I love teaching drill but trying to teach them on Black Friday (day 1 when they meet their DI’s) is very challenging… 😂 #ssgtnichols #usmc #blackfriday #marines #recruittraining
I always yelled “Wait for me!” when the planes were leaving, LOL. Those were great days. What I wouldn’t give to go back 32 years & do it all over again.
As a former DI at Parris Island, from 96-98, 1st Bn Alpha Co, I remember the hot days in the Charlie uniform and sweating so much it turns the khaki color to a darker color as you see in this video when the green belt hat comes in near the end. Finished with a successful tour but not without a few times of turning in my hat and belt and being told to go home and sit by the phone. I certainly miss the days of pushing platoons. When you become a DI, it never leaves your body or mentality even after going back into the civilian world. Even after leaving Parris Island and getting out from there in 1998, I always tell my wife that if someday there was a shortage of DI’s and they they started asking former Hats if they would be interested in coming back to help out I always tell her I would go back voluntarily and without pay and that she would be ok for a few months without me as she would know exactly what I was doing but wouldn’t want to go through it again.
Dude SSgt Nichols gave a generous donation to get one of of my DI friends a memorial brick at Parris Island. I’m on a rant, but what’s fuckd up is Alex Murdaugh the rich attorney in South Carolina, do you realize that his son wrecked his boat into the last bridge leading into Parris Island? Can you imagine that, young men and women going through Hell at PI, and this rich piece of shit kid is out getting drunk and wrecked into the last bridge going to Parris Island. Two totally different lifestyles of adolescences.
@@harleyd9857 And then ALL OF A Murdaughs misdeeds come out after he MURDERS his own wife and child AFTER being confronted with stealing MILLIONS from his own law firm and poor clients,!??? If somehow Murdaugh that rich spoiled prick could be made to spend a few weeks with the Instructor staff at P.I…. If only….
Hello Marine! I went through boot camp at Parris Island in 1996 1st Battalion Bravo Co with Platoon 1134 with SSgt Sliger as my SDI. I imagine we crossed our brats from time to time. Good to see you doing well. I just retired October 21st 2023
Im curious what did you do to warrant you turning in your hat being sent home for the day. Pushing the recruit's too hard making them drop or a Full Metal Jacket slap?
Not everybody can be a Marine. The DI’s were a daily obstacle all by their insane selves !!! At 60 , I look 👀 back and I get it . I’m proud of just surviving boot camp let alone graduating and finishing out my enlistment. But it was a privilege and an honor. I never did the guidon thing, I was only squad leader for a day. 🤠🤠🤠 Man boot camp was serious trip 13 weeks long in 1983.
As a guidon and National Colors bearer in BCT, AIT, and my 1st duty station (many, many moonsago), I've got so much respect for what SSG Nichols is teaching this trainee.
I love it, "grab the stick, dumbass." Luckily my recruiter taught me how to carry the guideon just in case I became the guide. I didn't. I preferred to stay GP, that was until my drill instructors found out I was MCJROTC drill team and color guard in high school. My nickname was "drill bunny."
thats exactly my situation. I left high school with four years in mcjrotc and I was even the XO my last year. Im confident with my experience as the color guard commander and drill team member, drill wont be all that difficult
Wish SSG Nicholes stuck around a bit longer. But I guess after E 6 you move in. This NCO was top notch and a shining example of the DI and also how they look sound and operate. And he did it spectacularly... He looks nothing like that now.. God Bless the men and women of the USMC...
As frustrated as is drill instructor was he was still willing to teach him and I know he will learn it which will make the drill instructor very happy. Continue to learn your craft respect your instructor.
Ah the guidon bearer. Years later i wondered how our guide figured out how to be a guide. Love how the DI is ultimately frustrated and I’m glad i never had to do either role.
Former Army myself. As much as I understand the idea of putting trainees under pressure, I think it's important when you're teaching something to be calm and collected. You put them under pressure after they've already learned the skill. I think of it like the whole crawl, walk, run mentality (which I learned from the military, btw). It's very difficult to learn something under this kind of scrutiny. I can barely type when someone is looking over my shoulder.
@@j.manning2759its exactly this mentality that keeps our military from fulfilling its full potential and our recruitment and retention numbers low. The ass backwards cycle of abuse that perpetuates itself in the military. “I got treated like shit when I was new, so now Im gonna treat the next guy like shit.” Idiot logic for idiots.
@@Scotia6261 agreed. There is a place for yelling. I definitely got more resilient and better under pressure from it. After all, battle is loud and chaotic. But again, I reiterate, it should be _after_ you've learned the basics. That's the way anyone would train in the civilian world. But in the military, there's this obligatory culture of, "We have to yell at people all the time. It's just the way we do it." Sorry, but I've learned a lot more in the civilian world from people not yelling in my face than I ever learned in the military.
I was never in the military, but I had a few great leaders like this man in my law enforcement career. Now that I had to medically retire due to Covid vaccination iinduced injury, listening to some of this man's words have inspired me while going through post surgery PT and looking for a job in private industry.
