A DEEPER LOOK INTO SERVICE MEMBERS BEHAVIORS - NATURALISTIC OBSERVATION

DRILL SERGEANTS FROM PAST TO PRESENT. -

My post will touch on a topic that I am not sure has been brought in any kind of discussion. I don’t want it to look like PTSD from Basic training like most of my battle buddies used to joke about, but I was fascinated by my observations on a few of the Drill Sergeants behaviors during my 10 weeks and 3 days of basic training. For this study I will use Naturalistic observation, of course this is an inconspicuous method if we were to designate an individual to stand in the bathroom to observe and report how many students did/didn’t wash their hands after using the bathroom; This method effectively depends on the context or situation presented, the type of information needed to answer specific research questions.

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I was always amazed by the behavior of a Drill Sergeant, during my time at basic training I would consider myself a the observer or should I say it would be easy to the Leadership or the Psychological study departments of the Army ( If there were a few in every duty station ) helping to better the training system; meaning encourage the Drill Sergeant to separate their ego or life experience out of the army to the Job description on their assignment ( Prepare Soldier mentally and physically) – Of course the Army could be better and can be better but people have a lack in measuring the emission of information that could harm mentally then Physically. Improvements is often expected from the trainees but focusing too much on the results can also be a threat to soldiers life. It is in fact a big statement and I am speaking as an individual who had the opportunity to observe 3 types of Drill Sergeant: The angry Drill Sergeant, The compassionate Drill Sergeant, The Follower.

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Referring to the Drill Sergeant’s Creed: “I will assist each individual in their efforts to become a highly motivated “– I also believe that the psychological evaluation of a new enlisted should be deeper but not based on a survey, as we all know that surveys don’t really provide the right and accurate results unless a good majority of people who did It similarly will confirm these results expected or the contrary. Some Drill Sergeants fail their trainees, mostly the Angry and the followers who usually forget the notion of how spongeous the brain of a trainee can be; being aware of this would also be a way to minimize the rumors we hear all the time in the army about soldiers who passed away or end up commit suicide. Back to the point I brought. Many drill Sergeants or soldiers joined the army to escape a reality they had to face in the past, usually domestic like the following:

• Issues with parents (The army was an escape for them) ?
• Past violence background or children of violent relatives,
• Some drill Sergeant was also used by their parents to whom they gave POA but end up being broke or in other term Financially unstable or drowned in debts where it was difficult for them to recover and be on top of their financial game. ??
• Some went to war (Hypothetically) and ended up being traumatized a certain way but will not say it out loud because
• A strong sense of Ego where anything (response, reactions, stares or even facial expression of a trainees who displays a certain level of education becomes a target as their ego is affected indirectly in other words, the Drill Sergeant feels intimidated)

This results of a research on the psychological profile of a targeted population within the army would certainly help in better understanding the sequels or wounds (open or healed) these specific Drill Sergeants but as well know the Inconspicuous methods will of course not provide the accurate data needed for that study, interrogations or surveys can be useful in this case not forgetting that the data from a survey can be what we expect but not what’s real.

My approach is based on observation, and as a simple soldier these are comments that I keep for myself as an observer for my own account, these data helped me understand my NCOs better and facilitate the communication with my peers/battle buddies in my platoon. Understanding the individuals within the army is one of my daily activities beside doing what I’m supposed to do as a soldier and for my MOS. ???