Post DSoY announced                            Chris Rasmussen  Leader Staff

A Fort Jackson noncommissioned officer assigned to the Drill Sergeant School was selected as post Drill Sergeant of the Year. Staff Sgt. Herbert Thompson was named winner of the competition during a ceremony Monday at the Joe E. Mann Center. “I am truly honored to be selected as the Fort Jackson DSoY, especially with the caliber of NCO’s that I competed against,” Thompson said. “I have become a better NCO just by preparing for and going through this competition.” Representatives from each training brigade and the Drill Sergeant School faced off during the three-day DSoY competition held April 28-30. Events included an Army Physical Fitness Test, a mystery event of answering questions from a news reporter, rifle marksmanship, night land navigation, urban orienteering mixed with warrior tasks and an appearance before a board of command sergeants major. “The toughest part, mentally, was the board. It was all situational-based and by far the hardest board I have ever been to,” Thompson said. “Also tough was the urban orienteering around Fort Jackson, due to not knowing how long it would go and an unstated time standard.” As DSoY, Thompson will serve as a liaison between drill sergeants and the installation’s command group. He will also advise post commanders and command sergeants major on all areas pertaining to drill sergeants and Basic Combat Training Soldiers. The DSoY also communicates daily with Training and Doctrine Command on BCT policy issues that affect Fort Jackson and serves as a mentor to the more than 750 drill sergeants on the installation. Runner-up of the competition is Sgt. 1st Class Ryan Wheele, Company A, 1st Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment. Thompson will represent Fort Jackson during the TRADOC DSoY competition in June. If Thompson wins the TRADOC event, he will have a permanent change of station to Fort Monroe, Va., and Wheele will serve as the Fort Jackson DSoY. “I will continue to study publications, do hands-on tasks and improve my physical readiness; all with the assistance of my fellow first platoon drill sergeant leaders,” he said. Thompson’s previous duty assignments include Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, and Fort Drum, N.Y. He and his wife, Elizabeth, have a 3-year-old son and are expecting another son in July.