I remember one of my DIs threw our guidon on the roof of the mess hall. I can’t remember what exactly pissed him off. But, I do remember our platoon getting smoked for a good while. 🤷🏻♂️😂
Memories. I was not a Guide, but I was 2nd Squad Leader the last 10 weeks of boot camp. Thanks to Pvt McCain the 1st Squad Leader, he was a former Soldier and knew everything about being a Squad Leader. He helped me so much. Thanks McCain if you ever read this. Oct-Dec 1973. Plt 395, India Co, 3rd RTB, Parris Island.
My bunkmate was former Army, which wasn't an issue until they saw his "Army" tattoo our first day of first phase--out of all the tattoos he could have gotten in the Army, an "Army" tattoo was suddenly the worst choice in the world.
I was glad he did or I would have had no idea how much the Marine Corps hated the Army--by the time they were done, he wished he had lost the arm before going to P.I.
DAMN!!! Fourty years, and I still get chills and snap to!!! GUIDON is NOT an easy job in a platoon. But, if you are GUIDE for long enough, you will graduate with an extra stripe!!! I went in an E2 due to meeting all 3 criteria for a stripe, graduated E3 (Lance Corporal) for being HONOR GRAD and GUIDE. Two other guys in my series were E3 at graduation. It was great because they rolled our pay to E3 from day1. For me it was really good, because I was in basic for almost 6 months due to an injury that sent me to MRP. I was dropped back to the beginning of 2nd phase, but I didn't really care. I was happy to get out of MRP and back to a training platoon. I was made Squad leader 5 days after getting to 2nd training platoon, luckily still in 2nd RTB!!! I made Guide about 2 weeks later.
Hope my drill instructors are doing good out there. Sgt Day, Ssgt Buchanan Ssgt Arnone and SDI Ssgt Mills. Plt 3036 kilo company Feb-May 2017. Shout out to the knowledge Ssgt Mills kicked everyday at the end of the training day during square away time.
I miss my SDI GySgt Lang, Plt 3267 Mike Co. You're right, the knowledge and even just general life advice he'd pass on to us during square away time hit different
I remember seeing you there @SsgtNichols. Plt 1041 under Ssgt Collins, Ssgt Sandercock, Sgt Shaw and Hardin, Series Gyt Sgt Palmer. Company Co.Cpt Benson. Dec 10 2001. Good Times. Semper Fi!
At the range with a group of fellow Drill Sergeants a trainee runs up and says "Sergeants should I get the Guidon Bearer!" I'm, oh no you're in for it!
1st phase during the summer is hot , the concrete/ asphalt just reflects the heat up.......to the youngish thinking its fun the background noise is damn near 24/7 and the planes make it deafening at times MCRDSD. Glad to have gone thro it but never wanna do it again ... Mco 04 follow series
I'm glad I avoided getting stuck with guidon bearer duty. It does nothing but paint a gigantic target on you. If you're fortunate you'll be in the middle of formation with some cover, but not always. Still better than being on the outside catching most of the flak if everyone is marching like crap. Crap marching and 'no motivation' during cadences earned us a smoke session in the grass between barracks at Ft. Lost In The Woods. I rapidly found out why the grass was bare, brown, and beat up. I don't think I ever saw it mowed the entire OSUT cycle.
I had a Spanish babe teaching me and she could tell I joined for a paycheck and let me skate without fanfare. You can do ANYTHING you want if you know how to use your helical DNA also known as the iris in the eyeball. It imparts info at the speed of light and you don't have to say a word. My gosh I really think she was actually smitten.
Never served. I noticed that the DI gets pretty pissed and assume he’s holding back because of the camera. I 100% back the DI. Do DI ever rough up recruits actually? Or do they rough em up with PT?
The best way to hold it for something like pass in review where you have to salute is contradictory to how you want to hold it if the wind is heavy from the rear. Holding it with palm over causes you to have to do a little rotation of hand placement for the salute, and if it’s very windy from the wrong direction it can rip that staff out of your hand… but if you hold it on the outside of your hand(not in your palm) it’s easier to salute but harder to maintain control in high wind. I don’t care how strong you think you are, high wind and the wrong grip will rip that thing out of your hands.
I got chosen to be guidon on pickup, got fired a week later, or so.... thank god LOL! too stupid to be guidon.... I couldnt get the hang of having to be one step ahead... but give me a ruck march, or something to clean, or obstacles to go over, I would go on forever.... the more kinetic, the better... standing firewatch on the quarterdeck... fail LOL
Good times. I went in basic a scared kid from a broken home and came out a hardened and disciplined Marine. I could kill too. Weather it be with a bayonet a bullet or my hands. They trained me well and to this day I can handle absolutely anything life throws at me. Semper Fi.
The disconnect between instructors and recruits is so real, and it just always makes me laugh. Of course its all a calculated game and most of the outbursts are fake, but still, instructors getting frustrated and pissed off at an 18 year old child for not immediately picking up the complete nonsense you just vomited on him, basically in a foreign language, will never not be funny.
Why was this recruit selected for guide?? Listen to what is happening in the background. Why is this recruit not out there with them?? This kid was selected because he is a large mammal. I guarantee you there are smarter, higher IQ, higher ASVAB recruits out there who can handle the guidon better. But it is always the big dude selected as guide. Why??? Let’s face it. This kid shows no special aptitude. Why is it always the big kid??
