drill meet judge

The Drill Meet Judge

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It’s a difficult situation and I’ve been there a couple times. You are a judge at a drill meet and the next team steps up to take the field for competition and as soon as the team steps off, you notice something is wrong. The report-in isn’t the best but you continue observing and the performance just gets worse and worse. How on earth did we get to this point?

See also, “Yeah, but he just dances…”

It Begins With the Instructor

JROTC instructors don’t have extensive experience in marching or teaching it. Some don’t have any interest in drill and ceremonies, some don’t want anyone to know they haven’t marched in over ten years (or more) because if we did know, we’d be shocked or some other negative reaction, because there is a certain unrealistic expectation (either perceived or real) about those of us in uniform. There’s several other reasons for this, but this is just an overview. Please read this article about the JROTC Instructor for more. See also the Reading Plan for JROTC Instructors and Cadets.

In any case, it is the instructor’s responsibility to ensure his/her cadets are able to accomplish the mission and that mission is to know and be able to adequately perform the service D&C and related manuals. How well the team performs is something for another discussion/article. Right now, we need to ensure our cadets at least know what they are doing even before you head over to the competition site. If they don’t, you are failing to do your job as a JROTC instructor. I do understand that some instructors, if not all, are pulled in 50 different directions each day. Instructor duty is a tough and very rewarding job.

Today’s Drill Meets Miss the Mark

There is very little education going on at drill competitions and I’m not talking about in-depth-it-takes-hours-to-teach education. What I mean is educational feedback. There isn’t any. Yes, scoresheets have been altered to include certain aspects of what I created many years ago, but it still doesn’t work.

Over the years I get messages from cadets, some of whom I have taught, telling me they came in second place with a score of 10,847 points at one drill meet and then went across town to another drill meet the next weekend and won with 489 points. Points do not matter at all because the numbers do not relate to a written standard.

What Can Be

The World Drill Association that I created years ago can be the answer to several issues in the Military Drill World. It needs to be run for the benefit of all involved and concentrate on the cadets.

The WDA Adjudication System is just waiting to be used. As a matter of fact, it has been used and teams walk away with a much better understanding of how their performance matched up to the written standard. Please don’t give me that “We need something easy to use”. “Easy” means “Lazy” and, in this case, it means you’ve never been exposed to proper adjudication with a purpose-built system and trained judges. I have been dealing with both since 1979 when I entered high school band and went to competitions.

Cadets around the world spend hours each day perfecting routines for months and that requires trained judges. Do you honestly expect to appropriately evaluate a relatively complex marching routine by a group of people in uniform whose only qualification is that they graduated Basic Training/Boot Camp? Drill Sergeants, Drill Instructors, Training Instructors, and even Honor Guard members are still not equipped to assign a number value to a visual performance. Make time to get the training, it’s not that long or difficult, it just takes effort and some hours out of your week.

With the system I created, points matter and even point spreads (the number of points between placements and even sub-caption spreads) matter.

Why Do We Need Training to Adjudicate?

Because we need to learn how to mostly evaluate and not just react. Reaction is natural, we do that every day. We like or dislike something based on our prejudice and bias and there’s nothing wrong with that, in essence. What we need to do is learn to recognize both, how to put them aside, and then work on evuating and reacting based on a written standard.

Untrained Judges

One Way To Handle a Situation

The video below is 40 seconds of about the third minute of an NJROTC color guard performance. This short segment shows the team getting kicked off the drill deck due to the judge’s frustration with the team. This is an option for a judge. I just don’t recommend using the option. When you do use this option (please don’t), at least explain why. Don’t get angry and yell.

The cadets here had no idea what was wrong or why they were forced of the drill deck. That’s inexcusable. Being yelled at by the other judge to get off the deck quicker was just ridiculous. This is not Boot Camp, this is supposed to be a professional-level drill and ceremonies competition. Any form of punishment is unacceptable in this situation.

A Better Way

I want to restate and expand on what is in the video. The judge has a tool that he/she is to use at a competition, the scoresheet. You are to assign a score and you can fill up the blank spaces with comments.

The team in this video should have been allowed to finish and then told they were disqualified and the reasoning behind the disqualification. That reason would be very simple “disrespect to the American flag (national ensign)”, which is in just about every drill meet SOP in the nation, or at least it should be. The national in the video is being carried lower than the organizational and that’s unacceptable.

The logical outcome is to give a score, write feedback, and disqualify the team, but at least they would be able to learn what the problem is.

Having said that, the judges should have caught the national being carried lower just by seeing where the harness sockets rested during the inspection. They should have then told the team to adjust the harnesses even before the competition started- actually, this should have been part of training months beforehand.

This team contacted me through private message asking me to explain what the reason might be for their dismissal. I was happy to assist and help educate, but why didn’t the judges do it? Why were the cadets dismissed and disregarded? Because the judges are not trained to be and react like judges, they reacted like Drill Instructors, through no fault of their own. Our current “system” is broken.

In Summary

We have problems that need to be addressed and fixed:

  1. JROTC instructors who lack the necessary requirements for ensuring cadets have the appropriate skills for D&C.
    • An Association can be created for instructors to tackle the educational issues for instructors.
  2. Drill meets that do not focus on the betterment of competitors.
    • Part of the Association’s oversight which I’ve already accomplished.
  3. Adjudication scoresheets that are not based on a written standard.
    • Part of the Association’s oversight which I’ve already accomplished.
  4. Judges must be trained.
    • Part of the Association’s oversight which I’ve already accomplished.

It’s not an easy fix, I understand that. However, we do need to start down this road ASAP.

