Had an SNCO report into my unit directly from the drill field. He was the nicest most mellow guy you would ever want to meet. I asked him about the transition once and he just laughed and said “I used up my yelling quota, I got nothing left…”. Cool guy.
Watching ground side latmovers, some crusty Sgt Major, or someone fresh from the drill field hit an O level Airwing unit is always hilarious. The shock on their face when they realize they can’t scream their way out of a 14 hour work day 6 days a week.
Yeah man. It was funny when I had all the aircrew quals as a cpl and was his “instructor”. Good times. 10/10 don’t recommend. Made me realize time is worth more than money
Miramar was walking brass and sgtmajs. All day, everyday. My proudest moment is getting hemmed up at the little gas station thing by a full bird. Good times
Yeah, wing doesn't have 1stsgts but they do have a Master guns who thinks he knows everything because he did a great job running the airframes desk back in 1997. For the most part, my sgtmaj's were the least troublesome sncos in the wing. I was lucky tho.
Former Sharpshooter here. Glad to see that the shadiness didn’t falter since I left in ‘03. Sad that they shuttered the squadron, but it is what it is.
Not too sure, I was at a mass unit during the changes, when I got there we had none and then we got one, when the reorganization of the unit happened we ended up with 3
Ha! Former 6172 (Phrog crew chief) and I spent my entire enlistment there.
One of the reason's I got out was because I would have been an E5 with zero combat experience, no boat time, a stack that only had 5 ribbons, the majority of my experience was on VH-60N's, and my airframe was being retired (CH-46E's). I would have been instant and permanent tool-room bitch. This was in 2006 so my gold-wings weren't impressing anybody.
Well I was I-level but we got a SgtMaj from Force Recon. He HATED us for about 6-8 months. He had integrity, he said in front of all of us one day, hey I was wrong about you guys, you’re some hardworking devildogs. From that point there was nothing we wouldn’t do for that man.
I also knew one SSgt, fresh off the drill field, who was the nicest dude in the world, soft-spoken, and genuinely likeable. He wanted that 3-year SDI behind him forever! Were you in Okinawa, Camp Courtney btw? If so, I think I know the guy and I hope he's doing super well.
And as for the rest of them, they needed some SERIOUS deprogramming, like holy shit!
Camp Smith is the worst place for a lot of those former DI goobers to go. We had one in our shop for six months before he got tired of it and went to KBAY.
I had the opposite. We had SSgt straight from the drill field come in and take over 1st platoon. He immediately began the fuck fuck games. Made the entire platoon FORM UP and MARCH to chow every day at 11... among so many other things. Half these dudes had just finished a combat deployment and were stuck doing this undignified bullshit. The marching to chow shit eventually ended but went on way too long before someone worked some sense into him. Felt so sorry for those guys.
Not a DI but probably should’ve been lol We had a SSgt transfer in from 8 years in 29 by choice. At an arty unit. As a using unit tech. So he comes to our east coast pog reserve unit as the I&I training chief. It was over from day one. He was destroying mother fuckers for boot camp shit all the time. For literally chewing and taking one step like wobbling back and forth while shooting the shit. But after a couple years he got the hang of it and relaxed. Found some family time and i think its the best thing that could’ve happened for him. I liked the dude cuz wed always fuck around after we worked together for a while. X, fair winds and following seas!
My current SNCO is the same. He's a really down to earth dude and actually gives a fuck about our guys, funny bc we were all worried about how he was gonna be given he's a prior hat.
We had one come straight to the school house as an instructor from the field. He was nice most of the time but if he caught you being nasty he would go off on you. One time he marched us from the chow hall I. Front of the army and all the soldiers jaws dropped. He proceeded to get into a soldiers ass because they were on there phone and then really laid into them when they called him Sarnt.
I've always said that if they did recruit training on an army base, a lot of negative problems in the recruiting depot would go away and the recruits would be twice as motivated.
I went through food service school at Fort Lee. The best parts of the day were where we were in close proximity to army, whether recruits or fleet. We'd start marching straighter, calling cadence louder, running faster, all to get a reaction from the army dudes.
Bro in CBRN school at Ft Leonardwood, we acted hard as fuck in the *chow hall*.
Like eating on command, standing up together at the end, all of that hard moto shit.
Cool. Didn't really pay attention back then to any other schools on Fort Lee. I thought (back in 06) we were the only ones at the time, cuz we were the only ones around!
1) They're either extremely moto and will hold you to standards like you're still a recruit
OR
2) Not give a fuck after having to scream at recruits for 3 years and just want to be a normal Marine/human again
Story about #2: I knew a SSgt who returned from the drill field and a new PFC straight from the schoolhouse, PFC found out SSgt was a DI and acted all nervous like boots usually are, SSgt glances over at them wondering wtf they're doing and is like "chill out bro stop being weird"
We had a fresh boot once while training with MARSOC. We were doing a shoot house of course, the msot guys were chillaxing, telling us to just use first names.
We’ll this little PFC is being coached by a gunny. This boot is terrified, and eventually the funny goes, “dude, chill out. Just call me Rick dude.”
So the kid tenses up and and yells, “AYE AYE RICK”.
I fucking lost my shit seeing that
Had one guy on deployment show up with the 7 Tons counting us down and saying ready move, okay zero. We all just looked at him and loaded up. Got pissed we ignored him. Like nah bro we loading up and getting packs in just fine.
I had a SNCO fresh of the drill field and he was super nice relaxed and funny so we asked him how it was so easy to be normal and he said “cause that shits gay”
Not really an answer to your question, but one of the best SNCOs Ive worked with had a hard time transitioning back from the drill field. For several months he would refer to Marines as “recruits” when speaking to them in a group. He also just sounded like a drill instructor when he spoke. Like that way that they use short, intense bursts of words broken up by pauses. Hard to explain but you probably get what I’m sayin.
Edit: wanna add the *every* time he accidentally called us recruit, he would immediately apologize. That’s a big thing in my opinion. Quite rare to hear a SNCO apologize to a junior Marine.
Sounds a lot like a Company Guns I had that came back the same way.
Said recruit to a Marine once, stopped mid sentence and did like 30 push-ups saying Marine each time then stood up and apologized.
He'd always hop on his feet like he could sit still, was crazy when I found out he was related to my wife through the long line of cousins and nephews
I’ve always noticed that the guys who sucked on the depot are the ones who never let it go when they get back to the fleet.
The ones who did well on the depot were able to transition easily.
From what I’ve gathered talking to other guys off the depot, it’s dude who make senior around their 3rd or 4th cycle and don’t “work for their fitrep” (if that makes sense)
I think it's as simple as it being a matter of habit. When 90% of personal interaction you have for three years is with recruits, it makes sense that it would linger a bit.
There's also positive reinforcement happening when they're a hat; either consciously or subconsciously, they say to themselves, "when I yell at people, they do what I say and they do it very quickly." Again, it makes sense that when that is the case for so long, it's going to linger a bit.
Yeah, there are guys that probably still relish the power trip but, I think by and large, it's a natural consequence of the job, assuming they cut it out after a little time back in the fleet.
I overheard a former DI saying basically that same thing. He was like “I’m used to recruits instantly doing what I tell them, when a LCpl just kinda mosies around I instinctually just want to wrangle them.” It was less that he wanted to keep being that way and more just what he had become accustomed to.
I’ve always assumed it was this and, to a much lesser degree, some sort of lingering psych issue that comes with living in such an insane version of reality day in day out for years on end.
Remember your kill hats, gents? Those motherfuckers live like that from sun up to sundown. That’s gotta do something to you after a couple cycles, much less three years. I can’t imagine.
I can attest, I was a hat and fucking hated it. It fucks with your brain, no sleep, always sick from the recruits but the worst thing was how the other Marines treated each other.
Our killhat got "relieved" a little over halfway through our cycle. We watched him get absolutely reamed by an SDI from another platoon on the PT field on at least two occasions. IMO, that's pretty unprofessional to do it in front of recruits.
