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Platoon Commander aka Senior Drill Instructor
June 20, 2017 Grunt.com Admin

Platoon Commander aka Senior Drill Instructor

If you’ve never heard of a Platoon Commander while in Boot Camp, it’s not my fault. I didn’t write the book, I didn’t publish the book. I simply purchased the book sometime during my internment at MCRD San Diego. The Marine Corps, or the Navy, recorded my experience for me during those two plus months. I was much too busy to take pictures. My book clearly shows the Senior Drill Instructor listed as “Platoon Commander”. I don’t recall the Senior DI wearing a different style belt than the other Drill Instructors except while drilling toward the end of training, preparing for “final drill”. Then he wore a black leather belt with scabbard, otherwise it was the standard canvas cartridge belt with first aid pouch. SF
Filed in: Marine Corps Stories
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Comments

Ralph Misquez - August 12, 2022

I was in Platoon 2060 in 1967 MCRD San Diego with Ponder, Barefoot, and Newby as my drill instructors. I lost my yearbook and have no way of knowing who went through basic with me. Please contact me. Thank you.

Mike Johnson - June 23, 2022

I was in plt 242 in 1963. Gerald Woodward was our guide on bearer and well respected. I was a squad leader and remember well at ITR when we were low crawling under fire and the bunker exploded next to him. I could see day light underneath him. Glad he didn’t jump any higher.

sgt t.a dicks - June 8, 2020

iwas in regimental honer plt 164 mcrd sd sept 1962 to dec 1962 i had di that was particurly hard on me gysgt e-6 rodgers we had a sadistic cpl di at the time was cpl. david h. smith. 4yrs later i was sgt under 4 ran into cpl smith who made sgt after me not because of the sadistic ways he treated recurits i made sgt under 4 because og gunny rodgers one of the chosin few silver star and two bronze stars, gunny rodgers you are my hero david h. smith you suck dick sgt vance and sgt danner were othernd.idi anyone befor or after me have any ofthese great marins

Nick Hayes - June 8, 2020

On 8 May 1967 (at 07:30) I stepped into The Customs House on Canal Street in New Orleans and my life forever changed. By about 17:00 that day, I met my first Campaign Cover at San Diego International Airport and along about 21:00 I met my second. He wore the Campaign Cover and a highly polished black belt (the same as was used to carry the frog used to support the NCO Sword). The other two Maniacs along with him wore the webbed cartridge belt with the first aid pouch attached. The S/Sgt. with the Black belt was the Platoon Commander. The other two S/Sgts. were Drill Instructors, and we were Platoon 373 of 3rd. Bn. – L Co. If we fast forward to 1 May 1970 I steps out of Drill Instructor School and into 3rd. Bn. – K Co. as a brand new Drill Instructor wearing that same webbed cartridge belt with the first aid pouch attached. The Platoon Commanders still wore that highly polished Black Belt. I never heard of anyone referred to as Senior Drill Instructor during my time in the Marine Corps.

Kenneth Fillmore - June 8, 2020

SSGT Hernandez was our Platoon Commander with 2 Sgt Drill Instructors I was in Platoon 2080 E Company 2ND Battallion at MCRD 1970

Kenneth Fillmore - June 8, 2020

Platoon I meant

Kenneth Fillmore - June 8, 2020

PCP Phycial Conditioning Platoo

Sgt A.J.Manos - June 8, 2020

All I know,as a PI Marine, is the pictures of those DIs’ instantly turned into pictures of my DIs’.A cold shiver ran down my spine.Anyone else.Semper Fi.

Sgt. Eric Tipton - June 8, 2020

Harry, Same with my platoon 3106 book from 1966 except we had 4 ADIs as a couple switched out during training.

Maurice “Moe” Boudreau - June 8, 2020

Bob this is from a graduate of Parris Island Plt 3052. I also started in September 67. My Drill Instructors were S/Sgt Hunt, S/Sgt Fulk and S/Sgt Lamoureux. Were you at San Diego.

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