Petty Officer (E-8). U.S. Navy officer training includes a Marine Corps Staff Sergeant (E-6) or Gunnery Sergeant (E-7) drill instructor, a Chief Petty Officer, and a Class Officer (typically an O-3).

The arduous nature of drill instructor duty means that such assignments are among the most prestigious carried out by enlisted personnel. Those who become drill instructors are eligible for a variety of military awards, such as the Drill Instructor Ribbon, and are also entitled to wear the Drill Sergeant Identification Badge.

U.S. Marine Corps

In the U.S. Marine Corps, candidates for Drill Instructor (DI) are without exception volunteers. The tour of duty is three years and is widely regarded as one of the most intense and demanding duties in the U.S. Armed Forces. Candidates report to either Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego in California, or to Parris Island in South Carolina, where they are assigned to Drill Instructor School. Service as a Drill Instructor is considered a "B" billet in the Marine Corps, which is factored into consideration of a Marine's eligibility for promotion. A Marine assigned to DI School must be of at least Sergeant (E-5) rank or Corporal (E-4) on track to promotion to Sergeant by completion of the school.

The school requires instructor candidates to complete every task recruits are required to do. Training day usually starts around 5:30 a.m. (0530 hours in military time) and ends around 5:30 p.m. (1730 hours), with specific training evolutions and end-of-day cleanups that require even longer days. At the end of each day, DI School students have to practice effective time management in studying for exams, practicing drill, rehearsing teaching drill movements verbatim, preparing uniforms, all while still making time for intense physical training.

Physical training as a unit is conducted at least three times a week, with each session lasting at least two hours. In addition to warming up and stretching, students complete the "DI Playground," a circuit course that focuses on enhancing upper body strength. A drill instructor is required to often spend up to 20 hours a day on his or her feet and move fast at all times, various running sessions are conducted to enhance speed and endurance. Students are led by their squad instructors in ability group runs, gradually increasing distance and speed throughout the course, track workouts, formations runs, and fartlek runs. Drill is a crucial part of the Drill Instructor School curriculum.

Every student is evaluated, corrected, and mentored continuously, with special attention paid to even the smallest of details, such as the placement of a finger within 1/4 inch, angle of the weapon, and positioning of the student in relation to the unit. Required knowledge is constantly taught and evaluated in the form of written exams, practical applications, and inspections. Uniforms are inspected daily, with surprise inspections conducted randomly in addition to the scheduled inspections. The drill instructor is expected to convey the perfect Marine Corps image and conduct which every recruit should strive to emulate.

Upon completion of Drill Instructor School, drill instructors are assigned to Recruit Training Battalions as junior members ("third hats", "kill hats" or "bulldogs") of drill instructor teams. His or her job consists of constant corrections, dispensing punitive "Incentive Training" (IT), and keeping unremitting pressure on recruits to pay attention to details. He or she also teaches and reinforces academic knowledge to recruits. It is his or her duty to command the recruit platoon for initial drill evaluation, in which, in addition to the platoon receiving a score, the Drill Instructor is evaluated as well.

After completing a few 13-week cycles, the drill instructor is moved up to the position of Experienced Drill Instructor (EDI), also called the "heavy", "drill hat", or "J-hat". He or she is primarily responsible for teaching drill as well as various other military skills. The "J" is distinguished by notched brass bands on his duty belt.

The next step in a drill instructor career is Senior Drill Instructor. Senior drill instructors hold a respected position which is distinguished by the wearing of a black sword belt instead of a green duty belt. A senior drill instructor is ultimately responsible for the training of the platoon and for the efficiency of his or her assistant drill instructors. Although Senior Drill Instructors are senior NCOs or Staff NCOs, their position in the recruit training platoon is similar to that of a Commissioned Officer Platoon Commander in a line platoon. As such, they are further set apart from "junior" drill instructors.

After completing a number of cycles, drill instructors are often assigned to (Support Battalion) duties outside of recruit-training platoons. Such assignments are referred to as quotas, and include jobs as academic instructors, martial arts instructors, water survival instructors, and warrior training instructors.

Many drill instructors choose to do a second tour of duty on the drill field. These volunteers still report to Drill Instructor School, but are referred to as course challengers, and are only required to complete a short refresher course. Second- and third-tour drill instructors, based on rank and experience, are usually assigned as series gunnery sergeants, company first sergeants, or battalion sergeants major.

U.S. Marine Corps Drill Instructors are never to be referred to as 'Drill Sergeants,' which is strictly an Army term. The only acceptable address of a drill instructor by a recruit is "Sir." An exception this is Officer Candidate School, where the instructors are referred to as "Sergeant Instructors" proceeded by their rank and name. For example, Marine Corps Officer Candidates would address Gunnery Sergeant Jones as "Sergeant Instructor Gunnery Sergeant Jones".

