The Competition
The Drill Sergeant of the Year competition physically and mentally challenges competitors from each of the U.S. Army Centers of Excellence, the U.S. Army Drill Sergeant Academy and each of the U.S. Army Reserve training divisions.
For four days these competitors must perform and master all associated tasks and drills from basic combat training. While they are expected to be experts in warrior tasks and battle drills, they are also graded on the core duty of a drill sergeant, their ability to effectively teach new Soldiers.
Previous Winners
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- 2024 Staff Sgt. Samuel Matlock (Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.)
- 2023 Staff Sgt. Ashley Buhl (Fort Jackson, S.C.)
- 2022 Staff Sgt. Krista Osborne (Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.)
- 2021 Sgt. 1st Class Travis Burkhalter (Fort Jackson, S.C.)
- 2020 Staff Sgt. Erik Rostamo (Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.)
- 2019 Staff Sgt. Earnest J. Knight II (Fort Jackson, S.C.)
- 2018 Sgt. Devin Crawford (95th Training Division)
- 2017 Sgt. 1st Class Chad Hickey (Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.)
- 2016 Sgt. 1st Class Martin Delaney (Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.)
- 2015 Staff Sgt. Jacob Miller (Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.)
- 2014 Staff Sgt. Jonathan Miller (Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.)
- 2013 Sgt. 1st Class David Stover II (Fort Jackson, S.C.)
- 2012 Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Heilman (Fort Jackson, S.C.)
- 2011 Staff Sgt. John Heslin (Fort Benning, Ga.)
- 2010 Staff Sgt. Timothy Sarvis (Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.)
- 2009 Staff Sgt. Michael Johnston (Fort Benning, Ga.)
- 2008 Staff Sgt. Herbert D. Thompson (Fort Jackson, S.C.)
- 2007 Sgt. 1st Class Delfin J. Romani (Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.)
- 2006 Sgt. 1st Class Michael Behnkendorf (Fort Jackson, S.C.)
- 2005 Staff Sgt. Reynolds Jolly (Fort Sill, Okla.)
- 2004 Staff Sgt. Jason Maynard (Fort Sill, Okla.)
- 2003 Sgt. 1st Class Billie Jo Miranda (Fort Jackson, S.C.)
- 2002 Staff Sgt. Randle Cheadle (Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.)
- 2001 Staff Sgt. Debra Thorn (Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.)
- 2000 Staff Sgt. Damian Mcintosh (Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.)
- 1999 Staff Sgt. Terry Dokey (Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.)
- 1998 Staff Sgt. Bradley Houston (Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.)
- 1997 Sgt. 1st Class Frank Cervantes (Fort Knox, Ky.)
- 1996 Staff Sgt. Kevin Greene (Fort Knox, Ky.)
- 1995 Sgt. 1st Class Anita Jorden (Fort Jackson, S.C.)
- 1994 Staff Sgt. Ronald Sinner (Fort Knox, Ky.)
- 1993 Staff Sgt. Jill Henderson (Fort McClellan, Ala.)
- 1992 Staff Sgt. Calvin Smithers (Fort Jackson, S.C.)
- 1991 Sgt. 1st Class Mark Clifton (Fort Dix, N.J.)
- 1990 Staff Sgt. W. Krewal (Fort Dix, N.J.)
- 1989 Staff Sgt. M. Edington (Fort Jackson, S.C.)
- 1988 Staff Sgt. S. Watkins (Fort Benning, Ga.)
- 1987 Staff Sgt. M. Carman (Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.)
- 1986 Sgt. 1st Class D. Kim (Fort Dix, N.J.)
- 1985 Sgt. 1st Class M. Ripka (Fort Benning, Ga.)
- 1984 Sgt. 1st Class D. Hubbard (Fort Sill, Okla.)
- 1983 Sgt. 1st Class G. Haake (Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.)
- 1982 Sgt. 1st Class C. Fitzpatrick (Fort Knox, Ky.)
- 1981 Sgt. 1st Class R. Moore (Fort Benning, Ga.)
- 1980 Sgt. 1st Class J. Clavson (Fort Jackson, S.C.)
- 1979 Sgt. 1st Class R. Hall (Fort Bliss, Texas)
- 1978 Sgt. 1st Class D. Watters (Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.)
- 1977 Sgt. 1st Class M. Wagers (Fort Benning, Ga.)
- 1976 Sgt. 1st Class D. Barrow (Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.)
- 1975 Sgt. 1st Class H. Kohlman (Fort Bliss, Texas)
- 1974 Sgt. 1st Class F. Acosta (Fort Sill, Okla.)
- 1973 Sgt. 1st Class J. Boofter (Fort Dix, N.J.)
- 1972 Sgt. 1st Class J. Heaton (Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.)
- 1971 Sgt. 1st Class G. Klingenberger (Fort Benning, Ga.)
