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Understanding the History and Current Problems with Military Drill

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Continuing my series on drill and ceremonies, this is the fifth installment. Links to the previous:

  1. Understanding the Definition and Types of Military Drill
  2. Understanding the Purpose of Military Drill
  3. Understanding the Benefits of Military Drill
  4. Understanding Arguments Against of Military Drill

This is not a rant about how “in my day” the Air Force (at least) was better, stronger, etc. Even though that statement might have a tiny bit of truth, this part of this series is about identifying today’s troubles, and then the next installment is on how to effectively implement drill and ceremonies.

Strong to Weak

Tighter, fully explained guidelines = better a performance. Because those guidelines provide a vastly better understanding of standards and the expected outcome. Similarly, loose guidelines = poorer performance because the team is forced into guessing what to do at times.

I understand the application of the statement out of AFPAM 34-1203:

1.1.1. This pamphlet includes most Air Force and Space Force needs in drill and ceremonies, but it does not cover every situation that may arise. For unusual situations, using good judgment and taking into account the purpose of the movement or procedure can often provide the solution.

That works well in some situations, but it requires a good amount of knowledge and skill to be able to use good judgment and pull off a ceremony that isn’t detailed in the pamphlet, but with the lack of emphasis on D&C, we are not producing NCOs who have that knowledge and skill.

  • Expanded and Precise Guidelines: Dr. Spock destroyed child rearing with his of advice (from 1946 to petering out in the early 1980s) to raise with praise only and not setting strict guidance. He did this on purpose (that’s a deep rabbit hole), following the guidelines for training a dog. A dog doesn’t understand punitive measures but reacts much better to positive reinforcement. Not so the child. In order to not figuratively wander, a child needs strict parameters and as much information as possible as he/she grows in order to make the best decisions possible. We are not providing those strict parameters.
  • Authority to Enforce: The Decline and Fall of Roman Empire, a book by Edward Gibbon, details how Rome fell. In a brief nutshell that doesn’t do the book any justice, Rome fell due to standards dropping like a stone. “Training Circular” and “Pamphlet” are the weakest designation for guidance in the military.

Let’s take a deeper look at the information provided by each service.

For All Services:

  • Baron von Steuben’s Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States, 1779.
  • Smyth’s Manual Drill and Ceremonies 1812.
  • Hardee Revised Manual 1861.
  • Casey’s Infantry Tactics 1862.

Army:

  • The Army published Infantry Drill Regulations in 1891 and 1911.
  • COL Bernard Lentz wrote six editions (1919 – 1957) of The Cadence System of Teaching Close Order Drill .
  • In 1924, Infantry Drill Regulations Illustrated and Simplified With Hints to Drill Instructors was written by Army officers Bond, Garey, Ellis, McMurray, and Crouch.
  • The Army published Field Manual (FM) 22-5, Basic Field Manual Infantry Drill Regulations, in 1939.
  • In 1946, 22-5 was retitled Leadership, Courtesy, and Drill.
  • In 1953, 22-5 was retitled again to Drill and Ceremonies and expanded to include information on mounted drill and the first brief description for the color guard.
  • in 2012 FM 22-5 was reclassified 3-21.5 became then Training Circular (TC) 3-21.5

The Field Manual. “Manual” has authority behind it. It means “this is how you do such-and-such” procedures. Now and lost all of it’s authority. Now, it’s just for “training”.

Marine Corps, Navy, & Coast Guard:

  • The Navy’s Landing-Force Manual (I have the 1921 edition) had a small section for individual armed drill.
  • The Landing Party Manual, renamed by at least 1950, had D&C removed.
  • The Bluejacket’s Manual had some individual armed drill (I have the 1943 edition).
  • 1956 saw two editions of The Marine Corps Drill Manual published by the Marine Corps League.
  • NAVMC 2691, Marine Corps Drill and Ceremonies, was only published by 1980*.

*Why it was titled just for the Marine Corps and did not include the Navy and Coast Guard leaves me scratching my head. It seems obvious to me to at least mention the other two services that also rely solely on the manual. US Navy Regulations (1990) does state that 2691 is followed for funerals.

  • 2691 scrapped and the contents published in a new category and number, Marine Corps Order (MCO) P5060.20 in 2003.
  • The “P” was dropped in 2019.

It is an Order. It is followed. It is strong. Oddly, one of the statements at the beginning of the manual is that it doesn’t apply to Marine Barracks Washington, quite understandable since they perform purely ceremonial drill, but it also does not apply to either Recruit Depot or Officer Candidate School. So, who does it apply to? Apparently no one until they get to the Fleet which is a bit late. Both Depots have their Depot Orders that have the text of MCO 5060.20 and more information from which the Drill Instructors teach.

Air and Space Forces: The AF is my service, and this paragraph is the most disappointing to me.

  • When the USAF became a service in 1947 drill and ceremonies was still guided by the Army’s FM.
  • In 1953, the AF published Air Force Manual (AFM) 50-14.
  • In 1985 it was reclassified as Air Force Regulation (AFR) 50-14.
  • In 1996 it was redesignated Air Force Manual (AFMAN) 36-2203.
  • In 2022, it was redesignated again and demoted to a mere pamphlet Department of the Air Force Pamphlet (DAFPAM/AFPAM, 34-1203).

