Marine Drill instructors: how do you get into it?

Question

Hello,

what is the marine DI school like? what is the criteria for getting into that particular MOS? When there is a war situation (such as the current one in Iraq) are DI ever deployed? If so what is their job while at war? Or are they strictly homeland?

Thanks to anyone who can answer any of these q's, I know it's quite a few!

P.S. thank you to the armed forces for your service.

to certain posters - I am not in the military and never said I was. I am just interested in different aspects after seeing things in pop culture, etc. no different than wanting to know various aspects of the music biz, etc. so that's that.

Answer 1

Drill Instructor School ( Marine Corps )

Here are some details about USMC DI School:

This is a volunteer Secondary school for Active Duty Marines in the NCO ( Non-Commissioned Officer Field ). The Qualifications are:

1) You must be a minumum rank of Corporal.
2) You must be in the top scores of your PFT ( Physical Fitness Test
3) Preferably a Rifle Expert, although Sharpshooters are excepted.

DI School is a secondary school meaning, the volunteers come from the fleet. Meaning these Marines already have MOS's ( Jobs ) in the Corps. Some come from Admin, others Air Wing, Others Infantry.
The School itself is much like Bootcamp except, DI's in training must score beyond perfect on all aspects. This is what makes them formidable as a teacher.
In fact, at MCRD San Diego, many a time you see the DI's in training next to Recruits in Training.

As for Deployment. Again...DI's are Fleet Marines. They have jobs already, but they volunteer for this service and usually serve about (1) year of being a DI. This is approx (4) Platoons.
Once, their duty as a DI is up, they can re-up as a DI or return back to their original MOS in the fleet.

Answer 2

OK, here is a little more detail. I checked into being an AIr Force TI a few years back, and I am sure Marine Corps is close to the same as far as the process.

You have to be an E-4 at minimum, which means at least 2 years of service before you become eligible. You can volunteer to be an instructor after you've completed a duty assignment. Your entire service record will be taken into account before you're even deemed eligible.

The school is really tough. Marine Corps basic training itself is hard, and you have to essentially master everything that is taught there. The world's best regular combat force is supposed to idolize you, which means you have to seem to be almost superhuman.

The job itself IS a deployment (it's a duty assignment for a certain number of years). I did have some instructors that did other jobs while at the base (one was also in Security Forces), but it is unlikely that you'll be pulled from the group you're training.

Good luck, Semper Fi (can I say that?)

Answer 3

To get into DI school you have to be a SGT or a CPL about to be promoted to SGT. From what I have heard DI school is pretty hard and has a pretty high failure rate. You have to memorize ALOT of information. Along with being great at Drill, PT and much more I am not sure about.

Technically everyone in the military is deployable, but if you are a DI you will not be deployed. Their job is to train recruits, and that is very important.

Bottom line: It just depends how bad you want it.

Answer 4

It sounds like you are not in the Military. How or why would you think a DI's job is anything but stuffy and routine. I have to admit that DI's have a knack for getting right in the face of a down and nearly unconscious troop, but that is not a position that is hard to identify or one that is impressive other than the blood.
I myself was eventually grateful to my head DI, but as for wanting his position it takes a certain type of person and some are good at it and most are not. First, a DI has to have good people judgment about the troops he/she is training. Not all good troops are built by breaking them down to the lowest common denominator. Troops are appropriately considered raw material for the military. It takes experience to be a good DI in the military.
I would think first, a good DI most like people because turning civilians into troops is no place for the heartless. If a military is going to work effectively, it must be staffed by people who are examples to and for troops. Good DI's have learned their trade well and realized that good troops are not born, they are raised by other good troops. Boot shining, snapping salutes or cadence do not make a good Troop.
Even in combat, heartless people do not fit in well except in a technical positions. Being a good Soldier, Marine, Sailor or Airman requires endless dedication and good judgment backed by a caring heart and an inquisitive mind.

Answer 5

Its the same in all the branches. You start off in any MOS and then you get promoted into a SGT or one of those NCO ranks and if you are good, then you can go to school. Drill Instructors are not deployed but ex drill insructors can. They serve 3 cycles of training. One of my SGT's was a Drill SGT. in the Army and he tells us about it.