In regulation drill, excellence is not demonstrated by visibility—it is demonstrated by compliance. Yet in competitive environments, a recurring behavior has emerged: teams introduce subtle pauses before flanking movements, exaggerate foot sweeps on facing movements, or add slight timing accents that are not prescribed by doctrine. These additions are often intentional, designed to “stand out” to judges when technical execution …
“But, We Are Not In The Military”
Pathfinders is a scouting-like activity of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church. I love the program; it’s an incredible way to build Christian character in very young children through adults. At the center of the activity is the military formation and marching. The activity bases their marching standards off of the US Army’s TC 3-21.5, Drill and Ceremonies (D&C). However, the Seventh-day …
The DrillMaster Book List
The books that I’ve been working on and publishing are to educate as many people as possible right now and in the future. Some of the information exists nowhere else than these books. Let’s educate and improve our performances in Ceremonial Drill, Regulation Drill, and Exhibition Drill.
The Difference Between “Fall Out” and “Dismissed”
I was sent an email asking the meaning of both terms. I enjoy questions like this because then I get to dig deep and turn the response into an article. Did you know there is a difference between both terms, and did you know that most people don’t understand the difference and use either or both wrongly? Let’s take a look at their definitions and use.
The Flagstaff and Guidon Staff Manuals DrillMaster Study
Both the flagstaff manual and the guidon staff manual are linked. In this study we will discover the similarities and where both manuals separate due to the flag attached to the staff. The guidon staff is the flagstaff and vice versa. The differences come in length and the type of flag attached. This is key to understanding the difference, the …
A DrillMaster Study of Arm Swing
For American Regulation Drill, we must follow the standards that is outlined in TC 3-21.5, MCO 5060.20, and AFPAM 34-1203. Arm swing has changed slightly since the early days of our armed forces. Let’s take a close look and see how we actually swing our arms the same way, no matter the service.
A DrillMaster Study of The Cupped Hand
The US military did not consider the hands until the early 1900s and at that time the description has an open hand curved inward. Below, you can see the development of the cupped hand from the earliest writings to the fully cupped hands of today.
Obtaining Proper Step Length
In this article, I tell you how you can teach someone to march with a 30” step.
Why a Color Guard Does Not Fix Bayonets
Fixed bayonets are not authorized for military color guards, so why would anyone else do it? We can speculate as to why color guards chose to do it, but that’s not necessary. What is necessary is to educate everyone as to why it’s not the right thing to do. We will explore the reasons why a color guard fixing bayonets is not appropriate.
When Does the Commander Move to Port From Sling and Back?
Recently, I received a question that deserves to be an article. This happens constantly and is part of what I have called Filling in the Gaps. While I have been made fun of for using that term, there will always be someone with a question. They have a gap in their knowledge and are seeking to fill it.










