Do You Remember Your Drill Sergeants/Instructors Names From Basic Training? Recount Any Specific Memories of Your Drill Sergeants/Instructors and How They Shaped You as a New Recruit:

On August 30, 1990, one day before we graduated boot camp, Senior Drill Instructor Staff Sergeant Russell Whitney did something I’ve never forgotten: he brought a portable stereo out from the DI hut, plugged it into a stanchion outlet, and pressed play, all without saying a word, save for “Huddle up!” A few seconds later, Ben E. King’s “Stand by Me” began. The message was clear. I have goosebumps as I type this now. Platoon members clasped their arms around shoulders next to them. We cried perhaps silently, but replete with the emotion that comes with making it through boot camp together and thinking about what lies ahead. I just want to say thank you for doing what you did, Mr. Whitney, wherever you are now. This remains one of my favorite life moments; whenever I hear the song, that scene with Platoon 1086 comes alive.