“Everyone here has their own leadership style, but you learn to appreciate each of them because you can take some of that with you when you leave here for the trail,” said drill sergeant candidate SSG Christy Doby, Company A, 1st Bn., 28th Infantry Regiment at Fort Jackson. “The instruction is great because the instructors here make you pitch the class so you’re actually learning and relearning the subject. The training today is real-life.”
“The instructors let you make your mistakes here,” said Casey,” so you can feel confident when it’s your time to train new Soldiers.”
The confidence to be a drill sergeant and a mentor to other Solders has always been held in high regard, said Thomas. Many seek the position as a stepping stone in their military careers. Others choose the road to drill sergeant school to have their own personal effect on tomorrow’s Soldiers.
“If an NCO has the desire to become a drill sergeant, I recommend he do it,” said Williams. “It’s just another way for him to do his part in the war on terrorism. I remember when I was a junior Soldier, the first sergeant always picked the Soldier who wore a drill sergeant patch to conduct the day’s training.
Basic Qualifications
To qualify as a drill sergeant candidate, applicants must:
- Be graduates of the Basic NCO course
- Meet the height and weight criteria outlined in AR 600-9
- Have a minimum of four years continuous active service
- Be able to pass the Army Physical Fitness Test with no alternate events
- Have qualified with the M-16A2 within six months of submitting the application for the Drill Sergeant School
- Have a minimum GT score of 100 (which may be waived to 95)
- Must be in the rank of staff sergeant or sergeant first class, although a pilot program now accepts a limited number of sergeants.
