Has the Army's iconic bellowing drill sergeant been consigned to history?

In a June 27, 2012 photo, Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Heilman from Ft. Jackson, S.C. works through an IED combat scenario. / AP

(AP) NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Army Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Heilman kneeled down in a wooded section of Fort Eustis and calmly told six soldiers he had never met before to prepare: They might find an improvised explosive device on their way to relieve some other soldiers at a checkpoint.

"If you encounter an IED before it explodes, make sure you don't make a ruckus. Don't scream," Heilman said as the young soldiers listened intently. "Remember someone put that thing there. They're trying to kill you and if you react to it and they know that you reacted to it, they're going to try their best to get whatever result they can. You might be running away from it but they're still going to blow it up and try to catch you."

Less than a foot away, an evaluator from the Army's Training and Doctrine Command stood with a clipboard in hand and listened to every word Heilman said, evaluating whether he had the right leadership and critical thinking skills to be named the Army's Drill Sergeant of the Year.

Noticeably absent from the test scenarios last week were any of the yelling, screaming and order-barking associated with drill sergeants in popular culture. To be sure, Army drill sergeants can still instill fear in new recruits. But as the Army focuses more on developing the critical thinking skills of its soldiers and less on rote memorization and one-size-fits-all training, some of their top drill sergeants say bellowing is a last resort.

"I really consider myself a new generation of drill instructor. I mean, unless you do something really, really out of place I don't think there's any need to do the whole yelling and screaming," said Staff Sgt. Danneit R. Disla, who is part of the 98th Reserve Division based in Rochester, N.Y. "I just think if you talk to them like a person, like a man, they will act like a man, like a grown man."

There are about 2,400 drill sergeants in the active duty ranks and about 3,000 in the Army Reserves. Six drill sergeants spent the past week in a physically and mentally gruelling competition to win top honors in their division, writing essays, answering questions and marching for miles with 50 pound rucksacks on their backs, all the while never knowing what's coming next.

Heilman was named the winner Friday. He will spend a year assigned to the Initial Military Training Center of Excellence, part of the Training and Doctrine Command, where they will help shape the future of the Army. The new breed of drill sergeants means a quiet and unassuming soldier -- who can still be vocal when he or she needs to be -- is just as effective as the classic drill sergeant.

Sgt. 1st Class Adam McQuiston, who is based at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., acknowledged being shy before becoming a drill sergeant. He said he's fought that by constantly leading and teaching new recruits, but that doesn't mean he has to be loud.

"Maybe there's a time for the screaming and yelling and constant pushing, but you also need to be that expert trainer at those skills they're going to need out of basic training," McQuiston said.

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[ugacrew]

Nothing wrong with the good looking, well developed, and sharply disciplined drill Sgt. who commands with a loud authoritative voice! They conveyed knowledge, confidence and persuaded many that they "knew" from experience what they were talking about. The hats and uniforms were were sharp too.

I think most women find them especially appealing. (personal opinion). If this soft whispering approach is more effective, I haven't seen it demonstrated on the field in the NFL, baseball, or hockey.

[notparicular]

Perhaps you need both kinds.

[Kalameredith]

More wussification of our military.

[pbaird2]

This is an intelligent approach to training. I remember well the bellowing of my Marine drill instructor and my Navy drill instructor. I became a dril instructor and used many of the techniques I learned from my mentors, but I also used techniques indicated in this article. I found the results were most positive using the latter techniques and have utilized that approach my 30+ years in managing civilian staff. You can earn subordinate's respect without instilling fear; a person must follow you because they trust you and not because of what you can do to them.

[jaimieandlisa]

I was a lane instructor at the Air Assault Course at Ft Benning and I never raised my voice, didn't curse either. There are lots of ways to get your point across.

[Bojax39]

I remember my instructor telling us that his was a face and a name we'd remember for life and if we listened to what he was trying to teach us, that life would be a longer one.

He never raised his voice but could dress you down in such a way that without profanity or name calling he got his point across. You'd strive to avoid the same mistake again.

Not only do I recall his name and face decades later, but I'm still here today because of his teaching skills. Thanks, Sgt. Dalton. :-)