Missouri Military Academy Logo

A Message From The President of Missouri Military Academy

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DrillMaster note: I just had to share this. I feel compelled to share it. Missouri Military Academy (MMA) is a school enforcing and expecting standards. That’s exactly what every other school, military-oriented or not, should be doing. My thanks to BGEN Geraci, the staff, and instructors at MMA.

Dear MMA alumni and friends,

As the 135th MMA Corps of Cadets completes the first days of training for the year and begins academic classes on Monday, I want to share a message that will soon be sent out in our Eagle magazine. I want to remind you, our alumni and friends, of the strength of our conviction and belief in the education we provide for our cadets. As always, thank you for your support of the Academy and our young men. Together, we make a difference in their lives!

The value of a military school education today is undeniable.

That value is the driving force behind everything we do for our cadets and their families. It’s why we promote and protect the MMA legacy.

The proof is in our results.

We are a military academy and stay true to our traditions, core curriculum and core values that define us as such. We challenge young men like they have never been challenged before. We ask them to do more, not less, in a world where too many take the easy way out.

We understand our military educational model — based on structure, self-discipline, personal responsibility and accountability — is not for everyone, but we also see the incredible benefits for those who embrace the process and find the strength and character within themselves that they before didn’t know existed. As educators, administrators and coaches, this is a mission we wholeheartedly believe in.

We teach personal responsibility to our cadets in today’s world where differing opinions often leave young people adrift and lost in relativism. We teach them that right and wrong do exist and the impact that their decisions have on others.

We teach them how to solve problems, handle challenges and deal with adversity. We teach them how to fully employ their personal strengths and talents as part of a team with respect for others. Just as important, we teach them how to follow a healthy lifestyle and to avoid high-risk behavior.

The Academy’s standards and structured daily routine requires cadets to manage their time efficiently, demonstrate self-discipline, establish goals for themselves and expect to be held accountable. Through leadership roles, rigorous physical training and high academic expectations, cadets learn to take command of their lives, recognizing that their decisions and actions have consequences.

The value of a military educational model is not confined to the walls of the Academy — it extends into the lives of our graduates, empowering them to lead and persevere with integrity. We teach our cadets to set and work toward goals, with MMA graduation among the most important. It sets a course for them to compete and succeed in life.

In a world where leaders of character are needed more than ever, the unique blend of military traditions, high expectations and academic rigor at Missouri Military Academy creates an environment where young men flourish. We will remain steadfast, true to our course and fulfill our mission for our cadets and their families.

Sincerely,

Richard V. Geraci
Brigadier General, USA (Ret)
President

MMA is using the ShopRaise app, which gives a portion back to them whenever you do your normal shopping online at over 1,000 stores like Macy’s, Home Depot, and Walmart. Get the app, and make a purchase to support MMA. It’s free and easy! Click here to get started.

Missouri Military Academy owns all the rights to their name, seal, and logos.

Alameda Pallbearers

Do Honor Guards Have the Same Rules?

DrillMasterHonor Guard 2 Comments

Are all honor guards bound by the same rules? Does a military honor guard have the same as rules as law enforcement and firefighter honor guard or are they all totally different?

Honor guard units do have the same rules. They are made up of different ceremonial elements.

Color Guard Ceremonial Element

The Flag Code is the civilian/civil initial standard (that came from and expanded on Army and Navy flag information from the WWI era) but there’s no other information that is specific for a color guard except from the Army or Marine Corps manuals. That’s where the rest of the standards come from.

So, yes, civilian/civil and military have the same standards.

Firing Party Ceremonial Element

The military created this element, dating back to the Revolutionary War, that was adopted by law enforcement and LEOs take all standards from the military.

So, yes, civilian/civil and military have the same standards.

Pallbearers Ceremonial Element

There aren’t any published standards other than what the military developed over the last 100 years. All Americans may have a flag draped over their casket. Who folds it is the issue. There are restrictions and guidelines for carrying a flag-draped casket and all come from historic, military protocol.

So, yes, civilian/civil and military have the same standards.

Bell Ceremony and Last Call

The firefighter bell ceremony and last call are first responder-specific that certain elements of the military even adopted.

So, yes, civilian and military have similar standards here.

Presenting the Colors in a Chapel

DrillMasterDrillCenter News 1 Comment

The Situation

I received a question not to long ago from a Marine who is the Colors Sgt (CS) for his base. He wanted to make sure he and his team were correct in the recent choices they made for a unique situation. Here is the conversation.

CS– Performed a color guard for a retirement ceremony inside a chapel, we omitted covers and rifles. Were we wrong for that?

DM– Not necessarily wrong. Base chapels are multipurpose buildings just like the base theater. Both can be used for briefings and other gatherings even though the main purpose of the chapel is to serve as a the on-base location for religious services. Just because a ceremony takes place in a chapel doesn’t mean covers are removed and rifles not used, it depends. It comes down to if the chapel was used as a chapel or if it was used purely as a place with seats and a stage/speaker’s platform.

I’ve been to at least one chapel that has a main curtain and behind that curtain is another, smaller curtain that, when opened gives the chaplain’s assistants access to a cross, crucifix, and possibly other items for different religious services. When the cross is showing, you know that the chapel is being used for a Christian service (a colors presentation would require no covers and no rifles). When the curtains are drawn, the chapel is just like any other building on base, essentially (a colors presentation would have the standard requirements). It’s always best to check with a chaplain.

CS– Thank you, I’m the Color Sgt of my unit and we just retired a chaplain of 41 years.

