WEBVTT 00:00.640 --> 00:03.603 - [Interviewer] How long is the Drill Sergeant school? 00:03.603 --> 00:05.560 - The Drill Sergeant School is nine weeks, 00:05.560 --> 00:08.120 of training plus their report week. 00:08.120 --> 00:10.534 So it's really nine and a half weeks. 00:10.534 --> 00:12.430 - [Interviewer] And what happens, 00:12.430 --> 00:14.024 at Drill Sergeant school? 00:14.024 --> 00:15.280 - So Drill Sarge Sergeants, 00:15.280 --> 00:16.620 are going to come to Drill Sergeant School. 00:16.620 --> 00:18.370 They're gonna be taught everything, 00:18.370 --> 00:20.310 from fundamentals of Drill and Ceremony. 00:20.310 --> 00:22.190 They're gonna be taught physical weightiness training, 00:22.190 --> 00:23.690 how to execute it. 00:23.690 --> 00:25.210 They're gonna be taught how to run mortar tasked, 00:25.210 --> 00:27.740 battle drills, how to set up FTX lanes. 00:27.740 --> 00:28.590 They're gonna be taught, 00:28.590 --> 00:31.310 how to train civilians how to shoot. 00:31.310 --> 00:33.670 Everything that you need to know how to be a soldier, 00:33.670 --> 00:35.920 we're gonna teach them how to teach, 00:35.920 --> 00:40.540 and how to convert civilians into soldiers. 00:40.540 --> 00:42.900 - [Interviewer] Now it's one thing, 00:42.900 --> 00:45.900 to know all those tasks very well, 00:45.900 --> 00:50.510 but it's another maybe to be able to teach that. 00:50.510 --> 00:52.600 So I guess is that part of the challenge, 00:52.600 --> 00:54.500 of being a Drill Sergeant? 00:54.500 --> 00:57.593 - Yes, so the big thing is we teach them. 00:58.640 --> 01:00.620 We'll kind of bring them back, 01:00.620 --> 01:02.550 to the basics, we'll teach them. 01:02.550 --> 01:04.420 And after we've taught them, 01:04.420 --> 01:06.410 then we evaluate them on teaching. 01:06.410 --> 01:07.920 And we're not really just evaluating them, 01:07.920 --> 01:10.270 on their knowledge but we're also evaluating them, 01:10.270 --> 01:12.230 on their ability to teach someone, 01:12.230 --> 01:14.933 that know nothing about what we do in the Army. 01:16.206 --> 01:18.120 That's why we're here with at least one year experience. 01:18.120 --> 01:20.560 We know what it takes to teach a civilian, 01:20.560 --> 01:21.590 how to become a soldier. 01:21.590 --> 01:24.690 And we to, how to pick out throughout their training, 01:24.690 --> 01:26.530 and their instruction, whether it's affective. 01:26.530 --> 01:27.950 Whether it would actually meet the standard, 01:27.950 --> 01:30.323 to convert that civilian into a soldier. 01:33.560 --> 01:37.560 - [Interviewer] Now obviously not everyone, 01:37.560 --> 01:38.740 could do this, right? 01:38.740 --> 01:39.850 So there are some folks, 01:39.850 --> 01:41.620 that don't make it through to the school? 01:41.620 --> 01:44.880 - Quite a bit, so we have the first thing, 01:44.880 --> 01:46.650 that usually eliminates anyone, 01:46.650 --> 01:48.300 far as the physical fitness test. 01:49.160 --> 01:51.080 So they have to be able to achieve initially, 01:51.080 --> 01:54.310 with us the Army standard 16 every event. 01:54.310 --> 01:55.300 Next would be height and weight, 01:55.300 --> 01:57.603 that tends to knock some out of the running. 01:58.490 --> 02:01.190 After that it's pretty much all evaluation. 02:01.190 --> 02:04.100 So we have our PRT evaluations. 02:04.100 --> 02:05.690 So candidates will be evaluated, 02:05.690 --> 02:07.670 on doing an SM session. 02:07.670 --> 02:08.840 Strength and mobility session, 02:08.840 --> 02:10.210 and endurance and mobility session. 02:10.210 --> 02:12.030 Both being a primary instructor on the stand, 02:12.030 --> 02:16.100 in front of trainees or their peers for the instruction. 