Staff Sgt. Michael Johnston from Fort Benning, Ga., won the active-duty 2009 Drill Sergeant of the Year title June 26, 2009. Presenting Johnston his trophy are Command Sgt. Maj. David Bruner and Gen. Martin E. Dempsey of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command. (US Army photo/Frank Brown)
Updated: Friday, 26 Jun 2009, 4:12 PM EDT
Published : Friday, 26 Jun 2009, 4:12 PM EDT
FORT MONROE, Va. - Staff Sgt. Michael Johnston, active-duty drill sergeant from Fort Benning, Ga., and Staff Sgt. Joshua Marshall, reserve drill sergeant from the 95th Division, were named the 2009 Drill Sergeants of the Year at a ceremony Friday at Fort Monroe.
"This award spawned from my experience as a private in basic training to going to drill sergeant school," said Johnston. "All the privates, all the officers and all of the peers I've worked with and trained are all encompassed into the Drill Sergeant of the Year award."
"You study all of the major army regulations, all of the FMs, everything. The total Soldier concept led to [winning] the drill sergeant of the year competition," said Marshall.
The 2009 Drill Sergeant of the Year competition ran from Sunday through Friday at Fort Monroe and Fort Eustis, Va. The competition tested the Army's best drill sergeants on warrior tasks, battle drills and their ability to instruct young Soldiers.
Drill sergeants selected for the competition hailed from the five basic combat training centers and two reserve training divisions. The seven drill sergeants had worked their way from battalion and brigade competitions to win the title of drill sergeant of the year from their respective locations.
Compiled from report by Carroll Kim (TRADOC Public Affairs)
Email This
Print This
View Story on a Single Page