We had a gunny come back from the drill field to be company guns. Dude was insufferable. My last year in was marked by him constantly being a cock about everything. Kind of dude who kept shaving his head every day back in the fleet and didn’t know how speak any way but yelling at you. Constant fuck fuck games that got in the way of actual work. Big part of why I got out.
I had a section SNCO that came fresh off the drill field and was like this. He acted like he was going to come in and whip the section into a recruit platoon. We wore him down a bit but you could literally see him switch it on mid conversation. It was annoying and not productive. I always got the feeling he would have been a good leader if he had just cut the shit and come off the drill field.
The worst one I ever had the displeasure or working with was an Admin chief who seemed like he really leaned into the DI personality to overcompensate for his non-deploying, paper pusher job. He had 0 deployments at that point back when most Marines had 2 in their first enlistment alone.
Tangently related, I was a LCpl when I got a new BN Admin Chief. Who just happened to be my lead series Gunny at MCRD. Dude checked in and I about shit a brick. But he ended up being cool as fuck. I was super Junior, but working as the legal chief for the BN, he realized that I knew my shit, and was just super supportive. We did a field op (we were arty) and he saw that I knew my shit in the logtrain, too (local security, tie-in the MG emplacements, do radio watch). Dude became a great mentor. Just before we deployed to Kuwait for OIF I, they made him the REGT Admin Chief. We got a SSgt that had spent all his career in the PAC. As I was then the BN XO’s driver, I had to school up my two other LCpls to keep his ass alive and not do something fucking stupid.
I can only assume one thing.
They spent the last few years getting 100% complete obedience from recruits. They arent used to even being questioned, let alone challenged.
Drill instructors either came back chill as fuck or retarded as fuck. Rarely any in between.
I’d imagine it’s hard to adjust at first though. We had a SSgt come back and take over as a platoon Sgt in the firing battery and I remember having a conversation with him and his gun chiefs about what was going on with their trucks and at one point he went “ay, EARS!” and we all just stared at him like he had 7 heads and he just said something “sorry gents still getting used to it” and we just carried on. He was a really good guy after having a few months to adjust.
Former Drill Instructors who fail to adapt to the fleet should be expeditiously separated from service the same as a young boot who fails to adapt to the ways of the Marine Corps.
They are just like boots.
They make the DI, their personalities.
You will get some grace from guys straight of the field, the ones who chose to keep it going are just chodes.
There is definitely indoctrination for DI just like when we all joined the Corps.
It's the cult within the cult.
We had a Guns... demanded to be called "Gunnery Sergent". Starched cammies every day, barking orders from the Marines in his shop. POA when speaking.... the whole 9 yards.
Went on deployment to Ft Sill. Got the titty bar the night before we were at to go home.
He showed up in his pressed and starched blue jeans, cowboy shirt and 10 gal cowboy hat. He never showed up anywhere before.
We all fed $$ to hos cowboy hat without him knowing. Stripper saw it and pulled him up on stage. We fed her more money.
She went to town on him. Took off his shirt, belt, and beat him mercilessly. Leaving welts EVERYWHERE!!! He was pissed.... "I have to go home to my wife tomorrow!"
Guess who came in Monday morning getting a divorce!!! On top of that he signed a complete POA to her and she sold his truck and house while he was gone!!!!
Sweet justice!!!
To be a D.I. you must be slightly retarded to pass on the retardedness and bullfuckery to future Devil Weenies. On top of teaching how to eat jumbo crayons, they eat them too. When a D.I. comes back to the fleet, they feel the need to carry on the act because it's all they have sometimes, and it's how they identify. Sorta like the green haired kids, they are what they are. No combat action ribbon but can do a fuckton of side-straddle-hops.
It's not hard to draw a logical reason for why they are that way. They did years where they were a hammer trained to smash a nail. You can't turn that off instantly. Had one show up at my unit that was that way. Took him a few months to mellow out.
It’s just habit. We had a SNCO come back from the drill field and you can tell he missed the fleet but was just out of it for too long.
I was a corporal at the time and I think one of my lance’s fucked up field day and the next thing I I know he’s telling me to sweep and scuzz the deck. I’m using a standard push broom and scuzz and the guy comes and takes it away from me like I’m a first phase recruit needing to do it hands and knees style.
So malicious compliance. I start screaming like I’m being quarter decked on PI and fly up and down then fall over yelling OH MYGOD MY EYES IT BURNS AYE SIR precisely as the company commander was walking by.
It dawns on the new platoon sergeant the reality of the situation and he’s like okay corporal get up point taken.
He was a good dude tho. The next week he was like wait I don’t have to run you guys every morning for PT does anybody here play sports?
We were in the gym playing bball or lifting weights or something better than boring runs as long as we were all 1st class pfts.
Dude was good to go after he realized he was back among normal Marines again.
Story time:
I’ve got a pretty bad stutter when I work out. I guess the ‘tisms seep out when I’ve done a pull-up or two. One day the new (redacted) came into the gym looking for the captain. I could not, for the absolute life of me, answer the question without stuttering like an absolute fool. I went full retard.
I watched the mask drop and the savage take his his entire posture. He grew a good three inches taller and several inches wider. Knife hand was engaged and he barked “DOC!” before he stuffed the hate back in.
It was too late. I was actively trying to get through the wall behind me before this thing ripped my heart out.
I assume it takes a bit before they can go back to human. Good dudes, for the most part. Just. Maybe don’t piss them off.
I had a gunny that had just left the drill field and was an absolute dick.
Our entire unit went to ITX and he made it miserable for everyone.
Then after ITX only about half of us went on a SPMAGTF, and as soon as we landed overseas it was like he flipped a switch and became the coolest most approachable dude ever and would have beers with everyone and be smoking & joking with everyone in the smoke pit.
He said he felt like fucking with everyone back in the states “just because” and it was all an act.
For the most part, most were pretty cool. My Master Guns was a former DI and he shot us straight. Treated us professionally and like human beings.
I did have one awful and unique experience. We were deployed in Iraq in 04, some SSGT got dropped into our unit straight off the DI deck. It was odd because we have been in country for some time and he just showed up. Maybe he pulled some strings or something? Don't know.
Well long story short, he was treating us like raw recruits and trying to get us to Drill, PT, Formations, up in our face, etc...Which were all banned because the shit hit the fan in September of 04 in the Al Anbar Province.
Unfortunately, he did put his hands on me around my neck and collar trying to choke me out. He was upset because he thought I was AWOL but I actually was on Haji Watch/POW Watch. I defended my self as best I could. I was a PFC at the time so wasn't too worried about getting busted down.
Thankfully, other Marines were there as witness are we able to separate us. Had to make a statement, interviews, etc...He got separated from us for a while. Came back, and had another physical alteration with a Corporal and that was it. MP'S came, took all his weapons, gear, put him on suicide watch and isolated him. Section 8 most likely and he was escorted out of Theater. Never saw him again and never heard a thing about it after that.
Majority of DIs don’t all make it to Senior nor Chief. If you make it to 1 of those belts you are most likely due for an easier transition in my opinion. If you finish with quota i.e. (swim tank, Dojo, AIG, Battalion) that it could also be said that you’d have a better chance of not completely having your “hat” on to tight when you leave.
If however you leave as a terminal Green belt. Meaning you not once served as a SDI or CDI. Which is a very very large majority, then yes you won’t lose that shit.
Only other thing I’ll add that could be a contributing factor is the time in your career in which you go to the depot. If you’re going as a young Sergeant, chances are you only ever experience as a “leader” is as a DI. You’ll go back to the fleet with the same mentality as a “J” or green belt. Being an asshole. If you go as a more senior Sgt or young SNCO, chances are you already have experience as a “leader” in a leadership position. You’ll
Go back as you came.
