Spelling Bee Loser

In my 2 years of being a Drill Sergeant, today I witnessed a very sad act where a private displayed a lack of education.  When a Drill Sergeant has CQ or charge of quarters, the CQ Drill Sergeant is responsible for preparing the privates for sick call.  You verify they have the items they need and fill out the sick call slip properly.  So this morning, no shit there I was getting privates ready for sick call.  I collect the sick call slips and sign them out from the company and verify what their illness or injury may be.  So there was one name that I could not find on our roster, I went out to ask the guy what his name was, I saw his name tag and noticed this re re misspelled his own name.  No, I’m not joking, no I’m not making this up.  I told him he misspelled his name, and told him to correct it.  He then looked at his name tag to respell his name.  I thought this was very sad and I didn’t even make fun of him for it because of how sad I thought it was.  Everyone in the Army has at least a GED/high school diploma, so he is not completely stupid, or is he?  Privates do some crazy things, take things literally, do some stupid stuff sometimes, but this by far is the worst I have witnessed.

A Little too Literally 2

In the world that I work in; you see and hear strange, stupid, and crazy things.  Privates take things too literally sometimes.  You may think at first they are being a wise guy or wise gal, but when you see the look on their face and how they react to stuff; you can tell it is just their lack of intelligence that they do exactly, and I mean exactly what a Drill Sergeant will say. 

Yesterday we were doing their pt test assessment.  We call it a 1-1-1, 1 minute of push ups, 1 minute of sit ups, and a 1 mile run.  Each Drill Sergeant has a clip board with a paper that we write down the names and numbers of each private. (they wear jerseys with numbers for identification)  So as I go through the line, some privates state their last name and number, these are the intellectuals.  Some say their full name, first and last name, then their number.  I made the remark, “You first name is private, all I need is your last name and number, thats it.”  I go on to the next private, she says her last name, then her first name; as if this make a difference with my previous remark.  I again stated, merely as a joke, their first name is private, I don’t care about first names.  So I go the next private, he states, “Doe comma Private.”  I looked at him like “really guy”.  This kid was totally serious and a slight fear in his eyes, so I knew he was not being a wise guy.  At times it is funny to think that maybe these kids are so fearful they do exactly what is said so there is no chance of reprecussions.  Its sad at the same time because basic training today is way to easy.  When I went through basic training 15 years ago, it was much harder and the Drill Sergeants could say and do more to get a privates attention.  I guess it is just the generation we are in today, they are scared and sensitive, and take things way to literally at times.  The book knowledge of some of these kids is very good, but many, most, probably all; lack common sense.

Strange and Unusual things

I say this alot as a Drill Sergeant, “Strange and unusual things happen in basic training.”  It really does, there are things you wouldn’t think were possible of happening or hearing, but you see it and hear it here.  Here is one example about MREs, meals ready to eat.  This is a quick alternative meal that is stored in a plastic bag.  It is room temperature, but it comes with a heater.  MREs include snacks, an entree, a side dish or some sort, bread or crackers, and a little pack with matches, toilet paper, etc.  A private told us that her MRE did not have a main meal inside of it.  We told her to continue looking, she said she did and was not finding her main meal.  One Drill Sergeant got up to help her find it, but was also curious because we have been in the Army awhile and have never seen an MRE without a main meal.  As soon as he got up, a buddy right beside her showed her it was in the small box, which is what the main meals come in, a small cardboard box.  So then this private said, “Oh, I have to open the box?”  So then I began my rant,”YES weirdo, open the box and get your stinking meal, mommy and daddy are not here for you to depend on, you must do simple crap on your own, such as open your own little box and get your meal.  You also have to feed yourself, that might be a new concept for you.”  Is it sad to think that privates, especially the young ones right out of high school are so dependant on things to be done for them?  I think its very sad and sets them up for failure as an adult, especially a Soldier training for combat operations.  Another Drill Sergeant mentioned that was the first time in 3 yrs of being a DS that he has ever seen or heard of a private not being able to find their food.

