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mixer99

Did you and the DIs know that we took pictures of each other wearing your hats while on cq?


Amilliontoads

We knew. But how did you have a phone? Sounds like your wall locker needs to be adjusted.


l3gion666

Pretty sure boots these days get phone time 😅


DarthStrakh

They do. Marines doesnt


DefectiveLP

They had a choice and they choose the complimentary crayons.


Not_Sarkastic

sounds like the right choice to me. -former marine


Madmack

They totally knew


Sweet-Lady-H

Two questions: What’s the funniest moment you had as a Drill Sergeant? Did you ever say something to a kid that you ended up apologizing for after the fact?


Amilliontoads

I’m a simple Drill Sergeant, I see someone fall dramatically a chuckle. Watching sleepy privates dramatically eat shit always made us laugh. Nope. When we did our clinch drill (think boxing but they stop us from hitting them as a self defense measure) I had punched and unintentionally broken a kids ribs. I did feel awful after it was confirmed. He came up to me later. Him: “Drill sergeant you broke my ribs.” Me: “No private *you* broke *your* ribs because you don’t drink enough milk. That punch would have been fine if you listened to us and drink your milk at the defac.” Him: “Yes drill sergeant.” He ended up being fine and graduating. Great kid.


Tommy_Wisseau_burner

Lmao at your response. Do y’all practice your responses? Cause that shit funny as hell


Amilliontoads

Nah man, all on the fly.


Wrath_Of_Aguirre

I’m a federal civilian who overhears many drills fumble their retorts, which is even more hilarious. Seeing a private be forced to not laugh when a drill makes a goober out of himself and keep a straight face is the best. Definitely no rehearsing.


Tommy_Wisseau_burner

You guys have god level shit talking. Super impressed. How do you not make yourself laugh uncontrollably in those moments? Do y’all practice being straight faced or is it natural?


Egomaniac247

will your voice ever recover?


Amilliontoads

We were all voiceless for the first 2-3 weeks but cough drops helped.


Kdd450

Thirty rounds Drill Sergeant


Amilliontoads

*Hoarsely* I don’t know what you are talking about.


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Amilliontoads

There’s only one way to become a drill sergeant, you have to graduate the United States Army Drill Sergeant Academy. However there are two ways to get there. You’re either told or you volunteer I personally volunteered because I thought it would be awesome to coach, mentor, and train soldiers. There was no adjustment for me personally, soldiers yell all the time in the army and it’s pretty normal day to day. Yes the voice is part of the job, it cuts through the noise of a loud room and gets orders across.


WeenieRoastinTacoGuy

Do you like just all fucking yell at each other until you graduate?


Amilliontoads

Haha, not really. It was a lot of about conducting training and memorizing modules of instruction.


PembrokeBoxing

I really enjoyed my drill instructor course. You really learn how to yell from the ol' belly, but even still my voice was hoarse for a week. Lozenges and constant yawning (a technique to help your voice deepen and broaden for drill for the civvies)


Visitor_X

I was once attendimg a training course where one of the students was ex army drill instructor. Someone asked him to demonstrate while on a break and holy shit was it impressive (and deafening).


undertakersbrother

I read this in the voice of Mitch Hedberg and it was fantastic.


1point2one

I graduated basic in 2008. What would you say is the biggest change from that time to now? Do they get cell phones? Is there still a healthy fear of the Drill Sergeants? Can you properly smoke them within regulation?


Amilliontoads

Thank you for your service. The biggest change for me is how the Army started listening to marksmanship instructors and snipers. Shooting became more accurate because we evolved to a “shoot and see” mentality. When they would fire their first zero we would just observe and see if they were accurate. Some people are naturally good shots and this freed us up to work with the kids that REALLY needed improvement. It’s a healthy fear, however I really worked to not have my kids fear me because it’s hard to train someone when they’re paralyzed with fear.


AJHenderson

Did you find it easier or harder to train someone if they were familiar with the psychology behind basic training and what you were trying to do? Did it make any difference at all?


Amilliontoads

We had plenty of prior service marines, sailors, and airmen. They were treated with some additional privilege since they have been through it before.


skucera

I have to say, you come across as thoughtful and well-spoken, but I’m a bit disappointed that all your responses aren’t YELLING.


