7 Drill Sergeant Sayings That Really Mean, 'You're Screwed'

Every recruit needs to make it through Basic Training before they earn the right to be called Soldiers. Drill sergeants have just two goals: to break the civilian out of their platoon and to give recruits a crash course in military lifestyle. 

Some drill sergeants may impart all of their knowledge onto recruits in as short a time as possible. Others may humorously scold their platoon. Others still may take their anger out on their platoon. It's impossible to say exactly which kind of experience is in store for recruits because each drill sergeant is different. 

But what is near universal is their commitment to maintaining order and discipline. When they say any of the following, you know heads are about to roll. 

1. "Half right, face."

The command "Half right, face" means that you shift your current facing 45 degrees to the right. This opens up the formation for some, uh, "remedial training." 

And I don't mean the standard "front-leaning rest position, move!" (translation: push-ups). That gets old after a while. No, instead, drill sergeants will come up with the most off-the-wall exercises that will make you question your physical limits.

Don't worry about not being physically fit... The drill sergeant has a plan for that. (Photo by Sgt. First Class Lisa M. Litchfield)

2. "Toe the f**king line"

There's nothing out of the ordinary about "toeing the line." Everyone in the bay stands to receive the next command from drill sergeants. 

What sets this one apart is when they sprinkle some flavorful expletives in there. This means, specifically, that someone just became the reason that everyone's about to feel some wrath.

Their vulgar vocabulary is astounding. You'll hear so many new variations on expletives that Merriam and Webster can't even keep up.  (Photo by Sgt. Philip McTaggart)

3. "...I said," followed by whatever they previously said

Drill sergeants shouldn't have to repeat themselves. There's a general understanding that everything needs to be broken down so simply that even a fresh-out-of-high-school kid can comprehend. 

If the drill sergeant tells you to raise your duffel bag above your head, do not hesitate and make them repeat the order. The outcome is never pretty.

If you make them repeat themselves, they'll have to make EVERYONE can hear it. (Photo by Spc. Darius Davis)

4. "Hurry up!"

The military moves at an insane pace. Run here, run there. Be there 30 minutes prior to being 30 minutes early. There is no escaping this pace. 

Drill sergeants know that recruits are given near-impossible timelines to achieve a given goal, like eating an entire plate of chow in five seconds. It's not about making it within time, though. It's about getting recruits as close to that impossible goal as possible. Continually practice until every possible second is shaved off a task. If a drill sergeant is reminding you to hurry up, you're taking too long.

They're just helping you on your PT test, really. How nice of them? (Photo by Maj. Michelle Lunato)

5. "Hey, battle! Come here!" 

On the rarest of occasions, a recruit may do something so impressive that one drill sergeant will gloat to another and, if the stars have aligned, praise may be given to that recruit. 

More often than not, when a drill sergeant calls for another drill sergeant, it's to laugh at how foolish a recruit was. Now, both drill sergeants will take turns smoking the stupid out of said recruit.

There are few joys in being a drill sergeant — laughing at stupidity is one of them. (Photo by Capt. Loyal Auterson)

6. "Who's ____ is this?"

Every other Soldier knows that "gear adrift is a gift." Every other Soldier knows that "there's only one thief in the Army." Later on down the road, it sucks when your gear gets "tactically re-purposed," but it's just part of the lifestyle. 

But recruits do not have the luxury of taking it on the chin and buying a replacement. If the drill sergeant finds anything left alone, like an unsecured wall locker, they will teach everyone the importance of proper gear security.

If they find it, fess up quickly and save everyone the headache. Others may still get smoked for "letting you lose it," but hey, at least you're honest. (Photo by Sgt. First Class Lisa M. Litchfield)

7. "Are we friends now?" 

Don't ever lose your military bearing — the drill sergeant won't. Never forget that in order to stand in front of your wide-eyed platoon, a drill sergeant must have achieved their current rank, earned a selection to drill-sergeant school (which usually requires multiple combat deployments), gone through the rigors of said school, and have endured many cycles before you. 

So, you shot 37/40 on your first try. This does not impress them to the point of friendship.

Many years down the line, if you ever run into them again outside of training, then (and only then) might you get that chance of receiving a friendly hello — but don't hold your breath.

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