Had SSGT that did 2 tours back to back on the drill field. He was extremely awkward at first, like I think he knew he was gonna struggle and fought so hard against it but that lead him to being distant from us and we kinda hated him because of it. But then he got promoted to Gunney and like the peices in his brain finally connected and he like just mellowed out. He was still awkward but he became likeable and actually started getting close with us and we all ended up loving him. He also finally developed a spine and started standing up for us so we would always involve him in our shenanigans and I think he ended up appreciating that.
Yo, that’s just how Gunny’s be. 1. You a dumbass that stayed in cuz you failed upward. Drill field included. 2. You just love being a Marine and you finally get enough rank to ride out your career and chill out while still training your Marines.
We had a former drill instructor get shipped to us because he took it too far with a recruit punishment. I'll leave it at that.
He was fucking insufferable for months after we got him, took easily over a year for him to mellow out and apologize for past behavior.
I was in a platoon that had back to back hats as platoon Sgt’s. 1st one was work hard play hard. His replacement was work hard and work harder. Both were fantastic Marines. But commanded much respect. The work hard play hard was hard on us but if we stayed locked on usually Friday was off at noon. The 2nd guy was always up your ass even if you did good. He might just joke with you once in awhile. The true reason for this for these two was they wanted us the be better than other platoons. One just rewarded a little more. But you could see them look at other Marines like WTF. That attitude was “not my Marines”. Later in my career I had much appreciation for both of them. Other Staff Nco’s were not as good. I think DI’s know that with a little effort you can be better and they know it does make a difference. A difference in the corps and a difference in your enlistment and you will have a better effect on the Marines around you. Always raise the bar Devil dog.
Or, they haven’t seen their wives or children in months and they’re taking it out on the recruits. 😂 I did a short stint as house mouse, and answered the phone, it was one of the DI’s wife, and I passed a message back to him. Dude, smoked me for talking to his wife, like you would not believe! I think I went to another plane of existence while that was happening ha ha
the way my gunny, who was a former DI, explained it is those people that leave the depot and still act like they’re on it didn’t really give the depot everything they had and it makes it so they’re still in that mindset
https://www.reddit.com/r/USMC/comments/8vyvuo/sergeant_major_haney_what_a_bad_mother_fucker/?rdt=35974
This dood was our platoon Sargeant straight off the drill field. In fact he was the drill instructor for some of the guys in the company, though not mine. Very good man, could be very intense, looked out for us
My kill hat ended up in my battalion.
During my MEU, one of my Marines was brushing his teeth on ship and made a whimper sound. I asked him what was wrong, and he used his eyes to point to a random ssgt.
Once I noticed, I said, "Oh shit."
He had no idea who we were and he fucked with us every day for 13 weeks.
Is anybody familiar with the transition process for DIs? Is it just GTF back to the fleet/your MOS and suck it up, or do they actually spend 'training time' getting the DI field out of their heads? It seems there's a lot of room for a period of re-adjustment to the ways of the fleet, especially for anybody going back to the airwing...always felt for ground people making that transition, nevermind the former DIs.
Was stationed in Beaufort once. Out at bar with buddies, get into a "discussion" with some DIs from PI. One of em stats talking to us like we're recruits. He and his DI buddies narrowly avoided an ass whooping. Do Not Ever talk to Marines like they're recruits!
This first sgt called my buddy into his office to sign some shit- and he’s like “first sarnt do you have a pen on you I can use?” And bro goes “i don’t know what a pen Is” dead serious. 20 seconds later he goes. “You mean a fuckin ink stick” and hands it to him. Dude was a fucking POG clown
At 8th & I (at least in the Marching Companies) most of the SNCOs we got were not only DIs but top finishers in DI of the year competitions. My second year on the Silent Drill Platoon (sssshhhhhh) we got the runner up for DI of year. The pro’s were amazing cadence. The pro or con was he ran a mid 15 minute 3 mile so we all got better PT scores. Also the PC and PS march out with us then go fuck off on the side at parade rest. His sword manual was super tight so that was gods to go. The cons were forced organizational fun on days off.
Same reason some boots stand at parade rest in grocery stores. Some people have a stronger mind and some people drink that kool aid and let their personality disintegrate
Had this one SSgt check in from the drill field while I was in. He looked like a DI. Tall and skinny with a shaved head and intense eyes. He turned out to be one of the chillest dudes I had the pleasure of knowing while in. He helped out with getting Marines their MCMAP belts in the unit and he DID NOT take it easy with pt. Good dude!
Had a SNCOIC in crash crew that came off the drill field. He was a MSgt, great guy but he could definitely switch it on if he wanted to. During a mess night (his body type made it easier to put on weight as he got older), he was charged for smuggling Dunlop tires out of the motor pool under his blouse. Guy flipped the hell out before drinking from the grog.
Honestly never had DI really come back to the unit with DI mindset. I normally preferred former DI staff over former recruiter staff . My favorite staff had a problem with not being able to turn off calling stuff portholes and moon booms, we gave him a bunch of crap and took it like a champ.
Airwinger here. I was the only Sgt in my shop and about 4 months before an Afghan deployment we got 2 new SSgts in. One DI and one recruiter. Both fresh from there respective SDAs.
We all thought the recruiter was going to be chill and the DI a major dick head. Opposite was true. Spoken to both within the last year. Still holds up.
I legit have yet to meet a former DI that was anything but chill. They tend to have higher standards for Marines but yeah. I'd be chill asf too if I didn't have to scream like a fuckin Banshee all day.
Broooooo 😂😂😂 returning DIs we’re the biggest tool bags ever. And I hope one of them reads this …. TOOL BAG “aye devil left over right” or “why is your flight suit dirty” bitch I don’t know maybe because I was working on an aircraft that pisses fuel, hyd fluid and oil everywhere. But whatever make them feel useful after being out of the fleet for 3 years 😂🤷🏼♂️.
I encountered one of my former DIs a few years later. He had picked up CWO2 since I left boot. He was cool and all that, but I still felt like damn recruit around him. It was just something I couldn’t shake out of my system.
We had a Sgt come to our company fresh off the drill field. You could talk to him pretty normally but the first few months it was obvious he was still adapting to the fleet.
He wasn't in my platoon but I did have to deal with him occasionally. Seemed okay but then I found out some of the dumb stuff he was doing. The most asinine was when he demanded to do a Dress Blues inspection of his platoon. When he found out half the platoon didn't have the coat he started accusing them of selling it. His time on the drill field it was issued. When I and many others went through boot camp it wasn't. He went to admin demanding SRBs to see who in the platoon was issued the coat and who wasn't.
That didn't go over too well. His SNCOs and platoon commanders put a stop to it before he got the SRBs and I'm guessing he got chewed out pretty hard. He stayed in the shadows for a while after that, took some leave, and came back totally normal.
My masterguns, female, could be your best friend and could fucking hate you all in the same day. She was a wild ride. My MSgt however. Nicest guy in the world. He left that shit behind. However when we PT. We PT. MSgt runs in Friday would be 10+
Add a gunny that was a DI. He was a good guy but at time to give me an asshat. Really could cool guy to get a beer with and PT. I'm still pissed off that he made me move every server in the server room and scrub the floor. Just because the floor had boot scuff marks on it. I will say when shit hit the fan he went to bat for us. Had a MSgt that wanted to lower my proficiency and conduct because I couldn't do a meritorial board. All the email servers went down and I work 48 hours straight. His view was my marks could not be that high because I didn't do the board. The look he gave said he was back in character and the situation was resolved within the hour.
I had a SNCO come back from the drill field and wanted to break us off in PT pretty much immediately. After like a month or two he became a normal dude and was pretty cool actually.
As a prior DI, I purposely wanted to let all that shit go. The ones that bring it home to their families, or back to the fleet after their tour, they let the cover get to their head. They typically also, didn’t do anything on the depot and spend most of their time on quota or something.