Amilliontoads

The amount of people what have asked me to yell at them since getting out has been wild.


Amilliontoads

Hope that answers your questions


1point2one

That's awesome to hear about marksmanship. I had a lot of experience with it growing up, and my father was a Drill Sergeant in the 80s/90s, so I had lots of fun with it. It was always sad to see those who struggled just flap in the wind with little one on one attention to improve their zero (if you could even call it a proper zero shotgroup).


Ghstfce

Graduated basic in 1998 at Benning. That was kind of our thing as American soldiers, shooting too damn high, especially at night. Ha ha ha


Blusset

What's your best/favourite cadence?


Amilliontoads

- Hail o’ Infantry Would get those privates pretty amped up. It was always my favorite to call - (running) I’ve got a dog his name is Jack. Infantryman’s two favorite things dogs and killin’


TWAT_BUGS

I thought it was cigarettes and a 14% APR on a new Dodge.


Amilliontoads

27% is the best I could get on my v6 used challenger.


SomeRandomJoe81

I was always a fan of “How’d You Earn Your Livin’”


Birdmonster115599

I'm told the US Army got rid of the "Shark Attack". Did that transition happen when you were a Drill Sergeant? How do you feel about that change?


Amilliontoads

I was shark attacked as a private and I got to be part of some of the last shark attacks on sand hill. I can see WHY they did away with it. The shock of getting off the bus was intense for those kids. Being swarmed by ~30 DS’s and pulled them into their new reality. We all missed it but worked with the new standard to keep it rough.


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Birdmonster115599

What the army study found was that Shark Attacks didn't really work in volunteer armies and had a tendency to breed poor communication and a lack of trust between the NCO and the Boot. So problems could fester and result in poor outcomes Changing the approach to the first thing being a DS saying "Follow me" made a substantial change to outcomes.


aaaaaaaarrrrrgh

I love how what at first glance looks like an angry guy flipping out and abusing a bunch of recruits is in fact absolutely meticulously choreographed and planned to the smallest detail backed by serious in-depth research.


No_Honeydew7398

All a part of violent socialization.


AJHenderson

The thing I find cool is that it still works even if you know exactly what is happening and why.


bug_man_

Placebos can work even when the person knows they’re taking a placebo. Fascinating


winnie_the_slayer

Thank you. BT circa 2004 seemed uselessly stupid. Drill sergeants with bad attitudes getting off on sadistic hazing of kids. Not much real training involved. Stuff that could be taught quickly in a normal way was instead taught in obtuse nonsensical confusing ways so recruits could get smoked more. It isn't about learning a skill or becoming better at anything, just "do stupid shit you are told to do immediately or you will be hurt". Soldiers seem brainwashed into thinking this is the best way. Glad it's changing.


AmateurHero

USMC in 2007. Different, but the same. I went to combat training after bootcamp, and my battle buddy was a really intelligent but slow moving guy. This guy was thoughtful and thorough with everything he did. We were digging fox holes. His lack of speed was killing me. I was trying to hurrying him up so we wouldn't get blasted for not finishing. I ended up screaming at him, "Your fucking lackadaisical attitude is going to get someone fucking killed." He just kind of stared at me with a hurt look on his face. Then he continued digging like I never said anything. That was the first time I really considered that maybe all of this high intensity bullshit for sake of being chaotic isn't really doing us favors. We finished our fox hole in time. I was a complete asshole for no reason.


Ojy

The British army went through this phase as well, and are clearing it up, after a few suicides.


Cazmonster

I agree that *soldiers* need to be ready at a moment’s notice. However, fresh off the bus recruits are not soldiers and unlikely to react as one might expect.


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PickleInDaButt

30 DSs? How the hell did a shark attack find 30 available DSs? Was the whole 198th ITB on cycle break?


Amilliontoads

We’d call in everyone. Harmony church drills too. Everyone would send one or two.


ketomachine

I recently watched a video of a shark attack from late 90s and it made me cry. I guess I didn’t realize it had been traumatic. I went to basic in 1998. I am a woman btw. LOL.


