After completing Drill Sergeants School in July 1985, I reported back to Company E, 1st Battalion, 1st Basic Combat Training Brigade. This is where I began my duty as a United States Army Drill Sergeant.

I was assigned to the 1st Platoon where I worked with Drill Sergeants (Staff Sergeant) Walter Bell, the Platoon Sergeant, and (Staff Sergeant) Jim Goins. When I arrived both of these Drill Sergeants were working special assignments and were nowhere around to help me. Honestly, I really had no idea as to what was going on in the company.

Then I met Drill Sergeant (Staff Sergeant) Glenn L. (Freddie G.) Sanford who was assigned to 2nd Platoon. That morning I found a friend whom I will never forget. Drill Sergeant Sanford helped me get my feet on the ground. He got me a copy of the training schedule and told me what the company was supposed to be doing that day and introduced me to the platoon of trainees that I would be training. Drill Sergeant Sanford and I have been friends ever since that time. I have tried to stay in touch with Drill Sergeant Sanford, but after moving back to North Carolina I have not been able to contact him.

Some time later Drill Sergeant Bell was reassigned and I took over as Platoon Sergeant for 1st Platoon. During that time I worked with Staff Sergeant J. Barnes, Staff Sergeant G. Foster and Sergeant Bonnie Cole.

When Drill Sergeant (Sergeant First Class) G. Robinson arrived in the unit he took over as the Platoon Sergeant of 1st Platoon. Drill Sergeant Bonnie Cole and I worked for Sergeant Robinson. I say we worked for Sergeant Robinson, because he felt that he was way above Drill Sergeant Cole and me. He felt that he did not have to work on weekends and took each weekend off, while he assigned Drill Sergeant Cole and me to work each weekend. The Company Commander and First Sergeant did not like the way Sergeant Robinson did things and when they got a chance to swap him to another battalion for another Drill Sergeant, they jumped at the chance. I cannot say that I was sorry to see Sergeant Robinson go.

Drill Sergeant (Sergeant First Class) Roberta (Bobbie) Lockwood, who had arrived during the last training cycle, took over 1st Platoon when Sergeant Robinson left. The Drill Sergeant we received to replace Sergeant Robinson was Drill Sergeant (Staff Sergeant/Sergeant First Class) H. D. (Buzz) Baker Jr. Drill Sergeant Baker was married to another Drill Sergeant in our battalion and was swapped with Sergeant Robinson, so that he (Baker) and his wife could be on the same rotation and have time off together. I liked the move as I had met both Drill Sergeant Bakers prior to my graduating from Drill Sergeants School. I am still in touch with the former Drill Sergeant Lockwood and Drill Sergeant Baker and we talk and visit whenever we get a chance.

The Company Commanders assigned to Company E were Captain Higginbotham, First Lieutenant Andrew Baldwin, Captain Larry Evans, and Captain Timothy Cummings (listed in the order that they served).

The Executive Officers assigned to Company E were First Lieutenant Andrew Baldwin, First Lieutenant G. Robinson, and First Lieutenant David Reimer (listed in the order that they served).

The First Sergeants assigned to Company E were First Sergeant Thomas Kirkland, First Sergeant E. Duffie, First Sergeant Albert Cummings, and First Sergeant Thomas Hanson (listed in the order that they served).

The Drill Sergeants assigned to Company E during my three-year tour were:

Sergeant First Class E. Acorda, Sergeant First Class/Staff Sergeant H. D. (Buzz) Baker, Jr., Sergeant First Class Carcamo, Sergeant First Class T. Lee, Sergeant First Class Roberta (Bobbie) Lockwood, Sergeant First Class/Staff Sergeant J. Mode, Sergeant First Class Porter, Sergeant First Class G. Robinson, and Sergeant First Class V. Rodrigueq.

Staff Sergeant Willie T. Ayers, Staff Sergeant J. (Tony) Barnes, Staff Sergeant Walter Bell, Staff Sergeant R. Crawford, Staff Sergeant G. Croom, Staff Sergeant Donald Davis, Staff Sergeant K. Donovan, Staff Sergeant K. Exnicious, Staff Sergeant G. Foster, Staff Sergeant Jim Goins, Staff Sergeant Anthony Gonzales, Staff Sergeant L. Horn, Staff Sergeant Ronald Howell, Staff Sergeant Walter Kennedy, Staff Sergeant R. Lowe, Staff Sergeant M. McKenna, Staff Sergeant Reed, Staff Sergeant Glenn L. (Freddie G.) Sergeant Bonnie Cole, and Sergeant A. Embry.

There may be others that I missed. If I did I am sorry, but these are the ones that I was able to remember or find in my books.

There were several different personnel who served as Training NCOs/Operations Sergeants, such as Sergeant First Class James Barclay and Staff Sergeant Michael Dehoney, two that I remember. There were also several different personnel who served as the company armorer, but the only one that I can recall is Corporal James Frias.

Two major changes took place within the Company and the Battalion during my three-year tour. Sometime in December 1986 or January 1987, 1st Battalion, 1st Basic Combat Training Brigade was changed to 2nd Battalion, 13th Infantry, 1st Basic Combat Training Brigade. Then in November/December 1987 the Company and Battalion moved out of the old World War II Barracks on Tank Hill to a new modern "starship" barracks located at the bottom of Tank Hill.

During my tour of duty as a Drill Sergeant I attended the 11C ANCOC (Advance Non-Commissioned Officers Course), a 10-week course held at Fort Benning, Georgia. It was an interesting course and a good break from my duties as a Drill Sergeant. Drill Sergeant Willie T. Ayers, a fellow Drill Sergeant from Company E, also attended the 11B ANCOC with me.

I really enjoyed my tour of duty as a Drill Sergeant and Senior Drill Sergeant. I enjoyed it so much that I extended for an extra year.

Grading a PT test.

Grading a PT test.

Me on top of Victory Tower.

E Co, 1 Bn, 1 Bde ~ 20 Feb 1988 (click on photo to view cadre)

E Co, 2 Bn, 13 Inf Reg, 1 Bde ~ 4 Feb 1988 (click on photo to view cadre)

C Co, 2 Bn, 13 Inf Reg, 1 Bde ~ 5 Oct 1988 (click on photo to view cadre)

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