Something I have never seen before as a Drill Sergeant or in my life is people leaving the code of their lock actually on the lock.  I am just a Drill Sergeant helping out because I am almost done, so I go into the bays to fill up my water bottle or put something in the office and then I go ahead and help out by checking for unsecured wall lockers.  I found a couple that were not locked at all, but I also found a few that had the code still taped to the lock.  So I am a very curious person, so I try to code to see if that is a code or maybe its a diversion, which would be kinda smart.  Indeed it was the code, so to me that is unsecured.  If the code is still on your lock anyone can get in.  To me this is strange and stupid.  You can take many things in life for granted, but security is not one I would take for granted.  Especially when you live with 59 other people.  Things get lost and if your wall locker is open, someone will easily aquire some items that they are missing from you.  This is just the beginning of strange things that will happen this cycle, many more will come. 

Decision making process

This month I hit my 15 year mark of being in the Army.  I made Sergeant First Class in 14 years, which is pretty good for a Chemical guy.  My thought process was to stay in the Army and work my way to Master Sergeant or First Sergeant.  I have also earned my degree, so the question this month asked by my family was “Are you staying in after 20 years or retiring and getting a job with your degree?”  I do enjoy being in the Army, being a Drill Sergeant, even though there are a lot of politics and silly crap we have to do and abide by in this job for the sake of an Officer’s career, or a politician’s career.  The thought of retiring in 5 years and getting another job, which most likely would be more than what I make now, would give me the opportunity of having 2 pay checks and doing what I went to college to do, which is public health/epidemiology.  So I thought, no worries, I have 4-5 years to decide this, and I will see what happens.  Well the “lets see” part came very early. 

My first sergeant is gone for awhile, so I am the acting first sergeant, and I have done this job before, even though i am a drill sergeant, I was selected by the chain of command to pursue this job when there was not a first sergeant around at the time.  I am almost done with my drill sergeant duty and my award has been submitted awhile ago, which was a Meritorious Service Medal.  This is a high award to get in peace time, and it is a struggle to get one as a drill sergeant.  I have been the acting first sergeant for one full cycle, have written the honor graduate policy for my Battery, which was adopted by my previous Battalion CSM to be made a Battalion policy for honor graduates.  I also wrote the Chemical Standard Operating Procedures and established the Battalion Chemical program, which the new Battalion Commander wanted, which passed its inspection and was commended.  I have also achieved other accolades, praises, and commendations from the Battalion and Battery chain of command during my tenure as a Drill Sergeant, so I thought this prestigious award was in the bag, no issues. 

When I took over recently as the first sergeant I saw my award folder on the desk, and thought, let me be sneaky and see what the status of this thing is right now.  First thing I see is my Battalion Commander downgraded the award to a Army Commendation Medal, which is a little lower then the previously described medal.  So needless to say I wanted answers and an explanation.  Silly me, no one can explain it, nor do they want to tell me to my face the reason for my downgrade of awards.  I went to my Battalion CSM, he says it is out of his control, which basically means, I cant help you, leave and get out or you suck at life, I don’t want to help you. 

It has always been a mystery as to why it is so hard to get a Meritorious Service Medal as a drill sergeant, but the Brigade command has said, “You must do more than just be a drill sergeant”.  In my opinion, I have done more and would like the award.  Besides the award though, it is sad that no one in my chain of command cares to help or explain why the award got downgraded.  

So needless to say, I took this as a sign to retire in 5 years instead of staying in.  My thought process is, no matter what you do, how hard you work, how much you do to help the chain of command and improve a unit, they still can black ball you and screw you over.  I am really concerned as well for other drill sergeants that work hard and need that award to achieve promotion, especially those seeking the Sergeant First Class rank.  It is disheartening to see that Army leadership, in my opinion, go down and leadership fail Soldiers and NCOs.  Throughout my 15 years of being in the Army I have not experience this kind of injustice, again my opinion.  Maybe I am being selfish, but right now, I really don’t care except leaving this place in 60 days and getting back to the real Army to jump out of airplanes again.