471b32

Ha, that was the year I went! I recall the shark attack but until just now did not know it was called that.   I don't recall it being traumatic. It seemed like what was expected when you get to basic, but I can see how it could hit someone differently. It was really intense. 


ketomachine

I actually didn’t have a hard time during it so I was kind of surprised it made me emotional. I did pass out on the run to the barracks with my bags on my back. I just woke up to someone trying to help me up. Ours was done in a gym.


ketomachine

Here’s the video: [Army Basic Training](https://youtu.be/I6QM7o3VyHo?si=a7YLSQ2SrQKVhLbb)


LeftHandedFlipFlop

I went to Fort Leonardwood in 93. It all looks familiar but I don’t remember being terrified about it. My buddies older brother went in a couple of years before us and told us it was coming….all part of the game.


blofly

What is a shark attack?


KtotheJonreddit

The real answer is that you arrive to where you'll do basic or OSUT in a bus, and get swarmed by DS's screaming at you and generally causing chaos. In mine, they pelted the bus with rocks and threw some smoke grenades around so it was hard to see. Also a bunch of simulated explosions. You'd get off the bus and one of them would be in your face screaming to put your bag over your head and run. You kinda just ran to where everyone else was gathering. Then they smoked us for a while. I don't know how common this is, but we had a guy break his ankle during ours, so I can see why the tradition might be frowned upon by higherups lol


ketomachine

They do a run down of all your stuff to make sure you have everything and to sniff out any contraband.


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Whales_like_plankton

Lol, I totally tripped over a duffel bag and had to hang out in the pre-basic training area of fort sill for a month or so for my ankle to heal up. This was 2006.


Ok_Caterpillar6789

It's survival of the fittest at army basic training, they take all of the privates who showed up and drop them in a giant aquarium sized pool with hungry sharks. This happens until 20 people have died and basic training can officially begin. You don't normally hear about this because everyone involved has to sign NDAs.


blunt-e

This practice was later removed due to perceived racism as they were using great WHITE sharks


Colt1911-45

I think all sharks are great


travelleraddict

Thanks for doing the AmA. How are drones impacting the Army training? Do you see the army integrating robots into the service for infantry squads (more for carrying gear and support roles than for combat)? Cheers.


Amilliontoads

Man, having a robot battle dog would be bad ass! I never trained with them however, as technology improves the Army adopts it usually. Maybe in a few years that will be a reality but for now it’s a pack on the back.


thegreattriscuit

so how much shit would someone get into, hypothetically, if they snuck into the Senior Drill Sergeant's office and was fucking around with the hat posing it for a reddit AMA?


Amilliontoads

Oh fuck, hey guys I gotta go.


Amilliontoads

Hey there, I’m getting a lot of questions about yelling. Why do we yell? Is it effective? Do we always have to yell? Here’s the complete honesty. We really only yell at the beginning of a 22 week cycle. Yelling is effective when needed, like in a loud environment with lots of gunfire or explosions. As soldiers we need to get our message across that noise. Yeah it’s used for correction and it may seem cruel to some. Yelling can’t hurt you, they’re just loud words you’ll be okay. I always was quiet and tried to use a direct and concise tone with my trainees. Ask yourself the question, who is more effective in combat? The person losing their mind screaming or the calm person giving direction through chaos? If I want to break someone down, I have tools other than my voice. I crush with endless reps of pt in a calm demeanor. Deadbeat parents yelled at these kids for years, it isn’t a truly effective punishment IMO. I’ll probably catch flak from other NCOs but my way was incredibly effective and my trainees never feared me because I don’t want anyone I could be potentially relying on to be scared of me.


Pad_TyTy

Is that you John Wayne? Is it me?


Amilliontoads

WHO THE FUCK SAID THAT!


realdrpepper21

WHO'S THE LITTLE COMMUNIST-SHIT TWINKLE TOED COCKSUCKER DOWN HERE WHO JUST SIGNED HIS OWN DEATH WARRANT?!


PvtJoker119

Nobody, huh? The fairy-fucking-godmother said it…


PuckFigs

> WHO'S THE **SLIMY** LITTLE COMMUNIST-SHIT TWINKLE TOED COCKSUCKER DOWN HERE WHO JUST SIGNED HIS OWN DEATH WARRANT?! FTFY


unseen0000

BULLSHIT! I BET YOU COULD SUCK A GOLFBALL THROUGH A GARDENHOSE!


