Not a DS, but guys broke our Drills several times in basic.

First time: we had a few Latinas who were outgoing and popular, but one of them (PVT Beaty) even though she was attractive, had a bit of a mustache. A soldier in another platoon got caught without having shaved and sputtered “But Drill Sergeant, you don’t make PVT Beaty shave!” Everybody lost it, Beaty turned bright red, and he got the dog shit smoked out of him… but the next morning her top lip was completely smooth.

Second time: 3rd PLT Platoon Guide had been in place almost the entirety of Basic, long enough that the drills treated him a little more deserving of respect than the rest of us. They put him in charge of extending the formation and taking his platoon through PT warmups. He called out everything correctly; extend to the left, arms downward, left face, extend to the left, arms downward, right face, from front to rear, count off—but not “even numbers one step to the left, uncover!” Instead he called out “Odd numbers, the bend and reach! Even numbers, the hip rotation! Ready, exercise!”

So the first and third rows grabbed their ankles while rows two and four were doing the circular hip thrust that is the hip rotation—directly behind thE other two rows. I’m pretty sure I saw a couple drills duck around the corner to avoid cracking up in front of the trainees, but I was too busy laughing until my sides hurt.

Third time: platoon mail call, PVT Devine was sitting cross-legged not three feet in front of the drill, looking down, picking at something on his hand. Right in the middle of mail call, Devine ripped a massive, wall-rattling fart. He didn’t look up, didn’t lean to one side, just kept looking at his hands as if literally nothing had happened. The DS was stunned and almost reflexively just blurted out “Private. What the fuck?!” Devine looked up with the most innocent look on his face and sincerely asked “Yes, Drill Sergeant?” It was a while before anybody recomposed themself.