A Reading Plan for JROTC Instructors and Cadets

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Drill Team TechniqueFor many years now, I’ve received requests from JROTC instructors, especially those recently retired and new to the program, and some highly motivated cadets as to where to begin when teaching/learning drill.

For regulation and color guard drill:
  • Army- Training Circular (TC) 3-21.5. 
  • Marine Corps, Navy, and Coast Guard- Marine Corps Order (MCO)P5060.2
  • Air Force*- Air Force Manual (AFMAN) 36-2203 and TC 3-21.5

*AFJROTC cadets are to use the TC for the manual of arms since cadets use the M1903 rifle almost exclusively (if your unit uses the M14, use the MCO). For color guard, however, beginning and ending positions must look like the AFMAN pictures.

Supplement those with:
 For all exhibition drill applications:
  • Exhibition Drill For The Military Drill Team: Among other information, this book contains a complete foot drill-only routine, albeit quite basic. You can put together the moves listed and explained  into a routine that would contain variety and floor coverage. The armed or unarmed movements are left to you to create.
  • Exhibition Drill For The Military Drill Team, Vol II: More information to help in the creative process in armed and unarmed
  • Training For Military Drill Teams, Color Guards & Judges:  This book replaces the Filling in the Gaps series of books creating a specifically targeted book that includes every article on the DrillMaster Website from 2011 to February 2017, but organized into categories for better study.
  • Exhibition Drill For The Military Drill Team, Vol III, Unarmed Drill Movement: Coming in 2018!
Drill Meet competition judges are not trained, they are briefed. And, it’s not anyone’s fault. Even the judges for Nationals receive a great couple days of briefing, but there is no time to train for any competition, the training needs to be accomplished by each potential judge.
Both of these books are a wealth of knowledge not only for the judge, but for drill team coaches and team members.
  • The World Drill Association Adjudication Manual and Rule Book: This is the professional standard set for judging military drill. This manual is an adaptation of the Winter Guard International Adjudication Manual (with permission) adapted for the Military Drill World.
  • Continuing Education For The WDA Visual Adjudicator: This is a continuation of the training received by judges for Drum Corps International, Bands of America, Winter Guard International, and practically every state pageantry adjudication organization. It’s not just for music judging, it’s for all judging.
If you and your cadets are interested in more advanced applications of their training, I suggest obtaining the following
  • The Honor Guard Manual, Second Edition, spiral bound: An adaptation of the USAF Honor Guard Standard, this manual covers
  • The Honor Guard Manual, Volume II, spiral bound: scheduled for release in early 2018. This book covers specialized ceremonies (ex. dignified transfer of remains at an airport) and elaborates on many details covered in the first volume.

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