Gabrielle Chaffins, a Colorado Springs high school senior and Future Soldier, gets up close and personal with drill sergeants during a “shark attack” at Pershing Field March 4, 2017. The shark attack is how drill sergeants greet recruits stepping off the bus at basic training. (Photo by Spc. Anthony Bryant)
By Spc. Anthony Bryant
14th Public Affairs Detachment
Every day across the U.S., people from all walks of life make a commitment to enlist into the U.S. Army. After enlistees sign their commitment paperwork, they become Future Soldiers in the Delayed Entry Program, waiting to leave for Basic Combat Training.
Nineteen Future Soldiers from the Colorado Springs area participated in a unique training event March 4, 2017, at Pershing Field as former drill sergeants, now senior NCOs, from across the 4th Infantry Division led a simulated version of basic training.
Staff Sgt. Derik M. Moody, recruiter, Colorado Springs Recruiting Company, Denver Recruiting Battalion, said the purpose of training with drill sergeants was meant to expose Future Soldiers to the typical stressors of basic training.
“(As recruiters,) we teach them drill and ceremony, rank structure, physical training,” said Moody. “We’re getting their minds and bodies ready for basic training. We do this on a weekly basis so it sticks. We don’t want to send them to basic training with a blind eye.”
Future Soldiers hold the front-leaning rest position at Pershing Field March 4, 2017. (Photo by Spc. Anthony Bryant)
The Colorado Springs Recruiting Company coordinated with senior NCOs who’ve fulfilled special duty assignments as drill sergeants to train prospective recruits with the intimidating instructional style specific to drill sergeants.
“I was nervous at first,” said Tanner Dana, high school senior and Future Soldier. “Once the initial shock wore off, I just did what they told me and didn’t mess up.”
From Dana’s experience, those considering joining the Army are discouraged from enlisting because they don’t know exactly what they’re getting themselves into. Dana added that having sergeants who are willing to take the time to show prospective recruits that it will be tough, but manageable, allays those fears.
At the conclusion of the training, the Future Soldiers had the opportunity to ask the former drill sergeants questions about what to expect in basic training.
Drill sergeants critique the form of Future Soldiers from Colorado Springs while in the front-leaning rest position during a basic training simulation on Pershing Field March 4, 2017. (Photo by Spc. Anthony Bryant)
Sgt. 1st Class Phillip B. Caldwell, infantryman, Company C, 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, said the Future Soldiers need to understand what it means to be in the Army and he hopes they learned something from the training event.
“You’ve got to meet the fear and recognize it within yourself,” he said. “Overcome that fear and take that step. (Basic training) will be a one-day-at-a-time process.”
Moody said the Colorado Springs Recruiting Company plans to collaborate more often with drill sergeants in training Future Soldiers.
Sgt. 1st Class Orlando Soto, infantryman, Company C, 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, provides stern guidance to Future Soldiers from Colorado Springs on their push-up form at Pershing Field March 4, 2017. (Photo by Spc. Anthony Bryant)