Nothing Beats the Feeling of a Job Well Done
May 10, 2013 in Commentary, Drill Team Training, DrillMotivation
Nothing Beats the Feeling of a Job Well Done

A Job Well Done
May 10, 2013 in Commentary, Drill Team Training, DrillMotivation
Nothing Beats the Feeling of a Job Well Done

A Job Well Done
May 10, 2013 in Commentary, Drill Team Training, Drill Teams, DrillMaster Products

Continuing Education for the WDA Visual Adjudicator Cover
The DrillMaster Education and Training System: Drill Team Judge Training- Continuing Education for the WDA Visual Adjudicator
DrillMaster’s third book for the military drill world. The World Drill Association aims to train the Driller and the judge offering intense training in this modern adjudication system that offers true and accurate ranking, rating and feedback for competitors, improving the competition experience for all involved. This book is an adaptation for the WDA of four papers written for Winter Guard International and Drum Corps International: So, You Want to be a Judge (Shirlee Whitcombe) and, The Process of Assigning Scores; The Principle and Process of Achievement; and lastly, Accountability (George Oliviero). It also contains home studies for each caption. Shirlee and George have been my judge mentors for many years now.
Click here to learn more about the WDA Adjudication (Judging) System.
The Table of Contents
THE PRIMER: SO, YOU WANT TO BE A JUDGE. 7
Forward. 8
THE EVOLUTION OF THE SCORING SYSTEM.. 9
OVERALL EFFECT (OE) 10
COMPOSITION ANALYSIS (CA) 10
MOVEMENT/MARCHING (MV/MA) 11
EQUIPMENT (EQ) 11
THE JOB AND THE DUTIES OF THE JUDGE. 12
STEPS TO BECOME A JUDGE. 13
OVERALL EFFECT. 17
COMPOSITION ANALYSIS. 17
INDIVIDUAL ANALYSIS: EQUIPMENT AND MOVEMENT/MARCHING.. 19
ASSESSING YOUR BACKGROUND AND INTEREST RELATIVE TO JOB OPPORTUNITIES. 19
YOUR TRAINING PROGRAM TIME LINE INVOLVED. 20
HOME STUDY COURSES & COMPUTER-BASED TRAINING.. 20
THE JUDGE AND THE LOCAL ASSOCIATION.. 21
SUCCESS: COMMUNICATION SKILLS & UNDERSTANDING PEOPLE. 21
THE RECOGNITION PROCESS. 24
APPLYING YOUR SKILLS IN FULL COMMENTARY: 28
RECORD KEEPING.. 33
PROFESSIONALISM.. 34
FRIENDSHIPS, PERCEPTION AND OTHER OUTSIDE INFLUENCES. 35
ETHICS, AFFILIATION, PERCEPTION.. 36
HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE CONTEST EXPERIENCE. 38
THE CRITIQUE. 40
PROBLEM SOLVING AND GETTING HELP. 43
PAPER I: THE PROCESS OF ASSIGNING SCORES. 45
Numbers Management. 46
THE FIRST PRINCIPLE OF SCORING: 47
THE SECOND PRINCIPLE OF SCORING: 50
THE THIRD PRINCIPLE OF SCORING: 54
THE FOURTH PRINCIPLE OF SCORING: 55
THE FIFTH PRINCIPLE OF SCORING: 58
PAPER II: ACCOUNTABILITY. 69
JUDGE ACCOUNTABILITY. 70
THE SCORE SHEET. 70
THE SYSTEM.. 71
INTERNAL. 71
OTHER JUDGES. 72
PAPER III: THE PRINCIPLE AND PROCESS OF ACHIEVEMENT. 75
THE VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF ACHIEVEMENT. 79
CHARTING THE DELINEATED SCALES. 81
THE “WHAT”. 82
THE “HOW”. 83
ACHIEVEMENT. 84
VARIATIONS OF ACHIEVEMENT. 85
WHEN THE “WHAT” EQUALS THE “HOW”. 87
THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTENT TO ACHIEVEMENT. 88
READABILITY. 89
SUBSTANTIVE CONTENT AND READABILITY. 90
UNEQUAL “WHAT” AND “HOW”. 91
CONCLUSION.. 93
WORLD DRILL ASSOCIATION HOME STUDIES. 94
OVERALL EFFECT HOME STUDY. 94
COMPOSITION ANALYSIS HOME STUDY. 100
Individual Analysis- Equipment Home Study. 106
Individual Analysis- Movement Home Study 112
how to judge a drill meet, judging a drill meet, drill meet, drill competition, drill team, drill team training, regulation drill, exhibition drill, color guard, color team, fancy drill, precision drill, The DrillMaster Education and Training System, freestyle drill
May 10, 2013 in Drill Team Training, Drill Teams, DrillMaster Products

