The Center of a Formation

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Each service recognizes that the center of a color guard with two guards and an even number of color bearers is the space between the two bearers. If the team has an odd number of color bearers, the center is the center color bearer. Simple. For a platoon/flight, there is a little more too it but…

The Argument From AFPAM 34-1203

DrillMasterColor Guard/Color Team, Commentary, Instructional, Judge Training, Regulation Drill 2 Comments

What argument would this be? It’s about using the other two service manuals. It gets a bit complicated, but bear with me as we go through why the AFPAM has so little information and what to do about it. We need to understand that all three drill and ceremonies manuals are lacking in certain aspects and using ones best judgment …

The Why of the Military Color Guard – JROTC and the State Flag

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It is very common to see JROTC color guards carrying their state flag instead of the departmental or organizational flag. The reason behind teams carrying the state flag is that military flags have very specific requirements to be dipped, state flags don’t.

The Military Hand Salute

DrillMasterAsk DrillMaster, Drill Team Training, Drill Teams, Honor Guard, Honor Guard Training, Instructional 11 Comments

This article originally published on Dec 30, 2014 under the title, When in Doubt, Salute! This is the second update and rearrangement of information to help everyone understand this subject better. How to Salute The services have slightly different techniques. One technique is followed by the Army and Air Force. The middle finger is placed on the corner of the …

The Difference Between Mark Time and Half Step

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OK, we know that Mark Time has you marching in place and Half Step has you marching forward at half the size as a normal step. But, there is confusion out there and I see it constantly. Mark Time Service Differences The Army tells us that the foot is brought straight up off the marching surface two inches. The Marine …

Service Drill Teams Attend Annual Training Camps

DrillMasterCommentary, Drill Teams, Honor Guard 6 Comments

Each year around the end of February and the beginning of March, each of the service drill teams (Army, Marines, Navy and Air Force- not sure about the Coast Guard*), leave their duty station and head out to train for about 30 days to work on the upcoming season’s routine. Before the teams leave for training there is a challenge time or, …