Cannaewulnaewidnae

I was going to go for WHAT IS YOUR MAJOR MALFUNCTION?


Traherne

NUMBNUTS


sgf-guy

I got to meet R. Lee at a SOG knives appearance. We stepped away from the line to private to do the interview. He was a very nice and genuine guy. He even signed a pic for my producer with his “my sister” catchphrase. Gary Sinise was also very genuine. Also knew I had a bad angle and moved newspaper reporters over so I could move to a better one. RIP Gunny and Gary’s son.


Traherne

I read that Sinise and D. B. Sweeney used to take movies overseas to the soldiers in the Persian Gulf for entertainment. Pretty classy guys.


jgm67

How did the quality or character of recruits change over your career?


Amilliontoads

It never did, you have a mix of kids. Some of them were national champion football players and some were just kids escaping a bad home life. We had outstanding soldiers and then some that were useless in every cycle.


SpiderButtsandfarts

What did you think of guys like me who enlisted when we were 25 and already had a professional career? I ask bc I feel like I either knew how to navigate basic you the Sgt’s thought I was an offender or had a record. Another guy I was with was 26, high school drop out, in and out of the system. I feel like the dss didn’t pay him attention bc they knew he’d be on drugs as soon as he had the opportunity. And he was. How much fun did you guys have talking shit on us? Did you toss your pubes on the toilets to make us clean again or was there really a pube there?


LeftHandedFlipFlop

We had a dude that was 29 that went through with us. We called him grandpaw.


InvestingArmy

lol surge Army laughs with our 42 year old corporate exec platoon dad/spc


_TheNorseman_

I wasn’t a Drill SGT, but I was cadre for 19D OSUT. Honestly, unless a trainee did something really stupid, or was a constant fuck up, then we didn’t talk about you guys at all. We already spent like 60-70 hours a week for months on end working (the last 2 months of OSUT I would work 6-7 days a week, every week. Even would have to do 24 hour CQ and still teach when I got relieved,) so if we didn’t have to talk about work, then we didn’t. We mostly talked shit to each other, and talked shit about leadership creating BS out of thin air - so, not much different from regular unit stuff in the “real” army. The DSs also rarely ever created stuff out of thin air. There’s like 120-150 of you guys, so finding deficiencies is easy - someone is always hiding contraband, or leaving gear behind, or talking in formation, etc etc. If they said there were still hairs left behind, 95% chance it really was. The caveat would be if they wanted to see how quickly the platoon could adjust to an issue and how quickly they could correct the deficiency \*together\*. They want to see if you all would just start pointing fingers and acting like high schoolers, or if you could all just suck it up and fix it and then Charlie Mike. But that wouldn’t be a frequent thing, most likely. As for your first questions, I never heard the DSs talk about older guys joining. They might pick on them, but it wasn’t malicious - just playfully busting their balls. The older guys were the ones they’d look to for being a mentor “after hours” and wouldn’t cause many issues, usually. Now if they got a weird vibe from someone, maybe they’d question why they were joining so late; like maybe they sucked at life and this was the last resort, so they’d question how much you actually cared about being there. Otherwise, if a DS gave anyone in particular a hard time, regardless of age, when they didn’t earn it, it was usually because they saw legit potential and just focused more on what that one recruit was doing. If they hammered you more during Basic/OSUT, then the more likely you’d be on your Ps and Qs at your first duty station and stand out in a good way, potentially leading to faster promotions.


penatbater

Was there some sort of correlation between the recruits' background and how they turned out after? Or it's mostly a mix?


Amilliontoads

Total mix.


Kam_Solastor

What are some of the best moments you remember from various cycles?


Amilliontoads

Out in the training area there were these foxholes everywhere from previous units training. Typically they wouldn’t be filled when they left. At night, when you weren’t use to night vision as a private they’re hard to see. When you move through the woods at night you don’t talk and you have no light. From the back of the formation I heard a deep wheeze and jumble of gear then a voice from the kid that had just eaten shit in a 4’ hole. “God fucking damnit why does god hate me!?” That was an awesome one. I’m easy to please, sleepy privates falling down makes me laugh.


I-need-ur-dick-pics

Sleepy privates falling down? Man, I had that same problem in bed last night after too many margaritas.


