Play / pause Drill Instructor

Drill Instructor

  • Cpl Chris Elliot
  • Interview by: Jess Boydon

Transcript

I wanted to become a drill instructor

because I'm an engineer by profession.

Before I joined up, I was an engineer,

and it was just time to try a different challenge.

And it was pretty much, for me,

my introduction to the Air Force,

was the drill instructor who taught me

and I wanted to be that person

to develop other people and their future.

Basically, my job is to take a civilian

and train them in basic recruit training

and how to be a member of the Royal Air Force.

So taking them through drill and general service knowledge

about the RAF from beginnings to where we are today.

We don't have to be aggressive,

we need to be aggressive certain aspects of it

call for discipline, particularly on the parade square,

but we also have to be like a social worker, carer, parent,

because like on the intake I have at the moment,

I've got 16 under 18s who I'm in charge of

and I've got to take their welfare into consideration

as well as just being a shouty, angry person.

Can't hold prejudice against them.

You have to be fair.

If they get shouted at one minute,

the next minute I could have them in the office

and then be like "Right, what's wrong?"

And then sign post them if need be,

to any other welfare situations

or any other welfare support groups out there for them.

So it's not just being that shouty, angry person

but yeah, there are times that I have to

step into that role as well.

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