

In the end, drill sergeants are instantly recognizable.

Army recruits deserve to learn from the best. They will have to become the best, because U.S. When NCOs are selected to attend Drill Sergeant Academy, they know they'll have to be able to teach new recruits the proper way to do absolutely everything in the Army, from making a bed, to wearing a uniform, to firing a rifle. They know that when they receive their drill sergeant hat, they'll have the ultimate job, being a role model, and they take it very seriously.Įarning the drill sergeant's hat is not easy. They receive top notch training from their drill sergeant instructors because they'll soon be expected to deliver great training.įor many candidates, becoming a drill sergeant is a "military dream." It means they have proven themselves again and again-so much so that they're entrusted with training new Soldiers. The Academy's curriculum mimics Basic Combat Training, week for week, because Candidates must be experts in all facets of BCT to train recruits. NCOs who attend Drill Sergeant Academy are called drill sergeant candidates. Drill sergeants teach new recruits every aspect of Basic Combat Training, which means they have the great responsibility of shaping civilians into the best Soldiers in the world. Only the most qualified NCOs are chosen to attend Drill Sergeant Academy, where they are trained to fulfill a role of utmost importance. One of the highest honors for a noncommissioned officer is a spot in Drill Sergeant Academy. What you do for them will impact them for the rest of their lives! The Making of a Drill Sergeant It is up to you to provide a positive and rewarding experience as these young Soldiers begin their journey in the Army. Just as you will always remember your drill sergeant, so will your Soldiers. Being a drill sergeant is one of the most demanding and difficult jobs in our Army, it is also one of the most rewarding. As a drill sergeant, you are all that your Soldiers know of the Army and they emulate everything you do. When Contreras didn't return by 2 p.m., Fort Jackson started a massive search, calling in local and state law-enforcement officers to help, Farrell said.A drill sergeant is a symbol of excellence in initial entry training, an expert in all warrior tasks and battle drills, lives the Army values, exemplifies the warrior ethos, and most importantly- is the epitome of the Army as a profession.Īs a drill sergeant you are responsible for coaching, counseling, and mentoring of hundreds, if not thousands, of Soldiers as you transform them from a civilian to a combat-ready Soldier.Ī typical day as a drill sergeant starts before dawn and you are with your Soldiers until it is time for lights out. The course is supposed to last from 10 a.m. On Monday, more than 90 drill sergeant trainees were sent on individual missions, Army officials said.

Land navigation training involves using maps, compasses and other tools to find certain locations in a 2.3-square mile (607 hectare) grid.Ĭontreras had taking a training course with a buddy Friday. "We are providing support to both his family and his teammates and we will continue to do so," Kelly said. "We do not know the cause of his deviation, if any, on the course or his cause of death," Kelly said at a Wednesday news conference.Ĭontreras was a member of the 82nd Airborne Division and lived in Las Vegas, Kelly said. Jason Kelly, Fort Jackson's commander, released few details about what may have happened to Contreras, saying the investigation has just started. John Farrell, the director of Emergency Services at the Army's largest training base.īrig. Jaime Contreras nearly 11 hours after he was supposed to have completed the three-hour course Monday at Fort Jackson near Columbia.Ĭontreras was only about 50 meters (164 feet) off the course “but that is very unforgiving terrain,” said Maj. A 40-year-old Army staff sergeant training to be a drill sergeant was found dead after failing to return from a land navigation course at a South Carolina military base.