DM– That’s great. Most likely you were in the right to leave out covers and rifles since he was a chaplain. Appropriate place to hold the ceremony for him.

The Standards

The following applies to the Marine Corps, Navy, and Coast Guard.

“When participating in a ceremony inside a chapel, the color guard will be unarmed and uncovered.”

MCO 5060.20, Marine Corps Drill and Ceremonies, Enclosure 1, Part I, Chapter 7, paragraph 5. i.

The Army, Air Force, and Space Force do not have this requirement, but please check with a chaplain for guidance.

Marine at MBW Evening Colors Gathering Laundry

Your Bias and the Marine “Gathering Laundry”

DrillMasterEn Espanol, Judge Training, Judging Leave a Comment

Versión en español a continuación.

Bias

We all have certain knowledge and experiences that define how we view circumstances around us. That’s called our bias. A bias isn’t necessarily bad but if you only rely on your knowledge and experiences and are closed off to learning something new, that is the bad part.

As a judge viewing regulation, exhibition, or a ceremonial drill routine, you must leave your bias out of your comments, reactions, and scoring. Judges rely on training, experience, and study to score a performance but adjudication is about the educational process and not meeting the expectations of a random judge.

“Gathering Laundry”

A few years ago, I trained three CAP unit competitive teams in color guard and flight drill and Flag Detail procedures. Depending on the size of the flag for the Flag Detail, it is either handed of to several flag handlers or it is gathered into the arms of the Catcher who then facilitates folding with the other team members. One judge for the Flag Detail portion of the competition made the statement that gathering the flag into the Catcher’s arms is inappropriate and tantamount to “gathering laundry” into your arms. That’s an extraordinarily ignorant comment coming from one who is supposed to have complete knowledge of all procedures for the Flag Detail.

The Marine in the Photos is the Catcher

Although you can barely see him, this Marine, from Marine Barracks Washington, is the Catcher for the Evening Colors ceremony at the Barracks. The focus is on the flag but you can just see the Marine’s white cover (hat) in the images here. Below is the link to the video where I grabbed the screenshot. The link begins at the start of Evening Colors so that you can see the Catcher gather the flag into his arms.

The required number of halyard bearers, flag handlers, and folders varies to lower the flag. Just because the flag may be relatively “large” doesn’t mean the Catcher hands of the lower corner to a handler and the same goes for a smaller flag. Either can be gathered into the Catcher’s arms and the smaller sizes are almost always gathered.

American flag sizes for flying from a flagpole

  • 3’x5′
  • 4’x6′
  • 5’x8′
  • 6’x10′
  • 8’x12′
  • 9.5’x5′
  • 10’x15′
  • 10’x19′
  • 12’x18′
  • 20’x38′
  • 30’x50′

Conclusion

You need to know as much as you possibly can about whatever you are going to judge. Just having experience is NOT enough. Training on how to judge the What and the How of a visual performance should be a priority for you as well.

Lastly, I visit the Barracks relatively often, I’ll let the Drill Master and Assistant Drill Master know about this “laundry” problem.

Versión en Español

Inclinación

Todos tenemos ciertos conocimientos y experiencias que definen cómo vemos las circunstancias que nos rodean. Eso se llama nuestro sesgo. Un sesgo no es necesariamente malo, pero si sólo confías en tus conocimientos y experiencias y estás cerrado a aprender algo nuevo, esa es la parte mala.

Como juez que ve un reglamento, una exhibición o una rutina de ejercicios ceremoniales, debe dejar de lado sus prejuicios en sus comentarios, reacciones y puntuaciones. Los jueces dependen de la capacitación, la experiencia y el estudio para calificar una actuación, pero la adjudicación se trata del proceso educativo y no de cumplir con las expectativas de un juez aleatorio.

“Recolectando ropa sucia”

Hace unos años, entrené a tres equipos competitivos de unidades CAP en escoltas, ejercicios de vuelo y procedimientos de Detalle de Bandera. Dependiendo del tamaño de la bandera para el Detalle de la Bandera, se entrega a varios encargados de la bandera o se recoge en los brazos del Receptor, quien luego facilita el plegado con los otros miembros del equipo. Un juez de la parte de la competencia sobre el Detalle de la Bandera hizo la declaración de que juntar la bandera en los brazos del receptor es inapropiado y equivale a “recoger ropa sucia” en los brazos. Ese es un comentario extraordinariamente ignorante viniendo de alguien que se supone tiene conocimiento completo de todos los procedimientos para el Detalle de Bandera.

Aunque apenas puedes verlo, este infante de marina, de Marine Barracks Washington, es el receptor de la ceremonia de los colores de la tarde en el cuartel. La atención se centra en la bandera, pero en las imágenes aquí se puede ver la cubierta (sombrero) blanca del Marine. A continuación se muestra el enlace al vídeo donde tomé la captura de pantalla. El enlace comienza al comienzo de Evening Colors para que puedas ver al Catcher recoger la bandera en sus brazos.

El número requerido de portadores de driza, manejadores de bandera y plegadores varía para arriar la bandera. El hecho de que la bandera pueda ser relativamente “grande” no significa que el receptor entregue la esquina inferior a un manejador y lo mismo ocurre con una bandera más pequeña. Cualquiera de los dos se puede juntar en los brazos del Catcher y los tamaños más pequeños casi siempre se juntan.

Tamaños de bandera estadounidense para volar desde un asta de bandera

  • 3’x5′
  • 4’x6′
  • 5’x8′
  • 6’x10′
  • 8’x12′
  • 9.5’x5′
  • 10’x15′
  • 10’x19′
  • 12’x18′
  • 20’x38′
  • 30’x50′

Conclusión

Necesita saber todo lo que pueda sobre lo que vaya a juzgar. Tener experiencia NO es suficiente. La formación sobre cómo juzgar el qué y el cómo de una actuación visual también debería ser una prioridad para usted.