02:16.100 --> 02:17.760 And then also being in the assistance instructor, 02:17.760 --> 02:20.480 which walks around and makes sure that the formation, 02:20.480 --> 02:21.960 is actually conducting the exercise right, 02:21.960 --> 02:23.440 which is what they'll do on the trail. 02:23.440 --> 02:24.840 You'll have your primary instructor, 02:24.840 --> 02:26.140 who leads the entire formation. 02:26.140 --> 02:27.920 You have your assistant instructors, 02:27.920 --> 02:29.620 that walk around that formation and they are trying, 02:29.620 --> 02:31.480 to make those on-the-spot corrections with trainees, 02:31.480 --> 02:32.610 to make sure that they're executing, 02:32.610 --> 02:34.560 these exercises the right way. 02:34.560 --> 02:36.580 Next we have Pitching Modules, 02:36.580 --> 02:38.800 which are all the Drill and Ceremony. 02:38.800 --> 02:40.820 Everything, there's 40 total. 02:40.820 --> 02:43.730 And it's all everything from Position of Attention, 02:43.730 --> 02:45.550 to Stack and Take Arms. 02:45.550 --> 02:48.740 And they all go from the easiest all the way to the hardest. 02:48.740 --> 02:51.830 And they are required to know these verbatim, 02:51.830 --> 02:54.240 and be able to pitch them to us, 02:54.240 --> 02:55.128 with demonstrators and execute, 02:55.128 --> 02:57.420 that they know the movements. 02:57.420 --> 02:58.300 And that's kind of our way, 02:58.300 --> 03:00.300 to make sure that they're able to teach, 03:01.150 --> 03:02.980 civilians trying to turn into soldiers, 03:02.980 --> 03:06.210 these basic drill and ceremony movements, 03:06.210 --> 03:07.610 that we have in the Army. 03:07.610 --> 03:10.640 - [Interviewer] And I imagine that can be very frustrating, 03:10.640 --> 03:13.520 'cause sometimes what we think we're communicating, 03:13.520 --> 03:16.030 and they people they're not doing it right, 03:16.030 --> 03:18.070 you're like "Why don't you just get it!" 03:18.070 --> 03:21.040 So on that note I guess, 03:21.040 --> 03:24.180 what qualities do you think that people need, 03:24.180 --> 03:26.620 to come to the Drill Sergeant School with? 03:26.620 --> 03:29.000 Or what will they develop? 03:29.000 --> 03:32.221 - I think the biggest thing they could come with, 03:32.221 --> 03:37.221 is just be come humble, come ready to receive information. 03:37.350 --> 03:40.980 I think the biggest drawback to anyone coming here, 03:40.980 --> 03:42.990 is they're so use to being out there in the Army, 03:42.990 --> 03:44.393 and they've maybe been doing things, 03:44.393 --> 03:45.610 they way they've been taught, 03:45.610 --> 03:48.330 or it's kind of how they've been doing things for awhile. 03:48.330 --> 03:49.940 We're gonna go back and take it to the book, 03:49.940 --> 03:51.880 and what it states and regulation. 03:51.880 --> 03:55.020 And most have a hard time of breaking those bad habits. 03:55.020 --> 03:56.550 And not humbling themselves, 03:56.550 --> 03:59.050 and just, kind of changing the way they do things. 03:59.050 --> 04:01.230 Make sure they do things to the standard, 04:01.230 --> 04:05.463 instead of reverting back to the way they were doing things. 04:07.350 --> 04:10.160 - [Interviewer] So on the note, 04:10.160 --> 04:12.407 that you were saying some of the folks come, 04:12.407 --> 04:14.260 and they have these preconceived ideas, 04:14.260 --> 04:16.040 post regulations have changed, 04:16.040 --> 04:18.550 and I imagine some training techniques, 04:18.550 --> 04:19.910 have changed over the years. 04:19.910 --> 04:23.440 And so what advice would you give, 04:23.440 --> 04:26.177 to those folks that you're like "Man, I am squared away, 04:26.177 --> 04:27.077 "I know this and that." 04:27.077 --> 04:29.260 And you're saying to come and be humble. 04:29.260 --> 04:33.360 - Humble and come prepared. 