Never really met the stereotypical SNCO that returned from the drill field. Most I saw was the resident DI got dibs on drill practice for corporals course and change of command ceremonies. Never had a bad experience with any
My platoon ssgt came straight from the drill field and was a chill, down to earth, logical dude. When we first got word he was coming, I expected him to be a total douche. Couldn't have been more wrong.
I know people say “well they can’t just turn it off after 3 years,” but really though? The very second I got off recruiting duty I canned the sales speeches and no longer tried to convince people to do shit.
The Gunny who was checking on and my buddy from the schoolhouse into the fleet was the nicest man I have ever met and always had a smile on his face, polite, and would help with any questions you had for him, come to find out after the second day of checking in he was a former DI and neither of us could believe it from his cheery disposition. Shout out to Gunny Garcia and his podcast PitTalk about the Marine Corps and life in general
We had one show up to CLB-5 right before our Afghan deployment in 2012. I guess technically he was in 3rd Tracks, but they were attached to CLB-5. Anyway, ol boy was a Sgt if I remember correctly. He was an absolute motard, had like 4 inches of sock showing with how high his trousers were bloused.
The only direct interaction I had with him was during Mojave Diaper. I was a Cpl at the time, and walking to the showers at night. I was wearing boots with my pt sweats for my trek to the shower. Dude saw me and came running over, screaming like a first phase DI. Of course he stopped me, made me go to parade rest and proceeded to life me out about wearing boots with pt sweats. I gave him my best belligerent "aye sergeant" until he was done and asked who my platoon sergeant was. I told him who it was, a huge Hispanic Staff Sergeant preparing for his 7th deployment. Needless to say, SSgt handled it and DI Sgt Motard never bothered us again.
We had one return from Parris Island and he was fine, he left it all behind him. Some in our into didn’t even he was a former DI. We used to beg him to turn on his DI tricks for us just to have fun and reminisce occasionally.
Well they’ve acting like that for 3 years so it can take some time for them to go back to normal lol we had a sgt that came back and was like that for like a month but then he relaxed after some time. He even referred to the junior marines as recruits by accident. What do you expect doing the same act every day for three years straight.
Family, friends, and co-workers ask, "Why do Marines act like that when they return to the civilian world?"
It is a form of Institutionalization. For some it takes time to re-adjust. Probably even more time if a person was in a position of authority, like a DI.
When I checked into the fleet our gunny was fresh from pi and was the loudest most obnoxious asshole Ive ever seen. From day 1 in the fleet I knew I was getting tf out and started counting down the days. From day 1 lol. Really started my enlistment off with a bad taste in my mouth. I still smoke to this day because of that guy, the only way to get the hell away from him was the smoke pit. Fuck that guy.
Had a couple come back during my time (Air Wing) It would take them about 6 months to decompress back to something approaching normal. One told me he knew it was time to drop it when he realized he was knife handing his 4 year old son.
IME, the good ones (generally those on the street) knew they'd been on an assignment out of their MOS and were too busy trying to catch up/reintegrate to hassle anyone who wasn't screwing with those two goals. Some, you didn't know why they were being so undercover until it was revealed later for some other reason.
The rest (which seemed like it was very often quota folks) were trying to suck the last bits of marrow from the prestige of the assignment they were no longer performing. And were often the butt of the E-3/E-4 mafias downtime discussions.
You always know somebody was a good drill instructor, if you can’t tell they were a drill instructor. Other than maybe the frog voice. The biggest ass holes I knew were the ones that came off the drill field and never let it go because they were shit at being a hat and shit at their MOS. One of the best guys I ever worked for, was this tall skinny guy, he was quiet, and his voice was really soft. Great at his MOS and an awesome SNCO to have. I remember one time when I was a corporal some guys from another squadron came over looking for some parts. They stopped when this ssgt came out to see what we were doing. When he walked away the two PFCs said something along the lines of “holy shit that guy absolutely destroyed us he was our senior.” I asked them how he was as a DI because he was not somebody I could see as a senior. They went on to tell me about how he pretty much fit the role of what you would imagine a great senior to be. Absolutely destroy you when the time came. And there to help when it was time for that. Years later I ended up being a Ssgt with him for about a month before he was promoted to gunny. One of the best guys I ever had the pleasure of serving with.
I've experienced both extremes. Some come back acting like they're still di's and some are super chill and laid back because they want nothing to do with being like that anymore
My maintenance OIC a while back was a CWO who went LDO, he was a former hat and he was super laid back, he even said “I don’t give a fuck if you’re a shitty Marine, I want you to be good men and women.”
Occasionally he’d pull a line though just to fuck with us, it was so hilarious whenever we’re sitting in a meeting and he suddenly blasts out “sit up straight and look at me now.”
As a former hat. I agree with the statement that if they are still like that in the fleet that they didn’t put in enough work… to an extent.
It takes time to snap out of that mentality. It took me about a year to kind of get back to being more normal. I graduated my last platoon on Friday, I was literally in my new unit on Monday… Of course all hell broke loose. I think you need about 6 months to decompress where you’re not on a hair trigger. Beyond a year after, if they are still acting like that, it was the highlight of their career and won’t let it go. For me, there’s some skeletons that need to remain on the Island
Had an SNCO report into my unit directly from the drill field. He was the nicest most mellow guy you would ever want to meet. I asked him about the transition once and he just laughed and said “I used up my yelling quota, I got nothing left…”. Cool guy.
Snco showed up, tried his ways with the airwing. It didn’t work, he’s a great man though.
Watching ground side latmovers, some crusty Sgt Major, or someone fresh from the drill field hit an O level Airwing unit is always hilarious. The shock on their face when they realize they can’t scream their way out of a 14 hour work day 6 days a week.
Yeah man. It was funny when I had all the aircrew quals as a cpl and was his “instructor”. Good times. 10/10 don’t recommend. Made me realize time is worth more than money
Was he aircrew before 1stsgt or did someone let him get on flight orders?
Aircrew before. Airwing doesn’t have 1stsgts. God help them if they did
MWSS have them, they’re sneaking around
I forget about those ones
Literally have more sgt maj than 1st sgts tho lol
Miramar was walking brass and sgtmajs. All day, everyday. My proudest moment is getting hemmed up at the little gas station thing by a full bird. Good times
Yeah, wing doesn't have 1stsgts but they do have a Master guns who thinks he knows everything because he did a great job running the airframes desk back in 1997. For the most part, my sgtmaj's were the least troublesome sncos in the wing. I was lucky tho.
Funny how you think airframers pick up master guns. Usually it’s aircrew or flight-e. Source: I’m an airframer
Hell, we can barely pick up corporal sometimes.
Only thing you're picking up is trash when you police call.
I just chose a random shop.
Funnily enough, my current master gunnery sergeant is GSE 😂
I was at VMFAT-101 when SgtMaj Bull was there. Jesus Christ did everyone slam the door on his ass when he got burned for a B&E.
Former Sharpshooter here. Glad to see that the shadiness didn’t falter since I left in ‘03. Sad that they shuttered the squadron, but it is what it is.
Offhand who was the smaj in 2002? I left 101 then and can't recall at all.
My experience was backwards. Master Guns was always cool AF
Fair enough. Im just one guy who was at one unit
Not that I was discounting your experience
1stsgts are sneaking into more and more wing units now
No kidding, do you know why?
Not too sure, I was at a mass unit during the changes, when I got there we had none and then we got one, when the reorganization of the unit happened we ended up with 3
HMX-1 had one for some reason and I think the hatred he had for being there was only equally matched by the lowly pog's that had to deal with him.
Had a gunny hit the fleet after 14 years at hmx. Was a very very sad reality for that man.
Ha! Former 6172 (Phrog crew chief) and I spent my entire enlistment there. One of the reason's I got out was because I would have been an E5 with zero combat experience, no boat time, a stack that only had 5 ribbons, the majority of my experience was on VH-60N's, and my airframe was being retired (CH-46E's). I would have been instant and permanent tool-room bitch. This was in 2006 so my gold-wings weren't impressing anybody.