Por último, visito el Cuartel con relativa frecuencia, le informaré al Drill Master y al Assistant Drill Master sobre este problema de “lavandería”.

AF Training

The Purpose of Military Drill and Ceremonies

DrillMasterColor Guard/Color Team, Commentary Leave a Comment

The Benefits

The purpose of drill and ceremonies is very similar to The Benefits of Military Drill and Ceremonies, and article I wrote a few years ago.

The benefits of drill and ceremonies (D&C) are numerous and I won’t restate them here but I will use a couple of them to make my point about the purpose and to see how we are generally failing to use drill and ceremonies for its intended purpose and thus unable to reap the benefits.

And now for something completely different

Before I get into the purpose of military drill and ceremonies and where we are headed, I want to address you. No, not you, YOU. The one who thinks he/she knows me. The one who might finish this article but still have disbelief as to my reasoning and conclusions. Please get out of that mode of thinking. Just because you may know or know of me doesn’t mean I haven’t grown in my studies and experience.

I know, “A prophet in his own home has no honor”. This means that if you know a person for any length of time, you are much less likely to take them seriously as they learn, grow, and progress because “I’ve known John for years!” It’s not that you don’t trust the me, you are just stuck seeing me as the same man I was back ‘then’. But you are going to miss out on some really good information.

Or maybe you already know everything. If you do, please go back to watching your TV show about the next top tapdancing chef who must survive on an island while you drink your unfiltered tap water and snack on chemical-laden chips. Obviously, you have no need to read and understand this, all you ever needed to know about D&C was taught to you in Basic/Boot Camp. Still, I encourage you to keep reading because if you don’t you are also going to miss some good information.

The Purpose

Recently I had an Army infantry Staff Sgt tell me that D&C is essentially useless and a waste of time. I’m positive he doesn’t have a clue as to the utter irony of his statement as a member of the infantry.

How did General Washington improve his Soldiers? He brought in Baron von Steuben from Prussia (where my ancestors come from). The Baron didn’t just teach battle tactics (i.e., concentrate only fighting) and hope for the best? No, he taught key NCOs to march and the manual of arms and they, in turn, taught their companies the same. They worked hard to become proficient in marching and manipulating the rifle.

“Houston, we have a regulation drill problem…”

We have regulation drill that comes from the Army’s Training Circular 3-21.5, the Marine Corps’ Order 5060.20, and the Air Force’s Pamphlet 34-1203. We also have ceremonial drill that is kept mostly in internal documents for the Army’s 3rd Infantry Regiment, the Old Guard; the Barracks Order for Marine Barracks Washington, the internal manuals for the Navy’s Ceremonial Guard and Coast Guard’s Ceremonial Honor Guard, and the USAF’s published instruction for the USAF/USSF Honor Guard and Base Honor Guards worldwide.

The regulation drill manuals were written decades ago with some having multiple updates over the years. I have searched for and purchased every legacy D&C manual I have been able to find and have what seems to be every version of from each of the services. I can tell you that the US military made slight progress in explaining drill and ceremonies from von Steuben’s time into the split for manuals of the North and South during and after our Civil War and the creation of one manual for the Army and a Landing Party manual for the Marine Corps and Navy leading up to WWI.

After WWII, a fresh look was given to the service D&C manuals and newer, expanded versions were created. In the 1960s and 1970s significant progress was made in providing information for color guard, especially. However, the information has never been complete for a color guard.

The Army has given the color guard information for the military parade and a bit more but even that hasn’t been complete.

The Navy did away with it’s D&C manual and the Marine Corps picked up that job but left the Navy uniqueness out which was a very bad oversight. Honestly the MCO should be a Department of the Navy publication and include the Navy and Coast Guard color guard requirements. The MCO does somewhat better for color guard information outside a military parade but it’s also still not complete.

The Air Force/Space Force pamphlet went from a manual (holds guidance authority) to a regulation (has strict authority that will be followed), back to a manual (weakened), and is now a pamphlet (no authority whatsoever, it’s tantamount to a sticky note on the edge of your computer screen). The color guard information has always been extremely limited but the reader was told to use the other manuals based on rifle type (which NEVER made any sense at all and still doesn’t).

The difference is striking

Ceremonial drill has an explanation for every aspect of a performance and the reasoning behind it all. For instance, every colors presentation for any type of ceremony is completely mapped out. There is no guesswork, no “use your best judgement” (I’m looking at you, AF). Ceremonial drill has evolved over time to what we have now and it works so much better. I’m concentrating on colors but this applies to firing party and pallbearers, the three ceremonial elements. Standard formations (Battalion/Wing) are the same, it’s just that ceremonial techniques are used (Ceremonial at Ease instead of Parade Rest).

What does Regulation Drill need?

(Concentrating on color guard here.) 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 forced into guessing what to do at times.

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.

Active Duty, National Guard, and Reserve color guards constantly flounder due to a lack of information and strict guidelines. Now bring in ROTC, JROTC, and cadets in other programs and we have a weak application of necessary and yet vague requirements across the board. I’m still focusing on the color guard.

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.

Army

The Army created Field Manual 22-5, Infantry Drill Regulations, in 1939. I was a mix of D&C and combat information. In 1958, 22-5 was retitled to Drill and Ceremonies and expanded to include all kinds of information to include the first brief description for the color guard. FM 22-5 went through many changes, became FM3-21.5 and then lost all of it’s authority by becoming a Training Circular. What does “training circular” even mean?

