--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Back in those days intimidation was the…" description: "\"Back in those days intimidation was the greatest tool the drill instructor had. Without that tool, he would not have had control.\" — R. Lee Ermey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9a/r-lee-ermey-13937_instructors_back-in-those-days-intimidation-was-the_2130665.jpg" --- # Back in those days intimidation was the greatest tool the… ![“Back in those days intimidation was the greatest tool the drill instructor had. Without that tool, he would not have had control.” quote by R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9a/r-lee-ermey-13937_instructors_back-in-those-days-intimidation-was-the_2130665.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9a/r-lee-ermey-13937_instructors_back-in-those-days-intimidation-was-the_2130665.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9a/r-lee-ermey-13937_instructors_back-in-those-days-intimidation-was-the_2130665.jpg) > “Back in those days intimidation was the greatest tool the drill instructor had. Without that tool, he would not have had control.” [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He notes that intimidation was a key tool for drill instructors to maintain authority and control. **In simple terms:** Intimidation helped drill instructors keep control. Key Takeaway Use appropriate authority to lead effectively. Themes military leadership control Mood critical analytical Type military leadership When to use this quote - military training - leadership seminars - team management - discipline enforcement Key Concepts psychology of authority discipline command dynamics Questions to Reflect On - When is intimidation justified? - How can leaders maintain control without fear? A Different Perspective Intimidation can damage morale and trust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Instructors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instructors/) [Tools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tools/) ## Related quotes > [The drill instructor must have total and complete control. Mindless obedience is what he's after.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/the-drill-instructor-must-have-total-and-complete-control-mindless/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [There are things you maybe could get by a male drill instructor that a female instructor absolutely is never going to let you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loretta-reynolds/there-are-things-you-maybe-could-get-by-a-male-drill-instructor-that/) [Loretta Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loretta-reynolds/) > [The bad news motivated the drill instructors that much more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/the-bad-news-motivated-the-drill-instructors-that-much-more/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [“Why didn’t I listen to my drill instructor from boot camp? He told us flat out, ‘Don’t EVER volunteer for anything! If you’re picked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-tufo/why-didn-t-i-listen-to-my-drill-instructor-from-boot-camp-he-told-us/) [Mark Tufo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-tufo/) > [“My father was a strange combination of drill instructor and Alice’s white rabbit: he always had someplace important to go and enjoyed bossing everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-mcgarry/my-father-was-a-strange-combination-of-drill-instructor-and-alice-s/) [Katie McGarry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-mcgarry/) > [Drill instructors worked seven days a week, fifteen to seventeen hours a day in many cases, with no time off in between platoons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/drill-instructors-worked-seven-days-a-week-fifteen-to-seventeen-hours/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [Why would even I say we can't stop drilling in the Gulf? Because we have no alternatives. Whether or not we drill in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-safina/why-would-even-i-say-we-can-t-stop-drilling-in-the-gulf-because-we/) [Carl Safina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-safina/) > [“NormnAl, "Like, Share, Follow and subscribe" - The typical cliche drill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deyth-banger/normnal-like-share-follow-and-subscribe-the-typical-cliche-drill/) Deyth Banger > [I often attribute my screenwriting to journalism because they drill in the who, what, when, where and why - but we really need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-brock-akil/i-often-attribute-my-screenwriting-to-journalism-because-they-drill/) [Mara Brock Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-brock-akil/) > [The combination of landing the biggest interview of my career and having a drill in my back reminds me that God only gives us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-roberts/the-combination-of-landing-the-biggest-interview-of-my-career-and/) [Robin Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-roberts/) > [“A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE … a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra... ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-redmond-satran/a-woman-should-have-a-set-of-screwdrivers-a-cordless-drill-and-a/) Pamela Redmond Satran > [Two-minute drill my rookie year was horrible. That was dreadful. I was going to sleep, and I was like, 'Man, we got two-minute tomorrow.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-kamara/two-minute-drill-my-rookie-year-was-horrible-that-was-dreadful-i-was/) [Alvin Kamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-kamara/) > [Drill your soldiers well, and give them a pattern yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-suvorov/drill-your-soldiers-well-and-give-them-a-pattern-yourself/) [Alexander Suvorov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-suvorov/) > [Basketball is a full court game, so every drill must be done full court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-knight/basketball-is-a-full-court-game-so-every-drill-must-be-done-full-court/) [Bobby Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-knight/) > [Drill in exact translation is an excellent way of disposing the mind against that looseness and exaggeration with which the sensationalists have corrupted our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-weaver/drill-in-exact-translation-is-an-excellent-way-of-disposing-the-mind/) [Richard M. Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-weaver/) ## More by R. Lee Ermey > [A day without blood is like a day without sunshine!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/a-day-without-blood-is-like-a-day-without-sunshine/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [Without discipline, there is no Marine Corps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/without-discipline-there-is-no-marine-corps/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [What is your major malfunction?