Fort Benning drill sergeant seen choking trainee during alleged assault captured on video
An Army drill sergeant has been suspended after allegedly assaulting a trainee on video, Fort Benning officials confirmed.
The video, posted on Twitter by U.S Army WTF! Moments, lasts about 38 seconds. It shows a group of trainees standing in what appears to be a barracks. A trainee appears to call someone off-screen a “f---ing ho’” and the N-word as he begins to walk away.
The drill sergeant is heard yelling before he appears on the screen. He walks after the trainee and appears to hit him. The two men tussle before the drill sergeant gets a hand on the trainee’s throat. The drill sergeant has the trainee pressed against a wall or cabinet as profanity-laced yelling continues.
Other trainees intervene in an effort to hold their peer back. The video ends as the trainees begin to remove their peer from the room. The video was posted on Feb. 7.
National news outlets, such as Fox News and Business Insider, have reported on the alleged assault. Business Insider reports the military’s drill sergeants and instructors are prohibited from hitting their recruits.
Fort Benning spokesperson Ben Garrett said the Army post is aware of the alleged assault.
“Military police and the Brigade Command are investigating the incident and the Drill Sergeant has been suspended pending the outcome,” he said in an emailed statement. “The language used and behavior portrayed in the video posted to online social media platforms are not consistent with U.S. Army Values of treating all with dignity and respect.”
When asked by The Ledger-Enquirer, Garrett did not identify the drill sergeant or specify when the alleged assault took place.
This story was originally published February 12, 2020 at 4:50 PM.