- 1970 Sgt. 1st Class E. McGinnis (Fort Polk, La.)
- 1969 Sgt. 1st Class A. Carpenter (Fort Polk, La.)
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- 2024 Sgt. First Class Jake Mrzena (U.S. Army drill Sergeant Academy at Fort Jackson, S.C.)
- 2023 Staff Sgt. Cody Ramburger (104th Training Division)
- 2022 Staff Sgt. Loren Pope (98th Training Division)
- 2021 Staff Sgt. Juan Parada (95th Training Division)
- 2020 Not awarded
- 2019 Not awarded
- 2018 Sgt. Devin Crawford (95th Training Division)
- 2017 Sgt. Christopher Moses (95th Training Division)
- 2016 Sgt. Ryan Moldovan (98th Training Division)
- 2015 Staff Sgt. Mark Mercer (95th Training Division)
- 2014 Staff Sgt. Christopher Croslin (95th Training Division)
- 2013 Sgt. 1st Class Ryan McCaffrey (98th Training Division)
- 2012 Staff Sgt. Jarod Moss (95th Training Division)
- 2011 Staff Sgt. Andrew Palmer (98th Training Division)
- 2010 Staff Sgt. Melissa Solomon (108th Training Division)
- 2009 Staff Sgt. Joshua Marshall (95th Training Division)
- 2008 Sgt. 1st Class Michael Noland (95th Training Division)
- 2007 Staff Sgt. Steven Malubay (104th Training Division)
- 2006 Sgt. 1st Class Steven Howd (100th Training Division)
- 2005 Sgt. 1st Class Spencer Swearingen (100th Training Division)
- 2004 Staff Sgt. Jennifer Fowler (95th Training Division)
- 2003 Sgt. 1st Class Corenna Rouse (100th Training Division)
- 2002 Sgt. 1st Class Tobias Meister (98th Training Division)
- 2001 Staff Sgt. Wayne McPhillips (84th Training Division)
- 2000 Staff Sgt. Allen Roberts (100th Training Division)
- 1999 Sgt. 1st Class Todd Priest (84th Training Division)
- 1998 Staff Sgt. Timothy Graves (100th Training Division)
- 1997 Sgt. 1st Class Teresa Belles (100th Training Division)
- 1996 Sgt. 1st Class Ronald Coots (100th Training Division)
- 1995 Staff Sgt. Bruce Clark (100th Training Division)
- 1994 Staff Sgt. Christopher Laird (100th Training Division)
- 1993 Sgt. 1st Class Dennis Law (80th Training Division)
- 1992 Staff Sgt. Robert Kunigan (98th Training Division)
- 1991 Sgt. 1st Class Chris Mullins (100th Training Division)
- 1990 Staff Sgt. J. Ashwood (95th Training Division)
- 1989 Staff Sgt. C. Baer (95th Training Division)
- 1988 Sgt. 1st Class R. Casas (95th Training Division)
- 1987 Sgt. 1st Class J. Buczkowski (98th Training Division)
- 1986 Staff Sgt. A. Groehler (84th Training Division)
- 1985 Sgt. 1st Class T. Gennarell (78th Training Division)
- 1984 Sgt. 1st Class G. Carter (95th Training Division)
- 1983 Sgt. 1st Class C. Wagner (91st Training Division)
- 1982 Sgt. 1st Class A. Lackey (100th Training Division)
- 1981 Sgt. 1st Class E. Enfinger (108th Training Division)
- 1980 Sgt. 1st Class T. Jackson (104th Training Division)
- 1979 Sgt. 1st Class E. Morris (78th Training Division)
- 1978 Sgt. 1st Class L. Hector (104th Training Division)
- 1977 Sgt. 1st Class K. Cabe (108th Training Division)
- 1976 Sgt. 1st Class J. Socnogy (85th Training Division)
- 1975 Sgt. 1st Class D. Roberts (100th Training Division)
- 1974 Sgt. 1st Class D. Lindwall (78th Training Division)
- 1973 Sgt. 1st Class H. Cline (108th Training Division)
- 1972 Sgt. 1st Class D. Castern (98th Training Division)
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- 2017 Staff Sgt. Bryan Ivery (Presidio of Monterey, Calif.)
- 2016 Staff Sgt. Brandon Laspe (Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.)
- 2015 Sgt. 1st Class Samuel Enriquez (Fort Sam Houston, Texas)
- 2014 Sgt. 1st Class Thomas Russell (Fort Sill, Okla.)
- 2013 Not awarded
- 2012 Sgt. 1st Class Delroy Barnett (Fort Sam Houston, Texas)
- 2011 Sgt. 1st Class Paul Gahl (Fort Sill, Okla.)
- 2010 Staff Sgt. Amanda Kokkonen (Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas)
- 2009 Staff Sgt. Luis Duran (Fort Eustis, Va.)