How a Drill Sergeant Transformed Our First Day

“Privates! What is wrong with you!” Drill Sgt Percell yelled.

It was Sunday and we hadn’t even started basic training yet. We wore the uniform of our country. We had our hair cut like the soldiers.

But we weren’t soldiers yet. We were just a bunch of boys and girls wearing the same clothes.

“Weren’t you paying attention when they taught you to amrch at the reception company?”

“Ah, Drill Sgt,” I yelled.

“What is it, Muniz?”

“Drill Sgt, They didn’t rtteach us anything except how to stand in line.”

His eyes went wide and he looked around at the rest of C-10. We’d finished lunch, GIed the barracks, and we were still figuring out what to do as US Army soldiers.

“They didn’t?”

“Not a single step,” I confirmed.

He looked around at the rest of the Two hundred plus men and women. “Is the private, correct?”

Almost instantly everyone confirmed what I’d said.

“Well then,” he said. “Then it’s time you learn!”

Across from our company was a large parking lot that during the week was full of cars. It was empty on Sunday. He took us across the street, broke us down by platoon, and then got us into formation.

The next several minutes was spent on basics. This is Attention. This is Parade Rest. This is a Right and Left Face.

And then he got a few us out there and started teaching us to march while the rest watched.

It wasn’t exactly a train wreck, but it did take some getting used to it.

But what was really fun was he got everyone marching. He marched us around and around the parking lot. “Column left, march,” over and over again. After a little while, we actually felt like we might be able to do this.

Then he marched us back across the street just in time for us to go to Supper.

We were a long way from becoming fighting men and woman, but we’d taken a huge step towards it.