Drill Corporal Course Ft. Polk Academy

[Retired Army Noncom]

What kind of hat did a Blue hat wear, a ball cap we suppose correct? You made a bit of a typo I noticed there Sarge BOOTS, BOOTS of course are Navy and Marine recruits, as in Boot Camp, Army and Air Force are Trainees, or simply Recruits.

It was actually a blue painted helmet liner.........

 

Some called them 'trainees' based on 'basic trainee, I called them boots, they were in 'boot camp'. Every once in awhile I'd slip and say 'trainee'.

 

We all have stories we remember and will never forget and here is one of mine.

 

Ft Campbell, old barracks, north side of the post. Orderly room was located on the corner and across the street from Bn Hdqs. We had a small three foot high picket fence just outside the orderly room front door.

One Drill, small little black DS, Army Golden Gloves champ....he was soon to reach his breaking point with 'boots'. One came into the orderly room and ask a stupid question, SSG Dye was his name sent the boot back out the door see sit on that picket fence, flap his arms and holler, "I'm a shite bird " "I'm a shinola bird" and then cackle like a chicken and not to stop until he said so. That boot had not been out maybe ten minutes when we heard the sound of tires screeching to a halt. In the orderly room there was myself, SSG Dye, Senior Drill, 1SG and the company clerk. The CO's office was through an adjoining door. When we heard the tires screech, we all looked out the window and it was the Bn CO in his staff car. As he jumped out we all ran out the back door and left the 1SG there by himself. From what followed by the 1SG to what happened was this, the Bn CO went over to the boot and asked him what on God's earth he was doing and the boot flapped his arms, clucked like a chicken and said "I'm a shinola bird sir, I'm a shinola bird". The Bn CO was lost for words, turned around and walked to the Bn Hdqs. The CO soon got a call for him to report to the Bn CO. We never heard anymore about it.................memories......glad I still have the good ones to remember.

 

I see the editor changes sh...it to shinola and shite..............takes something away from the story.

[patches]

Here's mine, and it regards my Platoon Leader. This from topic

 

 

Most embarrassing moment(s) in uniform...

 

Posted 07 October 2016 - 08:16 AM

My first out a few I imagine was in Basic at Benning, Oh I don't know like sometime in February 80, started early January. My Platoon Leader, he was a interesting one, a young-ish looking 2nd Lt, Inf, but he was a former non infantry Viet Vet, he wore the U.S. Army Vietnam combat patch, No CIB right, so in a Non Infantry MOS, of which I never knew.

 

We used to get paid in the old way, report to get Cash, he was this time the OIC, you know like Hawkeye was once in that MASH episode. Strange thing for a young GI like me is that we never really seen this officer nor our Company Commander a 1st Lt much, nor come to think of it, our 1st Sergeant, only the Drill Srrgeants, whether the regular company ones, or those Reserve DS's (we had ones from the Virginia based 80th Training Division at first).

 

While Drill Sergeant was at this time no longer a formal term of reply, Sergeant was naturally, and one as all you know becomes a real force of habit, a automatic reation to a question, order, or rebuke. I made the mistake of saluting and sounding off with my name rank and SSN, AND saying YES SERGEANT more than once to this officer at the Pay Day table that was set up, and was embarrassed as hell, my earnest reply was Sorry Sir (finally getting it right ) A Force of Habit, he took it very well, and said I Understand. Glad my Platoon DS wasn't in ear shot, knowing him he would of ran my A=sS around the company area .

[Retired Army Noncom]

After I retired it took me awhile to stop trying to show my ID Card to enter Walmart.

 

My DS years had a drawback..........I was on the trail from early 70 to late 75. I was a SSG on the trail and didn't get on the 7 list until years later. Before that happened, SFC's and two MSGT's came up to me over the years and ask if I remembered them, that I was their Drill Sgt back in BCT.

 

I had one boot who tried to commit suicide by jumping in front of my car but he was late and rolled off the side of the car. Of course he didn't know it was me when he jumped but when I stopped the car and ran back to see if he was OK, he called me DS, he was a boot of mine three years prior. After AIT he was sent to Korea and then back to Ft Wood to finish his enlistment. He went to psycho ward in the base hospital.

 

I loved graduation day when boots wanted their moms or sisters to meet me....yum yum!!!!!!!!

[FtPolkexDS]

I just happened to find this post, little late , I'm afraid to say there was indeed a Drill Corporal course in the Ft. Polk Academy, I know this because I attended and graduated, happen to have the graduation certificate, and I also participated in the training of troops as a Drill Sgt.'s assistant. I'm betting at this point, it was a Ft. Polk only deal.

[patches]

I just happened to find this post, little late , I'm afraid to say there was indeed a Drill Corporal course in the Ft. Polk Academy, I know this because I attended and graduated, happen to have the graduation certificate, and I also participated in the training of troops as a Drill Sgt.'s assistant. I'm betting at this point, it was a Ft. Polk only deal.

Still no luck on this patch guy, either in photos or in a example to buy, but it may one day turn up, it happens that way in this arena.

[seanmc1114]

There was no such thing as a Drill Cpl School or any slot for a Cpl in any BCT training CMD. There was the Drill Sergeant's Academy at Ft Jackson SC and that was it. No one was allowed to train the boots unless that person was a graduate of the Drill Sergeant's Academy. There was such an animal as a Blue Hat, an NCO waiting for a slot assignment to attend the Academy but until that time he had no duties other than to watch, learn and listen. The Senior Drill would sometimes allow a Blue Hat to march the troops, as I was allowed to do once. I was under the Blue Hat for only five weeks, I was lucky, most waited for months.

 

What photos that have been posted was more than likely a separate CMD and could very well be an assigned cadre of a Reception Center which would have required no training other than being an NCO and CPL's were considered NCOs. When I was serving a CPL outranked all Specialist ranks, even a E-7 Spec 7. They were not considered a leadership position. Later that did change to equal responsibility but if there was an E-7 hard stripe and an Spec 7, the NCO was in charge. That further changed to whoever had the time in grade in the E grade, not the rank.

 

Notice the photo posted is of a patch and not a permanent awarded badge.

I found the following two pages from the transcript of a 1968 defense appropriations hearing before Congress. Note that the general speaking about Fort Polk references the Fort Polk NCO Academy which conducted the drill sergeant and drill corporal courses. Apparently it was locally authorized, but does sound like it was a formal program.

[seanmc1114]

More from the above post about the drill corporal program.

[seanmc1114]

The following screen shot came from an official Army film from the 1960's - I believe 1969 - showing the Drill Sergeant School at Fort Jackson. Note that these individuals are receiving their diplomas and campaign hats as PFC's. Would they immediately be promoted to sergeant upon graduation or would they serve as drill instructors in the rank of PFC?

[seanmc1114]

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[seanmc1114]

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