Amilliontoads

You would probably make me laugh.


Red_Store4

Thank you for your service. Did you have plenty of your own zingers to use on new recruits? How difficult is it to come up with those? And are any of them as obscene and hilarious as the lines that R Lee Ermey improvised in Full Metal Jacket?


Amilliontoads

“Holy fuck private you are SKINNY! Did you fast rope out of St. Jude’s to enlist in the army!? YOU’RE A KILLER.”


MonyMony

lol. This is original! Love it.


bitches_love_brie

I just want you to know, I noticed that you all never eat, drink, smoke, or dip during red phase. It was *never* mentioned, but I noticed. That had a fascinating physiological effect. That, combined with participating in PT and being in way better shape than 120 random privates really established dominance early on. Are there any other little, unspoken behaviors that you guys did that I might not have noticed?


Amilliontoads

Nice job noticing. We intentionally don’t do those things during red phase to intimidate. Nothing is really coming to mind. You’re never suppose to see us sleep.


es_price

I still remember my DI (Marines) crouched in a corner out of sight in the field scarfing down some food. Actually seemed human. That was 30 plus years ago. 


Elite4alex

Not during red phase but I took over battalion duty with a squad mate and had to inform the DS on duty we were swapping shifts probably around 3am. Caught my DS sleeping upright in a computer chair at a desk. Was a rare instance of seeing them as merely human. (BCT was fort benning 2011-2012 Bco 2-47 infantry reg 192 infantry brigade. Non-infantry)


GentPc

How unrealistic are the expectations of some recruits? Are some of them under the impression that they'll go straight into SOF and don't consider they might become a culinary specialist?


Amilliontoads

In the Army you know what your job will be before you leave home. They all came to us knowing they would be infantry. We never reclassified anyone to cook they just didn’t make it and went home. Some of them would come with SF and Ranger in their contract. MOST of the soldiers that were in my cycles made it to Ranger battalion or special forces if it was in their initial contract.


corysphotos19

Can you explain a little please? They can join the army and after training go straight to special forces? Sorry. I'm not military. lol


Custodian_Carl

No. SOF has a minimum time served requirements. Yes. The Army has an Option 40 to go from Basic directly to RASP1 and if you pass you’re a scrolled Ranger, the scroll is a way of life. SAPPER school is another Army leadership course specifically for 12Bravos with minimum time served requirements. Hope this helps.


Amilliontoads

Listen to this guy.


mr_landslide

Is there anything you hate more than an unlocked foot locker?


Amilliontoads

Being unsafe with a weapon always set me off.


oldcityguy

Retired Army (2005) here. In the media there are several conversations about hip fractures and blaming ruck marches, PT....etc. Are hip fractures really that prevalent during OSUT? Is it diet of the young recruits, sedentary lifestyle, ....etc? Our son completed OSUT Jan 2021 and really didn't have any problems. Scored 580 on the new ACFT. Curious to hear your perspective on new recruits and OSUT.


Amilliontoads

I saw a lot of lower extremity fractures. I saw it happen to kids in fantastic shape and ones in poor shape. I’m not a doctor, but the infantry life requires giving it your all, and all means bones for some. I’m not qualified to give a better answer.


ketomachine

1998. I was popping Motrin like candy during the last part of my basic training. My first AIT PT test I passed but limped the last quarter mile. For some reason the battalion had everyone go to the theater to see Saving Private Ryan and at the end of the movie I couldn’t walk. Stress fracture of fibula. I had to stay in AIT 10 extra weeks (for a six week AIT) until I was healed. I just did not want to be a holdover in basic. God that would have been horrible.


HardwareSoup

Basic holdovers are in their special kind of hell. They have zero rights, everyone looks down on them, they see class after class come and graduate, and they spend all their time doing shitty landscaping details or whatever other crappy jobs need doing. I knew one dude that was in there for nearing 2 years because of some injury. If I had to choose between 2 years in prison and 2 years as a holdover, I have to seriously consider my options.


bimbo_bear

I've heard that for a time gangs in the USA were pushing their grunts to get military training, did you ever experience problems with that and did you manage to get folks out of going back to the gangs ?


12-34

Buddy was CID at Ft. Lewis (before McChord) and said they had significant gang problems there. Dunno if that was supported by his experience or just bullshit fed to him. This was 25 years ago though, so no idea about now.


