"It’s the most coveted award in the United States Army Reserve" observes Maj. Gen. Robert Smith III, the Commander of the 84th Division (IT).

The Drill

The annual Drill Sergeant of the Year Competition is a selection process, starting with nominations up to battalion, with selection boards conducted at brigade, which culminate at the Training Division level for the Reserve Component and at Army Installation level for the Active Component. The finalists of those boards meet head-to-head for the four-day competition conducted by TRADOC at Fort Monroe, Virginia.

One portion of the competition is the Army Physical Fitness Test.

"It was a hot and muggy day at Fort Monroe," recalls 84th Division Drill Sergeant School Command Sgt. Maj. Frank Parker, "and Priest tore up the run, beating all the Active Component and Reserve soldiers in the field with a time of 11:55 on the 2 mile."

In addition to the physical test, the competition includes an instructional demonstration of the common soldiering tasks drill sergeants teach during basic training. Sgt. 1st Class Priest, a Drill Sergeant Leader with the 84^th Division (IT) Drill Sergeant School, trains Drill Sergeant Candidates those same skills as part of his Annual Training mission at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

The competition finishes with a board of senior command sergeants major who quiz the candidates on leadership and training issues.

What’s rewarding about being a Drill Sergeant in the Army Reserve? Just ask Sgt. 1st Class Priest.

When he ‘plays civilian’, Robert Priest (his friends call him Todd), has other team members behind him. He works at Subaru-Isuzu Automotive, Inc. of Lafayette, Indiana in the Safety and Environmental Compliance Section. Priest is quick to thank those who help make him successful.

"My work- they support me wholeheartedly. Not only the managers but my fellow associates. They cover for you, look out for you."

Sgt. 1st Class Priest appreciates the home front also.

"My family--I take time away from my children and my wife to study and train. My wife Vickie has to handle many things without me because I’m gone a lot for the Army."

Priest knows it’s important to make the time to take off his ‘hat’ as "often as I can to be daddy to Kameron who is 7, and Sage who is 5."  He rounds out his team by saying, "My unit gave me the time to train for the competition during drill weekends- and that’s important too."

But Priest never forgets the team.  "My team is my family, my employer and my unit," he recognizes.  "You need a balance of all three of those things to be successful."