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/what-is-your-major-malfunction/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [I always love to come to Austin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/i-always-love-to-come-to-austin/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [Back in the old Corp, we weren't training those privates to infiltrate into the peacetime Marine Corp. We were training those privates to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/back-in-the-old-corp-we-weren-t-training-those-privates-to-infiltrate/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [You'd be surprised how many kids and young people come to the website and send me email that they are actually going into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/you-d-be-surprised-how-many-kids-and-young-people-come-to-the-website/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [America's trying to do the best for its veterans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/america-s-trying-to-do-the-best-for-its-veterans/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [It's my firm conviction that when Uncle Sam calls, by God we go, and we do the best that we can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/it-s-my-firm-conviction-that-when-uncle-sam-calls-by-god-we-go-and-we/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [When you try to find funding for a VVA function, it doesn't seem like it's any trouble at all. People come out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/when-you-try-to-find-funding-for-a-vva-function-it-doesn-t-seem-like/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [I got to write most of everything I said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/i-got-to-write-most-of-everything-i-said/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [I play well with everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/i-play-well-with-everybody/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [For me, it's an honor for the military to ask me to go to Iraq, Afghanistan, or GITMO. I'm happy to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/for-me-it-s-an-honor-for-the-military-to-ask-me-to-go-to-iraq/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [I'm never, like I say, I'm never happy, I'm never satisfied, it's never good enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/i-m-never-like-i-say-i-m-never-happy-i-m-never-satisfied-it-s-never/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [I've never had to spend any time in the VA hospital, so I really can't speak for those guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/i-ve-never-had-to-spend-any-time-in-the-va-hospital-so-i-really-can-t/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [I hate to hear 'Less is more.' It's a crock of crap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/i-hate-to-hear-less-is-more-it-s-a-crock-of-crap/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) [Explore all 48 R. Lee Ermey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) ## More Drill quotes > [Drill in exact translation is an excellent way of disposing the mind against that looseness and exaggeration with which the sensationalists have corrupted our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-weaver/drill-in-exact-translation-is-an-excellent-way-of-disposing-the-mind/) [Richard M. Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-weaver/) > [“NormnAl, "Like, Share, Follow and subscribe" - The typical cliche drill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deyth-banger/normnal-like-share-follow-and-subscribe-the-typical-cliche-drill/) Deyth Banger > [I often attribute my screenwriting to journalism because they drill in the who, what, when, where and why - but we really need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-brock-akil/i-often-attribute-my-screenwriting-to-journalism-because-they-drill/) [Mara Brock Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-brock-akil/) > [The combination of landing the biggest interview of my career and having a drill in my back reminds me that God only gives us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-roberts/the-combination-of-landing-the-biggest-interview-of-my-career-and/) [Robin Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-roberts/) > [Drill your soldiers well, and give them a pattern yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-suvorov/drill-your-soldiers-well-and-give-them-a-pattern-yourself/) [Alexander Suvorov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-suvorov/) > [Why would even I say we can't stop drilling in the Gulf? Because we have no alternatives. Whether or not we drill in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-safina/why-would-even-i-say-we-can-t-stop-drilling-in-the-gulf-because-we/) [Carl Safina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-safina/) > [Basketball is a full court game, so every drill must be done full court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-knight/basketball-is-a-full-court-game-so-every-drill-must-be-done-full-court/) [Bobby Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-knight/) > [Two-minute drill my rookie year was horrible. That was dreadful. I was going to sleep, and I was like, 'Man, we got two-minute tomorrow.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-kamara/two-minute-drill-my-rookie-year-was-horrible-that-was-dreadful-i-was/) [Alvin Kamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-kamara/) > [“A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE … a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra... ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-redmond-satran/a-woman-should-have-a-set-of-screwdrivers-a-cordless-drill-and-a/) Pamela Redmond Satran > [I love pressure. I don't know why, but I love the pressure of, 'oh it's third-and-five' or it's the two-minute drill and someone has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-sanu/i-love-pressure-i-don-t-know-why-but-i-love-the-pressure-of-oh-it-s/) [Mohamed Sanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-sanu/) > [“Since you’re obviously in need of something to do, instead of shouting at me through this whole drill, isn’t there some tree you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-james/since-you-re-obviously-in-need-of-something-to-do-instead-of-shouting/) [Julie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-james/) > [William McKinley Oswald was my high school football coach. He was a great coach and had a profound influence on my life. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/william-mckinley-oswald-was-my-high-school-football-coach-he-was-a/) [Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/) > [Principle: Fire drill, everyone ina single line! Me: Get real, no one's going to form a single line if the building was really on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/principle-fire-drill-everyone-ina-single-line-me-get-real-no-one-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [President Bush announced a billion dollar mission to the moon and Mars. He came up with a snappy new slogan - to drill where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-kilborn/president-bush-announced-a-billion-dollar-mission-to-the-moon-and/) [Craig Kilborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-kilborn/) > [No, I'm not conceited but see, I keep it trill. Playboy, shawty, Mr. Black & Decker Drill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yung-joc/no-i-m-not-conceited-but-see-i-keep-it-trill-playboy-shawty-mr-black/) [Yung Joc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yung-joc/) Browse all 77 Drill quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Back in those days intimidation was the greatest tool the drill instructor had. Without that tool, he would not have had control.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "R. Lee Ermey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/back-in-those-days-intimidation-was-the-greatest-tool-the-drill/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Drill" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/back-in-those-days-intimidation-was-the-greatest-tool-the-drill/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9a/r-lee-ermey-13937_instructors_back-in-those-days-intimidation-was-the_2130665.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9a/r-lee-ermey-13937_instructors_back-in-those-days-intimidation-was-the_2130665.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9a/r-lee-ermey-13937_instructors_back-in-those-days-intimidation-was-the_2130665.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Back in those days intimidation was the greatest tool the drill instructor had. Without that tool, he would…” — R. Lee Ermey", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "R. Lee Ermey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Back in those days intimidation was...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/back-in-those-days-intimidation-was-the-greatest-tool-the-drill/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/back-in-those-days-intimidation-was-the-greatest-tool-the-drill/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```