Marine Corps, Navy, & Coast Guard

The Navy’s Landing-Force Manual (I have the 1921 edition) had a small section for individual armed drill. Renamed, The Landing Party Manual by at least 1950 had D&C removed. The Bluejacket’s Manual had some individual armed drill (I have the 1943 edition). NAVMC 2691, Marine Corps Drill and Ceremonies, was created as far as I can tell in 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 at least mention the other two services that rely solely on the manual. However, US Navy Regulations (1990) states that 2691 is followed for funerals. The concentration was on combat applicability with ceremonies briefly mentioned.

The Navy scrapped 2691 and published it in a new category and number, MCO P5060.20 (2003), and later dropped the “P” in 2019. It’s an Order, it is followed. However, 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, nor does it 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. Standards begin in initial training and should be the same for your whole career.

Air Force and Space Force

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 wrote the first D&C manual , AFM 50-14. In 1985, it was reclassified as a regulation, but in 1996 it was redesignated a manual and in 2022, with all of its massive problems that I wrote about here, here, and here, It was redesignated again and demoted to a mere pamphlet creating guidance that has no authority behind it whatsoever, not even a paper tiger but a lace doily tiger. In spite of the issues with the now AFPAM, it is salvageable with some applied logic although AFJROTC has abandoned it and CAP went off the rails creating it’s own D&C and even honor guard manuals that are not fit to be followed. We are broken.

We Are Utterly Failing!

AF Academy

How do AF Academy cadet form a color guard with the colors reversed right behind a supposed “expert” in D&C? Is it negligence or apathy? I think it’s a combination that comes from a lack of emphasis 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. 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 to ensure EVERY facet of training is taken care of and that includes the proper training and application of D&C.

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 asinine thinking because the military trains to fight and win wars. We don’t fight without adequate training, and this is news to some, our training must include D&C. I’m not looking for perfection, just levels of excellence.

One Last Anecdote

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.

USN CG Colors

What Does “Order Arms” Really Mean For A Color Guard?

DrillMasterColor Guard, Color Guard/Color Team, Regulation Drill Leave a Comment

Order Arms for a color guard can be confusing. Let’s see how.

TC 3-21.5 – Army

While this is for the Army only, AFJROTC and SFJROTC cadet color guards are currently, more or less, forced to follow the TC. For a thought-out approach to the AF/SF regulation drill color guard, click here to read this article.

The command “Order Colors” is not in the Army Training Circular but “Order Arms” is and it doesn’t mean to bring the staffs and rifles to Order. It’s extremely frustrating. One of the bullet points of paragraph 15-23 states that on the command Order Arms, the guards return to Right Shoulder.

Always at Carry/Right Shoulder?

Yes. Army ceremonies usually have the color guard at Carry throughout the ceremony and that is why the guards are to return to Right Shoulder when Order Arms is called.

But not always. Paragraph 5-18 states that during ceremonies when the colors are not forward (e.g., in line with the the companies) and remarks are being made, the bearers and guards execute Order and Parade Rest with the rest of the parade formation.

However, what the TC does not take into account is different ceremony situations where more information is required. In steps Ceremonial Drill Standards. These standards are readily available in my book, The Honor Guard Manual.

“Order COLORS” and then “Order ARMS”?

Some JROTC color guards will use the combination of commands when at Present: “Order Colors” to go back to Carry/Right Shoulder and then “Order Arms” to bring the equipment to the true position of Order with equipment resting on the marching surface. Since there’s no such thing as “Order Colors” to return the team to Carry or Order, the command is not used.

OK, so “Order ARMS” and “Order ARMS”

That just doesn’t make sense although I know some JROTC teams use it. However, it’s understandable since there’s no clear guidance in the TC for a color guard to use a specific set of commands when it is strictly on it’s own.

Separate Commands?

Since the TC can seem vague on commands, a mix-up sometimes occurs so that the team commander gives one command for the guards and another for the bearers. That’s not necessary nor authorized for any service color guard in this context (we can get into ceremonial drill where there is a myriad of commands that take care of every possible situation but that is a subject for another day).

What about Color Salute/Carry Color?

Paragraph 15-17 is the description of Color Salute. The only situation that I can think of where the organizational bearer would dip without the whole team going to Present would have the team approached by an officer in a setting outside of a ceremony. Color Salute would then equate to a guidon bearer’s individual salute that is rendered outside of a formation but a color guard will always be in some sort of formation.

The Solution

I don’t have one that would please everyone. My ceremonial background gives me an easy answer to this but ROTC and JROTC cadets cannot use those commands. My guidance would be to use “Carry Colors” to bring the team to Carry from Order and Present and to Use “Order Arms” only to bring the team to Order. That’s the only thing that makes sense.

MCO 5060.20 – Marine Corps, Navy, and Coast Guard

This one is easy. “Order Colors” is used interchangeably with “Order Arms”. A color guard uses “Order Colors” but in a ceremony where other armed elements are present, Order Arms would be given and the color guard would perform the same actions. “Order, COLORS/ARMS” actually means to go to Order Colors/Arms and “Carry, COLORS” actually means to go to Carry Colors in the Marine Corps Order.

AFPAM 34-1203 – Air Force and Space Force

I will keep emphasizing this

Quickly, I want to cover AF and SF formations that drill under arms. Paragraph 1.1.2. tells the reader to look at TC 3-21.5 or MCO 5060.20 for procedures for rifle manipulation. However, the guidance goes off to left field with the statement that weapon type determines the appropriate manual. The TC (2021) covers the M4-Series Carbine, M16, M14, M1903, and M1917 rifles. The MCO (2019) covers the M16, M1, and M14.