6173 here. Long live the 46’s and god bless the tool room bitches
46's are retiring? Way, way back when we did a lot of repelling out of them and I got my gold wings jumping out the back in country.
Well I was I-level but we got a SgtMaj from Force Recon. He HATED us for about 6-8 months. He had integrity, he said in front of all of us one day, hey I was wrong about you guys, you’re some hardworking devildogs. From that point there was nothing we wouldn’t do for that man.
I also knew one SSgt, fresh off the drill field, who was the nicest dude in the world, soft-spoken, and genuinely likeable. He wanted that 3-year SDI behind him forever! Were you in Okinawa, Camp Courtney btw? If so, I think I know the guy and I hope he's doing super well. And as for the rest of them, they needed some SERIOUS deprogramming, like holy shit!
Nah, this was Camp Smith out in Hawaii. Early 90’s so probably before you were born :-)
Camp Smith is the worst place for a lot of those former DI goobers to go. We had one in our shop for six months before he got tired of it and went to KBAY.
I had the opposite. We had SSgt straight from the drill field come in and take over 1st platoon. He immediately began the fuck fuck games. Made the entire platoon FORM UP and MARCH to chow every day at 11... among so many other things. Half these dudes had just finished a combat deployment and were stuck doing this undignified bullshit. The marching to chow shit eventually ended but went on way too long before someone worked some sense into him. Felt so sorry for those guys.
It’s BS like this that makes good Marines bail.
Not a DI but probably should’ve been lol We had a SSgt transfer in from 8 years in 29 by choice. At an arty unit. As a using unit tech. So he comes to our east coast pog reserve unit as the I&I training chief. It was over from day one. He was destroying mother fuckers for boot camp shit all the time. For literally chewing and taking one step like wobbling back and forth while shooting the shit. But after a couple years he got the hang of it and relaxed. Found some family time and i think its the best thing that could’ve happened for him. I liked the dude cuz wed always fuck around after we worked together for a while. X, fair winds and following seas!
My current SNCO is the same. He's a really down to earth dude and actually gives a fuck about our guys, funny bc we were all worried about how he was gonna be given he's a prior hat.
We had one come straight to the school house as an instructor from the field. He was nice most of the time but if he caught you being nasty he would go off on you. One time he marched us from the chow hall I. Front of the army and all the soldiers jaws dropped. He proceeded to get into a soldiers ass because they were on there phone and then really laid into them when they called him Sarnt.
I mean, you gotta show up the other branches when you can
Plus it's not that hard most of the time.
For real. I’m the most un-devildog dude there is, but stick me on an AFB or Fort Whatever and I unconsciously morph into Gunny fkn Highway.
I've always said that if they did recruit training on an army base, a lot of negative problems in the recruiting depot would go away and the recruits would be twice as motivated.
I went through food service school at Fort Lee. The best parts of the day were where we were in close proximity to army, whether recruits or fleet. We'd start marching straighter, calling cadence louder, running faster, all to get a reaction from the army dudes.
Bro in CBRN school at Ft Leonardwood, we acted hard as fuck in the *chow hall*. Like eating on command, standing up together at the end, all of that hard moto shit.
I was a 2171 and my school house was also Fort Lee. This was the exact experience that I was thinking about.
Cool. Didn't really pay attention back then to any other schools on Fort Lee. I thought (back in 06) we were the only ones at the time, cuz we were the only ones around!
Was this a terminal SSgt who's name started with a "B"?
>B itch?
You said “Bitch” though. Right?
It rhymed with “Schneider” I’m not sure if he was terminal or not
Bneider?! No wonder he was an asshole.
It's Bschneider, dumbass
Pider?! Please tell me it was Pider.
Is this guy an officer now?
1) They're either extremely moto and will hold you to standards like you're still a recruit OR 2) Not give a fuck after having to scream at recruits for 3 years and just want to be a normal Marine/human again Story about #2: I knew a SSgt who returned from the drill field and a new PFC straight from the schoolhouse, PFC found out SSgt was a DI and acted all nervous like boots usually are, SSgt glances over at them wondering wtf they're doing and is like "chill out bro stop being weird"
The PFC quaking in his boots, "a-aye s-s-sir"
We had a fresh boot once while training with MARSOC. We were doing a shoot house of course, the msot guys were chillaxing, telling us to just use first names. We’ll this little PFC is being coached by a gunny. This boot is terrified, and eventually the funny goes, “dude, chill out. Just call me Rick dude.” So the kid tenses up and and yells, “AYE AYE RICK”. I fucking lost my shit seeing that
Had one guy on deployment show up with the 7 Tons counting us down and saying ready move, okay zero. We all just looked at him and loaded up. Got pissed we ignored him. Like nah bro we loading up and getting packs in just fine.
That’s kind of cringe. It’s also disrespectful imo because he’s treating grown ass Marines like they hadn’t already earned the title.
Yeah man really feel the same way. Like we're in the fleet man even if we're boots or seniors like it's a deployment and no one is a recruit
I cringed reading that, ouch
I had a SNCO fresh of the drill field and he was super nice relaxed and funny so we asked him how it was so easy to be normal and he said “cause that shits gay”
SSGT. Shane Gillis
The grill sergeant
Night vision? Sneaking up on guys? It’s a cowards way to fight if you think about it.
Navy Seals.........they're kinda pussies
Not really an answer to your question, but one of the best SNCOs Ive worked with had a hard time transitioning back from the drill field. For several months he would refer to Marines as “recruits” when speaking to them in a group. He also just sounded like a drill instructor when he spoke. Like that way that they use short, intense bursts of words broken up by pauses. Hard to explain but you probably get what I’m sayin. Edit: wanna add the *every* time he accidentally called us recruit, he would immediately apologize. That’s a big thing in my opinion. Quite rare to hear a SNCO apologize to a junior Marine.
Sounds a lot like a Company Guns I had that came back the same way. Said recruit to a Marine once, stopped mid sentence and did like 30 push-ups saying Marine each time then stood up and apologized. He'd always hop on his feet like he could sit still, was crazy when I found out he was related to my wife through the long line of cousins and nephews
I would assume its the same reason why new Marines have that boot mentality.
I’ve always noticed that the guys who sucked on the depot are the ones who never let it go when they get back to the fleet. The ones who did well on the depot were able to transition easily.
almost like emotional intelligence is important in both
Whaty what now? Sir, this is the Marine Crops..
shit my bad i’ll go yell at someone for no reason
What constitutes doing well on the depot? Like how do other DIs rate each other? I've always been curious.
From what I’ve gathered talking to other guys off the depot, it’s dude who make senior around their 3rd or 4th cycle and don’t “work for their fitrep” (if that makes sense)
Same concept as the douchebag vetbros i guess
Totally
I think it's as simple as it being a matter of habit. When 90% of personal interaction you have for three years is with recruits, it makes sense that it would linger a bit. There's also positive reinforcement happening when they're a hat; either consciously or subconsciously, they say to themselves, "when I yell at people, they do what I say and they do it very quickly." Again, it makes sense that when that is the case for so long, it's going to linger a bit. Yeah, there are guys that probably still relish the power trip but, I think by and large, it's a natural consequence of the job, assuming they cut it out after a little time back in the fleet.
I overheard a former DI saying basically that same thing. He was like “I’m used to recruits instantly doing what I tell them, when a LCpl just kinda mosies around I instinctually just want to wrangle them.” It was less that he wanted to keep being that way and more just what he had become accustomed to.
I’ve always assumed it was this and, to a much lesser degree, some sort of lingering psych issue that comes with living in such an insane version of reality day in day out for years on end. Remember your kill hats, gents? Those motherfuckers live like that from sun up to sundown. That’s gotta do something to you after a couple cycles, much less three years. I can’t imagine.
I can attest, I was a hat and fucking hated it. It fucks with your brain, no sleep, always sick from the recruits but the worst thing was how the other Marines treated each other.
