Drill Instructors

[afeliciano]

I've seen the Full Metal Jacket, now.. what are Drill Instructors like in the Marine Corps today?

[woodman]

Other than maybe a few less profanities they will still be the same cute and cuddly creatures AND you'll probably have 3 of them.

[afeliciano]

Haha cute and cuddly? Sounds fun...

[mrbsox]

Originally posted by woodman
Other than maybe a few less profanities they will still be the same cute and cuddly creatures AND you'll probably have 3 of them.

I'm thinking I remember something in a 'movie marathon' show once. I think they had 'toned it down' for the movie, so it could get under the 'R' rating.

Does the phrase 'GATES OF HE!!' mean anything to you ??
Well.... unless your going to San Diego

[HardJedi]

unless going to San Diego? Come on now you KLNOW that's not true! LOL

anyway, to answer the original question:

pretty much the same, except I had 4 of them. one Senior DI, and three regular ones.

( the Senior is USUALLY the nicest of them all, but the one you are afraid of disapointing the most.)

[Old Marine]

Originally posted by afeliciano
I've seen the Full Metal Jacket, now.. what are Drill Instructors like in the Marine Corps today?

You have to remember that these DI's went through Boot Camp two times. Once when they enlisted and once when they went through DI School. They are very highly trained and motivated Marines who will never give up their quest to turn a mob of civilians into a basic cohesive unit that will follow orders on instinct alone.

[sm@@thrider]

DI's/ Put yourself in our shoes and try to train 30 to 70 new joins that know squat and that think they are back on the street and when they see you they freak out, but its hard to train poeple that don't have any common sence or that haven't been living without there momies (20,30,40 and still living @ home), but just think of training a bunch of kids around 6 and your not there mom or dad so why should they listen to you.

[yellowwing]

what are Drill Instructors like in the Marine Corps today?

The same as it has always been, they train and evaluate what you would be like in the Marine Corps.

If they aren't satisfied that you would be a good Marine, they will keep at training you until you've earned the Title.

[ese4mc]

DOES P.I. STILL STARVE THE SAND FLEAS TILL A NEW PLATOON FORMS

[James F. Owings]

In 1968 while going through boot camp at MCRD San Diego, my platoon took enough ribbons so that we did not get mess duty... instead we were parcelled out on work details.

One day during that week, I was assigned to mop the common areas at the drill instructor school. The other members of 3017 were convinced that they had seen the last of me...

They need not have worried... Everybody at the school had their own problems. I was ignored. The stress level of the students was massive... I felt almost comfy when I got back to my platoon area.

Some students were deemed lacking in "voice projection" and sometimes during an early morning run along the fence that marked the Depot/airport border... we would see students barking out commands in full voice... to the aircraft...

(TO THE REAR...HARCH!)

Prior to being sent to ITR, I wound up in graduate casual waiting for my paperwork to be unsnarled. I was assigned to the legal office and had many dealings with D.I.s... as head of the chaser unit... Graduate casuals also ate in the same mess as the D.I.s who were not with their platoons.

In 1964 the Army sent a group of NCO's to the Marine Corps Drill Instructor School to get a more professional edge. For indeed, the Marine D.I.s are professionals.

With enough training and experience, I might be able to command a battalion... but I would never be able to become a D.I. and command a recruit platoon. That requires something very special...

---Jim---

[Patty_McOorah]

The thing you have to remember is that they are human too. No matter how much the put thier foot you know where, it is all buisness. You cant let it get to you. If you get your a$$ chewed, just take it like a man, learn from it, and move on. You have to have a thick skin in this buisness. But if your unlucky, like myself, you get a drill instructor who is extreamly funny and sadistic at the same time. He will say something so hillarious, and then IT the crap out of you after you get caught laughing. It is all just a bearing check. Remember that, and you will strive through recruit training.

[BHABIT]

SGT McOorah...

I don't remember that you were ever in my platoon!!!

But I see that you've learned well!!!

Semper Fi

Saepe Exertus Semper Fidelis Frater Infinitas

[yellowwing]

Graduating your first training platoon is something beyond my imagination.

Our Senior Drill Instructor admitted there were some recruits he barely even knew their names after 2nd Phase. They warranted so little extra attention.

After the First Phase hump, being there for 13 weeks was the hardest part, but there was that one time when my buddy and I were across from each other during 'extra training'.

We didn't say anything of course, but we knew in our hearts that,"This will not beat us, we will become Marines." It was like were were silently telling each other, "I'm not going to quit! You f*cking better not either!"

[Phantom Blooper]

I can hear his voice from across the years

and it beckons me back again,

to march on his field of long ago,

the deck from way back then.

His haunting song never leaves my head,

his voice, demanding my all.

The cadence and rhythm echoes on.

The cadence of my DI's call.

Once you've heard his voice and song

and the sound of pounding heels.

You always hear it coming back, across some distant fields.

March sharply you Marines that went before.

Don't bobble or bounce or fall.

What you hear from long ago,

are the sounds of the DI's call.

Author Unknown

[Sgt Ski 2/7]

I think every Marine who has graduated from boot camp will always say" they aren't as tough as they used to be". I was never beaten by them and I know other have but does that make me less of a Marine than the Old Salts. They are still mean but I think just the hype alone about them is enough to put the fear in you. Just think of them as the best Gym teachers with a severe case of A.D.H.D and some Anger Mangement Problems who teach you about everything you will know to get your life together and be a productive member of society.


Semper Fi