U.S. Army

A drill sergeant drills recruits in the U.S. Army.

In the U.S. Army, soldiers of appropriate rank (usually staff sergeants although sergeants and sergeants first class are eligible as well) may volunteer or be centrally selected by the U.S. Army Human Resources Command to attend Drill Sergeant School. Those centrally selected are known as "DA Selects" meaning Department of the Army selected. Drill Sergeant School is nine weeks long and consists of the exact same activities as basic training; drill and ceremony, basic rifle marksmanship, obstacle/confidence courses, and field training exercises. The prospective drill sergeants are treated just like new recruits. In some cases a student may find himself being yelled at and ordered around by a soldier of lesser rank. This is quite a change from the respect normally paid to a staff sergeant or sergeant first class.

A U.S. Army drill sergeant's normal tour of duty (called being "on the trail") is two years with a possible one-year extension. Drill sergeants may be assigned to units that conduct Basic Combat Training (BCT), One-Station Unit Training (OSUT), or Advanced Individual Training (AIT). BCT lasts nine weeks so BCT drill sergeants train approximately 11 cycles during their two year tours. OSUT drill sergeants train soldiers for nine weeks of Basic Training and a number of weeks depending on the MOS the drill sergeant trains, so the number of cycles is less. AIT drill sergeants are assigned to the Army's technical schools and train soldiers for varying lengths of time depending on the length of the school. The breaks between cycles are extremely short; a cycle will usually graduate on a Thursday or Friday with new recruits arriving the following Monday or Tuesday. Due to the recent changes in basic training, the army is trying to remove drill sergeants from AIT and replace them with regular noncommissioned officers. This would free up drill sergeants for basic.

Like Marine Drill Instructors, Army Drill Sergeants can attain the position of Senior Drill Instructor, unto which ultimate responsibility for all training platoons is entrusted, as he is the first-line NCOIC Non Commissioned Officer In Charge of the company Drill Sergeant Cadre.

Successful completion of drill sergeant duty greatly enhances opportunities for promotion. Many of the U.S. Army's most senior noncommissioned officers were drill sergeants earlier in their careers.

U.S. Air Force

Air Force Military Training Instructors are non-commissioned officers ranging from Senior Airman(E-4) thru Master Sergeant(E-7) They are trained at Lackland AFB near San Antonio Texas. MTIs are commonly identified by the AF blue campaign hat, heavily starched uniforms, high-gloss Maurader boots with heel taps and the Air Education and Training Command Instructor Cookie badge on the right side of the BDU shirt. MTIs who are in the top 10% of their ranks are awarded with a blue rope. These master instructors often evaluate the trainees and MTI ranks during tests.

Popular culture

Drill instructors have a reputation as unforgiving taskmasters, and they are often portrayed as such in popular culture. Among the definitive fictional portrayals are Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in the film Full Metal Jacket, played by R. Lee Ermey, himself a retired Marine drill instructor, and Louis Gossett, Jr.'s portrayal of Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley in An Officer and a Gentleman. Other portrayals include Jack Webb (himself a former Marine) in the 1957 film The D.I., Darren McGavin who starred opposite Jan-Michael Vincent in the 1970 television film Tribes.

The terms drill sergeant and drill instructor is often used for an employer in any occupation who sets strict tasks and guidelines and is tough on those who do not comply.

Drill Instructor's Creed

See Also Drill Instructor Creed

In many military services, a Drill Instructors' creed has been created to succinctly state the beliefs that a Drill Instructor should follow.

United States Army

The Drill Sergeant Creed of the United States Army is:

"I am a Drill Sergeant

I will assist each individual in their efforts to become a highly motivated, well disciplined, physically and mentally fit soldier, capable of defeating any enemy on today’s modern battlefield.

I will instill pride in all I train. Pride in self, in the Army, and in Country.

I will insist that each Soldier meets and maintains the Army standards of military bearing and courtesy, consistent with the highest traditions of the U.S. Army.

I will lead by example, never requiring a Soldier to attempt any task I would not do myself.

But first, last, and always, I am an American Soldier - Sworn to defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, both foreign and domestic.

I am a Drill Sergeant"

United State Marine Corps

The Drill Instructor Creed of the United States Marine Corps is:

"These recruits are entrusted to my care.

I will train them to the best of my ability.

I will develop them into smartly disciplined, physically fit, basically trained Marines, thoroughly indoctrinated in love of Corps and country.

I will demand of them, and demonstrate by my own example, the highest standards of personal conduct, morality and professional skill."

External links

• "Drill Instructor School MCRD, San Diego". United States Marine Corps. Retrieved 2007-04-24.