Liar Liar, Pants on fire

Union City Oklahoma Tornado (mature) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Throughout my time as a drill sergeant, it seems the chain of command, meaning Officers and Command Sergeant Majors do not understand why drill sergeants despise privates or why we may accidently say mean things.  Ok, I admit it is by no means an accident.  Well recently, we got in a new Battalion Commander and he is just now learning how basic training works.  We had a meeting with him, as we always do after a cycle, and he informed us of a very interesting story.  This was prior to me starting leave and I wasn’t paying much attention to him anyways because my time on the trail is just about done, until I heard this story or heinous lie as I like to call it.

I’m sure you all heard about the horrendous tornados that swept through Moore, Ok  in May.  Fort Sill and the City of Lawton have set up many stations and programs to offer help in restoring and helping the city of Moore.  One private informed her chain of command that her husband and baby died in that tornado.  The chain of command and her comrades felt very bad for her and immediately started procedures to send her on emergency leave.  Now, usually when a private needs to go on emergency leave there is a red cross message called in from red cross or a family member stating that a family emergency has occurred.  This is to inform the chain of command that this is a serious matter and not a fabricated story so a Soldier can get leave time to go home.  This private nor the unit received a red cross message or a phone call about her husband and baby dying.  It is understandable though that communications may be down due to the mile wide tornado.  So a very understanding and gracious chain of command helped her get a plan ticket so she could go home.  The unit collected funds from around 230+ privates and other privates to help her and her family.  Make note, when privates are in training and they are getting a pay check, but cannot spend that pay check they have a lot of money to give up.  The Army also teaches team work and about looking out for your buddy.  So these privates are dropping $20-$100 each to help their battle buddy.

The private leaves on her way.  The ticket takes her to Oklahoma City which is the closest airport to Moore, OK.  In 2 days the private comes back.  Very strange that her family has died and there is a lot she probably needs to do with burial, funeral, mourning with her other family members, and yet she comes back in 2 days?  Awkward thinks the chain of command.  So drill sergeants and the chain of command begin asking her if she is ok, do you need anything, why are you back so early?  Is everything going to be ok for you to keep training?  Her answer…….”My family husband and baby did not die in the tornado, I made it up so I could get some time to go home.  I’m not even from Moore, I’m from Oklahoma City.”  This was astounding news for our Battalion Commander and for most of the people who have heard this story.  The Battalion Commander told us he now understands why drill sergeants are the way we are, why we hate privates.  People lie about a lot of things, but why someone would lie about a matter like this, just to go home for a couple days, is beyond me.

My question was, “is she getting chaptered out of the Army.”  The Battalion Commanders answer was “no, not right now, not unless she continues to show a pattern of misconduct.”  I quit speaking and I quit listening after that.

7 Week cycle break and getting back to some kind of normalcy.

I just finished up my last full cycle, which was mentioned in another blog.  My wife and I are ready to transfer back to Fort Bragg, where I can again jump out of perfectly good airplanes.  Over the next 7 weeks I get to catch up on family time, especially with my 3 yr old daughter, who misses me as much as I miss her.  A very understanding wife is helping reintegrate back into a lifestyle of not cussing, yelling, and belittling people. 

I wanted to start this off right, so I sent the wife out to the movies to have a day with the girls and a break from the kiddo, and I am being selfish and keeping the kiddo for myself.  First thing, teach her to fly a kite.  I haven’t flown a kite in probably 20 yrs, if not longer.   After a day of daughter daddy time, then its off to the golf course, where I can refind my golf swing and then some fishing.  It will be nice to finally have a summer off before we move back to the Carolina area. 

Family Day and Graduation Day (Fear of the Families)

I am behind on my posts.  I get on when I can and write only when something that I feel like sharing so everyone can know what its like to be in basic training.  One dreadful day, or 2 days of basic training for me as a drill sergeant and for some of my drill sergeant friends, is Family Day and Graduation day.  I look forward to these days only because that means I am about to catch up on sleep, time with family, golf, fishing, and other fun stuff.  That is only good thing about it though.