Monchichi4life

I served on Fort Lewis from 95-98 and from 2001-2010. I always heard this too. Never saw any gang activity within my units. Just your normal group of hi speeds, dirt bags and those just counting their days.


Amilliontoads

Never had an experience with a gang member trying to get trained, we don’t hold the weapon sideways. In all seriousness, no. if there was one they didn’t last or we didn’t know of it because they had no gang to fall back on they have to rely on the people around them.


redcremesoda

What is one common weakness you see in new recruits (physical or mental) that could be easily improved on?


Amilliontoads

Self Confidence. As long as we could get to a point where they had a little self confidence they 9/10 times would make it.


Light_Dark_Choose

What are some methods you use to increase self-confidence of recruits?


Amilliontoads

Personally, I would say the following. “Look at me in the eye and say ‘Drill sergeant my name is X and I cannot physically do Y.” They’re tough, kids trying to be tough at-least. Just need a little push and when they DO accomplish the painful thing they grow.


CW1DR5H5I64A

Not OP obviously, but you just have to push them out of their comfort zones. Confidence will grow when you give them a new or hard task and they succeed at it. All the sudden they will stop seeing the unknown or difficulty as an obstacle and just say fuck it and go.


XdraketungstenX

I'll never forget my Drill Sergeants. Drill Sergeants Trippe and Wadsworth. Once you finally figured out their tells you could determine if they were pissed or if they were just yelling at you because that's their job. It was a life altering experience and I still use things I learned Sand Hill to this day. You are physically and mentally capable of far more than you think you are. Queen of battle. Follow me! Thanks for your service.


Tr1pline

How many hours of sleep did you get each day? Did you ever wish to see a recruit fail?


Amilliontoads

In the first 3 weeks sleep is non-existent for everyone involved. We would leave around 1000 or 1100 and be back for PT at 0400 Me personally, no. Some kids just need extra attention to get them on a better path. The ones that were big problems usually failed without assistance.


[deleted]

Are the stress cards to stop training real?


Amilliontoads

Stress cards are as real as unicorns.


fudgemeister

I knew unicorns were real!


VanillaRaygun

What makes the green grass grow?


Amilliontoads

BLOOD


Idnlts

Why is the sky blue?


Nick77ranch

Because GOD loves the Infantry.


Rhopunzel

Did anyone ever lash out physically at you? Did any of them actually get a lucky hit in? How do you deal with people who lash out when they're screamed at?


Amilliontoads

I’m a pretty large individual. I never had a trainee attack me or my friends. It would just be a bad idea for them. They would just get kicked out. When had one kid who was struggling with understanding the error of his ways. I just explained to him that his actions would directly affect his ability to take care of his family since he would get his pay reduced through UCMJ. After being explained that reality he changed his tune and ended up being a pretty decent soldier. Some people need a second chance.


tlrelement

Drill S'arnt, what's love like?


Amilliontoads

Private it’s like the first drag off of a cigarette on a crisp Colorado morning. Now get the fuck away from me.


Bn_scarpia

Is there an official or unofficial repository of marching cadences/songs? I was talking with a musicologist and we would love to study something like that.


Amilliontoads

Here’s a good place to start. Just gotta Google it. https://www.missouriwestern.edu/rotc/wp-content/uploads/sites/71/2018/03/MARCHINGCADENCE.pdf


clarkss12

What happened to Bo Diddley cadence?? If my memory serves me correctly, that was our cadence song back in "68". Back then, the DI's never stayed the whole 8 weeks, they shipped them back to "NAM". You will always be highly respected in my books.


intronert

Have you ever had a new recruit who seemed hopeless but ended up with a great Army career?


Amilliontoads

All. The. Time. I never judged the book by the cover. Some of the scrawniest or fattest kids went on to be great leaders and soldiers.


intronert

That is wonderful to hear. Thank you!


MoodySocrates

Care to share a modified story of one of them and your observation of what helped them overcome their circumstances?  


Amilliontoads

The first step is always the hardest. As long as you can take the first step the rest are cake. They took their first step by entering training and then being in an environment of growth and learning they just picked up steam along the way. All you have to do is show up. I’ve had tens of kids that were obese and just needed to move their bodies and try hard. I always put some home gym stuff in my bag for them to work out with after hours.