Here is what to keep in mind, however. AF/SF color guards that are not authorized to follow ceremonial drill, that is any color guard formed outside of the USAF/USSF Honor Guard or a Base Honor Guard (TIs at Lackland, AFJROTC, and SFJROTC), must follow the guidance of the text and images in the AFPAM and that means the rifle guards will be at the outside shoulder. Choose any rifle you’d like but even if the guards are armed with the M1903, they are still going to look to the MCO because that manual is the only one with procedures to synchronize the movements of the guards at opposite shoulders. AF/SF elements and flights should default to the TC, but the guards for a color guard must use the MCO. See also this article.

One more thing

The AFPAM has gone through several changes over the years, changes that are truly just ridiculous and look terrible. Ignore the color bearers at “Left Shoulder” (left hand on staff, right at the side), it’s not a position we use in the military, ever.

I bet you’d never thought you would ever read “ignore this section of the AFPAM” on this website but this article explains why I say it and write it.

Essentially what the AFPAM states is…

“Here are photos of positions and a couple of commands. Good luck with that.”

There are five photos of a color guard (shoulder-to-shoulder and at Close Interval) for different positions. The only command in the color guard section is “Color Guard, HALT”. This isn’t just bad writing, it’s writing that doesn’t exist but should. However, knowledge of the TC and MCO are going to be essential. Do not use the MCO’s “Ready Cut” command.

Spang BHG Colors in Luxembourg

Carrying a Foreign National or All Service Colors

DrillMasterColor Guard, Color Guard/Color Team, Honor Guard Training, Instructional, Protocol and Flag Leave a Comment

This is huge. This changes 95% of color guards overseas as to make up (what flags are carried and when) and also affects some of the stateside teams as well. The protocol behind carrying foreign national flags was just assumed for many years. We can’t just assume anymore.

Installation teams, you MUST have all applicable manuals, regulations, instructions, and pamphlets in your library and you MUST read all of them so that you have the information that you are supposed to know. Many times, leadership changes hands at a Base Honor Guard (for instance) and the incoming leadership is just trained in techniques and procedures with currently known info with thought never given to the wider required knowledge.

Overseas installation honor guards/color guards, get ready to fully support these changes with documentation when the head of Protocol for your base comes and calls you to task for (correctly) not carrying the host nation flag. People don’t like being wrong or told that they are wrong. Just be professional.

One of the frustrations that comes from US military drill and ceremonies is that we have all kinds of guidance broken up into several manuals that never come together in one. Through my research, I’m trying to remedy that.

The Kadena Air Base Honor Guard. Unless an Okinawan official was a part of this ceremony, the carrying of the Japanese flag was not authorized. It also looks like this was on Kadena Air Base and having the JP flag to the far right is also not authorized.

SECTION 5: CEREMONIAL SUPPORT AND MILITARY SERVICE EXHIBITS

5.1. CEREMONIAL SUPPORT.

a. Color Guard.

(1) A Joint Armed Forces Color Guard will be used at all DoD-authorized public programs where the presentation of colors is in the best interest of DoD. The Joint Armed Forces Color Guard will, when available, use:
(a) Two Army bearers with National and Army Colors.
(b) One bearer each for the Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard with individual Military Service Colors.
(c) One Army rifleman and one Marine Corps rifleman as escorts.

(2) When a Joint Armed Forces Color Guard cannot be formed, a single Service color guard may carry each of the Military Service flags or the senior member of the senior Military Service in the color guard will carry the National Colors in accordance with the Department of the Army Training Circular 3-21.5.

b. National Flag of Foreign Nations and Other Organizational Flags.

(1) U.S. military personnel in a foreign location may carry the official national flag of foreign nations participating in official civil ceremonies sponsored and conducted by the U.S. Government or a State, county, or municipal government.
(a) An official of the foreign nation concerned must be present in an official capacity to receive such honors.
(b) The official must be an individual to whom honors normally are rendered.

(2) In all other public programs or ceremonies, Service members in uniform and in an official capacity must not carry flags of foreign nations, veterans’ groups, or other non-military organizations.

DoDI 5410.19-V4, September 29, 2021
Spangdahlem Air Base Honor Guard. Besides the team using incorrect procedures, carrying the Luxembourg flag may not be in accordance with the DoDI.

What the Above Means to the Military

This includes Active Duty, Reserve, National Guard, all veteran groups*, ROTC, JROTC, Sea Cadets, Sea Scouts, Civil Air Patrol, Young Marines, and any other cadet program.

*Apparently, vet groups don’t understand that the rules still apply to them.

Joint Armed Forces Personnel or Flags Only

Under paragraph a. we read that a joint armed forces color guard has specific membership requirements. Reading further, we see that a single service can carry all service colors if necessary. This means departmental colors only. Do not include command colors.

This gives us all some leeway for parades with a better understanding of requirements.

Carrying a Foreign National Flag

I’ve been asked about guidance for carrying a flag of a foreign nation many times and through my research found the information in paragraph b. What this means is that, in order to be authorized to carry the host nation flag (“host nation” means you are stationed overseas) or a foreign national flag in the USA, the ceremony must be official AND a host nation official must be present and take part in the ceremony. So:

  1. Merely being invited to a local parade does not qualify to carry that country’s flag even if a local government official is present but not in an official capacity.
  2. Performing any ceremony on base does not qualify to carry that country’s flag unless a local government official is in attendance in an official capacity and not just attending.
  3. Most every ceremony held at an American Battle Monuments Commission overseas memorial or cemetery does qualify. You must ensure your team is within standards by checking with the requestor as to who will attend and speak.
  4. A foreign country is competing in a game (hockey, basketball, etc.) does not qualify to carry that country’s flag. There would not be an “official capacity” at a ball game, just attendance.