When families arrive they are crying, happy, and also selfish creatures.  They are like herding cattle fighting to get to the feeding troft.  They do not care if you are a drill sergeant, an officer, a first sergeant, God or anyone.  Get the hell out of their way so they can see their children or spouse that they have not seen in only 9 weeks.  They will push, maime, get violent, and perhaps kill to get where they need to. And please don’t you even think about getting in their way when they have a camera in their hand.  It will be used as a violent weapon to the point that the President and Congress would bass a Camera Ban Bill.

If this isn’t bad enough, some of these people want to have a word with ol drill sergeant or shake hands and say thank you, which is ok.  Some want to be a bad ass and talk smack to drill sergeants, which has happened once before.  Then there are rules that must be followed because, oh yea, this is the military.  Sit, be quiet please, don’t applaud until all graduates have crossed the stage.  What do they do, applaud after every freaking privates walks.  Didn’t you hear the rules, oh yea, you are undisciplined, which is why your kids are undisciplined and they came to see us.  Also, when the National Anthem is played, the lights are out, spot light on Old Glory, and everyone should be silent, cross their heart, take off hats, and show pride and courtesy.  Oh no way jack, let me take pictures and carry on a discussion because I have no pride and I the American Flag offends me.

These are just some of the reasons I do not look forward to these days, except as a reminder that these kids are almost gone.  I am also happy to say this was my final graduation and I am almost done with my 2 year tour of being a drill sergeant.

So if you find yourself at a basic training graduation, do not pretend you have lost all maturity and remember you are a human being, not an animal.  Be courteous and show some respect for the rules people. 

Robot Walk

Robot Attack! (Photo credit: Dan Coulter)

As a Drill Sergeant, one of our primary duties is to teach Drill and Ceremonies to these new young privates that are just coming into the Army.  We teach them, demonstrate, and drill the many marching movements from flank marching, saluting, and the every so easy forward march.  Marching, as I can explain to privates, is just like walking, except your curl your fingers and form a fist, swing your arms a certain distance, and keep your head and eyes forward, no talking.  I have done many graduations and graduation practices.  It is the same every cycle; the privates go on stage, walk across, shake hands, walk off the stage and walk back to their seat.  Its a very easy task, especially after they have been marching for 9 weeks already.  At least you think it would be easy right?  WRONG!!

Every graduation practice turns into another red phase massacre of yelling and reminding the privates to get at the proper position of attention.  Then we have to remind them and reteach them how to walk.  We see some very interesting Robotic Walking that is funny, while being sad.  We demonstrate to the privates how the graduation goes and what they need to.  It never fails though, they stiffen up, won’t bend their arms, won’t swing their arms, and walk just like a robot or Frankenstein.  We have to do a step by step of how to simply walk.  “Hey private, relax and just walk.”  Ohhh no, its time to mess up something as easy as walking.  Its like the brain to muscle connection is lost, like electricity going out during a lightning storm.   Some may walk with only their lower part of the army moving, and their arms are moving faster as they walk.  It is a real task that I cannot explain very well, becuase its only walking, holy shannigans.  You may think, well they are nervous and its probably natural during practice.  Think that if you want.  We see it on stage, as a senior drill sergeant I am on stage shaking their hands.  I tell them to breathe, relax, walk natural.  The lights are on, but no one is behind the wheel you know.  Its like talking to a walking shell of person that is walking just like a robot.

So if you ever find yourself at a military basic training graduation, be sure to pay attention closely to how hard it is to walk.  Even though you have been doing it your whole life, and it is further explained in basic training how to walk/march while abiding by a few rules that should come natural after 9 whole weeks;  it is very hard because of the loss of connectivity between the brain and muscles.