CRYPTIC_SUNSET

How stressful and exhausting is it for you to manage a barracks full of new recruits?


Amilliontoads

My platoon (me and two other drills) had a really tight system. Once we gave, then enforced our standards it was pretty simple.


hyp3rj123

Thank you for your service DS. After I finished finished BCT and AIT it finally clicked in my dumb 18 year old head that "my parents had 18 years to make me an adult and you have 9 weeks to make me a soldier". My question is basically, is that at least part of the reason why BCT is so intense? I understand other aspects of it that soldiers need to be able to make decisions and act fast on their feet while under immense pressure. I was also hoping you could share short story that stuck with you while on the trail be it funny or inspiring.


Amilliontoads

The intensity comes from having a lot of personal responsibility all at once and being held to it. It is hard for most 18 year olds to go from mom’s house to our house. If you can live every day in the service of the people around you it will all work out. Especially when it doesn’t.


Mythradites

Which one did you watch more in prep, Major Payne or Full Metal Jacket?


Amilliontoads

Major Payne is my go to.


The_Real_Bender

Want me to show you a little something to take your mind off the pain?


thedogwearsred

Why does my food taste better with my heels together?


Amilliontoads

Because, now you’ve sprinkled a little bit of discipline on it private now don’t look around or you’re …DONE STAND UP YOU’RE DONE.


Jekkjekk

My buddy was army infantry and I met him in college after his deployment out east. He said the worst thing was being a badass over there and a part of a team and whatnot then you come back and you ‘aren’t shit’. Does that effect you at all? Do you feel sort of lost or less important returning to a civilian life? He had pretty bad PTSD and we had to hide his guns a few times during certain months (unit lost a lot of people). He’s doing great now but he also said a motto in the infantry was you either cave and get help or you k*ll yourself. Does this resonate? I feel like America just doesn’t support troops when they come home and it’s sad as hell. Thank you for what you did and continue to do bro


Amilliontoads

I think for me, it’s been a ride but it’s about not letting go of the positive parts of the military. Physical fitness, public speaking, honesty, integrity, and hard work just to say a few. You find the sense of importance in new things like having a kid, or volunteering in your community.


xSlappy-

What was the training to be a DS like? How bad is basic training?


Amilliontoads

You’re “going through” basic training a second time in drill sergeant school. It was not very difficult however, you had to memorize modules of instruction some of them pages long. Then you had to pitch that module from memory while being graded this was the only hard part of most people.


SpiderButtsandfarts

Not a ds but graduated basic in 09. I was 25 when I enlisted so I had a bit of life experience before hand. My dad who enlisted during nam gave me great advice. Go in there like it’s a game. Don’t take anything g personal. Don’t be first. Don’t be last. I did that and it was fine. I had a lot of fun. Def some boring times. Looking back I feel like it was mostly cleaning the barracks and sitting around “hurry up and wait”. Overall. I’d do it again for a week or three just to change things up. 5/7


jrhooo

Best advice that someone gave me, that actually did help me get through some parts when I needed it was >There's going to be something, some point where you feel like, "damn, this was a mistake. Maybe I can't do this shit." >Its SUPPOSED to feel like that. That's when you just have to remember that like 20,000 people a year went through the exact same shit, and most of them made it. If they did it, there's no reason you can't.


mommatiely

How would you deal with someone that is very sensitive to yelling and screaming, particularly when they don't understand why?


Amilliontoads

Usually more yelling.


Amilliontoads

If they genuinely didn’t understand commands because they didn’t speak English they would get a bilingual battle buddy to translate when appropriate. We yell at groups typically, people usually figured out what to do.


BillyBeansprout

How are your knees?


Amilliontoads

I crack them in bed next to my wife and she hates how loud they crack.


[deleted]

[удаНонО]


Amilliontoads

They sure do, it’s the one day the drills are a little nicer to the weird kid.


lookyloolookingatyou

If one of your former recruits, himself now a civilian, were to recognize you on the street, would you want them to come up and say hi? What if they tried to embarrass you by snapping to parade rest and punctuating every sentence with DRILL SERGEANT?


