The Difference Between Training, Practice, and Rehearsal

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It may seem strange, even silly, to define practice, training and rehearsal down to the “nth” degree. Always remember, “Education is key!” Note: there are JROTC units that do not have the luxury of an experienced drill coach. Many JROTC instructors have never marched much past their Basic Training or Boot Camp days and that’s OK. Our military jobs came first …

US Military Service Drill and Ceremonies Manuals

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  US Military Service Drill and Ceremonies Manuals These are the manuals you need to know front-to-back, back-to-front, inside and out. While some may think this information boring, as someone affiliated with a marching program (cadet, military member, first responder, etc.), these manuals are the foundation of what you do and it is a MUST that you read your service’s …

The Column Movement For Each Service

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Here is the column movement: The picture below shows the steps as I count them: without pivots. See your service manual for specifics, but you get the idea from this which is much easier to digest: pivots are pivots and steps are steps. This would apply to the Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard. This applies to the …

Learning by “Word of Mouth”

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This year’s seniors were taught by last year’s seniors who were taught by the previous year’s seniors, etc., etc., etc. This is common in high schools across the country- unfortunately. No one reads the manual and the idea creeps in that we do it this way, meaning that at our school, we do “XYZ” like this. Where “XYZ” could be …

Kentucky’s Junior Guard Program

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If you are a member of the military drill world then you have most likely heard of JROTC (Junior Reserve Officer Training Program) which is in hundreds of high schools across the nation; ROTC, the senior program that is in hundreds of colleges and universities, is the senior partner. Each branch of the military has an ROTC program: Army, Marines, …

The POW/MIA Table Ceremony

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Prisoner of War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA)Remembrance Ceremony Information Related: The Fallen First Responder Ceremony Use this article as a training guide for an indoor POW/MIA Ceremony. NOTE: The POW/MIA Ceremony setup and ceremony proper are NOT different for any service or organization, what you read below is it. There is no such thing as “POW/MIA USMC Regulations”* or POW/MIA Army Ceremony”. …

Routine Design Considerations

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Issues to consider when designing/programing a routine. The Routine Marching Surface- hard (asphalt or cement) or soft (some gymnasium floors and grass)- does the routine rely on taps on the shoes or butt slams? Location of performance area: The direction you will be facing (into the sun?). Audience location- near or far? Audience safety may be an issue as well …