Colors may be preposted (setup in a display before the ceremony starts) for a ceremony on base, there’s no problem with that, but the color guard cannot carry the foreign national flag.

The Spangdahlem team again. This time on the grounds of an American Cemetery in France. Most likely this ceremony requires the team to carry the French flag.

The SOFA

No, not the couch you sit on, the Status of Forces Agreement. The US government has a SOFA with almost every country where we have bases. With some we have something similar to a SOFA, but you have to research what that is.

As an example of US bases in Japan, we have US Forces Japan (USFJ) Instructions. These instructions are based on the SOFA that the US has with Japan and governs specifics for Americans under the DoD (including civilians) living in country.

USFJI 36-2804, Display of Flags, gives specific guidance for all US military color guards (including JROTC cadets) that everyone must know. The document does not allow copying text, so here is a screenshot below.

The takeaway from the USFJI (which supersedes the DoDI; what another country wants, it gets), a Japanese national must be in attendance and part of a ceremony (matches the DoDI). When that happens, the Japanese flag is to the right of the American flag, even on base (supersedes the DoDI). The departmental must be carried, by the way. Any other time the color guard forms, only the US and departmental [and any applicable organizational] flags are carried).

What the Above Means to First Responders

You should not carry a US military departmental or organizational flag as you do not represent the the service. Carrying the flag is not a way to “honor” anyone.

Gurkhas

What is the Position of Attention?

DrillMasterAsk DrillMaster, Drill Teams, En Espanol, Honor Guard Leave a Comment

Versión en español a continuación.

Description

This isn’t a complete definition, it’s to give us an idea of what we use it for at it’s basic level.

It’s the position from which all movement is performed. The body, held in a fairly rigid stance and yet without tension, must remain at Attention for facing movements, faces-in-marching, the hand salute, and movements with the guidon, flagstaff, sword, and rifle.

Marching begins and and ends at Attention. While marching team members remain at the position unless otherwise called (At Ease March, Route Step) but every precise movement (column, flank) must be called while the individual/formation is at Attention.

We can then conclude that the position is purely functional when we start training. Most everyone at the stage of training relates the position to standing still. It then expands to have greater meaning with more training.

Advanced Concepts

Now let’s explore the purpose of Attention from a performance standpoint. When you read “performance” think of an exhibition or regulation drill routine or even a colors presentation.

  1. For the individual. Attention relates to the physical and mental demands necessary to carry out an individual’s part of the performance with exactness and consistency. Remember, from this point, “Attention” doesn’t just mean standing still.
  2. For the team. A position that gives the best advantage for members to adjust their alignment, distance, and orientation relative to other team members. A formation is not merely the basic block of a platoon/flight. “Formation” now means any grouping.
  3. For the audience. The projected image of the team. Uniformity of technique and/or the contrast in positions and movement. Consider the traditional expectation(s) of the audience.

Now What?

What do we do with this knowledge? How can we put it to use?

  1. When we begin to train (drill team, for instance), we use basic information and positions. We then build on that information and slowly expand the knowledge of the team members. This realization helps team members understand their responsibilities as an individual and as part of the smaller groups of which the individual is a member (squad, rank, group of 4, etc.), and the team as a whole.
  2. “Game Face” is a term used to develop and set a mental attitude about one’s performance in sports. The position of Attention reflects this attitude for the drill team or color guard member.
  3. Uniformity is going to provide the team with the ability to clearly communicate with the audience from the first moment of the performance. Contrast provides a level of entertainment in the form of intrigue.
  4. Audience members come with a certain expectation (bias) that is based on general knowledge and experience. Most everyone watching your performance, no matter where it is, has at some point seen someone in uniform most likely standing at Attention. If not, you are now setting a standard to which other similar situations are to be judged (to some extent).
  5. The adjudicator(s) of your performance should not have a bias when it comes to judging your performance except for the team to meet certain standards (Flag Code, protocol, drill and ceremonies procedures). Even an expectation of any level of excellence is not appropriate. Judges are to judge what is presented through the lens of the scoresheet using an appropriate scoring scale that should have a rubric (a written guide for grading) for each scoring increment.

I hope this is helpful for you.

¿Qué es la Posición de Atención?

Descripción

Esta no es una definición completa, es para darnos una idea de para qué lo usamos en su nivel básico.

Es la posición desde la que se realiza todo movimiento. El cuerpo, mantenido en una postura bastante rígida y aún sin tensión, debe permanecer en atención para los movimientos de frente, rostros en marcha, el saludo de mano y movimientos con el guidón, el asta de la bandera, la espada y el rifle.

La marcha comienza y termina en Atención. Mientras los miembros del equipo en marcha permanecen en la posición a menos que se indique lo contrario (marcha tranquila, paso de ruta), pero cada movimiento preciso (columna, flanco) debe realizarse mientras el individuo/formación está en atención.

Entonces podemos concluir que la posición es puramente funcional cuando empezamos a entrenar. La mayoría de las personas en la etapa de entrenamiento relacionan la posición con estar quieto. Luego se expande para tener un mayor significado con más capacitación.