The only System for Judging all Types of Military Drill: World Drill Association Manual and Rule Book
The DrillMaster Education and Training System: The World Drill Association Adjudication Manual
The definitive manual on judging and running the modern drill competition (civilian, JROTC, ROTC and service Honor Guards) at all levels. Taking you through the modern judging process, the reader is exposed to the world of judging pageantry arts in the four visual captions. A must for all Drillers, instructors and judges.
Learn what a score actually means! The WDA Adjudication Manual groups scores into “boxes” and gives you a description for each box! If you have marching experience, build on it so that you know how to rank and rate performances.
Click here to learn more about the WDA Adjudication (Judging) System.
The Table of Contents
WDA HISTORY. 11
WDA JUNIOR CLASS. 12
WDA A-CLASS. 13
WDA OPEN CLASS. 13
WDA WORLD CLASS. 13
WDA CEREMONIAL CLASS. 13
PERFORMANCE RULES. 14
COMPETITION ELEMENTS. 23
LOCAL, STATE, REGIONAL (of the US & other COUNTRIES) & WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS. 25
Spiel/Info Sheet. 27
SECTION I: ADJUDICATION MANUAL: GENERAL INFORMATION.. 28
INTRODUCTION.. 28
PHILOSOPHIES. 31
A GUIDE TO JUDGING THE WDA CLASSES. 35
A GUIDE TO JUDGING WDA JUNIOR CLASS. 35
A GUIDE TO JUDGING WDA A-CLASS. 35
A GUIDE TO JUDGING WDA OPEN CLASS. 36
A GUIDE TO JUDGING WDA WORLD CLASS. 36
A GUIDE TO JUDGING WDA CEREMONIAL CLASS. 37
INSTRUCTOR/COACH CODE OF CONDUCT. 37
JUDGE’S CODE OF ETHICS. 37
JUDGES’ GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS. 38
APPLICATION OF THE CRITERIA REFERENCE SYSTEM.. 49
DERIVED ACHIEVEMENT. 54
THE WDA JUDGING SYSTEM.. 54
SCORING OBSERVATIONS. 56
CRITIQUES. 56
INSTRUCTOR RECOURSE AT COMPETITIONS. 56
INSTRUCTOR’S EVALUATION FORM.. 58
A GUIDE TO TIMING AND PENALTIES JUDGING.. 59
Section II: ADJUDICATION MANUAL: EXHIBITION DRILL. 61
OVERALL EFFECT RUBRICS AND PERFORMANCE CRITERIA. 62
JUDGING JUNIOR CLASS OVERALL EFFECT. 69
JUDGING A-CLASS OVERALL EFFECT. 72
JUDGING OPEN CLASS OVERALL EFFECT. 75
JUDGING WORLD CLASS OVERALL EFFECT. 78
COMPOSITION ANALYSIS RUBRICS AND PERFORMANCE CRITERIA. 82
JUDGING JUNIOR CLASS COMPOSITION ANALYSIS. 87
JUDGING A-CLASS COMPOSITION ANALYSIS. 91
JUDGING OPEN CLASS COMPOSITION ANALYSIS. 95
JUDGING WORLD CLASS COMPOSITION ANALYSIS. 100
EQUIPMENT AND MOVEMENT RUBRICS AND PERFORMANCE CRITERIA. 104
EQUIPMENT & MOVEMENT RUBRICS AND PERFORMANCE CRITERIA. 115
JUDGING JUNIOR CLASS EQUIPMENT & MOVEMENT. 125
JUDGING A-CLASS EQUIPMENT & MOVEMENT. 128
JUDGING OPEN CLASS EQUIPMENT & MOVEMENT. 131
JUDGING WORLD CLASS EQUIPMENT & MOVEMENT. 135
Section III: ADJUDICATION MANUAL: REGULATION DRILL. 139
A GUIDE TO JUDGING REGULATION DRILL. 139
INSPECTION.. 141
TEAM REGULATION SEQUENCES. 142
COLOR GUARD REGULATION SEQUENCES. 147
EMERGENCY SERVICE HONOR GUARDS. 153
ALL REGULATION DRILL RUBRICS AND PERFORMANCE CRITERIA. 156
JUDGING REGULATION DRILL: OVERALL EFFECT RUBRICS. 156
JUDGING REGULATION DRILL: COMPOSITION ANALYSIS RUBRICS. 162
JUDGING REGULATION DRILL: EQUIPMENT RUBRICS. 169
JUDGING REGULATION DRILL: MOVEMENT RUBRICS. 178
CEREMONIAL CLASS RUBRIC. 188
CEREMONIAL CLASS INFORMATION.. 190
ADJUDICATION SHEETS. 191
ADJUDICATION: EXHIBITION DRILL. 192
ADJUDICATION: REGULATION DRILL. 202
ADJUDICATION: REGULATION DRILL: COLOR GUARD. 214
ADJUDICATION: CEREMONIAL CLASS MOCK FUNERAL. 218
ADJUDICATION: INSPECTION.. 220
TABULATION SHEETS: COMPETITION SUMMARIES. 222
ADJUDICATION: TOTE SHEETS. 228
how to judge a drill meet, judging a drill meet, drill competition, drill team, drill team training, regulation drill, exhibition drill, color guard, color team, fancy drill, precision drill, The DrillMaster Education and Training System, freestyle drill
May 10, 2013 in Commentary, Drill Team Training, Drill Teams

