MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT, PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. -- The rules for drill instructor duty second tours changed April 24, and new incentives are in place to attract experienced hats back to the drill field.
Previous guidance required former drill instructors to serve another three years on the drill field during their second tours. Now, guidance from Marine Administrative Message 258/11, requires them to serve only 24 months.
First Sergeant Jeremy Lirette of Alpha Company, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, said the shortening of the required time of the tour is to help get a larger pool of experience to help mentor the first-term drill instructors.
“When I was down here in 2000 to 2004, you had a lot more prior drill instructors. Now, too often, you’re depending on the experience of drill instructors who are still on their first tour to fill those leadership billets.”
Marines requesting a second drill instructor tour will be eligible for an additional award of the drill instructor ribbon after 20 months. A successful first tour is a prerequisite for applicants.
Drill instructors in their second tour on the drill field usually serve as senior drill instructors, chief drill instructors and company first sergeants – all of them mentors to the drill instructors working through their first tour.
“Second tour drill instructors play a vital role in training recruits and making Marines,” the MARADMIN reads. “Using their extensive experience as a prior DI, a second tour DI serves as a guide and mentor to subordinate drill instructors.”
“I think this is an excellent idea,” said Sgt. Paul Greenfield, a drill instructor with Mike Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion. He said learning from those who have served on the drill field in the past is more valuable than getting advice from first-tour drill instructors who have moved up in billet purely because of their rank.
“Just because they get moved up doesn’t always mean they have the right experience to take care of issues that might occur. Having second-tour DIs come and fill those billets offers the unique experience and know-how of the job.”
In the two years he has served on the drill field, Greenfield said the second-tour drill instructors have been a great asset to his professional development.
“They mentor us and guide us in the right direction,” he explained. “They teach us to train [recruits] hard and train them fair.
“I’m grateful to have had the leadership that I have had since I’ve been here. The drill instructors on their second tour have been the key to the success I’ve had here.”