NATIONAL VIETNAM VETERAN DRILL SERGEANT DAY

By the time of September, 1974, people joining the armed forces knew they wouldn’t go to Vietnam. At least the people who kept up with the Vietnam War knew, and keeping up was as easy as watching the six o’clock news.

Back then joining the Army wasn’t the same as being drafted, but draftees were still all over the place. Some stayed, some left, but the people I met during my time didn’t just call it the Army. They said FTA, as in F The Army.

The draftees who stayed when they could have left joined the rest of the lifers, the career soldiers, and worked to un-F The Army.

And it started with Drill Sergeants.

The men and women who trained the crop of enlistees in September 1974 were, for the most part, Vietnam veterans. From the mustang captain in charge of the company, to the hard core range masters, they were men I’ve never seen before.

It’s a shock to see warriors turning normal young guys into warriors, mostly because not all of the guys were young. We had a thirty four year old bus driver from St. Louis, a twenty five year old college graduate, a twenty nine year old former professional baseball player.

Me? I was a nineteen year old college wrestler drop out joining for a chance to tryout for the the All-Army Team. I learned where the bar was for being part of the big green machine. It’s higher for some than others, and too high for a few.

One guy in particular couldn’t hack it because his shoulders couldn’t stand the strain of hanging and swinging on monkey bars to add to his physical training score. And he wet the bed.

The biggest problem we all faced in the era was drill sergeants working hard to prove the Army was not FTA. They were the biggest difference makers in changing the culture for military service. More than anything they wanted to dispel the notion that they personally responsible for losing the Vietnam War.

After basic training and advanced individual training, or AIT, soldiers were either assigned a permanent duty station, or another school. Permanent duty was the home of FTA, guys hating the army but too frightened to leave, or too invested, or they liked wearing uniforms. I was on a two year contract, which made me a great listener.

But I didn’t hear the complaining as much as the voices of those trying to make the Army a modern force. They were the voice of change, the new breed.

The drill sergeants who’d been to the war were the gold standard of change. The guys who rose in rank learned how to get along with everyone, but the drill sergeants only had one job and did it exceptionally well.

Instead of thanking a Vietnam Veteran, find a Vietnam Veteran drill sergeant for a big thanks.

Thank you Drill Sergeant Easterling.

Thank you Drill Sergeant Daybell.