By Sarah Knowlton, BS, CPT, SNS
As a health educator dedicated to supporting military personnel, one of my primary roles is to help Service Members improve their physical fitness, nutrition, sleep, and stress levels. As someone who operates on a Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) base, many of these conversations gravitate toward the topic of maintaining optimal health, particularly for drill sergeants who want to push their troops “on the trail.” Throughout these conversations, in addition to acknowledging the obstacles, I actively look for insights into their successes and triumphs during their 2–3 years of duty.
From these conversations, I realized how much these drill sergeants—and soldiers—could benefit from establishing practical goals prior to starting their time on the trail. Bottom line: Investing time in addressing common barriers and creating actionable goals is essential to their success.
Goal setting
Part of goal setting incorporates creating goals based on how relevant they are to current conditions and environments. I’ve had conversations with people fresh on the trail who were setting fitness goals with such positive outlooks, but who didn’t take into account barriers such as (lack of) time and energy. Lack of preparedness for these barriers led to their failure to achieve their goals.
To help you set achievable fitness goals, check out these HPRC resources:
I recently met with my base’s fitness training company (FTC), where we discussed the following common barriers to reaching fitness goals, with the hope of giving Service Members a deeper understanding of barriers and goal setting before setting health- or performance-related goals. We talked about physical readiness, nutritional readiness, mental readiness, and sleep readiness.
Physical readiness
Physical readiness plays an essential role in a drill sergeant's life as they navigate a dynamic, stressful work environment, perpetually in motion, while they guide and mentor trainees. Many drill sergeants report limited exercise outside of duty and physical training hours due to lack of time, motivation, or energy. (Next to recruiting, being a drill sergeant is one of the most stressful jobs a Service Member can be assigned.)
One drill sergeant highlights the importance of keeping up with a routine while on the trail this way: “There will be days when energy and motivation are low and these are the days that dedication must take the driver’s seat.”
I’ve also witnessed success from those who schedule their exercise around the run days they do alongside trainees. If they spend more time focused on cardio during physical training hours, then they tend to focus more on strength training during their personal time.
Boost your physical readiness with these HPRC resources:
Nutritional readiness
When I evaluated the nutritional readiness of drill sergeants, many recorded eating as little as one meal a day, eating fast food, or falling victim to what they label as “cadre chow.” Due to the schedule and nature of the job, many find it difficult to find the time to eat complete meals.
To avoid under-eating habits, one sergeant recommended others “not be ashamed of eating MREs,” since these are quick and easy nutrition sources. He also shared that when they were on the trail, they would bring a microwave to the field to broaden what they could eat. When they did find time to eat, it often involved quick snacks from the shoppette or someone from the unit picking up fast food for everyone. This is where meal prepping food at the beginning of the week can help you avoid eating out for every meal.
Another helpful tip: Focus on food that’s higher in calories but lower in volume, to allow your body to get more energy from smaller amounts during long stretches of not eating.
Check out these nutrition resources and meal prep success stories:
Mental readiness
When it comes to mental readiness, many drill sergeants mention the stressful nature of the job. This can be due to the long hours, behavior of the trainees, or relationships among those they work with. For general stress, one drill sergeant suggested that working out off base can help with de-stressing, “because it allows you to relax more during this time when you’re not at your place of work.” Others within this group agreed, and stressed the importance of having multiple outlets to help combat the stress levels of the job.
The long hours don’t just tax the body and mind but can also affect family relationships. One drill sergeant recommended taking the time to “learn how to balance military life with personal life.” Effective communication with spouses about the expectations of this job can help ease some of the potential stress a Service Member might encounter too.
Learn how to optimize stress and engage your relaxation response:
Sleep readiness
It’s no secret that Service Members don’t get enough sleep—and that being tired can affect readiness and well-being. Many drill sergeants told me they get less than 6 hours of sleep per night. When my colleagues and I at the Army Wellness Center speak on healthy sleep habits, one of the suggestions we make is to develop a nighttime routine for 30–60 minutes before bed. This ritual cues the brain and signals the onset of sleep. This nighttime routine includes powering down electronics an hour before lights out. This habit can help Service Members fall asleep faster and improve their quality of sleep at night.
Learn optimal sleep habits to enhance performance and health:
Bottom line
I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to set realistic goals related to the conditions and environment you plan to work in. Learning from others’ past experiences, such as the challenges of a consistent eating schedule, can inform more effective goal-setting strategies. By using the strategies of drill sergeants, while being cognizant of the barriers, you can set goals to maintain holistic health while on the trail—and beyond.
Disclosure: The opinions and assertions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy or position of USU or DoD. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or policies of The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc. Mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. The authors have no financial interests or relationships to disclose.
