Drill Sergeants from C Co 1/354th Regiment, 1st Brigade, 95th Training Division (IET), demonstrate and instruct PRT to the future Soldiers of the Joplin Missouri Recruiting Company in Springfield Mo., on Sept. 6, 2014. Photo by Staff Sgt. Kristina Colvin, 1/354th Regiment, 95th Training Division (IET)
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — For the past year, drill sergeants from Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 354th Regiment, 95th Training Division (IET), and future Soldiers from the Joplin Missouri Recruiting Company, spent training time together. The quarterly events provided a mutually beneficial experience for drill sergeants, recruiters and future Soldiers alike.
Future Soldiers from the Joplin Recruiting Company have two hours of training available to them weekly in preparation for Initial Entry Training (IET). This training is normally conducted by recruiters from the Joplin Company. Instead, for the past year, on a quarterly basis, future Soldiers spent a day with drill sergeants from the Army Reserve. All members of this partnership benefited from the relationship.
Reserve Drill Sergeants got valuable time in front of future Soldiers as they would arrive at an IET center. These events also allowed drill sergeants to sharpen the skills they learned in school while conducting missions in their current positions.
For recent U.S. Army Drill Sergeant Academy graduates, the benefits allowed them time to hone their skills with the support and guidance of their experienced peers in a real-world setting.
“Not only is it great training for the future Soldiers,” said Drill Sgt. Joshua Davis, 1/354th Regt., 95th Training Division (IET), “but it’s great training for the drill sergeants as well.”
Recruiters are able to free up two hours a week for the monthly event by having the drill sergeants conduct the training instead of doing it themselves. In addition, the recruiters have a unique training experience to offer their future Soldiers.
(left to right) Drill Sergeants Staff Sgt. Aurora Frausto, Staff Sgt Clint Colvin and Staff Sgt. Joshua Davis from C Co 1/354th Regiment, 1st Brigade, 95th Training Division (IET), instruct future Soldiers from the Joplin Missouri Recruiting Company in Physical Readiness Training (PRT) at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Springfield, Mo., on Sept. 6, 2014. Photo by Staff Sgt. Kristina Colvin, 1/354th Regiment, 95th Training Division (IET)
Recruiters brought in future Soldiers leaving for IET the next week, the next year and people who were interested in signing-up, to these events.
The future Soldiers have much to gain from these opportunities as well.
Here, they can get their first real taste of what standing in front of an Army Drill Sergeant is like. The future Soldiers have received classes in subjects ranging from rank structure and introduction to land navigation to basic rifle marksmanship (conducted with a rubber weapon).
A question-and-answer session with the drill sergeants always precludes the After Action Report (AAR). Consistently, the future Soldiers request more training in two areas: Drill-and-Ceremony (D&C) and Physical Readiness Training (PRT).
During AARs, several future Soldiers have indicated they look forward to returning for another quarterly training session as key for them to remain focused until they attend IET.
As word of the future Soldier events have spread in the Springfield-area, recruiters from greater distances have brought their future Soldiers as well. Currently, opportunities to grow the program are being considered including ways to make attending events more convenient in order to draw more future Soldiers to the events.
Through the dedication of all involved in organizing these events, high quality pre-IET training will continue to prepare the future Soldiers of Southwest Missouri, while also preparing those who rain them.