A good command voice is controlled, clear, disciplined, and properly timed.
Understanding the Gait Cycle: Why the Feet Matter in Drill and Ceremonies
Marching is often taught as a series of positions: attention, step off, halt, face, flank, and so on. That is necessary, of course, because drill manuals describe movement in counts and commands. But beneath every command is something more basic: the human gait cycle. The gait cycle is one complete stride. It begins when one heel contacts the the marching …
Why the Light Ash Guidon Staff Is the US Military Flagstaff
One of the most common objections I receive when I state that the light ash guidon staff is the proper flagstaff for a US military color guard is some variation of this: “Where does the regulation say the staff has to be that color?” I appreciate it, but that question approaches the subject backward.
The Rounded Heel for Ceremonial Marching
The Tomb Sentinel walk is one of the most precise and recognizable ceremonial movements in the United States military. Its smooth, controlled glide is essential to the dignity of the vigil.
The way that glide is produced, however, deserves examination.
Taps Is a Call, Not a Soundtrack
A video shows a wreath-laying ceremony or announces that a member of a service has died. Photographs and video snippets appear in sequence and Taps plays as the soundtrack. The intention is respectful. But the death of a service member or the laying of a wreath does not automatically make Taps the appropriate soundtrack for a video.
Ceremony as Language: The Why Behind the Rules
A reader recently commented on LinkedIn a suggestion for a follow-up article after reading one of my posts about a Marine Corps color guard. The final paragraph of that post said: “If you are going to make the comment, ‘these are Marine Security Guards (in Australia) and color guard is not their job!’, don’t bother. Your primary job may not …
Visibility Creates Apparent Authority
One of the most persistent problems in military drill and ceremonies is no longer confined to a unit, school, installation, or local community. The internet has changed the way incorrect ceremonial practices spread.
The Colors Harness: Authorized Does Not Mean Advisable
The Army authorizes both single-strap and double-strap designs. The single strap is relatively common because it is inexpensive and widely available. It is also the weaker design from an ergonomic standpoint.
Spade Orientation: We’re at War! No, It’s Peace! No, War!
Every so often, another piece of ceremonial folklore appears that sounds authoritative because it has been repeated for years.
The Instructor Is Not a Cadet
Why Adults Should Not Fill Positions in Cadet Color Guards and Drill Teams I recently posted a photograph of an Army Junior ROTC color guard. Four positions were occupied by cadets. The fifth was occupied by an Army JROTC instructor, who was marching with the cadets and carrying a flag. Several people asked what was wrong with that. One response …