A pamphlet is as enforceable as the sticky note in spite of the issues with the AFPAM, it is salvageable with some applied logic although AFJROTC has abandoned it and CAP went off the rails creating its own D&C and even honor guard manuals that are not fit to be followed. My service is fractured.

We Are Utterly Failing!

Looking at the photo below, how is it that AF Academy cadets form a color guard with the colors reversed right behind a supposed “expert” in D&C? The NCO in front of them is a USAF Training Instructor. Is it negligence or apathy? I think it’s a combination that comes from a lack of emphasis by leadership that D&C is vital to the military as it teaches foundational principles. We’ve lost sight of that completely because of “the mission”. It’s systemic.

USAF Academy Backwards Color Guard
USAF Academy Backwards Color Guard

The thought process is forgetting the stupid little stuff (like marching) and concentrating on the bigger stuff. For the USAF, we need to “Fly, Fight, and Win!” How do we do that? By “Flying, Fighting, and Winning!” That’s just over-the-top rhetoric that means nothing. Stop, take a breath, and now look at the accession process:

  • Training – Commission – Training – Work – Training – etc.
  • Training – Training – Work – Training – etc.

We have time and we need to take and even MAKE the time (not “find” the time) to ensure EVERY facet of training is taken care of and that includes the proper training and application of D&C.

This has been on purpose. It was a slow, incremental change over decades to get us to where are today. I saw a big change in 1990 and since then it’s only become worse.

Culture Change

We have service leadership who cyclically consider doing away with drill and ceremonies, cutting the military music programs, and even doing away with service drill teams with insane thinking because the military should only train to fight and win wars.

Despite being directed to understand the foundational purpose of drill, many still fail to see its importance. There is a prevailing sentiment that formation marching is outdated, and that allowing troops to move to the chow hall, for instance, in a disorganized mob is more efficient. This mindset not only undermines discipline but also erodes the very structure that upholds military cohesion and effectiveness*.

The responsibility for this deterioration lies with the senior enlisted for each service and every Non-Commissioned Officer across all ranks, both senior and junior. The failure to enforce D&C standards is a direct reflection of their neglect and lack of commitment to upholding these traditions. Despite the pivotal role that Drill Sergeants, Drill Instructors, and Training Instructors play in instilling discipline, there is a noticeable reluctance to invest in their comprehensive training*.

The Army, and all other services, must urgently address the decline in D&C training. Without decisive action and a renewed commitment to these essential practices, the integrity of military discipline and operational effectiveness are at severe risk. It is imperative that DoD leadership recognizes the critical importance of D&C and takes bold steps to restore and uphold these standards*.

*These paragraphs were written by a reader of my social media posts and edited by me.

The Letter and Spirit of D&C Instructions

The Letter: The letter of drill and ceremonies instructions refers to the specific guidelines, commands, and procedures outlined in official manuals. These instructions provide detailed methods for positions, marching, formations, and commands. For example, TC 3-21.5 provides guidance for Army-wide uniformity in the conduct of drill and ceremonies, covering methods of instructing drill, teaching techniques, individual and unit drill, and the manual of arms for Infantry weapons. Adherence to these standards ensures uniformity, discipline, safety, efficiency, and tradition within the military.

The Spirit: The spirit of drill and ceremonies instructions goes beyond the technical details and focuses on the underlying principles and values instilled. The spirit encompasses the importance of creating military bearing, instilling discipline, fostering esprit de corps, and building a sense of unity, pride, and mutual loyalty among military personnel. Drill and ceremonies is essential in fostering esprit de corps, reinforcing the collective identity and pride of the military unit, and creating a strong bond among its members. D&C also serves to honor traditions and history, mark important occasions, and publicly display discipline and readiness.

The Value of Drill

I’ve taught many JROTC units across the country both in-person and through video. At one high school, there was a cadet who was determined to improve himself. He marched poorly but knew that if he applied himself by joining the drill team and constantly marching regulation and exhibition sequences, he would improve enough to be able to handle the basic requirements of Army ROTC in college and being an Army officer. He did it and he is a successful Army officer today. He doesn’t march every day and he’s not going to volunteer for the Old Guard in DC, but he knew the value of D&C. You should too.

Conclusion

This white paper provides a comprehensive overview of military drill, its types, purposes, benefits and more. Military drill is defined as a series of movements and formations performed by military personnel, either with or without equipment (weapons) and categorizes military drill into three primary types: Ceremonial Drill, Regulation Drill, and Exhibition Drill, each serving specific purposes such as formal events, basic training, and showcasing skills.

The primary objective of military drill is to efficiently move a group of individuals from one location to another while instilling discipline, coordination, and teamwork. The document emphasizes the importance of drill in creating military bearing, instilling discipline, and fostering esprit de corps among military personnel. It also highlights the historical significance of drill in battlefield maneuverability, massed volley fire, and signaling.

The benefits of military drill are both tangible and intangible: improved physical fitness, enhanced coordination, development of leadership skills, attention to detail, cultural appreciation, respect, patriotism, discipline, self-control, and leadership development to name a few.

I concluded this article by stressing the importance of effectively implementing drill and ceremonies in training programs to fully reap the benefits and foster a cohesive and efficient military unit.

The next installment is Understanding the Implementation of Military Drill.

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