AF Training

The Purpose of Military Drill and Ceremonies

DrillMasterColor Guard/Color Team, Commentary Leave a Comment

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.

“Every Honor Guard Invents Their Own Standards”

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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 …

AFM 50-14 Cover 53 and 56

The Problems of AFPAM 34-1203

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After the USAF was created as its own uniformed service on September 18, 1947, it went from using Army Regulations to writing and using its own. When it came to drill and ceremonies, the newly created service looked at the Marine Corps and Army drill manuals and chose from what it considered the best from each (most from the MCO). One thing the USAF eventually left out (beginning in approximately the 1970s) was the manual of arms for the rifle. Why? Because the Army and Marine Corps had already accomplished that task and Airmen did not have a daily use for rifles like Soldiers and Marines.

The Harch, Harms, & Hace of AFPAM 34-1203

DrillMasterDrill Team Training, Drill Teams, Instructional 2 Comments

[Formerly AFR 50-14, AFM 50-14, and AFMAN 36-2203] Word pronunciation can be peculiar in the US military. However, if we look at it with logic, we can understand the the application of those possible peculiarities.

Training and the Three Styles of Leadership

DrillMasterColor Guard/Color Team, Commentary, Drill Teams, Instructional 1 Comment

Training Levels. Since I spent my last seven years in the Air Force as a Unit Education and Training Manager (AFSC 3S2), I will use the USAF’s levels. They are applicable to everyone, no matter what task, no matter if you are in the military or not. Our emphasis here is military drill and ceremonies. Featured image from taskandpurpose.com A 3-Skill Level: …

The DrillMaster Reading List

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Over time, I will update this list as needed. For now, educate yourself. Many of the following manuals are the Resources page. Service Drill and Ceremonies Training Circular 3-21.5, Drill and Ceremonies Marine Corps Order 5060.2, Drill and Ceremonies Air Force Manual 36-2203, Drill and Ceremonies Regulation Drill Training (portable lesson plans) DrillMaster’s Color Guard Coach’s Field Manual DrillMaster’s Platoon, …

The “Ownership” Style of Leadership

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There really isn’t a style of leadership called the “Ownership Style”, it is the best way I have found to describe this very bad technique of leading subordinates. It most likely stems from selfishness, insecurity, and fear and it is wrong. Here is how it works. In each one of these pictures, there is at least one thing wrong. This …

Leadership: Parent, Adult, Child

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I am publishing this article to help everyone, but it is specifically for one young man who I have known for a short time. You have a choice when addressing someone in person as to how you sound, what you say and your facial and body expressions. Before we continue: if you come across as a parent to others, especially …

Keep Drilling

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By DrillMaster Guest Writer: C/CSM Daira M. Padilla Charles H. Milby High School JROTC 4th BN It’s 4:00 in the afternoon, drill team practice started at 3:30, “can we get a water break?” asks one of the drill team members. “You sure can…NOT!” states the commander. The Charles H. Milby High School drill teams have an upcoming competition, the goal: …