Fitness and the Driller

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Certain demands are placed on Drillers for each kind of routine they may march: solo, tandem, and drill team.

  • With a solo performance, it’s all about the Driller and his/her capabilities
  • With a tandem routine, the pressure is halved
  • With a drill team performance the pressure is somewhat diminished

Does this mean that Drillers on a team can relax and let others carry the weight? Absolutely not! There are slight differences for each performance, but Drillers should be in top physical condition no matter the routine.

Should a Driller lift weights?

Does a chicken have lips? I don’t know, but weight lifting for a Driller is only a plus! Unless you want to look like Johnny Bravo- then you have a problem: too much bulk and not enough finesse- you need to be able to move quickly and smoothly in many cases.

What are some specific exercises?

  • Cardio- you need endurance
    • Running, CrossFit, swimming, even going through your routine twice with out stopping
  • Weights- light weight with many reps and many sets
    • Arms, upper torso, legs are key targets- but you must seek a balance and not neglect other muscle groups!

Why? What’s the big deal with fitness?

Besides the fact that you will live a healthier life, for competitive drill or dance, or skating (insert any other individual sport you can think of), you need to build a foundation.

DrillMaster’s two foundations

  1. Educational Foundation– if you do not know the what and why of your performance, you are not going to do as well as you possibly could. Read and also study other Drillers.
  2. Physical Foundation– muscles in the lower body support muscles in the upper body. All muscles support movement, in major or minor ways. Building up those muscles to support your body are very necessary if you are going to be a competitive Driller and not just play around with a rifle. See above on recommended exercises.

See you at your next competition: smarter, stronger and faster than you were before!

Thanks to James Bisher for his video, Drill Talk, that got me thinking and writing.

I’m not a doctor or physical fitness instructor. Find what works best for you and if you have unexplained pain or other difficulties, see your health care provider. Please be safe!

Operation Safety 91 (OS91)

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A favorite reading and prayer of soldiers (small “S” to include everyone in military service), it is now being applied to first responders as well. Firefighters, law enforcement officers and emergency medical personnel all fight a certain kind of battle sometimes on a daily basis. And this is where the organization, Operation Safety 91, comes in. They minister and provide materials to help others minister to the military and first responders.http://drillmaster.wpengine.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=1279&action=edit

My friends Ed and Mary Ganster started OS91 to serve the military and first responders They wanted to let everyone in these fields to know that they are not forgotten and are appreciated each day. The DrillMaster is blessed to call OS91 a partner!

OS91 on Facebook

Psalm 91, NASB

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust!”

For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.

You will not be afraid of the terror by night, or of the arrow that flies by day; of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.

A thousand may fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not approach you.

You will only look on with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked.

For you have made the Lord, my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place.

No evil will befall you, nor will any plague come near your tent.

For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.

They will bear you up in their hands, that you do not strike your foot against a stone.

You will tread upon the lion and cobra, the young lion and the serpent you will trample down.

“Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name.

“He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.

“With a long life I will satisfy him and let him see My salvation.”

Drill Styles and a Winning Canadian Performance

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Each time I look at drill from another country, the first thought that goes through my  mind is, “Man, that’s weird!” Having said that, I do appreciate watching and learning from other nations.

By no means am I going to pinpoint definitions here, but maybe we could loosely define drill styles by country:

  • “British Style“- The British influence is far-reaching: Canada, Australia, Europe, the Middle East and parts of Asia.
  • “Russian Style”– Totalitarian Communism keeps the goose step alive and well: China, North Korea
  • “American Style“- Thank the Lord for America’s first Drill Master, Baron Friedrich Wilhelm Augustus von Steuben. He was the one to create America’s first drill manual during the Revolutionary War. Although American drill has seen some modification over the years to the standards we have now, it all began with Baron Friedrich Wilhelm Augustus von Steuben.
  • Other Styles– Greece?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysYCHvKDUFU

Information on the Royal Canadian Army Cadet Program

A History of Drill and Training Rifles Part 26

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CURRENT PRODUCTION, CONTINUED

“Plastic-Rubber” Training Models

Wellington Surplus Stores in Perth Australia sell a series of black training rifles. At this time it is unknown who actually manufactures these training rifles. They are made of a plastic material but are sold under the name of “Plastic-Rubber”. These rifles have no moving parts. They are currently selling the following training rifle models.

