Story and photo by Kerstin Lopez
GUIDON staff

Fort Leonard Wood hosted the Fall 2009 Drill Sergeant Spouse Seminar, Nov. 13-14. The event is designed to promote family wellness, esprit de corps and give spouses a better understanding of the daily routines of their Soldier.

According to organizers, this seminar is unique in the fact that it brings together spouses from all walks of life, and allows them to participate and observe some of the training their spouses conduct while stationed at Fort Leonard Wood as drill sergeants, Advanced Individual Training platoon sergeants or squad leaders.

“The event is important because it gives spouses of drill sergeants and AIT platoon sergeants the opportunity to get an inside, hands-on experience of what their spouses go through on a daily basis,” said Staff Sgt. James Barrett, 2009 Maneuver Support Center Drill Sergeant of the Year and event organizer.

To kickoff the seminar, the group of 20 participants, including spouses and children, were briefed at MANSCEN and given an in-depth summary of the roles of a drill sergeant, Friday. The purpose behind this was two-fold — it prepared the participants for the events to come the following day and it served as a venue for everyone to get to know one another.

Following day one’s briefing, participants returned Saturday and were transported in an old cattle car to each destination. First, participants got a chance to see the inner workings of a training barracks during a tour early Saturday morning. Next up on the list of adventures was range 12 where the group got a chance to fire an M16A2 rifle. The cadre running the range gave a quick safety brief and demonstration before handing the reigns over the spouses.

After the thrill of shooting the M16, the spouses were introduced to four more weapons at Kanel Hall’s Engagement Skills Trainer. Everyone got a chance to simulate firing at computerized targets with the M240 machine gun, M2 .50 caliber, M249 squad automatic weapon and the MK19 grenade launcher.

As the day wore on, lunch was on the minds of everyone. The 795th Military Police Battalion Dining Facility hosted lunch for the seminar group and even prepared a special menu of cheeseburgers, mini-pizzas, shrimp, chicken wings and an array of sides to accompany the feast — this was a chance for the group to see how a DFAC operated.  

After lunch, it was time to maneuver obstacles at the Physical Endurance Combat Skills Course such as a low wall, low barrier with a pool of muddy water, cargo net, tunnels, high wall, rope bridge and rope swing.

“This was great. We had a blast,” said Katie Moffitt, as her husband Staff Sgt. Joshua Moffitt, 35th Engineer Battalion drill sergeant agreed.  

This seminar was able to shed light on all the work a drill sergeant does, said Tracy Farley, stay-at-home mom and student.

“I got to see the work he does — he really is like a parent at work,” Farley said.