04:33.360 --> 04:35.063 I tell every class that we get, 04:36.225 --> 04:37.790 when you come here, if you want to be successful, 04:37.790 --> 04:39.650 if you put it on, if you wear it, if you do it. 04:39.650 --> 04:42.250 Read the regulation before you come out here and do it. 04:42.250 --> 04:44.190 Because things have changed, 04:44.190 --> 04:45.410 it's been awhile since people have done, 04:45.410 --> 04:47.120 some of the things we asked them to do. 04:47.120 --> 04:49.410 And the best way to set yourself up for success, 04:49.410 --> 04:51.670 is to go ahead and dig in those regulations. 04:51.670 --> 04:53.850 Read them before you come out here. 04:53.850 --> 04:55.380 Don't just put on assume, 04:55.380 --> 04:56.850 that what you've been doing is correct, 04:56.850 --> 04:58.160 because it may not be. 04:58.160 --> 05:00.940 And so read the regulations, study. 05:00.940 --> 05:05.750 Really, we're ready 12 hour a day course. 05:05.750 --> 05:09.530 And on top of that we have different duties going on. 05:09.530 --> 05:12.630 So students really need to study and take care of-- 05:12.630 --> 05:14.280 I tell them if there's any downtime, 05:14.280 --> 05:15.740 you should have your face in a book, 05:15.740 --> 05:18.210 reading something because it's just you cannot, 05:18.210 --> 05:19.820 get enough of the information, 05:19.820 --> 05:21.770 that we're trying to put on in only nine weeks. 05:21.770 --> 05:24.090 It's not enough time, we need more time, 05:24.090 --> 05:26.363 but nine weeks is what we get. 05:27.328 --> 05:28.527 - [Interviewer] So this is not necessarily, 05:28.527 --> 05:31.440 as the you show up and you're gonna graduate kind of school, 05:31.440 --> 05:33.480 but you're not trying to... 05:33.480 --> 05:35.880 You're not trying to beat people up necessarily? 05:37.180 --> 05:41.290 - Yeah no, we're not trying to send in anyone away. 05:41.290 --> 05:43.610 If anything all we're doing is we just hold a standard. 05:43.610 --> 05:48.560 Some classes can be as big as 120 that graduate, some 55. 05:48.560 --> 05:50.190 It's really up to that class. 05:50.190 --> 05:51.840 We're going to do everything in our power, 05:51.840 --> 05:54.650 to provide them the information, 05:54.650 --> 05:56.040 make sure they're successful. 05:56.040 --> 05:57.370 We do everything not only from teach, 05:57.370 --> 06:00.710 but we also, my Drill Sergeant Leaders stay after hours, 06:00.710 --> 06:02.500 and try to help those that aren't getting, 06:02.500 --> 06:05.130 the material right or can't figure out how to do PRT right. 06:05.130 --> 06:06.600 They stay after but at the end of the day, 06:06.600 --> 06:07.840 we can't perform for you. 06:07.840 --> 06:09.850 And if you don't perform to standard we will not-- 06:09.850 --> 06:11.500 We will not give you a passing grade. 06:11.500 --> 06:13.290 So it's really on them when they get up there, 06:13.290 --> 06:15.670 but up until then we'll do everything in our power, 06:15.670 --> 06:18.470 to get you to that, to the standard to at least pass. 06:18.470 --> 06:21.600 But once you get up there, it's solely on that candidate. 06:21.600 --> 06:23.290 - [Interviewer] Now would you say that is there anything, 06:23.290 --> 06:27.020 that's more challenging for the candidates, 06:27.020 --> 06:28.370 or is it just different for everybody? 06:28.370 --> 06:31.970 - I think Pitching gets everyone initially. 06:31.970 --> 06:35.250 Everyone gets here and just doesn't know how to pitch. 06:35.250 --> 06:38.500 Maybe they never had to memorize something that long, 06:38.500 --> 06:40.750 or doesn't understand the concept of pitching, 06:40.750 --> 06:41.630 and how to do it. 06:41.630 --> 06:45.423 And it usually takes the first one, two or three sets, 06:46.430 --> 06:49.360 to really start understanding how to study these pitches. 