Daisy 1903 Replica Drill Rifle

In 2003 Daisy Outdoor Products introduced a non-firing drill rifle patterned after the 1903 Springfield Rifle. This rifle was designed specifically for drill purposes and is extremely strong. The black stock is made from a high density plastic material and all other parts are made from steel. It also has an operating bolt and functional sights. It can be purchased with a padded rubber butt plate to prevent floor damage. Although the company identifies this model as a drill rifle it is probably best described as a training rifle. In 2008 the US Navy let contract number N68836-08-P-1833 in the amount of $140,288 for an unknown number of these drill rifles. They are also being used by Navy ROTC units. The Daisy Replica Drill Rifles are among the most durable and functional rifles of this type. They can be purchased directly from Daisy Outdoor Products.

Recently while doing research on the internet, John Spangler located a US Navy document relating to the Navy supply sole search order to purchase 600 Daisy 1903 drill rifles and related replacement parts. This document is dated in 2009 and also it had other relevant information relating to the Navy Contract for Daisy drill rifles. NAVEDTRA 37123-B mandates that all of the Navy drill rifles will be replaced by the Daisy 1903 drill rifle. The Navy has over 18,000 Daisy 1903 drill rifles currently in use. These were procured under contract N00140-02-C-G605 at a cost of $3.7 million. The current purchase request for additional 600 Daisy 1903 drill rifles and related replacement parts is estimated at $269,622.

Singapore Print Dummy Rifles

Singapore Print is a division of Sean Shauna Enterprise. Singapore Print is a large printing company that has a wide range of printing specialties. Little is known about the design or production of these dummy rifles. Their dummy rifles are made of a plastic material and have little detail. They are advertised to be “near to realistic architecture and weight”. The M16 is 34″ long and the Mark IV is 35 3/4″ long. Singapore has a National Defense Corps. This is a paramilitary organization that also deals with social and cultural aspects of the lives of their young people. There are about 20,000 young people active in this government sponsored group. The following illustration shows a young man holding one of these dummy drill rifles.

From the paper, Non-Firing Drill and Training Rifles, by By Malcolm MacPherson

Malcolm MacPherson is a retired school teacher who started collecting drill and training rifles over 40 years ago.

A History of Drill and Training Rifles Part 25

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CURRENT PRODUCTION

There are a variety of drill and training rifles being produced today. Most of them have very high detail due to modern production techniques relating to the injection molding of plastic materials.

There is a category called Airsoft Guns. The sport of Airsoft started in Japan in the 1980’s. In Japan it was illegal to own firearms but there was considerable interest in them, so a company started producing spring-powered replicas of firearms that fired 6mm plastic balls. Since that time the Airsoft sport has become popular all over the world. These Airsoft guns are very highly detailed and can cost over a thousand dollars. Although many of these Airsoft guns could be used for training purposes, they fall outside the scope of this study due the fact that they fire a projectile.

Currently there are a number of retail outlets selling non-firing replica firearms. These plastic replicas range from the flintlock era to modern firearms. They are being used in movies, TV and theater productions. There is also some small interest by collectors of specific firearm models. There is no evidence that they are being used for drill or training purposes and therefore are not included in this study.

Parris – 30 The Parris Manufacturing Co. is still producing a drill rifle constructed from wood and metal. These rifles are covered in detail in another section of this study.

DrillAmerica M1 Garand Replica

This drill rifle is manufactured and sold by Glendale Industries. They are located in Northvale, NJ and sell a broad line of parade items. Their web site is www.ParadeStore.com. They have been very generous in sharing information and a quality photograph of the Garand Replica. Their M1 Garand is the only replica drill rifle that is accurately detailed and also weighted to provide the same handling characteristics as the original rifle. Most other drill rifles are much lighter in weight, which greatly changes their handling characteristics. The production of this drill rifle grew out of an expressed need for a high quality Drill or Parade rifle. The first version of this rifle was introduced in 2002 and since that time has been improved based on customers’ suggestions. It is made of a high-impact plastic and can be purchased with either a fixed or a movable bolt mechanism. The parts that replicate the metal parts on the original rifle have the appearance of being chrome plated. Another notable feature of this rifle is that the metal butt plate and the soft rubber pad are reversible for use indoors or outdoors. The rubber butt pad was designed specifically for use on school gym floors to prevent damage. Glendale Industries is the sole distributor of this high quality replica of the M1 Garand. At this time they are producing about 5000 units a year.

Mark 1 Parade rifle

The Mark 1 parade rifle is advertised as a modified version of the Springfield rifle. However, the stock profile and bolt handle shape have the same appearance as the Pattern 17 Enfield rifle. It is only 39 inches long as compared to the 43″ length of the Springfield or the 46″ length of the Enfield. It is made of polystyrene and weighs 3.25 pounds. It can be purchased with a white, brown or black colored stock. The parts that replicate the metal parts on the original rifle have the appearance of being chrome plated. The Mark 1 has no sights or moving parts. It is sold by several retail outlets dealing in parade items.

