Eglin says Goodbye to Drill Sergeants
Posted: Monday, April 20, 2009
by Ryan Stroud
Four well respected drill sergeants proudly entered the theater at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., walking towards the stage where a ceremony was being held in their honor. These drill sergeants for Bravo Company were about to end their term as drill sergeants and being their next job as platoon sergeants of the U.S. Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal Training Battalion (Provisional). They, for the last time, recited the Drill Sergeant's Creed to the trainee Soldiers in attendance and walked onstage, proudly handed over their "Campaign Hats," the visual staple of all drill sergeants.
"The reason why we removed drill sergeants out of AIT (Advanced Individual Training) is really quite simple," Command Sgt. Maj. Reginald Battle, command sergeant major of 59 th Ordnance Brigade, explained to the trainees in attendance. "The TRADOC commanding general realized that as the Army grows, we need drill sergeants in Basic Combat Training.
"Not everyone can be a drill sergeant, so his thought process was If I need these critical skills, let me first put them in Basic Combat Training,'" Battle continued. "'Instead, in AIT, I will use platoon sergeants so that we can slowly transition new Soldiers into our operational Army and they can slowly feel what our operational Army is like.'
"A few things go along with transitioning from drill sergeant to platoon sergeant," Battle stated. "One of them is the head gear. The duties and responsibilities of these non commissioned officers will not change. The authority of these non commissioned officers will not change. What will change is the distinctive head gear they where and how they will slowly transition (the trainee Soldiers) into the operational Army."
"This ceremony is full of mixed emotions," said Sgt. 1 st Class Gary Carter, a drill sergeant from Bravo who partook in the ceremony.
"You put a lot of heart and hard work into earning this hat, but if the Army says this is the new direction they want to travel, than that's what we'll do," he said. "I'm all aboard with it. If (the Army) likes it, than I love it."
"I'm a little bit (disappointed) because I have to take the hat off so soon, but the jobs not going to change, I'm still going to be doing the same thing leading Soldiers," added Staff Sgt. Benjamin Merker, also of Bravo. "I'm still happy to be here, working with and leading Soldiers."
Carter reflected back to when her officially became a drill sergeant.
"It was an amazing feeling," he said about becoming a drill sergeant and placing his campaign hat on for the first time. "It was something I once never thought I would be able to accomplish but once I earned it and I look back on those nine weeks of hard work (towards earning the hat), all I can say is wow, I actually did it. All the time and effort was worth it and receiving the hat and earning the right to wear it, it really was an amazing feeling."
"Being a drill sergeant is a goal of many (Soldiers) but very few can ever obtain that goal," said Battle to the trainee Soldiers. "Drill sergeants are, perhaps, our best trained trainers in the entire United States Army. Not only do they train for peace time training, but also for war-time operations.
"They mold a citizen into a Soldier," he continued. "I believe we are truly fortunate and truly blessed in the EOD Battalion (Provisional) that our highly-trained non commissioned officers will stay in our fold. They've done a magnificent job, they will continue to do a magnificent job and we are fortunate to still have that nine weeks of intense training under their belt as they go about their business of taking care of Soldiers.
"The Non Commissioned Officer's Creed' says one thing that really stands out in my mind All Soldiers are entitled to good leadership and non commissioned officers will provide it,' said Battle. "These (trainee Soldiers) will still get the same quality non commissioned officer leadership out of these fine, distinguished NCOs.
"With that said, I'm glad (the trainee Soldiers) were here for this occasion, because it's history," Battle concluded. "This also gives us the opportunity to respectively honor these non commissioned officers who have obtained the goal that fewer of 10% in our entire Army gets to obtain to become a drill sergeant."
Ryan Stroud is a military trained journalist who has served in Iraq with the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, US Army. Prior to his military experiences, Stroud grew up playing, coaching, and refereeing soccer. Also, Stroud focused many years of his life playing, touring, and recording/producing local music acts. He has a wonderful wife of 4 years, a 2 year old son and a newborn daughter.
Stroud's biggest writing influences are Jim Butcher, Chuck Palahniuk, Edward Lee, Jack Ketchum, Christopher Moore and Ben Fox.
He currently resides in Huntsville, Al, with the 59th Ordnance Brigade at Redstone Arsenal.
Stroud would also like to take a moment to thank his friends who are currently in battle over in Iraq. God bless all of you.
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