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 …

Learning by “Word of Mouth”

DrillMasterAsk DrillMaster, Commentary, Drill Teams, Honor Guard, Instructional 4 Comments

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

DrillMasterHonor Guard, Instructional 44 Comments

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 …