06:49.360 --> 06:52.280 Some will just try to memorize all of it up at once, 06:52.280 --> 06:55.110 and then come out here and try to just say it. 06:55.110 --> 06:56.120 And it just doesn't work out, 06:56.120 --> 06:58.370 the way they thought it was gonna work out. 06:58.370 --> 06:59.203 But everyone's different, 06:59.203 --> 07:01.030 I always tell them if something's not working, 07:01.030 --> 07:04.070 then change it don't just keep trying the same method. 07:04.070 --> 07:06.290 There's different methods, break the pitch down, 07:06.290 --> 07:09.340 use demonstrators in your room or after hours. 07:09.340 --> 07:11.330 Video tape yourself, there's different methods, 07:11.330 --> 07:14.020 to everything but if you just stick with that one method, 07:14.020 --> 07:15.030 and it's not working, 07:15.030 --> 07:17.240 it's not just gonna magically start working. 07:17.240 --> 07:21.550 So I would say Pitches and then PRT evaluations. 07:21.550 --> 07:25.310 I think PRT evaluations tend to hold people up a lot, 07:25.310 --> 07:28.520 just because there's so much to learn, 07:28.520 --> 07:30.380 and so much you're being evaluated on in just, 07:30.380 --> 07:32.220 a small window of time. 07:32.220 --> 07:36.100 And being a primary instructor on the podium, 07:36.100 --> 07:38.490 when you're actually on the stand, 07:38.490 --> 07:41.060 you don't, you can't really see how you're performing, 07:41.060 --> 07:42.179 as a primary instructor. 07:42.179 --> 07:44.590 You don't know if maybe you're not performing, 07:44.590 --> 07:47.840 the exercise to the standard exactly. 07:47.840 --> 07:49.880 There's no ques, we don't tell you we just-- 07:49.880 --> 07:50.990 You're executing at that point, 07:50.990 --> 07:52.860 and we just mark what you're doing. 07:52.860 --> 07:55.570 - [Interviewer] So for folks who don't know what PRT is. 07:55.570 --> 07:56.720 - So Physical Readiness Training, 07:56.720 --> 08:00.180 they'll be evaluated on running, (unintelligible) area. 08:00.180 --> 08:03.190 Strength of mobility session, endurance mobility session, 08:03.190 --> 08:06.240 that's gonna consist of preparation drill. 08:06.240 --> 08:07.890 They're gonna do four for the core. 08:07.890 --> 08:11.440 They're gonna do conditioning drill one, two, 08:11.440 --> 08:13.980 push-up, sit-up drills, climbing drills and recovery drills, 08:13.980 --> 08:14.920 for strength and mobility, 08:14.920 --> 08:16.350 and then we'll go (unintelligible). 08:16.350 --> 08:18.100 Hips mobility for the endurance mobility, 08:18.100 --> 08:19.590 and Military movement drills. 08:19.590 --> 08:21.790 And what they're doing is they're being evaluated, 08:21.790 --> 08:25.410 on executing every exercise to the standard. 08:25.410 --> 08:28.910 And they'll also be evaluated as an assistant instructor, 08:28.910 --> 08:30.520 walking around the formation insuring, 08:30.520 --> 08:34.220 that they're formation is conducting to the standard. 08:34.220 --> 08:36.060 And I would say that the primary instructors, 08:36.060 --> 08:39.440 probably the toughest just because you're executing, 08:39.440 --> 08:42.960 exercises and you don't really know how to gage, 08:42.960 --> 08:45.300 how you're doing until the evaluation's done. 08:45.300 --> 08:47.190 An assistant instructor would know how they're doing, 08:47.190 --> 08:49.230 just because you're talking, 08:49.230 --> 08:50.440 and you're going through the exercise. 08:50.440 --> 08:51.790 So if you're not saying anything, 08:51.790 --> 08:53.760 or you're being quiet or you kind of know, 08:53.760 --> 08:55.290 that you're not doing well, 08:55.290 --> 08:57.410 and you can kind of gage how well you're doing. 