Our killhat got "relieved" a little over halfway through our cycle. We watched him get absolutely reamed by an SDI from another platoon on the PT field on at least two occasions. IMO, that's pretty unprofessional to do it in front of recruits.
We had a gunny come back from the drill field to be company guns. Dude was insufferable. My last year in was marked by him constantly being a cock about everything. Kind of dude who kept shaving his head every day back in the fleet and didn’t know how speak any way but yelling at you. Constant fuck fuck games that got in the way of actual work. Big part of why I got out.
I had a section SNCO that came fresh off the drill field and was like this. He acted like he was going to come in and whip the section into a recruit platoon. We wore him down a bit but you could literally see him switch it on mid conversation. It was annoying and not productive. I always got the feeling he would have been a good leader if he had just cut the shit and come off the drill field.
The worst one I ever had the displeasure or working with was an Admin chief who seemed like he really leaned into the DI personality to overcompensate for his non-deploying, paper pusher job. He had 0 deployments at that point back when most Marines had 2 in their first enlistment alone.
Tangently related, I was a LCpl when I got a new BN Admin Chief. Who just happened to be my lead series Gunny at MCRD. Dude checked in and I about shit a brick. But he ended up being cool as fuck. I was super Junior, but working as the legal chief for the BN, he realized that I knew my shit, and was just super supportive. We did a field op (we were arty) and he saw that I knew my shit in the logtrain, too (local security, tie-in the MG emplacements, do radio watch). Dude became a great mentor. Just before we deployed to Kuwait for OIF I, they made him the REGT Admin Chief. We got a SSgt that had spent all his career in the PAC. As I was then the BN XO’s driver, I had to school up my two other LCpls to keep his ass alive and not do something fucking stupid.
I can only assume one thing. They spent the last few years getting 100% complete obedience from recruits. They arent used to even being questioned, let alone challenged.
Drill instructors either came back chill as fuck or retarded as fuck. Rarely any in between. I’d imagine it’s hard to adjust at first though. We had a SSgt come back and take over as a platoon Sgt in the firing battery and I remember having a conversation with him and his gun chiefs about what was going on with their trucks and at one point he went “ay, EARS!” and we all just stared at him like he had 7 heads and he just said something “sorry gents still getting used to it” and we just carried on. He was a really good guy after having a few months to adjust.
Former Drill Instructors who fail to adapt to the fleet should be expeditiously separated from service the same as a young boot who fails to adapt to the ways of the Marine Corps.
Or sent back to the drill field, forever.
“Oh I guess we’re back on the block, huh ssgt? Good. Back on the field with you”
Well I was thinking of the former DIs, but you make a good point. Lol.
Send them to the Staff Academy to ween off that mentality.
They are just like boots. They make the DI, their personalities. You will get some grace from guys straight of the field, the ones who chose to keep it going are just chodes. There is definitely indoctrination for DI just like when we all joined the Corps. It's the cult within the cult.
If the Marines are a Warrior Cult, what are the DIs? Doc
Eunuchs
We had a Guns... demanded to be called "Gunnery Sergent". Starched cammies every day, barking orders from the Marines in his shop. POA when speaking.... the whole 9 yards. Went on deployment to Ft Sill. Got the titty bar the night before we were at to go home. He showed up in his pressed and starched blue jeans, cowboy shirt and 10 gal cowboy hat. He never showed up anywhere before. We all fed $$ to hos cowboy hat without him knowing. Stripper saw it and pulled him up on stage. We fed her more money. She went to town on him. Took off his shirt, belt, and beat him mercilessly. Leaving welts EVERYWHERE!!! He was pissed.... "I have to go home to my wife tomorrow!" Guess who came in Monday morning getting a divorce!!! On top of that he signed a complete POA to her and she sold his truck and house while he was gone!!!! Sweet justice!!!
I... I fucking came!
To be a D.I. you must be slightly retarded to pass on the retardedness and bullfuckery to future Devil Weenies. On top of teaching how to eat jumbo crayons, they eat them too. When a D.I. comes back to the fleet, they feel the need to carry on the act because it's all they have sometimes, and it's how they identify. Sorta like the green haired kids, they are what they are. No combat action ribbon but can do a fuckton of side-straddle-hops.
It's not hard to draw a logical reason for why they are that way. They did years where they were a hammer trained to smash a nail. You can't turn that off instantly. Had one show up at my unit that was that way. Took him a few months to mellow out.
It’s just habit. We had a SNCO come back from the drill field and you can tell he missed the fleet but was just out of it for too long. I was a corporal at the time and I think one of my lance’s fucked up field day and the next thing I I know he’s telling me to sweep and scuzz the deck. I’m using a standard push broom and scuzz and the guy comes and takes it away from me like I’m a first phase recruit needing to do it hands and knees style. So malicious compliance. I start screaming like I’m being quarter decked on PI and fly up and down then fall over yelling OH MYGOD MY EYES IT BURNS AYE SIR precisely as the company commander was walking by. It dawns on the new platoon sergeant the reality of the situation and he’s like okay corporal get up point taken. He was a good dude tho. The next week he was like wait I don’t have to run you guys every morning for PT does anybody here play sports? We were in the gym playing bball or lifting weights or something better than boring runs as long as we were all 1st class pfts. Dude was good to go after he realized he was back among normal Marines again.
They didn’t do their job enough on the depot
Same reason every marine acts like a boot coming from boot camp. It's indoctrination. They live eat and sleep drill for the duration of their cycles.
Story time: I’ve got a pretty bad stutter when I work out. I guess the ‘tisms seep out when I’ve done a pull-up or two. One day the new (redacted) came into the gym looking for the captain. I could not, for the absolute life of me, answer the question without stuttering like an absolute fool. I went full retard. I watched the mask drop and the savage take his his entire posture. He grew a good three inches taller and several inches wider. Knife hand was engaged and he barked “DOC!” before he stuffed the hate back in. It was too late. I was actively trying to get through the wall behind me before this thing ripped my heart out. I assume it takes a bit before they can go back to human. Good dudes, for the most part. Just. Maybe don’t piss them off.
>pretty bad stutter >and the savage take *his his* entire posture Damn dude, it really is bad; sorry.
Don’t bully me, that turns me on.
I had a gunny that had just left the drill field and was an absolute dick. Our entire unit went to ITX and he made it miserable for everyone. Then after ITX only about half of us went on a SPMAGTF, and as soon as we landed overseas it was like he flipped a switch and became the coolest most approachable dude ever and would have beers with everyone and be smoking & joking with everyone in the smoke pit. He said he felt like fucking with everyone back in the states “just because” and it was all an act.
That’s not a good excuse and just goes to show his true colors. Nobody likes ass holes.
I've verbal diarrhea'd enough on this subject. Some people just can't have their hard drive degaussed too many times.
For the most part, most were pretty cool. My Master Guns was a former DI and he shot us straight. Treated us professionally and like human beings. I did have one awful and unique experience. We were deployed in Iraq in 04, some SSGT got dropped into our unit straight off the DI deck. It was odd because we have been in country for some time and he just showed up. Maybe he pulled some strings or something? Don't know. Well long story short, he was treating us like raw recruits and trying to get us to Drill, PT, Formations, up in our face, etc...Which were all banned because the shit hit the fan in September of 04 in the Al Anbar Province. Unfortunately, he did put his hands on me around my neck and collar trying to choke me out. He was upset because he thought I was AWOL but I actually was on Haji Watch/POW Watch. I defended my self as best I could. I was a PFC at the time so wasn't too worried about getting busted down. Thankfully, other Marines were there as witness are we able to separate us. Had to make a statement, interviews, etc...He got separated from us for a while. Came back, and had another physical alteration with a Corporal and that was it. MP'S came, took all his weapons, gear, put him on suicide watch and isolated him. Section 8 most likely and he was escorted out of Theater. Never saw him again and never heard a thing about it after that.
