The Drill Sergeant Journey

By Mrs. Deborah Williams

108th Training Command (IET) Public Affairs

FORT JACKSON, S.C. — Drill Sergeant Class 004-15 graduated 90 drill sergeants here April 8. Prior to the ceremony, the graduating Army Reserve Drill Sergeants had a visit by their commanding general, Maj. Gen. Leslie Purser, 108th Training Command (IET). She presented each of them a ‘challenge coin’.

And she challenged them, “I have to tell you that I am really proud of you. As drill sergeants you have a great impact on the lives of people that you train. You will be training cadets as well as privates. What I need you to do now is go back and talk to drill sergeant candidates in your unit letting them know how you did it and help them achieve the same success.”

Purser asked the graduating drill sergeants how their experience was and they said it was GREAT; a good experience, and when asked the best part, it was unanimous, “GRADUATING”.

In the opening ceremony, the Official Party arrived followed by the National Anthem, Invocation, and presentation of the guest speaker, Command Sgt. Maj. Robert J. Riti, 108th Training Command (IET) Command Sergeant Major.

Motivation and inspiration will likely serve as the words for the day and throughout the drill sergeant journey. That journey begins today. Riti, an outstanding noncommissioned officer, truly understands the importance and responsibilities of the ‘Drill Sergeant’. He shared some words of wisdom and insight.

“Drill sergeants are motivated, well-disciplined, physically fit and well-trained, Riti said “They are professionals in everything they do and they taught us everything we needed to do and know as far as being a Soldier. Although basic training was both physically and mentally challenging, they made transitioning from civilian to Soldier a very memorable and enduring one in our military career.”

“Basic training was tough and there were many times when we were disciplined, but it was where we needed to be; it was explained what we did wrong, how to fix it and make sure it never happened again,” Riti continued, “The drill sergeants never made derogatory comments to us and always addressed us as Soldiers and because of this we always acted as Soldiers.”

They never left out a single detail. “We learned so much from our drill sergeants. Every night when we returned from the days training, we ate dinner

Command Sgt. Maj. Robert J. Riti, 108th Training Command (IET) Command Sgt. Maj., congratulates Sgt. 1st Class Ryan T. Parmelee, 98th Training Division (IET), a Commandant’s Award recipient, after he receives his honorary Drill Sergeant Hat during the U.S. Army Drill Sergeant Academy graduation on April 8, on Fort Jackson, S.C. Photo by Mrs. Deborah Williams, 108th Training Command (IET), Public Affairs

Maj. Gen. Leslie Purser, 108th Training Command (IET) Commanding General, gave each graduating Reserve Soldier a “challenge coin” prior to the U.S. Army Drill Sergeant Academy graduating Class 004-15 ceremony held at Fort Jackson, S.C., April 8. Photo by Mrs. Deborah Williams, 108th Training Command (IET), Public Affairs

and returned for re-enforcement training to ensure whatever we had been trained in that day was fully comprehended. They taught us the meaning of hip-pocket training and there is no such thing as down time,” said Riti, “Whenever you weren’t doing anything, you better have your Smart-Book in your hand.”

Thirty-seven years is a long time to remember your drill sergeants, or anything for that matter, “but they weren’t just drill sergeants, they were our mentors and role