08:57.410 --> 08:59.070 The primary instructor you really don't know, 08:59.070 --> 09:01.240 until your evaluation's over. 09:01.240 --> 09:03.230 So I would say that's probably hardest of the two. 09:03.230 --> 09:05.790 We tend to see more people struggle, 09:05.790 --> 09:07.100 with the strength and mobility session, 09:07.100 --> 09:10.330 just because there are a lot more exercises, 09:10.330 --> 09:12.210 a lot more drills within that session. 09:12.210 --> 09:15.400 It's a lot longer, a lot more intense of a PRT session, 09:15.400 --> 09:17.900 than going out for an endurance mobility session, 09:17.900 --> 09:19.240 which is all running. 09:19.240 --> 09:20.236 - [Interviewer] So you would say, 09:20.236 --> 09:24.370 a Drill Sergeant is obviously got to be physical fit, 09:24.370 --> 09:28.830 physically fit but there has to be... 09:28.830 --> 09:30.210 An instructor quality, 09:30.210 --> 09:32.760 to you as well and patience and all of those things. 09:32.760 --> 09:34.590 You can't just come in and be a PT Stud. 09:34.590 --> 09:38.550 - No, no yeah, sometimes being a PT Stud, 09:38.550 --> 09:39.600 does not do anything. 09:40.780 --> 09:42.920 PT does matter you have to be able to lead from the front. 09:42.920 --> 09:44.010 You have to be able to you know-- 09:44.010 --> 09:47.480 You can't have trainees passing you up as a Drill Sergeant. 09:47.480 --> 09:49.580 But it's not all about what you can do, 09:49.580 --> 09:50.800 it's can you teach it? 09:50.800 --> 09:52.210 And so it doesn't do you any good, 09:52.210 --> 09:53.810 to be able to outrun all your soldiers, 09:53.810 --> 09:55.860 but you can't teach them the proper ways to run, 09:55.860 --> 09:57.800 or how to properly warm up for that run. 09:57.800 --> 10:00.200 How to properly cool down using recovery drills. 10:00.200 --> 10:03.360 So being able to physically do it is required, 10:03.360 --> 10:05.220 but if you can't teach it then you're not doing, 10:05.220 --> 10:06.150 you're job as a Drill Sergeant. 10:06.150 --> 10:08.070 Which is primarily, that's our primary job, 10:08.070 --> 10:12.080 as a Drill Sergeant is to teach these young men and women, 10:12.080 --> 10:15.133 how to become soldiers not just show them how to do it. 10:18.020 --> 10:20.800 - [Interviewer] The Drill Sergeant habit is so iconic, 10:20.800 --> 10:24.760 and a lot of people just "Man I wanna do that one day." 10:24.760 --> 10:26.960 And I don't know if they necessarily have... 10:28.440 --> 10:30.370 If somebody's coming just because they think, 10:30.370 --> 10:32.960 the hat is cool and they want to be prestigious, 10:32.960 --> 10:35.350 then what would you say to those folks, 10:35.350 --> 10:36.653 that just see the hat? 10:37.580 --> 10:38.940 - If you're just coming to wear the hat, 10:38.940 --> 10:42.850 then you're probably gonna get humbled really quick. 10:42.850 --> 10:46.320 Just wearing the hat is really... 10:46.320 --> 10:49.170 What it is, is there's expectations. 10:49.170 --> 10:52.110 You wear this hat and there's a certain expectation. 10:52.110 --> 10:54.300 It doesn't matter how you are, even if you're not, 10:54.300 --> 10:56.890 in the Military, someone sees a service member, 10:56.890 --> 10:58.550 with this hat on, they have a certain expectation, 10:58.550 --> 11:02.780 of discipline and standards and of being a soldier. 11:02.780 --> 11:05.500 And so just coming here to put it on, if you're not, 11:05.500 --> 11:07.430 learning the information, if you're not putting, 11:07.430 --> 11:08.932 in the work it takes to put this hat on, 11:08.932 --> 11:12.410 then you're not going to be successful and ultimately, 11:12.410 --> 11:15.447 you're probably not going to put the hat on anyway. 