Red Guns

Red Guns are new category. These are sometimes referred to as “rubber guns” but they are made from various plastic materials. This category include examples of pistols, rifles and shotguns. For the purposes of this study I will only be dealing with rifles. They are such close replicas that they could be easily mistaken for real firearms. To prevent this from happening they are dyed a bright red or blue color. An Australian firm is distributing similar replicas in black color that are nearly impossible to tell from the original firearm. It is uncertain if these would be legal in the United States. The Red Guns are being used for training purposes by the military, ROTC units and Law Enforcement agencies. They offer the same handling characteristics as the real firearm at a small fraction of the cost.

Armament Systems and Procedures, Inc. (ASP, Inc.) is a company that was founded in 1976 by Kevin Thomas Parsons. They are located in Appleton, Wisconsin and produce a wide variety of police and personal defense items as well as the Red and Blue plastic training rifles. These plastic training rifles are made of a patented solid silicon-epoxy resin and have no moving parts. A number of retail outlets are selling Red Guns but it appears that ASP produces all of the Red and Blue Training Rifles. Currently ASP is producing the following training rifle models.

From the paper, Non-Firing Drill and Training Rifles, by By Malcolm MacPherson

The next installment: The last one, Current Production, Continued

A History of Drill and Training Rifles Part 24

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JAPANESE TRAINING RIFLES

Starting in the 1920’s, the Japanese government required all junior and senior high school boys to have two hours a week of military training. Several companies started producing the necessary training rifles for this purpose. Unfortunately most training rifles did not bear markings that identified their origin. These training rifles had no standard design and were often made from older models of military rifles or parts from these rifles. Therefore you will find many variations of the same model. There are known models that used 1888 Mauser, type 99, type 30, and type 38 rifle parts. These training rifles continued to be produced until the late 1930’s. Some of these rifles could not be fired while others would fire wooden bullet blank ammunition. Many of the blank firing rifles were made with smooth bore barrels. Rarely would any of these rifles fire the standard service round. Nearly all of these training rifles could carry bayonets.

Type 38 Arisaka Training Rifle

The type 38 rifle was introduced in 1905 and production continued until the end of WWII. The change from 6.5 mm to 7.7mm ammunition began in 1939. During the 1920’s and 1930’s a number of the Type 38 rifles were converted into training rifles. Some of the Type 38 training rifles were designed to fire a 6.5mm wooden bullet blank cartridge. Others have no chamber in the barrel and were not designed to fire although they have the necessary parts to do so. They have cast iron metal parts and would never withstand the pressure of the service round. All of the training rifles have a smooth bore barrel and a solid tang on the receiver.

The Type 38 type training rifle shown below has a barrel that is loosely threaded into an extension on the front of the cast iron receiver. The barrel is held in alignment by the rear sight base and the smooth bore barrel has no chamber. The firing pin tip is too short to reach the face of the bolt. It is obvious that it was never intended to fire even the blank rounds. Although the parts are well finished they are rather coarse castings, being generally oversize. None of the metal parts have been hardened and there is considerable upsetting on mating parts. There is little evidence of heavy use so the parts must be very soft.

On the right side of the butt stock there is a small metal plate with Japanese writing and it has the number 39 stamped into the surface of the plate. The receiver has no markings other than the number 67 which is stamped into the left side of the receiver just above the wood surface. Overall, this training rifle is in good original condition. I would assume that this rifle saw very little use.

Type 38 Variation

This is an unusual training rifle variation. It has a cast iron receiver with a steel dust cover. I suspect that this specimen was made in the early 1930’s when materials were still plentiful. It is chambered for the 6.5 mm wooden bullet blank and has a smooth bore barrel. It was brought back by a GI following WWII, complete with sling and bayonet.

Japanese training rifle bayonets are basically the same shape as the standard service bayonet. However, they are not heat treated and can be easily bent. They are generally not sharpened and have some rounded edges. Often the grips are held on with wood screws. Then scabbards are nearly service quality but somewhat thinner.

1888 Mauser Training Rifle

This training rifle was based upon an obsolete model 1888 Mauser that had been a military rifle for the Japanese prior to 1900. It has had considerable modification. The barrel sleeve was removed, the magazine cut off and some action parts replaced with crude copies. This Japanese training rifle is made entirely out of wood and is 56 inches long. This is considerable longer than the standard military arm. It is approximately the same length as the Type 99 with a bayonet mounted. Because of this I suspect that this was made late in WWII when steel was very scarce. It has Japanese four characters on the right side of the butt stock. It is said to have been brought home by a US soldier following the WWII.