Conceptos Avanzados

Ahora exploremos el propósito de la Atención desde el punto de vista del desempeño. Cuando lees “rendimiento”, piensa en una exhibición o rutina de ejercicios reglamentarios o incluso en una presentación de colores.

  1. Para el individuo. La atención se relaciona con las demandas físicas y mentales necesarias para llevar a cabo la parte individual de la actuación con exactitud y consistencia. Recuerde, desde este punto, “Atención” no significa simplemente quedarse quieto.
  2. Para el equipo. Una posición que brinda la mejor ventaja a los miembros para ajustar su alineación, distancia y orientación en relación con otros miembros del equipo. Una formación no es simplemente el bloque básico de un pelotón/vuelo. Por “formación” se entiende ahora cualquier agrupación.
  3. Para la audiencia. La imagen proyectada del equipo. Uniformidad de técnica y/o contraste de posiciones y movimientos. Considere las expectativas tradicionales de la audiencia.

¿Ahora que?

What do we do with this knowledge? How can we put it to use?

  1. Cuando empezamos a entrenar (equipo de perforación, por ejemplo), utilizamos información y posiciones básicas. Luego nos basamos en esa información y poco a poco ampliamos el conocimiento de los miembros del equipo. Esta comprensión ayuda a los miembros del equipo a comprender sus responsabilidades como individuos y como parte de los grupos más pequeños de los que el individuo es miembro (escuadrón, rango, grupo de 4, etc.) y del equipo en su conjunto.
  2. “Game Face” es un término utilizado para desarrollar y establecer una actitud mental sobre el desempeño deportivo. La posición de Atención refleja esta actitud del equipo de instrucción o miembro de la escolta.
  3. La uniformidad proporcionará al equipo la capacidad de comunicarse claramente con el público desde el primer momento de la actuación. El contraste proporciona un nivel de entretenimiento en forma de intriga.
  4. Los miembros de la audiencia tienen una cierta expectativa (sesgo) que se basa en el conocimiento y la experiencia generales. La mayoría de las personas que observan su actuación, sin importar dónde esté, han visto en algún momento a alguien uniformado, probablemente en posición de atención. De lo contrario, ahora está estableciendo un estándar según el cual se deben juzgar otras situaciones similares (hasta cierto punto).
  5. Los jueces de su desempeño no deben tener prejuicios cuando se trata de juzgar su desempeño, excepto que el equipo cumpla con ciertos estándares (Código de bandera, protocolo, procedimientos de simulacros y ceremonias). Incluso una expectativa de cualquier nivel de excelencia no es apropiada. Los jueces deben juzgar lo que se presenta a través de la lente de la hoja de puntuación utilizando una escala de puntuación adecuada que debe tener una rúbrica (una guía escrita para calificar) para cada incremento de puntuación.

Espero que esto sea útil para usted.

“Every Honor Guard Invents Their Own Standards”

DrillMasterCommentary, Instructional Leave a Comment

Quoted from an AFROTC cadet. A cadet who is going to commission into the USAF/USSF. The quote was relayed to me.

If the above statement is true, then writing AFMAN 34-515 (the USAF Honor Guard manual) culminated in several years of wasted of time and abuse of resources. Standards are written and applied to uphold laws and regulations and avoid fraud, waste, and abuse.

Before We Continue

Many first responder honor guards do invent their own standards. They, along with “training organizations” try to play a guessing game or merge all the military standards everyone thinks they remember. This is why first responders don’t have a national standard and end up making something up on the spot an hour before a ceremony. It’s a sad state of affairs that individual teams (read: egos) and “training agencies” (again, read: egos) are absolutely hindering the establishment of a foundation let alone advancement in education and training of any kind.

A Little History

When I first joined the USAF in 1985, each base had it’s own honor guard doing it’s own thing. Much was the same, in general, but there were all kinds of little things that a base team would personalize. The flag fold was based on the written standard but at my base, Davis-Monthan, in Tucson AZ, back then (late 80s and early 90s), used three Airmen to fold with the Airman in the middle leaning and pulling hard away from the stars to ensure tight triangle folds. That was totally unnecessary. Worse, If you PCSd and joined the next base’s honor guard, you had to learn everything all over again because of these tiny “flares” that teams added and changed.

Let’s stretch that thought out to the extreme. You’re a crew chief on F-15s at Ramstein AB in Germany. You’ve been maintaining your aircraft the “RAB way” for the last three years and you deploy. Now you are working next to three crew chiefs from three different bases who all do it “their” way. Which method is right? Which one is best? Which aircraft will launch, do it’s job, and return the pilot safely home? Is this how we do things in the USAF, by inventing our own standards? Of course not. We will always benchmark best practices but we will also follow written standards because we do not put lives at risk.

Let’s go back to D&C. AFPAM 34-1203 has the standards for AF/SF marching. At summer training, all cadets from dozens of schools gather to learn for a certain amount of time. During that training they march back and forth to different classes and to chow. However, one school teaches their cadets to give commands backwards because it’s cool. Another teaches to march really slowly and still another teaches to march sideways. That utterly ridiculous, and it is, but so is that cadet’s statement that is the title of the article.

Standards

We have standards for everything because lives depend on many of those standards. We have standards for seemingly silly things, like D&C, for two reasons:

  1. If you can handle seemingly inconsequential standards (see the cadet training story above), you can probably be trusted with bigger and bigger standards (see the F-15 crew chief story above).
  2. Because the USAF, and all other services, are supposed to act as one, big well-oiled machine at every level. This even gets into the long list of the benefits of D&C.

Standards matter. If you are going to invent your own standards for what you might consider insignificant, what is to stop someone else from doing the same thing for something entirely different?