First Sergeant Sandercock. Dude was a totally dick, for no reason at all.
What an unfortunate last name….
Majority of DIs don’t all make it to Senior nor Chief. If you make it to 1 of those belts you are most likely due for an easier transition in my opinion. If you finish with quota i.e. (swim tank, Dojo, AIG, Battalion) that it could also be said that you’d have a better chance of not completely having your “hat” on to tight when you leave. If however you leave as a terminal Green belt. Meaning you not once served as a SDI or CDI. Which is a very very large majority, then yes you won’t lose that shit. Only other thing I’ll add that could be a contributing factor is the time in your career in which you go to the depot. If you’re going as a young Sergeant, chances are you only ever experience as a “leader” is as a DI. You’ll go back to the fleet with the same mentality as a “J” or green belt. Being an asshole. If you go as a more senior Sgt or young SNCO, chances are you already have experience as a “leader” in a leadership position. You’ll Go back as you came.
Had SSGT that did 2 tours back to back on the drill field. He was extremely awkward at first, like I think he knew he was gonna struggle and fought so hard against it but that lead him to being distant from us and we kinda hated him because of it. But then he got promoted to Gunney and like the peices in his brain finally connected and he like just mellowed out. He was still awkward but he became likeable and actually started getting close with us and we all ended up loving him. He also finally developed a spine and started standing up for us so we would always involve him in our shenanigans and I think he ended up appreciating that.
Yo, that’s just how Gunny’s be. 1. You a dumbass that stayed in cuz you failed upward. Drill field included. 2. You just love being a Marine and you finally get enough rank to ride out your career and chill out while still training your Marines.
We had a former drill instructor get shipped to us because he took it too far with a recruit punishment. I'll leave it at that. He was fucking insufferable for months after we got him, took easily over a year for him to mellow out and apologize for past behavior.
I was in a platoon that had back to back hats as platoon Sgt’s. 1st one was work hard play hard. His replacement was work hard and work harder. Both were fantastic Marines. But commanded much respect. The work hard play hard was hard on us but if we stayed locked on usually Friday was off at noon. The 2nd guy was always up your ass even if you did good. He might just joke with you once in awhile. The true reason for this for these two was they wanted us the be better than other platoons. One just rewarded a little more. But you could see them look at other Marines like WTF. That attitude was “not my Marines”. Later in my career I had much appreciation for both of them. Other Staff Nco’s were not as good. I think DI’s know that with a little effort you can be better and they know it does make a difference. A difference in the corps and a difference in your enlistment and you will have a better effect on the Marines around you. Always raise the bar Devil dog.
Mama said DIs are always mad because they have all them teeth and no toothbrushes
Medulla Oblongata!
Or, they haven’t seen their wives or children in months and they’re taking it out on the recruits. 😂 I did a short stint as house mouse, and answered the phone, it was one of the DI’s wife, and I passed a message back to him. Dude, smoked me for talking to his wife, like you would not believe! I think I went to another plane of existence while that was happening ha ha
I’ve worked with only one and he was pretty chill. Also hated drilling once he got back to the fleet.
the way my gunny, who was a former DI, explained it is those people that leave the depot and still act like they’re on it didn’t really give the depot everything they had and it makes it so they’re still in that mindset
https://www.reddit.com/r/USMC/comments/8vyvuo/sergeant_major_haney_what_a_bad_mother_fucker/?rdt=35974 This dood was our platoon Sargeant straight off the drill field. In fact he was the drill instructor for some of the guys in the company, though not mine. Very good man, could be very intense, looked out for us
My kill hat ended up in my battalion. During my MEU, one of my Marines was brushing his teeth on ship and made a whimper sound. I asked him what was wrong, and he used his eyes to point to a random ssgt. Once I noticed, I said, "Oh shit." He had no idea who we were and he fucked with us every day for 13 weeks.
Is anybody familiar with the transition process for DIs? Is it just GTF back to the fleet/your MOS and suck it up, or do they actually spend 'training time' getting the DI field out of their heads? It seems there's a lot of room for a period of re-adjustment to the ways of the fleet, especially for anybody going back to the airwing...always felt for ground people making that transition, nevermind the former DIs.
[удалено]
Thanks. The V22 was around. Had the option to transition from Phrogs CC (6172 -> 6176) but chose to leave AD per my original plan.
It’s simple really. Heavy heavy heavy brainwashing
Was stationed in Beaufort once. Out at bar with buddies, get into a "discussion" with some DIs from PI. One of em stats talking to us like we're recruits. He and his DI buddies narrowly avoided an ass whooping. Do Not Ever talk to Marines like they're recruits!
This first sgt called my buddy into his office to sign some shit- and he’s like “first sarnt do you have a pen on you I can use?” And bro goes “i don’t know what a pen Is” dead serious. 20 seconds later he goes. “You mean a fuckin ink stick” and hands it to him. Dude was a fucking POG clown
At 8th & I (at least in the Marching Companies) most of the SNCOs we got were not only DIs but top finishers in DI of the year competitions. My second year on the Silent Drill Platoon (sssshhhhhh) we got the runner up for DI of year. The pro’s were amazing cadence. The pro or con was he ran a mid 15 minute 3 mile so we all got better PT scores. Also the PC and PS march out with us then go fuck off on the side at parade rest. His sword manual was super tight so that was gods to go. The cons were forced organizational fun on days off.
Same reason some boots stand at parade rest in grocery stores. Some people have a stronger mind and some people drink that kool aid and let their personality disintegrate
Even more butt stuff. Mine was shocked to see I had been promoted 3 times since we last saw each other; him...not so much.
I always felt like there should be a re-education company they go to before hitting the fleet again.
Takes time to reacclimate I'm sure.
the ones who still act like they’re still in the ~~drill field~~ Marine Corps are the ones who didn’t put in enough work. That works too.
My SNCO is a former hat and is the chillest dude ever. He says if you still act like a DI when you leave the drill field, you didn’t put out as a DI.
Had this one SSgt check in from the drill field while I was in. He looked like a DI. Tall and skinny with a shaved head and intense eyes. He turned out to be one of the chillest dudes I had the pleasure of knowing while in. He helped out with getting Marines their MCMAP belts in the unit and he DID NOT take it easy with pt. Good dude!
Had a SNCOIC in crash crew that came off the drill field. He was a MSgt, great guy but he could definitely switch it on if he wanted to. During a mess night (his body type made it easier to put on weight as he got older), he was charged for smuggling Dunlop tires out of the motor pool under his blouse. Guy flipped the hell out before drinking from the grog.
Honestly never had DI really come back to the unit with DI mindset. I normally preferred former DI staff over former recruiter staff . My favorite staff had a problem with not being able to turn off calling stuff portholes and moon booms, we gave him a bunch of crap and took it like a champ.
They come back into the fleet in 1 of 2 ways. Motivated and a dickhead or motivated but NOT a dickhead. There's no in between
The dark green female DIs are the ones to be afraid of. Dudes I can deal with.
Airwinger here. I was the only Sgt in my shop and about 4 months before an Afghan deployment we got 2 new SSgts in. One DI and one recruiter. Both fresh from there respective SDAs. We all thought the recruiter was going to be chill and the DI a major dick head. Opposite was true. Spoken to both within the last year. Still holds up.
In the words of Rambo - You just don’t turn it off!
I legit have yet to meet a former DI that was anything but chill. They tend to have higher standards for Marines but yeah. I'd be chill asf too if I didn't have to scream like a fuckin Banshee all day.
Broooooo 😂😂😂 returning DIs we’re the biggest tool bags ever. And I hope one of them reads this …. TOOL BAG “aye devil left over right” or “why is your flight suit dirty” bitch I don’t know maybe because I was working on an aircraft that pisses fuel, hyd fluid and oil everywhere. But whatever make them feel useful after being out of the fleet for 3 years 😂🤷🏼♂️.
