Army Drill Training
Lahoma Jenkins
Being a drill sergeant is one of the most demanding and difficult jobs in our Army, but it is also one of the most rewarding. 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.
As a drill sergeant you are responsible for coaching, counseling and mentoring hundreds, if not thousands, of trainees as you transform them from a civilian volunteer to a combat-ready Soldier. You are all that your Soldiers know of the Army and they emulate everything you do. Just as you will always remember your drill sergeant, so will your Soldiers. It is up to you to provide a positive and rewarding experience as these young Soldiers begin their journey in the Army. What you do for them will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As leadership is an art, not a science, the academy must professionally train and develop drill sergeants of character that are capable of transforming civilian volunteers to Soldiers. The USADSA establishes standards, drives improvement and leads change to ensure drill sergeants produce Soldiers that are highly trained, disciplined, physically fit, mentally and spiritually tough, and morally grounded.
Active Duty Soldiers that would like to volunteer for Active Duty Drill Sergeant opportunities should contact their HRC Branch/Talent managers. The HRC Active Duty Drill Sergeant Team receives Drill Sergeant nominations from Branch Managers on a quarterly basis. Additional Active Duty Drill Sergeant information can be found at: . The HRC Active Duty Drill Sergeant Team can be contacted at: (502) 613-5870 or usarmy.knox.hrc.mbx.e...@army.mil.
Staff Sgt. Karina Flores (center) a U.S. Air Force Military Training Instructor is joined by members of the U.S. Army at Fort Jackson, South Carolina in Sep. 2023. Flores was selected to participate in a drill sergeant exchange program with the U.S. Army. (Courtesy Photo)
Staff Sgt. Karina Flores (center) is joined by U.S. Army Drill Sergeants at Fort Jackson, S.C., where she participated in the Joint Service Drill Sergeant Exchange, training recruits through a 10-week Basic Combat Training Course in September 2023. (Courtesy Photo)
Staff Sgt. Karina Flores is awarded the U.S. Army Achievement Medal by the 1st battalion 34th Infantry Regiment commander at Fort Jackson, S.C., in September 2023. Flores participated in the Joint Service Drill Sergeant Exchange where she trained recruits through a 10-week Basic Combat Training Course in September 2023. (Courtesy photo)
The selection process for the drill sergeant exchange program came about unexpectedly and swiftly for Flores. While she may not have been initially confident in her selection, she was unwavering in her commitment to perform to the best of her ability, showcasing the resilience and dedication characteristic of an Air Force Military Training Instructor. The drill sergeant exchange program was more than an exchange of drill instructors, it was also an exchange of experiences and valuable take-aways. One major takeaway for Flores from her time with the Army was their strategic emphasis on core values right from the start of their training.
Flores says her family has been a pillar in her life and are at the center of everything she does; and adds what has helped her through her military career is sticking to her values and morals her parents have instilled in her and remaining humble and gracious.
For some Soldiers, a selection email to serve as a drill sergeant can be as pleasant as going to the dentist, but for Army Staff Sgt. Jacob Arellano, 344th MI BN Company A drill sergeant, the email to serve was the call he was waiting for.
After accountability, Staff Sgt. Jonathan Hernandez, 344th MI BN Company A drill sergeant said students are developed during physical training, marched to the schoolhouse, monitored going to lunch, overseen traveling to their platoons after school and checked again for their 8:30 p.m. curfew.
Non-SMP MSLIII cadets are assigned to the DCLT program by their PMS and must successfully complete Cadet Leaders Course (CLC) before proceeding to their assigned position. The DCLT program does not require an application. All DCLT positions are linked to a specific regiment of the Cadet Leaders Course (CLC). As a result, attendance to the specific regiment is mandatory. The assigned regiment will not be changed to accommodate personal situations. CLC will be followed by a mandatory one-week TRADOC Cadre Training Course and then a three week utilization-tour with a CIET or OSUT battalion or company. Cadets can expect to interact closely with drill sergeants, basic training soldiers, and support personnel.