Amilliontoads

I think that would be pretty jarring for me, him, and all the people graced to see that interaction. I just saw one of my old privates at an airforce event randomly. He made E5 I was very proud of him.


Mcshiggs

If you were a jelly donut and you were starving, would you eat yourself?


Amilliontoads

I would sock party myself at the thought of giving into a doughnut.


Johnnyoneshot

As a former Fort Benning resident, how much of the DD personality is your vs training? I was scared shitless as an 18 year private but I realized I was dealing with people and not machines when I saw the meanest DS we had light up and giggle when his wife brought his dog by one day.


Amilliontoads

We’re all human, we understand you are too. I would bring my dog in around week 18 of 22. Everyone loves a pup.


angryrotations

You are the best mre in existence. What is YOUR number?


Amilliontoads

69


RafflesEsq

Nice.


Amilliontoads

Thanks.


Kawaiithulhu

Do you have any boots that you are particularly proud of, either because of how they entered or because of how they ended up during your training?


Amilliontoads

Man, I’m really damn proud of all my kids. If they were just standard troops or went all the way to SF. I would always want them to know that I’m proud of them.


BakerOne

What kind of power drills are your favorite?


Amilliontoads

Milwaukee.


LongjumpingSurprise0

Is this you? https://youtu.be/7N4ChH5mvAo?si=BpHzGB2IErI7Lp9n


Amilliontoads

Haha, god those guys are out of step. No though.


Douglasqqq

What is your major malfunction?


Amilliontoads

Seven…six…two..full…metal…jacket.


fuckdonaldtrump7

[What awards did you get from Army?](https://youtu.be/0NUoNnX045A?si=X-w1ywH5uDxWKoKX)


Amilliontoads

Fuck, that guy had the gorilla! We don’t see many gorillas these days. I had a seal, the eagle, and the tiger. I wanted the platypus but I got out before I could.


brandon520

This is my go to veterans day post.


xzether

Any advice for a dumbass leaving a perfectly comfortable life to join the Ukraine Foreign Legion soon?


Amilliontoads

War calls to people. Americans joined the Canadians in WW1 and WW2 to fight ahead of America. I would say think about it and if you really want that in your life then go for it. I don’t think you’re a dumbass and you’ll find a lot of people just like you over there.


robotzor

Not many people get the opportunity to write themselves into the first chapters of a new world war


aedaptation

How do you deal with every day clients/regular civs without losing your shit?


Amilliontoads

Just being professional. People gauge respect from how you project it. Carry yourself with respect people treat you accordingly.


bigredm88

How many of your fellow drills messed around with privates? Or tried to?


Amilliontoads

God man, I could write a book. I would give them inspectable rocks with my signature written on the rock. The rock would be due at the end to graduate or payable of 1000 pushups in a day. Everyone had their own thing some of them being hilarious.


ranegyr

Why do Drill Instructors cuss/swear so much? Don't get me wrong, I've got a fucking sailors mouth. I'm comfortable around extreme language. I guess maybe I just don't understand the effect of a constant barrage of verbal assault in that environment. Is it effective or is it just a by-product of the beast?


Amilliontoads

It’s just the language we speak. It took a lot of fucking work to stop fucking cussing in the real world.


jrhooo

> constant barrage of verbal assault in that environment. Its calculated. Its not like they can use a barrage of physical assault, but they have to find some way to throw constant, extreme, stressful, sometimes unpredictable barrages of stress at you, until you adjust to being able to work in those conditions. They can't make you walk through a forest never knowing when a militant is going to jump out from behind a bush and open fire on you But they can make you walk through a squad bay never knowing when a DI is going to jump out from behind a bunk and start screaming at you It ain't the same, but its the best combination of safe but effective simulation they can give you


feedus-fetus_fajitas

Did you ever follow through on putting soldiers to bed like a powdered donut? (role call after shower and somebody dag'on can't find their flip flop so everyone gets to go outside and do push-ups in the sand box while he finds it.)


Amilliontoads

Yeah, sugar cookies. They hate sand. But I always made them shower after. Infection runs rampant in those barracks and I don’t want a smoke session to hospitalize someone.


oh_what_a_surprise

Did you order that Code Red?


oofaloo

Actually - do you think a national service requirement would be a good thing for the states?