This is the first of what I hope to be many competitions for cadet programs to win equipment.

The Background

If you have been a reader of mine, you know that I give critiques and travel the country and train everyone in the military drill community based on standards. When I began as the DrillMaster in December of 2005, I thought I would have a focus in exhibition drill since ceremonial drill, regulation drill and color guards were (supposed to be) taken care of. That’s not what happened.

God’s direction for me went to the service drill and ceremonies manuals with an intense focus on color guards. Initially, my critiques were at least a dozen times a day with so many problems in every color guard that was posted to social media sites. That has changed drastically for the better over the years and I am grateful for that as “Education is key!” we have all learned a great deal along the way.

One thing remains a constant. The wrong equipment. Adults in cadet programs bought the wrong staffs and the wrong size flags years ago and since that equipment is still clean, dry, and serviceable, it is still used even though its incorrect. One JROTC HQ replied to a comment I made in 2024 quoting my comment of “incorrect equipment” as if the idea was a mere figment of my imagination. If adults who run programs don’t know there is correct equipment, then I need to do more than just educate.

The Partnership

I partnered with Glendale Parade store years ago. I’ve had the pleasure over the years of knowing previous owners Wendy Lazar and Joe Rivas, and now the new owner, Jose Barreto. Jose has been a driver of innovation at Glendale and the work coming out of the company is stellar. He gave me a reference code that anyone can use when purchasing items from the store. If you use code “PARJDT875147” you get free shipping and, no one probably realizes, I get a 6% commission from the order. Over the last eight or so months, you, dear readers, have used that code many, many times. That has given me a healthy sum, and I appreciate it. But…

“I don’t want the money”

When I said that to Jose and the front office staff, they looked at me like I had lost my mind. Glendale is keeping the money for me. I am going to run this competition and spend the money on the winners who are going to get free equipment.

The Cadet Color Guard Equipment Competition

Thanks to the support of many readers who purchased items from Glendale Parade Store using my code, I’ve redirected the commission to a special cause: providing free color guard equipment to cadet programs.

This is your opportunity to win a complete set of colors, flagstaffs, harnesses, rifles, and slings for your unit. All equipment will be selected to meet your service’s Drill & Ceremonies and protocol manuals. For non-military service units, we’ll ensure you get the best equipment for your needs.

Essay Topic and Requirements

Your team’s mission is to write an essay on a core topic of cadet leadership. The essay must be a collaborative effort from your entire color guard team.

Essay Topic:
- Color guard ceremonies are built on a foundation of discipline, teamwork, and respect for tradition. Choose two of these values and explain how the precise movements and rituals of a ceremony reinforce them.
- How does understanding these values make the ceremony more than just a performance—and why is this important for a cadet program?
- Side Note: Be sure to include the impact the new equipment would have on your unit and how you would put it to use.
Requirements:
- The essay must be at least 500 words and written as a team.
- No AI use in the writing itself. However, using AI for research is allowed.
- The final submission must be a PDF or DOC document.
- Include a cover sheet with the names and positions of all cadets involved, as well as a primary cadet or adult point of contact and their email address. Be sure to identify your school or unit.
- Include a photo of your color guard team (in competition or a group selfie).
- By entering the competition, you give me the right to use your photo and unit name to announce and show who the winners are.
Eligibility:
- Who can enter? The competition is open to JROTC, CAP, USNSCC, Young Marine, and independent program (XMC, MCI, etc.) cadets, first responder explorers/cadets, Pathfinders, and scouts.
- If I missed mentioning your program above, just know that any youth program that forms a color guard may enter.
Winning Criteria: Be transparent about how essays will be judged. This helps cadets understand what is expected of them.
- Clarity and Organization: Is the essay well-written and easy to follow?
- Practicality and Impact: Is the proposed use of the equipment realistic and will it have a meaningful positive impact on the unit?
- Adherence to the Theme: Does the essay effectively address the competition’s prompt?

The Judging Process

To ensure a fair and unbiased competition, independent judges will score all submissions.

A scoring rubric will be used to ensure consistent evaluation.
To prevent bias, all identifying information will be removed from the essays before they are sent to the judges.
The final scores from all judges will be combined to determine the winners.

Submission Details

Submission Deadline: All essays and photos must be submitted by October 10, 2025.
Email: Send your submission to drillmaster001@thedrillmaster.org.
Announcement: Winners will be announced (by school/unit name and state) at the end of November. Your equipment will arrive by Christmas.
Confidentiality: All contact information will be kept confidential and will not be shared with anyone outside of the judging process.