Check the chart below for a list of locations and host branches. This chart is based on units which have historically hosted cadets, not all of these opportunities may be available this year. The positions reflected are for informational purposes only, to assist PMSs in educating cadets about DCLT program.
Under the Army Learning Model, drill sergeant candidates are put more in charge of their own training. Previously drill sergeant leaders took on the role of drill sergeants and the candidates took on the role of privates, Roderiques said.
Candidates are now given more responsibilities for planning, coordination, resourcing and execution their own training. The role of leaders emphasizes facilitating and mentoring, Roderiques said, providing an example using physical readiness training.
Now, the candidates take turns on the platform. Each takes a turn leading the exercises on the platform, while other candidates on the ground take turns evaluating each other and offering spot corrections as needed, Roderiques said.
Another example involves training at the rifle range, he said. Besides running the candidates through the marksmanship training and re-teaching them basic concepts such as trigger control and sight pictures, they are also given higher-order training processes as well.
For a drill sergeant, teaching new Soldiers to shoot involves more than just hands-on training with a rifle. Drill sergeants must understand the details of such things as safely opening and executing a range training operation, range logistics and resourcing, risk management, first aid requirements, and concurrent training.
The new training approach is especially helpful to noncommissioned officers who come from lower-density military occupational specialties who may not have ever had the opportunity to stand in front of large formations during their time as leaders prior to coming to the academy, Roderiques said.
While the Army Learning Model may have changed the approach to training, the program of instruction, or POI, remains essentially the same, he said. Even so, the POI is updated on a continuing basis as relevant Soldier competencies are validated by the Proponent Development and Integration Division, a TRADOC entity.
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Thank you for your interest in the Army National Guard Weekend Drill Child Care (WDCC) program administered by Child Care Aware of America (CCAoA). The Weekend Drill Child Care was created to provide authorized drilling Army National Guard Soldiers with access to no-cost, hourly child care to support the unique child care needs for Army National Guard Families during scheduled weekend drill periods.
Reservations for care must be submitted no later than the 1st day of the month prior to your regularly scheduled drill month (e.g., 01 May for June drill). Please submit the completed Request for Care Form to Child Care Aware of America (CCAoA) at ARNG...@usa.childcareaware.org or upload the request to your application. You must include a signed copy of the Commanders Verification Form and Work Schedule Verification Form /Education Enrollment Verification Form. CCAoA will confirm receipt of your request within 3 business days.
If assistance is needed locating a provider CCAoA will begin to search for providers who meet eligibility requirements and have availability during the days and times requested. If you submit an eligible provider, CCAoA will work with the provider to update/complete their application to initiate your request. If CCAoA is not able to secure a reservation you will be notified as soon as we are able to confirm no care is available, no later than 2 weeks prior to your requested reservation date. Reservations are completed on first come, first served basis.
We understand that situations may change and so may your child care needs. You must notify CCAoA and the ARNG if you need to cancel a reservation. Please submit a completed copy of the Cancellation of Child Care Request Form to CCAoA at ARNG...@usa.childcareaware.org and copy the ARNG Weekend Drill Care central email box at arng...@army.mil. Failure to provide notification within ten (10) calendar days will result in no show or cancellation charges for the ARNG Soldier.
Women who serve as drill sergeants share the same experiences as their male counterparts. From the long demanding hours, sweltering hot summers on marksmanship and training area ranges, bone-chilling and freezing cold-weather winter temperatures at field training exercises, to the administrative collateral duties for maintaining company operations and intermittent family time. These are all shared experiences for the exceptionally tough and rewarding special duty.
Drill Sergeants are NCOs who excel in the top 10% of all Army NCOs. Drill sergeant leaders (DSL), however, represent the top 1% of the drill sergeant population. DSLs are responsible for molding NCOs into drill sergeants before they are assigned to transform civilians into soldiers in Basic Combat Training.
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