From the paper, Non-Firing Drill and Training Rifles, by By Malcolm MacPherson

The next installment: Current Production

No Drill Please, We’re British

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Actually, the original title doesn’t have the word “drill” in it…

For those in the American military drill world who have yet to acquaint themselves with military drill and ceremonies outside of the United States of America, allow me to introduce you to Britain’s Air Training Corps Banner Drill Competition. While it may seem odd (as I noted in the comments of the video), the video is an excellent representation of some of Britain’s top Drillers for what Americans call “Color Team” (Color Team = military; Color Guard = marching band). And, while appreciating the effort put forth by these cadets:

Broaden your exposure to drill from other countries, watch this and other videos and study photographs. By incorporating different elements of foreign drill, it can help create a more effective routine.

Competing with “the Best of the Best of the Best”

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There is no way anyone can train an individual or group of individuals to be the “best of the best of the best” and it doesn’t matter what word you use instead of “best.” What does that even mean, anyway?  “He’s really excited and has no clue why we’re here.” Says Will Smith’s character in the original Men in Black movie. It’s an empty statement that has no real meaning. Once you “win,” you have to do it again the next morning. Winning does not mean trophies, winning is inside the individual, inside each team member. Trophies and placements ultimately don’t matter, the road to success never ends- there is no destination.

What is the overly-hyped build-up for? Why is it necessary? Is it some sort of indoctrination into a certain mindset of elitism? I don’t know. But what I do know is that when you put 100% in getting as much training and education that you can and then put that 100% into practicing as much as you can, you have already won; you are already a winner! Do you understand that? You don’t need someone else to tell you; you don’t need a plaque, medal or trophy. You have given it your all and have accomplished something that many admire and many more will not even consider doing.

“May the best man win.”
Competitors lost sight of this decades ago. What did that statement mean? It meant: ‘I’ve been trained and have practiced to the best of my ability with the resources I have.’ Whoever is better as we move to the competition field will win. One will win not because of a hatred for the other, but because competition comes from within; competition with one’s self to do the best he possibly can with the training received and the practice put in to compete at that moment in time. Something to ponder: the competition is held on Day Y and Team A wins. However, it is possible that if the competition were held a day earlier or a day later, the results could be different.

Do you think everyone in the Boston Marathon photo (thanks to Mike Elgan) above set out to win the race? Some did, sure. But the rest of the people running knew their abilities and resources and ran the rest to create a personal best time or just a sense of completion.

If your drill team cannot put in 2 hours of practice every day after school and then go and compete at every single competition within driving distance, then there is no way one should expect anything else. Some teams can only put in 2 hours of practice each week, and that’s OK! Strive to be the best at what you do and how you do it. And stop listening to the hype! A special note here: the World Drill Association is set up to recognize and reward teams and competitors of ALL levels!

Good Sportsmanship
People in our society watch today’s professional sports and look to those in those sports to set a certain standard. That standard does not exist anymore unless, generally speaking, you mean the standards of greed, irresponsibility, illegality, immorality, etc. But that’s personal in nature, what about on the competitive field or court?

Professionally we see, elbows thrust purposefully into unprotected faces, fist fights out of seemingly thin air and other misconduct that does not belong in any athlete’s gym bag.

Being a “good sportsman” means being able to congratulate or even cheer-on a competitor. I’ve judged drill competitions where teams and Drillers don’t talk with each other and I’ve judged competitions where, when a Driller drops a rifle or has a stumble in his routine, the others cheer him on and yell encouragement. That, is being a good sport.

Be motivated, practice, study and learn all that you can. You have access to the greatest knowledge base available and if you have a good instructor or coach, even better!

The Color Guard Every Left On

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How many times has your color team come across a situation where if you entered in reverse order, the team would be correct when finally posted? These pictures may help to illustrate the issue:

In this picture, the team probably entered correctly: single file with the American flag in front, but they had to turn to the right which places the American flag to the left of the formation when it should be to the right. The team would also be in reverse order on exiting.

Here, (notice the carpet says “BRUINS” in both pictures?) the Soldiers enter in reverse order so when they face to the right and then exit, they will be in proper order. Thank you to Nate for this picture.

Click here to read How to Present the Colors at an Event

“A” for effort. I’m sure that both of these teams tried their best to do what they felt was correct, but they missed the mark. When civilians look at men and women in uniform, they see someone who they think knows how to handle our National Emblem in all kinds of situations. All NCOs and POs cannot be subject matter experts in everything, but they should be able to go to a central location and seek advice, this website.