The Rubric

This rubric is designed to be used by multiple judges to ensure a fair and consistent evaluation. It uses a 1-5 scale for each criterion, with 5 being the highest score.

Essay Competition Scoring Rubric

Competition Theme: The Values of a Color Guard Ceremony

Essay Prompt: “Color Guard ceremonies are built on a foundation of discipline, teamwork, and respect for tradition. Choose two of these values and explain how the precise movements and rituals of a ceremony reinforce them. How does understanding these values make the ceremony more than just a performance—and why is this important for a cadet program?”

Scorer: _________________________

Essay ID: _________________________

Total Score: _________

I. Understanding of the Prompt and Core Values

5 – Excellent: The essay demonstrates a deep and nuanced understanding of the two chosen values. The connection between the values and the specific movements/rituals is clear, insightful, and well-developed.
4 – Good: The essay shows a solid understanding of the chosen values and makes a clear connection to the movements/rituals. The analysis is strong but may lack some of the depth of an excellent essay.
3 – Satisfactory: The essay addresses the prompt, but the connection between the values and the ceremony is general or simplistic. The understanding of the values themselves may be basic.
2 – Needs Improvement: The essay struggles to connect the chosen values to the ceremony or misinterprets the prompt’s core concepts.
1 – Unsatisfactory: The essay fails to address the prompt or shows a fundamental misunderstanding of the topic.

II. Essay Structure and Organization

5 – Excellent: The essay has a clear, compelling thesis statement. The paragraphs flow logically and are well-organized with clear topic sentences and transitions. The conclusion effectively summarizes and reinforces the main points.
4 – Good: The essay is well-structured with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. The organization is logical, though transitions may be less polished.
3 – Satisfactory: The essay has a recognizable structure, but some paragraphs may lack focus or the flow between ideas is choppy. The introduction or conclusion may be weak.
2 – Needs Improvement: The essay lacks a clear structure. Ideas are disjointed, and the paragraphs are not well-developed.
1 – Unsatisfactory: The essay is disorganized and difficult to follow.

III. Supporting Evidence and Examples

5 – Excellent: The essay provides multiple, specific, and compelling examples of movements and rituals that effectively support the main argument. The evidence is well-integrated and clearly demonstrates the essay’s points.
4 – Good: The essay uses specific examples from a ceremony to support its claims. The examples are relevant and effective but may be less detailed or numerous than in an excellent essay.
3 – Satisfactory: The essay uses a few general examples, but they may lack specificity or a clear connection to the argument. The evidence feels more like a list than a supporting argument.
2 – Needs Improvement: The essay provides little to no specific evidence from a ceremony. It relies on broad statements without concrete support.
1 – Unsatisfactory: The essay lacks any examples or supporting evidence.

IV. Insight and Critical Thinking

5 – Excellent: The essay goes beyond a simple explanation. It offers a sophisticated, insightful analysis of why understanding the values is important for a cadet program. It may present a unique perspective or a thoughtful reflection on the broader impact of ceremonies.
4 – Good: The essay demonstrates a clear ability to think critically about the topic. It explains the importance of the values in a well-reasoned manner.
3 – Satisfactory: The essay explains the importance of the values, but the reasoning is straightforward and lacks deeper reflection or unique insight.
2 – Needs Improvement: The essay presents basic or superficial reasoning, failing to address the “why is this important” part of the prompt in a meaningful way.
1 – Unsatisfactory: The essay lacks any evidence of critical thinking or analysis.

V. Grammar, Spelling, and Writing Style

5 – Excellent: The essay is written with a high degree of clarity, precision, and a strong command of language. It is free of grammatical errors, misspellings, and punctuation mistakes.
4 – Good: The essay is well-written and easy to read. It contains only minor and infrequent grammatical or spelling errors that do not distract from the content.
3 – Satisfactory: The essay contains some grammatical and spelling errors that occasionally distract the reader. The writing style is generally clear but may be clunky in places.
2 – Needs Improvement: The essay contains frequent errors in grammar, spelling, or sentence structure that significantly impact readability.
1 – Unsatisfactory: The essay contains numerous and severe errors, making it difficult to understand.

Judge’s Comments (Optional):

Strengths of the essay:
Areas for improvement:

The DrillMaster Essay Competition