Drill sergeants competing for 2012 title maintain high spirits on second day of competition

By Stephanie Slater, TRADOCJune 27, 2012

Drill Sergeant Moss demonstrates M136 rocket launcher function check at DSOY competition
1 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Staff Sgt. Jarod Moss, with the 95th Reserve Division, demonstrates how to function check an M136 Rocket Launcher during the annual week-long Drill Sergeant of the Year competition, June 26, 2012, at Fort Eustis, Va. Moss is one of six drill sergeant... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Drill Sergeant Marquez demonstrates M203 grenade launcher at DSOY competition
2 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Staff Sgt. Victor Marquez-Rodriguez Sr., from Fort Sill, Okla., hands a practice M203 round to a Soldier at an event being held as part of the annual week-long Drill Sergeant of the Year competition, June 26, 2012, at Fort Eustis, Va. At this station... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Drill Sergeant Heilman disassembles M249 machine gun during DSOY competition
3 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Heilman, from Fort Jackson, S.C., disassembles an M249 machine gun during an event as part of the annual Drill Sergeant of the Year event, hosted by Initial Military Training, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, June 26, 2012,... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Drill Sergeant McQuiston takes DS history test at DSOY competition
4 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. 1st Class Adam McQuiston, from Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., takes a drill sergeant history test as part of the annual week-long Drill Sergeant of the Year competition, June 26, 2012, at Fort Eustis, Va. During the event hosted by Initial Military Tra... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Drill Sergeant Disla groups, zeroes M16 rifle at DSOY competition
5 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Staff Sgt. Danneit Disla, with the 98th Reserve Division, groups and zeroes rounds with an M16 rifle, June 26, 2012, during the 2012 Drill Sergeant of the Year competition at Fort Eustis, Va. During the week-long competition hosted by Initial Militar... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT EUSTIS, Va. (June 26, 2012) -- "I know you're beat up, you're tired, but you're in good spirits."

On the morning of day two of the ongoing Drill Sergeant of the Year competition, the noncommissioned officer in charge of grading events, First Sgt. Robert Moss, offered this acknowledgement of competitors' efforts.

"We are good to go," replied Staff Sgt. Jarod Moss of the 95th Reserve Division as he rose slowly from a bench and walked off toward the firing range with a slight limp in his gait. "That's how we roll."

After marching nearly nine miles with full rucksacks from their field training exercise site to a firing range for their first competitive event of the day, Moss's and his cohorts' feet became intimately aware of Fort Eustis terrain.

But sore feet likely went to the back of the drill sergeants' minds, as they went through another day of events testing their knowledge of Warrior Tasks and Battle Drills and their ability to impart this knowledge to Soldiers.

The competitors spent their morning at two ranges, demonstrating disassembly and assembly of M240B and M249 machine guns, and instruction on how to fire an M209 grenade launcher.

An afternoon round of urban orienteering tasks included evaluations of how the drill sergeants reacted and resolved situations where Soldiers refused to be trained, as well as grading their ability to communicate effectively while interacting with news media.

The day concluded just like it began at a firing range, where the competing drill sergeants underwent M16 rifle qualifications.

The competition runs through June 28, and the active and reserve-component Drill Sergeants of the Year will be announced at a ceremony June 29 at 9 a.m., Jacobs Theater, Fort Eustis, Va.

For updated stories and photos of the competition, visit www.army.mil/drillsergeant/competition.html.

Related Links:

2012 Drill Sergeant of the Year competitors complete day one

Army.mil: Drill Sergeant of the Year competition

Army.mil Fact Files: Individual & Crew Served Weapons

U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command

Initial Military Training

Initial Military Training on Facebook

U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command on Facebook