Staff Sgt. John Heslin

AAR — Drill Sergeant of the Year Day 4

By Lance Bacon on June 16, 2011 Army, Outside the wire, TRADOC

FORT JACKSON, S.C. — The Drill Sergeant of the Year competition is so tight that all six competitors were within about five points of each other as they entered this final day, officials said. This final day of competition started with a running of the forthcoming Army Physical Readiness Test, and the results were rather remarkable as the competitors scored well above the averages that have emerged as the Army collects its initial data. And the drill sergeants did this despite a draining tempo that included more than 40 miles of rucking in the previous three days, and only…

DSOY competitors — Staff Sgt. Heslin

By Lance Bacon on June 14, 2011 Army, TRADOC

Outside the Wire will feature profiles (in alphabetical order) of the six Drill Sergeant of the Year contenders this week. The competitors, which include four active-duty soldiers and two reservists, will be evaluated as they tackle more than 50 physically and emotionally challenging events. The winners will be announced Friday. Staff Sgt. John Heslin is Fort Benning’s Drill Sergeant of the Year. The Baltimore native joined the Army in 2004. “It is an honor to be here representing Fort Benning and meeting the other competitors,” he said. “It’s also a good opportunity to get some good competition between the…

AAR: Drill Sergeant of the Year Competition Day 1

By Lance Bacon on June 13, 2011 Army, TRADOC

FORT JACKSON, S.C. – Think your Monday was tough? Try being a competitor in the Drill Sergeant of the Year competition. Six competitors started the day at 0330 by running a couple of miles. Next, they hammered out some combatives, conducted drill with a gaggle of new recruits, were thrown dozens of curve balls such as range malfunctions, rucked 60 pounds of gear across 10 miles of scorching hot pavement … and then broke for lunch. “It took a lot of heart; a lot of mind over matter,” said Staff Sgt. Benjamin Facio, Fort Leonard Wood’s Drill Sergeant of the…

DSOY — Service uniform inspections where you least expect it

By Lance Bacon on June 13, 2011 Army, TRADOC

FORT JACKSON, S.C. – Seven minutes to find 25 uniform errors. But you have to do it after a punishing day that has tested your physical and mental capacities. And you have to do it in the heavy heat of the Carolina woodlands as sand fleas fight mosquitos for every square inch of your body. That’s just one of 30 events tackled today by six competitors vying to be the Army’s Drill Sergeant of the Year. The 25 uniform errors included five on the ACU and 10 each on a male and female ASU. The competitors were confident they found…

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