# Drill Sergents wearing swords. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 9, 2016, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drill-sergents-wearing-swords/745596 "2016-02-09T04:02:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2016, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drill-sergents-wearing-swords/745596/1 "2016-02-09T04:02:57Z")
I’m watching [Full Metal Jacket](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093058/) for the umpteenth time and I notice right about the nine minute mark that Senior Drill Sergent Hartman? is wearing a sword. It’s the scene right after he slaps Pvt. Pyle for not knowing Left from Right. Did United States Drill Sergeants ever wear swords during Vietnam? ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2016, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drill-sergents-wearing-swords/745596/2 "2016-02-09T04:17:35Z")
I literally just watched that last night myself for the umpteenth time and I _still_ never noticed a sword. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2016, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drill-sergents-wearing-swords/745596/3 "2016-02-09T04:21:05Z")
Marines have Drill Instructors, not Drill Sergeants. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2016, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drill-sergents-wearing-swords/745596/4 "2016-02-09T04:55:27Z")
The Marine Corps NCO sword has been in use since 1859. You’ll notice that in the scene Hartman is wearing a fancier uniform than in the preceding scene - I can’t imagine why, since it’s obviously just another drill. ---
**Author:** ![SanDiegoTim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@SanDiegoTim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanDiegoTim)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2016, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drill-sergents-wearing-swords/745596/5 "2016-02-09T14:25:04Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > Marines have Drill Instructors, not Drill Sergeants. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2016, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drill-sergents-wearing-swords/745596/6 "2016-02-09T16:16:17Z")
> [@Nametag](#): > > The Marine Corps NCO sword has been in use since 1859. You’ll notice that in the scene Hartman is wearing a fancier uniform than in the preceding scene - I can’t imagine why, since it’s obviously just another drill. Ya, the sword is part of the class A (dress) uniform when commanding a formation of troops. Sir could have been wearing the getup as part of the drill instruction that day. Otherwise, yes, it would seem an odd setting for formal wear. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drill-sergents-wearing-swords/745596/7 "2016-02-10T00:31:42Z")
When I first glanced at the thread title I saw “Drill Sergents swearing words.” ---
**Author:** ![SanDiegoTim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@SanDiegoTim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanDiegoTim)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drill-sergents-wearing-swords/745596/8 "2016-02-10T01:04:49Z")
W/regard to FMJ, the first half/boot camp segment is amazing representative of Marine Corps boot camp as it was when I went through (1969). The only unrealistic aspect is a recruit having access to live rounds in the barracks. Can’t imagine that ever happening as the procedures at the ranges would be almost impossible to bypass. I always get a kick watching Lee Ermy. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drill-sergents-wearing-swords/745596/9 "2016-02-10T19:27:15Z")
> [@SanDiegoTim](#): > > W/regard to FMJ, the first half/boot camp segment is amazing representative of Marine Corps boot camp as it was when I went through (1969). The only unrealistic aspect is a recruit having access to live rounds in the barracks. Can’t imagine that ever happening as the procedures at the ranges would be almost impossible to bypass. I always get a kick watching Lee Ermy. Watched it for the first time last week…I’m amazed at the poetry that is Lee Ermy. Pure art ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drill-sergents-wearing-swords/745596/10 "2016-02-11T20:03:14Z")
> [@Sigene](#): > > Watched it for the first time last week…I’m amazed at the poetry that is Lee Ermy. > Pure art It helps that he was a real marine drill instructor prior to being an actor. He also served as a technical advisor to films, some he acted in (like Apocalypse Now). He was originally hired on to FMJ solely as an advisor but Kubrick cast him as an actor after watching him go off on a rant on some extras during an instructional tape Ermy had made. The rest is history I guess. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drill-sergents-wearing-swords/745596/11 "2016-02-11T20:53:30Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > When I first glanced at the thread title I saw “Drill Sergents swearing words.” I hear they do that sometimes too. 🙂