My Influences:
Senior Drill Instructor Gunnery Sergeant Knight
Senior Drill Instructor, Platoon 1130, Delta Company, 1st Battalion, Parris Island (11/93 - 2/94)
This is the guy responsible for my recruit training during the first three months of my time as an active duty United States Marine.
Please note the smile. The photo was taken on graduation day, after we walked the parade deck and were formally dismissed from training (promoted from "recruit" to private, having initially earned the title "United States Marine.")
Contrary to popular Drill Instructor behavior, our Senior smiled a lot. He worked a different line than a lot of Senior Drill Instructors. He left the Hats (the junior Drill Instructors) with us most of the time to run us into the dirt, to beat us up and down the squad bay and all over Parris Island. He did train us from time to time in different situations but most of his appearances were saved for the platoon when we performed successfully and/or achieved a mark above what was expected.
This, by no means, indicates a weakness of leadership or a sidestep from the stereotypical Senior Drill Instructor; when we screwed up as a platoon, so much so that even the Hats couldn't believe it, guess who came in to "correct" us?
Senior Drill Instructor Gunnery Sergeant Knight.
OUCH.
How did this man influence me? I would imagine that's fairly obvious. So, the obvious is given.
What might not be quite as obvious is something much cooler. Back to the smile!
The Senior smiled a lot. I remember him smiling when he was pounding us into the sandpit and booming "corrections" from the bottom of his cavernous lungs. I remember him smiling when he was teaching us important lessons on USMC history and war tactics and hand-to-hand combat. I remember him smiling when he handed out mail at the end of the day. I remember him smiling as he made fun of particular recruits. The Senior smiled a lot!
What does this have to do with anything?
Everything!
... to me, anyway.
His style of leadership leaned more toward troop welfare; if the troops weren't healthy, strong and focused, the mission could not be accomplished. It seems he was a great example of catching more flies with sugar than vinegar.
That smile also indicated a lightheartedness about his warrior spirit; an acceptance of what he was/is and a willingness to enjoy it and make the best of it as it came.
Haeoka. (Perhaps, we should talk about this word another time - suffice to say, it is the thing outside of me that has closest described to me who I am inside. The native people of this continent sure were a lot more advanced than the nimrods [US] that invaded them, it's a shame we don't give them the real credit they earned.)
The more I think back on my time with Senior Drill Instructor Gunnery Sergeant Knight, the more I realize he was there giving me some great tips on how to navigate my own path.
Thank you, Sir. Semper Fi!
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... just to let you know, this isn't an editing blunder on my part: Darth Vader is still awesome and so is this sketch!
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"Behind the ostensible government, sits enthroned an invisible government owing no allegiance and acknowledging no responsibility to the People."
~ Theodore Roosevelt
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