11:15.447 --> 11:16.287 - [Interviewer] And what would you recommend, 11:16.287 --> 11:18.287 to someone that's getting ready to come? 11:19.320 --> 11:23.270 - I would say we tell them all and we send them an email, 11:23.270 --> 11:24.750 so if they're coming, they get an email direct. 11:24.750 --> 11:25.760 If they're coming to my class, 11:25.760 --> 11:27.760 they get an email from my deputy, 11:27.760 --> 11:30.460 and we tell them they need to start studying, 11:30.460 --> 11:33.220 the first set which is Position of Attention. 11:33.220 --> 11:36.010 The rest positions at the halt and the hand salute. 11:36.010 --> 11:38.020 And they need to get those memorized, 11:38.020 --> 11:40.460 and they need to memorize the Drill Sergeant Creed. 11:40.460 --> 11:42.770 And they need to be physically in shape. 11:42.770 --> 11:47.230 And I would say the biggest deterrent is the PT test. 11:47.230 --> 11:51.340 That tends to hold them up just because we grade, 11:51.340 --> 11:53.100 strictly to the standard. 11:53.100 --> 11:56.040 If there's any bend in your body throughout that push-up, 11:56.040 --> 11:58.170 we don't count that rep, we don't give any freebies out, 11:58.170 --> 11:59.760 it has to be perfectly. 11:59.760 --> 12:01.340 You're body must be straight at all times, 12:01.340 --> 12:02.620 throughout the entire movement. 12:02.620 --> 12:05.730 And I think that tends to hold people up, 12:05.730 --> 12:07.560 when they get here, they're not expected to be graded, 12:07.560 --> 12:10.070 to that, to the standard, to the T. 12:10.070 --> 12:13.350 And maybe they're riding pretty close to the minimum, 12:13.350 --> 12:15.350 when they got here but some of those push-ups, 12:15.350 --> 12:16.850 really wouldn't have counted, 12:16.850 --> 12:18.400 and then they get here and they don't count. 12:18.400 --> 12:20.040 And then they find out they're being-- 12:20.040 --> 12:21.140 They came up a little short. 12:21.140 --> 12:23.050 So I would say be physically fit, 12:23.050 --> 12:25.620 study the top three which is those three positions, 12:25.620 --> 12:28.010 I mentioned and know the Drill Sergeant Creed. 12:28.010 --> 12:30.783 Look over Warrior Task Battle Drills, that's a big one. 12:32.010 --> 12:33.310 Right there, the basic, 12:33.310 --> 12:35.220 warrior task battle drill skill level one, 12:35.220 --> 12:37.600 that'd be huge as well. 12:37.600 --> 12:39.290 - [Interviewer] So the earning the hat, 12:39.290 --> 12:40.980 is you said is to the standard, 12:40.980 --> 12:42.660 so it's not just you're gonna come here, 12:42.660 --> 12:43.930 and you're gonna get through this school, 12:43.930 --> 12:48.220 but the reason why the Drill Sergeant hat is so iconic, 12:48.220 --> 12:51.130 is because there is a standard to it? 12:51.130 --> 12:53.170 - Yes. - It's not an easy thing. 12:53.170 --> 12:57.340 - No, I told my graduating class, 12:57.340 --> 13:01.660 this is probably the toughest, mentally the toughest course, 13:01.660 --> 13:05.960 the Army provides that's a non-volunteer course. 13:05.960 --> 13:08.130 You have your Ranger school, you have your Aerosol, 13:08.130 --> 13:11.070 Airborne, which are all known to be tough, 13:11.070 --> 13:13.640 and they're gonna beat you down physically and mentally, 13:13.640 --> 13:15.620 but you volunteer for those schools. 13:15.620 --> 13:18.131 So when you go there you're mentally prepared, 13:18.131 --> 13:20.911 for what you're about to, at least you think you are, 13:20.911 --> 13:23.480 mentally prepared for what you're about to get into. 13:23.480 --> 13:26.180 Most people that come here are voluntold. 