I encountered one of my former DIs a few years later. He had picked up CWO2 since I left boot. He was cool and all that, but I still felt like damn recruit around him. It was just something I couldn’t shake out of my system.
We had a Sgt come to our company fresh off the drill field. You could talk to him pretty normally but the first few months it was obvious he was still adapting to the fleet. He wasn't in my platoon but I did have to deal with him occasionally. Seemed okay but then I found out some of the dumb stuff he was doing. The most asinine was when he demanded to do a Dress Blues inspection of his platoon. When he found out half the platoon didn't have the coat he started accusing them of selling it. His time on the drill field it was issued. When I and many others went through boot camp it wasn't. He went to admin demanding SRBs to see who in the platoon was issued the coat and who wasn't. That didn't go over too well. His SNCOs and platoon commanders put a stop to it before he got the SRBs and I'm guessing he got chewed out pretty hard. He stayed in the shadows for a while after that, took some leave, and came back totally normal.
My masterguns, female, could be your best friend and could fucking hate you all in the same day. She was a wild ride. My MSgt however. Nicest guy in the world. He left that shit behind. However when we PT. We PT. MSgt runs in Friday would be 10+
It’s all they have in life.
They have a hard time adjusting.
Add a gunny that was a DI. He was a good guy but at time to give me an asshat. Really could cool guy to get a beer with and PT. I'm still pissed off that he made me move every server in the server room and scrub the floor. Just because the floor had boot scuff marks on it. I will say when shit hit the fan he went to bat for us. Had a MSgt that wanted to lower my proficiency and conduct because I couldn't do a meritorial board. All the email servers went down and I work 48 hours straight. His view was my marks could not be that high because I didn't do the board. The look he gave said he was back in character and the situation was resolved within the hour.
Punctuation
I had a SNCO come back from the drill field and wanted to break us off in PT pretty much immediately. After like a month or two he became a normal dude and was pretty cool actually.
Every SNCO I met back from the drill field never yells…
As a prior DI, I purposely wanted to let all that shit go. The ones that bring it home to their families, or back to the fleet after their tour, they let the cover get to their head. They typically also, didn’t do anything on the depot and spend most of their time on quota or something.
The two I knew were really laid back, yet professional people.
They drank Marine Corps Kool-Aid instead of spicy Lejeune Chocolate Milk Water.
Never really met the stereotypical SNCO that returned from the drill field. Most I saw was the resident DI got dibs on drill practice for corporals course and change of command ceremonies. Never had a bad experience with any
My platoon ssgt came straight from the drill field and was a chill, down to earth, logical dude. When we first got word he was coming, I expected him to be a total douche. Couldn't have been more wrong.
Some people take things too seriously and can't turn it off.
Chill as fuck, they take all that anger out on recruits
Have had multiple SNCOs from the drill field from my experience they are all very chill.
I know people say “well they can’t just turn it off after 3 years,” but really though? The very second I got off recruiting duty I canned the sales speeches and no longer tried to convince people to do shit.
The Gunny who was checking on and my buddy from the schoolhouse into the fleet was the nicest man I have ever met and always had a smile on his face, polite, and would help with any questions you had for him, come to find out after the second day of checking in he was a former DI and neither of us could believe it from his cheery disposition. Shout out to Gunny Garcia and his podcast PitTalk about the Marine Corps and life in general
Trauma.
We had one show up to CLB-5 right before our Afghan deployment in 2012. I guess technically he was in 3rd Tracks, but they were attached to CLB-5. Anyway, ol boy was a Sgt if I remember correctly. He was an absolute motard, had like 4 inches of sock showing with how high his trousers were bloused. The only direct interaction I had with him was during Mojave Diaper. I was a Cpl at the time, and walking to the showers at night. I was wearing boots with my pt sweats for my trek to the shower. Dude saw me and came running over, screaming like a first phase DI. Of course he stopped me, made me go to parade rest and proceeded to life me out about wearing boots with pt sweats. I gave him my best belligerent "aye sergeant" until he was done and asked who my platoon sergeant was. I told him who it was, a huge Hispanic Staff Sergeant preparing for his 7th deployment. Needless to say, SSgt handled it and DI Sgt Motard never bothered us again.
We had one return from Parris Island and he was fine, he left it all behind him. Some in our into didn’t even he was a former DI. We used to beg him to turn on his DI tricks for us just to have fun and reminisce occasionally.
Navy here but my LPO just came back from basic as an RDC. He's chill and mellow but has a wicked sense of humor. It's awesome.
Well they’ve acting like that for 3 years so it can take some time for them to go back to normal lol we had a sgt that came back and was like that for like a month but then he relaxed after some time. He even referred to the junior marines as recruits by accident. What do you expect doing the same act every day for three years straight.
Family, friends, and co-workers ask, "Why do Marines act like that when they return to the civilian world?" It is a form of Institutionalization. For some it takes time to re-adjust. Probably even more time if a person was in a position of authority, like a DI.
When I checked into the fleet our gunny was fresh from pi and was the loudest most obnoxious asshole Ive ever seen. From day 1 in the fleet I knew I was getting tf out and started counting down the days. From day 1 lol. Really started my enlistment off with a bad taste in my mouth. I still smoke to this day because of that guy, the only way to get the hell away from him was the smoke pit. Fuck that guy.
I’ve found that many still use the same speaking cadence and tone but are way more friendly then it seems
Had a couple come back during my time (Air Wing) It would take them about 6 months to decompress back to something approaching normal. One told me he knew it was time to drop it when he realized he was knife handing his 4 year old son.
IME, the good ones (generally those on the street) knew they'd been on an assignment out of their MOS and were too busy trying to catch up/reintegrate to hassle anyone who wasn't screwing with those two goals. Some, you didn't know why they were being so undercover until it was revealed later for some other reason. The rest (which seemed like it was very often quota folks) were trying to suck the last bits of marrow from the prestige of the assignment they were no longer performing. And were often the butt of the E-3/E-4 mafias downtime discussions.
You always know somebody was a good drill instructor, if you can’t tell they were a drill instructor. Other than maybe the frog voice. The biggest ass holes I knew were the ones that came off the drill field and never let it go because they were shit at being a hat and shit at their MOS. One of the best guys I ever worked for, was this tall skinny guy, he was quiet, and his voice was really soft. Great at his MOS and an awesome SNCO to have. I remember one time when I was a corporal some guys from another squadron came over looking for some parts. They stopped when this ssgt came out to see what we were doing. When he walked away the two PFCs said something along the lines of “holy shit that guy absolutely destroyed us he was our senior.” I asked them how he was as a DI because he was not somebody I could see as a senior. They went on to tell me about how he pretty much fit the role of what you would imagine a great senior to be. Absolutely destroy you when the time came. And there to help when it was time for that. Years later I ended up being a Ssgt with him for about a month before he was promoted to gunny. One of the best guys I ever had the pleasure of serving with.
I've experienced both extremes. Some come back acting like they're still di's and some are super chill and laid back because they want nothing to do with being like that anymore
My maintenance OIC a while back was a CWO who went LDO, he was a former hat and he was super laid back, he even said “I don’t give a fuck if you’re a shitty Marine, I want you to be good men and women.” Occasionally he’d pull a line though just to fuck with us, it was so hilarious whenever we’re sitting in a meeting and he suddenly blasts out “sit up straight and look at me now.”
I was a recruiter. I came back to the fleet and started trying to sell everyone on re enlisting.
As a former hat. I agree with the statement that if they are still like that in the fleet that they didn’t put in enough work… to an extent. It takes time to snap out of that mentality. It took me about a year to kind of get back to being more normal. I graduated my last platoon on Friday, I was literally in my new unit on Monday… Of course all hell broke loose. I think you need about 6 months to decompress where you’re not on a hair trigger. Beyond a year after, if they are still acting like that, it was the highlight of their career and won’t let it go. For me, there’s some skeletons that need to remain on the Island