Real Drill Instructors Talk Boot Camp 2024 | VET Tv

Five, four, three, two, one. Alright, let's roll sound. Rolling, rolling. 401, take one. Camera is set. Action. Open your mouth! Aye, aye, sir! You've got to be kidding me. That's as loud as you can get? Aye, aye, sir! Thank you for your what? Your service? Yes sir, no sir. Which one? When that TV posted that they're looking for drill instructors to come on and showcase their skill set, a bunch of people that follow what I do tagged me in the videos and said, hey man, you need to apply, you need to apply. Fast forward, here we are. That's all we're doing. This is the seat right here. Yeah. And then don't we have the back end? Oh yeah, by the door. We've got our advisers here, our military advisers, Lewis and Jackson. Hey, tell him to look at you when you say eyeballs, when he stands up. Tell him to look at you and say clicks. Yeah. Going back into character, we were like the lowest paid actors. So now that we're actually acting, it's going to come more natural. It seems like it's going to be fun. Good time. I'm a superstar. No. So they can just be like they're in formation, just outside, standing around waiting. Like they could be linen recruits or just something. Tight elbows! Aye, sir! Scream aye, sir! Aye, sir! Scream aye, sir! Aye, sir! Get up right now! Cut! Get up! Cut! That was perfect. I've only been doing this for, what, two weeks, but I get adequate sleep and food and stuff like that, and I'm still, I forgot how much my body hates this. Oh, we think we're special, aren't you? No, sir! You're a special with a fat face! Aye, sir! Scream aye, sir! Aye, sir! Give me that shit! Aye, sir! I can't sleep! Aye, sir! I was just in a not a good place for so long, and I think this has really helped me transition and figure out kind of what I want to do further on, and it's connected me with another veteran community. So I have people I'm around every day for the past two weeks. I just think that I've grown as a civilian, I guess you could say. It's like it hit me one day that I was getting out, and I didn't know how to cope with that. Take one. You're going to die! Scream aye, sir! Aye, sir! Get madder! Aye, sir! Yes, sir! Cut! Yeah, it's nice talking to other DIs and drill sergeants and hearing their experiences just to see the difference between how things were when they were drill sergeants versus when I was a drill sergeant versus when he was a drill sergeant. So it's nice hearing those experiences. I really want to improv the line today and be like, how many tickles does it take to make an octopus laugh? Ten tickles! I was on a drill field when 9-11 happened, so we went from extreme to extreme extreme, right? Like balls to the wall. Anyone that came from 2nd, went to another town, they shined. And it was because, well, yeah, the hats would train the hats, not train the recruits. The guys that I'm on set with, we just, we click, we all have stories. So it's, you're like, oh, damn, it was like that for you? It was like the guys that were in the Army that were drill sergeants. And I was like, yeah, man, as a new drill sergeant, this is how a lot of us got treated, and they're like, oh, it's the same. And it's just like, wow. I didn't know it's the same all over the place. When they get up, put three or five to a pisser. Hurry up! Empty those smoke guns! Don't answer me! Hurry up, piss right now! Ten! Don't answer me! Six! Five! Four! Three! Two! Three! Also that. When you have this dynamic of all these different people from all these different walks, comedy has no choice but to show. I remember being a recruit, and I would look across, and another recruit's staring back at me, and then they start laughing, you start laughing, and the next thing you know, you're getting in trouble by the drill sergeant. Were you recruited out of a dumpster behind an abortion clinic? God damn, Kites! I've seen time hookers with more balls than you! You should have ended up as a crusty stain on the backseat of a Nissan Altima! Comedy is a very important thing. As a drill sergeant, you're out there sweating and running and screaming, you have your friends, your other drill sergeants around, and you're going to try to do some stuff to make the other one break character, or break their bearing, and it's a big part to keep each other going. Daddy's not here! It's exciting. It's good. Scratch is an itch we forgot we had. That's right. It's fun, man. It's cool to see. And the guys are so good at it, I mean, so believable. Because they are drill instructors. That's cool, man. I had a drill instructor, Staff Sergeant Donald, who was a character, and he would make people do ridiculous, funny things. And of course, it cracked him up. So he didn't want to break discipline, didn't want to break bearing, so sometimes he'd be in a recruit's face doing something funny, and he'd actually take his cover, and he would just cover his face, and you would just see his shoulders bounce, and he'd stop, and he'd be back in kill mode. So he had to take a moment to laugh under his campaign cover, and I always said that was just hilarious because what he was doing was subjectively very funny. Try to get into character. All right, I'm there. That easy. Left, left, keep it in step. You're going to repeat that. 301, take one. One, two, three and a quarter. Two, three and a quarter. He's a sucker. When I see her, I'm going to hug her. I like how you're talking to him like a drill sergeant. You're like, hey guys, listen up. What's next? It's in my genes. He's method. Yeah, very. Drill sergeant Whitehouse. I remember one thing that he said to me. He's like, what kind of grade did you get in high school? And I was like, I had a 3.0 drill sergeant. He's like, you got a 3.0. I'm like, why the f*** are you so damn dumb? But he was hilarious at the end of the day, and that's kind of the same approach that I try to take. I can't not call Fat