13:26.180 --> 13:27.810 They don't really volunteer to come here, 13:27.810 --> 13:31.220 and so they're not expecting or not aware, 13:31.220 --> 13:33.360 of what is about to come. 13:33.360 --> 13:38.360 And so I would say understanding, 13:38.470 --> 13:39.820 what it takes to be a Drill Sergeant, 13:39.820 --> 13:42.520 remembering what that Drill Sergeant was for you, 13:42.520 --> 13:46.453 when you went through the Army, we got to get you there. 13:47.341 --> 13:49.170 It's not just a snap of the fingers, 13:49.170 --> 13:50.281 us read a manual and tell you, 13:50.281 --> 13:51.830 this is how to be a Drill Sergeant, 13:51.830 --> 13:54.561 and poof your a Drill Sergeant and you put the hat on. 13:54.561 --> 13:56.660 We got to show you how it's done. 13:56.660 --> 13:59.200 We got to bring you back to the standard, 13:59.200 --> 14:01.540 because you're not gonna have an eye for certain things, 14:01.540 --> 14:04.430 if we don't instill it back into you. 14:04.430 --> 14:07.990 If we don't show you how to accept nothing but the standard, 14:07.990 --> 14:10.390 in your barracks room then you are not gonna know, 14:10.390 --> 14:13.050 how to go in that room and find every little deficiency, 14:13.050 --> 14:15.650 and instill that discipline into these soldiers, 14:15.650 --> 14:17.770 when you get on the trail. 14:17.770 --> 14:19.293 - [Interviewer] And has it, when you were voluntold, 14:19.293 --> 14:23.310 to come to school, do you look back any regrets now? 14:23.310 --> 14:27.480 - No, no I will take this time-- 14:27.480 --> 14:30.210 I just told this to my class, graduate tomorrow. 14:30.210 --> 14:35.210 I told them "Enjoy it, you only get one chance to do this." 14:35.340 --> 14:38.100 When you do get selected and you're selected to do this, 14:38.100 --> 14:39.540 you only get to do it one time. 14:39.540 --> 14:41.160 And whether it's two years to three years, 14:41.160 --> 14:43.690 based on how long you volunteer to stay on an extra year, 14:43.690 --> 14:45.550 you only get to do this one time. 14:45.550 --> 14:47.080 And the last thing you wanna do, 14:47.080 --> 14:52.080 is either let it drag on and not enjoy it. 14:52.340 --> 14:54.620 Not take it seriously and then finish your trail time, 14:54.620 --> 14:58.090 with nothing but regrets, because you're essentially, 14:58.090 --> 15:00.270 training a generation of the Army. 15:00.270 --> 15:02.980 And if you did that to less than standard, 15:02.980 --> 15:04.640 if you didn't take it seriously, 15:04.640 --> 15:07.250 then that's a lot of regret that you have to walk around, 15:07.250 --> 15:08.981 with the rest of your career. 15:08.981 --> 15:12.490 So there's no regrets in being selected to a Drill Sergeant, 15:12.490 --> 15:15.320 I've enjoyed every bit of it and I know, 15:15.320 --> 15:18.003 when it comes to an end I'm probably gonna be-- 15:18.003 --> 15:19.853 It's gonna be a hard pill to swallow. 15:21.073 --> 15:23.112 - [Interviewer] So you feel a lot of honor, 15:23.112 --> 15:25.780 being able to have worn-- 15:25.780 --> 15:27.410 Do this duty and wear that hat? 15:27.410 --> 15:30.680 - Of course, you know so I actually wanted, 15:30.680 --> 15:32.430 to be a Drill Sergeant, it just so happened, 15:32.430 --> 15:35.000 that I got chosen to be a Drill Sergeant. 15:35.000 --> 15:36.420 And then when I was given the opportunity, 15:36.420 --> 15:38.680 to interview to be a Drill Sergeant Leader, 15:38.680 --> 15:39.710 I jumped on it in a heartbeat, 15:39.710 --> 15:44.550 because for me this course has completely shifted, 15:44.550 --> 15:46.480 the way I am as Non-Commission Officer, 15:46.480 --> 15:48.630 the way my career will go from here, 15:48.630 --> 15:51.510 is completely shifted my mindset. 