Our Mission

This organization is established for the fraternal, patriotic, historical and educational benefit of Marine Corps Drill Instructors. It is established as a National Member Association to strengthen comradeship, preserve and perpetuate the memory and history of our fallen comrades and to assist their widows and children.

In 1986—much like the founding of the United States Marine Corps itself—the West Coast Drill Instructor Association, (formerly The United States Drill Instructor’s Association) was born in a place familiar to all Marines: a bar. At the Staff Noncommissioned Officer Club aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, the Ninth Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, SgtMaj Leland "Crow" Crawford, sat with fellow Marines reflecting on their shared experience. In that moment, he posed a powerful question: Why isn’t there an association dedicated solely to United States Marine Corps Drill Instructors?

From that conversation, a legacy was set in motion.

From that moment on, the West Coast Drill Instructor Association was born. In some form, it has proudly existed for thirty-nine years, hosting thirty-seven reunions—pausing only during the two years impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Like many things of its time, it began informally: dues were charged, meetings were at the club, records were inconsistent, and structure was minimal. But as time passed, a handful of dedicated retired Marines recognized what this association could become—and they got to work.

They envisioned a professional, fraternal, and fully legal nonprofit organization. One that would unite Drill Instructors—past, present, and veteran—under a shared purpose: to foster camaraderie, honor our fallen, preserve our legacy, and support Drill Instructors and their families in times of need.

Through decades of commitment, as board members have come and gone—some founding members still active, and new leadership rising to carry the torch—the mission has remained unwavering: How do we best meet the needs of our Drill Instructor family moving into the future?

SgtMaj Crawford would be proud of what his vision has become—but knowing Drill Instructors, he would have expected nothing less.

You might be asking yourself, what’s in it for me?

Our sincere hope is that you or your loved ones never face a moment of need—but if that day ever comes, this Association is here. And when others can’t or won’t help, we do. Over the years, this Association has:

  • Prevented home foreclosures
  • Funded critical home repairs after natural disasters
  • Paid off vehicles for families in crisis
  • Constructed handicapped-accessible bathrooms
  • Provided specialized wheelchairs
  • Donated annually to childcare support
  • Veteran Balls
  • And much more

Beyond family assistance, we continue to support initiatives within Recruit Training Regiment (RTR):

  • DI School Professional Dinners
  • Battalion holiday celebrations
  • Children’s bike giveaways
  • DI Calls
  • And other board-approved programs that build our community

Everything we do is made possible by volunteers, generous donors, community sponsors, golf tournaments, reunions, raffles, and other events. We hope you’ll see the value in this Association, become a FREE member, and—when the time is right—contribute to the continued success of an organization that exists to serve one of the most select communities in the world.

Once a Drill Instructor, Always a Drill Instructor.