Any advice for Drill Sergeant School?

2015-09-05T09:21:56-04:00

Headed to dull sergeant school in January. Any helpful tips or advice from anyone that has gone?

Response by GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad made Sep 5 at 2015 9:27 AM

2015-09-05T09:27:39-04:00

"Dull Sergeant School" --- I think you may have a typo there SSG Private RallyPoint Member. :-)

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 5 at 2015 9:36 AM

2015-09-05T09:36:57-04:00

Correction *Drill Sergeant school.

Response by CSM Michael J. Uhlig made Sep 5 at 2015 9:38 AM

2015-09-05T09:38:21-04:00

I suggest showing up knowing the Drill Sergeant Creed as well as going over the modules beginning with the position of attention. Everything goes from there...prepare yourself by going to the schoolhouse website as well.
http://www.army.mil/drillsergeant/

U.S. Army Drill Sergeant

Drill Sergeants are the heart of the initial entry training in the U.S. Army. They train the newest Soldiers, teaching them the Army Values, assisting each individual through the beginnings of their Army career and instilling in them the pride that comes with being a U.S. Army Soldier.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 5 at 2015 1:32 PM

2015-09-05T13:32:41-04:00

Good luck!

Response by SGT Jerrold Pesz made Sep 5 at 2015 7:56 PM

2015-09-05T19:56:57-04:00

Good luck!

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 5 at 2015 8:35 PM

2015-09-05T20:35:02-04:00

Download the prt module guide. The right one will also have all the movement and position modules. If you memorize the first three you will be ahead of the game. This will give you time to memorize the rest. You only pitch one module a week but there are multiple modules you have to know for that week. You don't get to choose and the DSL will let you pick a card or role some dice to figure out which one you will get, 5 minutes later your pitching it. Show up squared away. Everything sewn on to the new scorpion uniform, new pt uniform, a close fade; not an "its still in regs" sort of haircut. Go to the position of attention before going to parade rest. Always give the greeting of the day followed by "this we'll defend". Know your basic warrior tasks and battle drills. After you have done that all you have to do is embrace the stupidity of being treated like a private and hold your tongue at all the double standards that you will see. Make it out of Drill Sergeant school and you will see how much different being a Drill Sergeant is. Well at least at Benning where war fighters are made. Good luck! Message me for anything.

Response by SFC Dan Sorrow, M.S. made Sep 7 at 2015 10:57 AM

2015-09-07T10:57:12-04:00

Well, first off I wouldn't refer to the instructors as "dull sergeants"! HAHA! (Note your question"). I went in October 1988 at Fort Benning, GA. If it's still anything like it was then, you may want to practice standing at attention before giving any commands. So many NCO's I went to school with had developed some very lazy habits. Practice talking to trees and bushes. I can't tell you how many of them I talked through every D&C and PT module. They were pretty good at standing still while at the position of attention, otherwise a lot of corrective measures were needed. Practice memorization techniques. That was the biggest killer. The only method that worked for me was repetitive practice, but Luminocity might help also. We didn't have that back then. Ha!

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 25 at 2015 8:59 PM

2015-10-25T20:59:32-04:00

Agree with learning the top 3 modules. Position of attention, rest positions while at the halt, hand salute. Work on learning prt. Prep, 4ftc, hip stability, cd1 and 2, mmd1, climbing drill 1 and recovery. Learn the excerises in order and correct performance. Know their starting positions. Be able to talk a private through them. As of now they are drawing their modules after first 3 and know which ones they will have for the remainder of course. January is when they will be trying a new method on modules though.

Response by SFC Eric Williams made Nov 10 at 2015 12:48 AM

2015-11-10T00:48:32-05:00

Sleep now. You won't get much later!
If you can get a hold of the D&C presentations do so and study, Study, Study.....

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 8 at 2015 9:28 PM

2015-12-08T21:28:01-05:00

When do you attend

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 24 at 2015 10:15 AM

2015-12-24T10:15:52-05:00

I graduated this June. You already know the creeds and first three modules you are good to go. The way we did our modules was after we pitched the top 3 we drew the rest of our modules for the course. I didn't have to know EVERY module like past classes. Here's how it works. If you get a NO-GO on a module you will re-pitch that same module at like 0530 the next day. The DSL's will then draw another module from the set and you have to pitch that as well. Do your best not to get on the NO-GO train. To my knowledge they are still using this system, but they change all the time. If not you'll probably have to know EVERY module and randomly pick on pitch day. You will lead 2 PRT session. One SM and one EM. We pitched PRT and traded off with the AI every single time. For example you could be in the middle of the prep drill and the DSL will say "switch". It's really easy. Don't stress. Remember to be professional and just do what you do as an NCO.

Response by SFC Craig Canzoneri made Jan 28 at 2017 1:43 PM

2017-01-28T13:43:51-05:00

Study Drill Modules... Helps a great amount, hope you graduated!

Response by LTC Eugene Chu made Dec 31 at 2018 5:49 PM

2018-12-31T17:49:14-05:00

SSG Private RallyPoint Member This post is now three years old. Curious about how drill sergeant school and time on “trail” was for you along with own lessons from the experience.