Drill Sergeant Candidate Transformation

Abstract : While Drill Sergeant Schools (DSSs) are charged with preparing Noncommissioned Officers (NCOs) for the role and responsibilities of Drill Sergeants (DS), few attempts have been made to systematically examine the impact this training actually has on its graduates. Rather, previous research has largely focused on manning alternatives such as determining if Sergeants should be readmitted to DS duty, potential interventions employing DS to reduce Initial Entry Training (IET) attrition, and various strategies that could be employed by DSs to train and reinforce various tasks emphasized during IET. As requested by the Commanding General (CG), Fort Jackson, the U. S. Army Research Institute for Behavioral and Social Sciences (ARI) empirically assessed the changes in NCO leadership style, confidence, commitment, and motivation that occur as a function of DS training. Its purpose is to provide leaders at Fort Jackson with information and recommendations upon which they can base decisions that will impact the DSS and subsequent training of DS candidates.