There is quite a bit of information and several situations that every color team needs to know to maintain the American flag in the position of honor – on the marching right or in front. The American flag never marches any other position. Never. Military and para-military (just about every organization that has its members in uniform) should follow military …
The Colors Reverse and Counter March How-to
We can read in the Army Training Circular (and the Marine Corps Order) how to execute the move and even see the provided diagram, but it sometimes really helps to see exactly what the feet do. The Colors Reverse, called Counter March in the Marine Corps, Navy, and Coast Guard, turns the team around 180 degrees without executing a wheel …
The Citadel 2017 Bulldog Drill Meet
I had the privilege of judging Freshman Color Guard at the Citadel today. I enjoyed myself a great deal and learned a bunch from the instructor from Airport High School AJROTC. My DrillMaster Performance Critiques are linked below. For these files, I’m trying something new. Instead of uploading to my separate server, I’ve uploaded to my website and loaded them …
Your Command Voice
Have you considered your command voice? Have you looked at your service’s manual and actually read about what it says on the proper way to call commands? No, it doesn’t say monotone is OK, it doesn’t say the gravel-in-your-throat style is a good style, it says use inflection, be clear and more! Read! Don’t rely on a senior cadet to …
The Difference Between Accuracy and Precision
This video can be of great help to you in training.
Why is Drill Necessary in the Armed Forces?
From India: why is drill necessary in the armed forces? Thanks for the question! Drill is life for some, but what about those trainees coming into the military through Basic Training and Boot Camp? Why do they have to drill unarmed and even armed? Drill instills discipline, timing, teamwork, confidence, followership, leadership, coordination, togetherness, esprit de corps (spirit of the …
Color in a Color Guard
You may think that this is an oxymoron, of course there is color in a color guard- the team carried flags, hello! However, let’s look a little closer at some specifics. High schools have a school song, motto, and even school colors. Those colors can really enhance rifles: yellow tape used to make stripes on a black rifle stock or …
Colors- The Leather Tab Issue
I posted this on my Instagram account and realized that this really need to go to as wide and audience as possible. Click here to read the article, How to Properly Mount a Flag on a Flagstaff. Yes, there is a correct and incorrect way to mount a color! If you still have colors with leather tabs, secure them by …
Suggested Sports Field Entrance and Exit
I just finished a critique for a first responder color guard colors presentation which gave me an idea to write this article. Also see the How to Present the Colors at an Event article here. This one will go a little more in depth. Instead of a four-step interval, I suggest that the team enters with shoulders touching so that …
The Color Guard Wedge Formation
Never, ever, ever, ever, should a color guard use this line formation with the American in the middle. Someone will say, “But the American is higher.” That is NOT the standard. The standard is all colors at the same height and the American flag on the marching right. The American flag should never be taller for a color guard. …