Andres and Neriah

The 8.5lb Elephant in the Room: Armed Exhibition, Teenage Bodies, and Long-Term Damage

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Armed exhibition drill has been part of military drill for decades. It is exciting, demanding, and when performed well, it shows timing, confidence, coordination, control, and strength. But we need to address the health aspect of an 8.5-pound rifle repeatedly slamming into a teenage body because that is what the activity often rewards. That is the problem. The M1903 rifle, …

The Colors Presentation That Never Happened

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Mrs. DrillMaster and I were stationed at Spangdahlem Air Base from 2009-2011. Her last base before retiring while I was already retired for three years. I joined the Base Honor Guard as an AP3 member and became the trainer for a while. During my tenure there, we fielded one of many color guards, this one for a change of command ceremony in a hangar on the flightline.

Cecilia Ignorant Comment

Severe Ignorance Concerning the Color Guard

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I wrote the article, All About “Color Guard” and “Color Team” (please read it, it will help you understand this article) because of the use of the term “color team” in ceremonial drill and also because some in the military community act arrogantly toward marching band color guards. I never dreamed I would receive such a horrible, insulting comment from a marching band color guard girl in defense of what she thinks she understands.