 

 

Preschoolers vs Army Privates

Drill sergeant, Sgt. 1st Class Demetrius Chantz, an instructor at the U.S. Army Drill Sergeant School, corrects Pvt. Stephen Colbert. See more at Army.mil Political humorist Colbert tackles Basic Combat Training (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I have made a comment before that I should give up the military life and become a preschool teacher.  I used to think that being in charge or teaching preschoolers would be very challenging, something I probably would not be good at doing because I have a lack of patience sometimes.  Then I became a Drill Sergeant.  Throughout this 2 year tour of training future Soldiers I have been tested in many various ways, my resilience has been tested, my integrity, and my patience.  I treat every Private the same at the beginning of basic training and I also brief them that they are ADULTS and I shall treat them as such until they give me a reason to NOT treat them as adults.  I have the mindset that as an adult you can already think for yourself, you have a certain level of responsibility for yourself, and you have initiative to get done what needs to be done in order to achieve the standard that is provided for you.  Well, I am here to tell you that I have been wrong.  I train privates in the wrong way because of my mindset of thinking they are already adults and have the knowledge to be responsible and have common sense.  Privates seize to amaze me at the lack of intelligence and responsibility they have.

I have a 3-year-old daughter who I love to play with and spend as much time with her as I can.  It is amazing to watch her figure things out for herself, to help her and watch her discover new things, new tricks, and she does this all on her own.  So I came to the realization that preschoolers are smarter than Army privates who claim to be adults.  Preschoolers are a lot of fun to be around, and you don’t expect them to have a high level of intelligence or be responsible because they are young, sweet, and innocent.  They have to be taught, which is easy.  I teach my daughter new stuff, new tricks and new ways to do stuff and she soaks up the knowledge and applies it instantly, so it seems to me.  You teach a private new things and they look at you with a “duhhhh” face or give you a deer in the headlights look, or they look at you like you have 3 eyes or something.  You make corrections and reiterate information to them everyday, sometimes 3 times a day and still don’t get it, they still will not apply this new knowledge, even though it is knowledge that could possibly save their life or a buddy’s life.  I really do not get the reason why they cannot learn, memorize, or acquire new knowledge.  I even tell them that preschoolers are smarter and act better than they do.  OMG, don’t tell a group of privates to line and make a straight line, because they cannot do it.  “stand directly behind the person in front of you private”  Nope, will not and cannot do it.  Yell, scream, cuss me out, degrade me and my mother, I still will not do it Drill Sergeant.  You can tell preschoolers to line up for recess and BAM, a line so straight you could shoot an arrow down it and it will not hit any of those cute lil boogers.  Cleaning up is another issue that Privates do not comprehend.  I tell my daughter to pick up her toys, she might fight a little bit, but she does it with no help and knows where the toys go and which toys go where.  Tell a private to grab a broom and clean up, I dare you, do it.  “Umm, whats a broom drill sergeant?”  Or they may sweep the floor but not pick up the pile.  Why is the pile of dirt still there you ask?  Oh gee, you forgot to tell the private after he sweeps to also get a dust pan and pick up the pile he swept up.  So thats it, mission accomplished?  Noooooo Sir.  You see the dust pan filled with dirt, but its still on the ground.  WTH you say….oh gee whiz you forgot to tell the private after he sweeps the floor and sweeps the pile of dirt into the dust pan to them put the dirt into the trash can.  If you leave out  one little detail that is not written in crayon you will be very disappointed in the results of the task you just gave the private to do.  Silly me, I thought these were adults.  My bad.  America‘s youth, such a sad thing to see

Some of you may be offended by my stories or think I am completely mean and have a bad attitude towards young people today.  Well I do, and its all because I have seen what they are NOT capable of and how they are lazy and instantly quit at any sign of pain or discouragement.  My drill sergeants discouraged me in basic training and it just made me mad, I wanted to prove them wrong and show them I didn’t such at life.  You cannot use those kind of tactics here, they will backfire instantly then you are taking that private to behavioral services because since you told them they suck at something they want to kill themselves now and end life instead of trying harder.   In my perception of our society today everything is given away.  You even get a trophy for being dead last in something.  “Well this trophy will help raise their spirits and they will carry on in life and not get sad or disappointed”  I will stop there because I feel myself leading into another post on my blog.

Since I already have my degree, I just need to find a preschool that will hire a former drill sergeant and I could make some elite, smart individuals.  America would thank me.  Ok, maybe not, but its a good idea and a good plan.