Body's giant saxophone with a jizz. I just can't do it. For f***'s sake. Come on, first sergeant. It's my go-to. And oftentimes, we're really not that mad. We're acting, right? Because whatever, we know they're going to be f***ed up. But sometimes, yeah, it is funny, and it's hard to keep your bearing. Are you Sergeant First Class Freeman? Yes. I love Vet TV. I think that the mission behind it and what it pushes to vets, and especially when it comes to connecting, it's like an outlet. A lot of it is what we're thinking on the inside, but we can't project on the outside. So it's cool to see it on TV, see the realism of it, and be able to laugh about it. It's really cool to see something that we can directly relate to. Being on set's a great experience. You know, you get to relive some of your Army days, the camaraderie, the structure. No matter what line of work you're in, there's nothing quite like the military. And yeah, you're not going to miss everything, but you are going to miss the people, and that gives you a good taste of it. But I love the laid-back environment. I love how they call you talent, which feels cool. They kind of cater to you a little bit, but you feel like a star. But also just being around other people with similar mindsets, that's huge. Yeah, it brings back a lot of memories. And some of the sketches we're doing, we had a lot of input in, or like, hey, we can improv some lines, and it comes naturally. Like, that's why they hired us, people with the real experience, because it's hard to teach somebody else how to do it if they haven't done it before. You have to kind of have a dark sense of humor in order to cope with the stresses of this job. And I think Vet TV is a perfect outlet for that. Action. Oh, f*** no. I'm a f***ing bulldozer. All right, senior. Jay, you see what I'm f***ing talking about? F***. We're going to do what I'm planning today. Yes, senior. Kill. Vet TV is extremely accurate with what they portray. Let's try it script first, and then if that's not, like, feeling natural, then we're going to just improv it. And you guys know, just act like yourselves. Yeah, I think it's just unnatural because I've never complimented a recruit. One of the scenes we shot today was a direct representation of what I've experienced in my past, so it was awesome. I want the recruits to have two canteens instead of one online, so we make sure these bitches are hydrated. Faster, faster, faster! Faster! Chug it faster! No one said puke! Sweep my shirt! Faster! It helps certain individuals who are going through rough times and may have hated their time in the military because there's a lot of people that don't like being in the military, and once they're out, you miss it. Somebody! It's just something that gives you that connection. It's such a great experience. This is my first time on a film set. All right, sir! I'm going to find something! All right, sir! Ain't no goddamn way! All right, sir! Filming any scene with Zach and Lewis, it does bring me back to those days of basic training. Tighten up! Sweep my shirt! It's so much fun working with them, and I'm laughing after every take because it's like, ah, I remember this. I've watched Vet TV since I was a specialist, so a lot of why I kept reenlisting was because I knew I was going to miss it, and Vet TV really embodies, obviously, all of the worst parts of being in the military, but they really embody all of the best parts, so I've always wanted to be a part of what they do, and I actually got really lucky to be able to get this role. How the f*** do you smoke privates in zero gravity? Do you yell at your recruits in space? I thought nobody could hear you scream. This is kind of the opposite of why we're here today. Getting to play characters and people you're not really are all the time, so it's fun to me. I just want to have a good time, make people laugh, and just connect with people. That's honestly it. All right, guys! That's a wrap! It's been amazing working with drill instructors and drill sergeants. I am blown away with how helpful they were and how authentic they made the show. It just brought an element that Vet TV has always been searching for. That was a lot of fun. I think I need a long nap. Yeah, it was a pleasure working with everybody. It was a lot of fun. Thank you. You guys are all such genuine people, and it's really refreshing because, you know, it's really nice to make connections with you all. I think it's helped me with my transition out of the Marine Corps. Honestly, I was struggling for a while, so I think it's helped me a lot, and I appreciate all you guys. Thank you. Yay! So everybody always remembers their drill sergeant. They may not remember their first platoon sergeant. They may not remember their recruiters, but every trainee I had will remember me to the day they die. To be able to have that type of impact on the future of the Army is huge, and I promise you if you take that leap, you won't regret it. The impact you make on the young men that come in, you get to see yourself every other cycle. You'll see a kid that reminds you of yourself. I couldn't think of anything more rewarding. You feel good teaching and seeing the progression that they make, and I think that's, like, the main thing that sticks with people who do the assignment. I get to have a personal connection and show them what right looks like. If given the chance, the opportunity, I would have gone back and done it again. Overall, it's the most rewarding tour you could do in the Marine Corps. If I had the chance, I think I would do it again. A lot of the sacrifices that I had to make, if I hadn't, I wouldn't be the person that I am now. Leadership is not by the words that come out of our mouth, but by our actions. I was preordained and destined to be a Marine Corps drill instructor. I wouldn't change that for the world, and if I could do it again, I would do it all over again. ¶¶