15:51.510 --> 15:53.650 As to what is necessary of a Non-Commission Officer, 15:53.650 --> 15:55.410 not just with brand new trainees, 15:55.410 --> 15:58.780 but what we need to be doing as Non-Commission Officers, 15:58.780 --> 15:59.920 in the regular Army. 15:59.920 --> 16:01.780 And kind of coming here and be humbled, 16:01.780 --> 16:06.120 and realizing how much we let mission sometimes, 16:06.120 --> 16:07.300 detour us from things, 16:07.300 --> 16:09.050 that we need to be doing with soldiers, 16:09.050 --> 16:10.490 like marching and drill and ceremony. 16:10.490 --> 16:12.670 We just don't have time to do anymore. 16:12.670 --> 16:13.840 Coming here and being humbled, 16:13.840 --> 16:15.730 and realizing how much we don't do... 16:16.820 --> 16:17.710 It's been an eye opener, 16:17.710 --> 16:20.090 and I'm actually more excited to get back now, 16:20.090 --> 16:21.920 with all this experience that I've got and gained. 16:21.920 --> 16:23.350 Not only from the trail of trainees, 16:23.350 --> 16:25.793 but here at the Academy training NCO's. 16:26.684 --> 16:28.480 - [Interviewer] And one more question I just... 16:28.480 --> 16:31.293 I enjoyed talking to you 'cause a lot of insight. 16:32.520 --> 16:35.220 What would you tell folks about the responsibility, 16:35.220 --> 16:37.850 of wearing that hat, what may come, 16:37.850 --> 16:41.030 because it's an honor and it's a big responsibility, 16:41.030 --> 16:43.010 'cause not only do you have to be a good soldier, 16:43.010 --> 16:45.300 'cause there's a lot of good soldiers out there. 16:45.300 --> 16:46.890 But you have to be the example, 16:46.890 --> 16:49.713 and so God forbid you do one thing wrong, 16:50.890 --> 16:53.373 you're setting that example for soldiers. 16:54.700 --> 16:58.260 - Yeah so wearing this hat and you can't afford a bad day. 16:58.260 --> 17:00.140 There's no such thing as a bad day for us. 17:00.140 --> 17:03.660 You can't wake out of bed and say "I'm not feeling it." 17:03.660 --> 17:05.270 Regardless of how you feel everyday, 17:05.270 --> 17:06.230 when you get up in the morning, 17:06.230 --> 17:08.500 whether it's zero-three, zero-two, 17:08.500 --> 17:10.520 and it's the eight day in a row you've been getting up, 17:10.520 --> 17:13.140 at three o' clock in the morning or three weeks long. 17:13.140 --> 17:14.860 You have to wake up motivated, 17:14.860 --> 17:18.060 you have to find a way to consistently be that example, 17:18.060 --> 17:19.770 in front of them no matter how you're feeling, 17:19.770 --> 17:22.410 what kind of day you've had, what kind of month you've had, 17:22.410 --> 17:24.730 and you see that. 17:24.730 --> 17:27.893 Every class you graduate, you see that end product. 17:30.100 --> 17:31.470 And then seeing them after, 17:31.470 --> 17:34.590 running into soldiers even that were my trainees, 17:34.590 --> 17:35.800 when I was on the trail now, 17:35.800 --> 17:38.410 and just seeing how they've grown. 17:38.410 --> 17:39.270 I've had some already, 17:39.270 --> 17:40.610 I've only been on the trail for three years, 17:40.610 --> 17:42.620 and I've somebody promoted Sergeant, 17:42.620 --> 17:44.140 and that was just their Drill Sergeant, 17:44.140 --> 17:45.100 maybe a couple of years ago. 17:45.100 --> 17:48.410 And to see the starting product to the end product, 17:48.410 --> 17:50.200 there's nothing more rewarding, 17:50.200 --> 17:52.140 than those soldiers when they leave, 17:52.140 --> 17:54.240 and they shake your hand and they thank you, 17:54.240 --> 17:56.560 for changing who they are as a human being, 17:56.560 --> 17:59.503 as an adult and as a soldier. 18:00.523 --> 18:02.360 There's no other job, 18:02.360 --> 18:04.930 I'm sure I will never have a job, 18:04.930 --> 18:07.100 that's as fulfilling as this current one, 18:07.100 --> 18:08.243 is for me right now. 18:09.693 --> 18:11.503 - [Interviewer] And that's a perfect note to end on then.