The answer to this situation is a movement called, “Every Left On.” The following is an excerpt fro the book, The Honor Guard Manual.

Every Left On is an alternative entrance for any occasion that does not allow a Colors Turn-on, where you must enter from stage right and then face to the right. Do not stop on the right foot, left steps are easier to execute (so as not to have each team member swing the left foot around the right). Team members face to the right on every left step beginning with the right/lead rifle guard (do not execute a facing movement!). Each team member follows in sequence coming to a halt (or picking up Mark Time, which works best for teams that cannot practice this movement to perfection) ensuring a 4-inch distance between shoulders when halted as shown in the diagram below. (If the team Marks Time, the commander would wait until the whole team is Marking Time and to call halt.)

For The Honor Guard Manual, I also created and foot placement diagram that further explains how to accomplish this movement.

Here is how to implement Every Left On in the above pictured situations: the team should split the carpet into thirds or half lengthwise. The third on the left is used as the team is marching in. The team posts in the center third and then exits using a Colors Turn-Off.

Very good execution of Every Left On by the Joint Color Guard

What about facing movements? facing movements are avoided as much as possible, they are allowed, just usually not accomplished. As long as the American flag is to the right in line formation and in front in column formation before and after the facing movement, you are good.

Commands: The American flag bearer is in charge and calls commands, see the second picture, above, how the lead rifle guard is yelling commands over his shoulder? Not good. Call commands nice and loud to bring attention to the colors.

Cadence: Please oh please oh please stop calling cadence. Cadence calling is only done when absolutely necessary when carrying the colors. Cadence doesn’t sound “cool,” it sounds like you needed more practice. Be as professional as possible and leave cadence calling for training scenarios.

Drill Team Training: Ripple Lines

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Drill team training: Ripple lines (not dominoes, they fall once and that’s it) can be fun and exciting during a drill team’s routine. However…

Please use imagination during the design process! Here are some tips for a ripple line, armed or unarmed.

What is a ripple?

For military drill purposes, it is an action that begins at one point and is then repeated along a line of Drillers to another point or points.

Direction
The direction of the ripple can go left-to-right and then back. That gets really monotonous after several passes.

  1. Left-to-right
  2. Right-to-left
  3. Center-to-end, both directions at the same time
  4. One and and the center to the other end starting at the same time
  5. Both ends to the center

Frequency
Just because it worked well at the beginning of the routine, doesn’t mean you should do it again. Don’t repeat, show more of a vocabulary in the rest of your routine.

Length
You could use the ripple line to take up a huge chunk of your time, but only if you want your audience to start looking at their email on their phone. Keep it brief and interesting.

Tempo
Variation is the key here.

  1. Increasing tempo
  2. Decreasing tempo
  3. Slow (can be less effective)
  4. Fast
  5. Super-fast

How to vary tempo:

  1. Slower: Execute your movement when the Driller next to you finishes their movement
  2. Faster: Execute your movement when the Driller next to you begins their movement
  3. Even faster: Execute your movement when the Driller one or two away from you begins/finishes

Content
Again, variation is the key!

  1. Manual of arms (keep in mind that everyone and their dog has done this)
  2. Integrate body and equipment movement
  3. Use clothing (headgear, glove removal, etc.)
  4. Simple and very fast or difficult and big (with body) can create great “wow!” effects.

Form
A straight line is great, but you can probably think of many more formations for which a ripple line would look great- so do it!

How does one go about teaching a team to perform a ripple?

To begin, use a metronome and go slowly. Use a metronome application on your phone, set it to 2/4 (for a tick-tock, high-low, type of beat) and set a slow tempo around 90 BPM (beats per minute). If you need to set it slower, that is not a problem; make sure that everyone is comfortable with the speed, you can always increase it as everyone improves.

The slower tempo allows everyone to begin on a tick or a tock and ensures a solid timing framework from which you can then increase the tempo. Using the metronome is only for creating timing. It is almost impossible to get the metronome going fast and have everyone follow it. Once the team can build speed into the ripple, leave out the metronome and visually get your cue on when to move.

Once the team can build speed into the ripple, leave out the metronome and visually get your cue on when to move. Here is an example: the person to my right (A) is going to go to Right Shoulder and I (B) am going to repeat it and then the person to my left (C) will do the same in a ripple. When A goes to Port, that is my cue to do the same which is C’s cue to move. We all then finish executing Right Shoulder as slowly or as quickly as needed.

When you want a very fast tempo in your ripple, using the analogy above of executing Right Shoulder, instead of waiting for the person to execute Port, my cue will be A’s initial movement of the rifle.