Advice from or to new US Army drill instructor?

Question

I've just been promoted to be unit drill instructor, I want to know if any of you (especially ex-serviceman) have ideas for interesting punishments and exercises for recruits. Also, if you have any questions about PT, e-mail me

Answer 1

Take a Humvee and make the unit push you around in it. However you may or may not want to do it on a rainy day in a field that may or may not get very very very muddy and you may or may not want to start out by putting it in park and calling them a word that starts w/ a P and ends with a ssy. Then you may or may not want to put the Humvee into neutral as they are pushing behind while you have it in park. Then if it does get stuck in this possibly muddy area make them pull it out by hand.

Also I don't know what regulations are at your station, but some VERY loud and obnoxious firecrackers in a steel bucket for a wake up call will hopefully make some of them piss their pants.

Note: I am not a instructor, but I will be joining the Army in the next coming years. I am however a assistant instructor for a teen police academy.

Also Coach makes a good point to get them prepared and all, but remeber sometimes it is just that one individual that screws up that costs the lives of other men on a battlefield. Its kind of a different approach from a highschool football team where if one kid screws up the other team may get a TD. If someone screws up in the military then people may die. So that is why the entire unit is punished sometimes to emphasis this point that they must function as one unit and that even if one screws up then they all screw up. That and it fulfills the personal humor of the instructors, and even some of the cadets/boots/grunts/ whatever.

Answer 2

I was Air Force and a woman. We were treated with respect and called ladies. (this is true). We did however have our days, like the day the TI and two big guys came and trashed the dorm. We had 2 hours to put it back together or else. We did, and that evening we had a surprise inspection by the commander. Ours was the cleanest, and we were again the darlings. Our TI looked good, but sister flight didn't bode so well. Compliments and flattery seemed to work well with us. We had a blast in basic and I'm sure many look back on it pretty fondly. It may not work well with others. It will all depend on the group you get. Remember, these are all volunteers, you have to approach them a little differently. Congratulations on your Promotion and best of luck.

Answer 3

before you go to basic, do a lot of running, make sure that you can run 2 miles in under 18 minutes, get your run time as low as possible. talk to a recruiter about the PT standards and try to meet them before you ship out. it will help you so much. also the recruiters have a list of tasks that you can complete so that you can come into the army as an E-2 or even an E-3, which is a little bit better pay and you will be glad you did it because you will go up the ranks faster than your peers and it looks good. and in dealing with the Drill sergeants, just do what your told and pay attention to detail. dont get caught up in all the drama. there will be people in your company that just insist on dating and having sex, dont do it, its so not worth it. just try your best at everything you do and you will be just fine. good luck

Answer 4

Your main responsibility is to get your people prepared for combat so that they can survive in a battle situation. Stress teamwork. Make sure that they fell confident in who they are and what they can do. They have Superior equipment, training and leadership. Keep communication between you and them open. Discipline is important. Give them encouragement when they have done something good. Punish them all is one of them makes a stupid mistake. Punish the individual if he alone does something wrong - like insubordination.

Answer 5

Don't be a softy. Be a hard butt and instill fear into the recruits. I will never forget the first few days in my basic training. man! You guys scared the heck out of me. I'd rather have faced the devil himself. What do I remember most about my DI? He was a tough SOB but fair and honest. He had our respect. I'm sure you will also get the same respect.

Answer 6

elevate your feet ..six inches , making them hold it there and then tell some long winded story that really has no meaning what so ever , while telling this story tell them to go up fast , (legs 90 degrees) then down slowly , but maintain the 6 inches they will hate the life god has given them but its also really good for the stomach , so with punishment comes better pt scores....now if you really want them to look stupid tell them to do the "pissing on the fire hydrant" this is done on all fours , then lifting the leg like they are pissing like a dog

Answer 7

I congratulate you on your new promotion and wish you the world of success with it.

The number one thing you will have to deal with is respect.
Once you deal with that you can mold them to be great soldiers.

Be honest with them, give them punishments that are worthy of levels of integrity to men/women.

Take care.