NYDC, the New York Drill Competition 2010
What do judges look for in a military drill team performance?
I get this question quite often. Here is the answer: it doesn’t matter “what the judge is looking for,” it matters what the standard is. I put that in quotes, because obviously, a judge is going to be looking for something, but what that something is has nothing to do with the judge, it has everything to do with the standard.
Regulation Drill (RD)
In RD, the standard is already written out for us: each service has a drill and ceremonies manual that explains what we need to know. However, as I’ve said before, the D&C manuals do not go into great detail, because they don’t need to. Drill in the military is only for moving troops from Point A to Point B, except in certain circumstances (military parades, honor guard, etc.).
Exhibition Drill (XD)
In XD, we don’t have anything provided by the military services; there is no military manual. There is guidance, however! My books are the only published resources available, taking you from building a solid educational foundation to creating effective routines and then even how to judge performances with this judging based on visual adjudication.
So, the judges do “look for something,” and unless the competition uses the World Drill Association Adjudication System, you don’t know what that is because of the sheer subjectivity of each untrained judge. What’s the answer then? Your instructors, coaches and drill team(s) should study and become knowledgeable of what The DrillMaster Education System has to offer. Make this part of your drill team’s curriculum, ingrain the information so that whatever you do, whatever judge you’re in front of, you KNOW that you’ve done all you can in educating and training yourself and your teammates.
What do judges look for in a military drill team performance, drill team, exhibition drill, regulation drill, color guard, color team, fancy drill, freestyle drill
May 8, 2013 in Commentary, Honor Guard, Honor Guard Training, Instructional
Why Color Teams Should March Shoulder-to-Shoulder and Tuck their Colors

Honor Guard Training Drill Poster- Color Teams
March 26, 2013 in DrillMaster Recommends, Review
I received such a great question that it spurred me into creating a new tag (DrillMaster Recommends) and writing this article. Thank you, Mr. Villanueva!
Question: I’m looking at updating our PD’s flags. Our new Honor Guard would like to purchase an American flag a Texas flag, poles for each and bases. What do you recommend?
For a non-military color team, you could use just about any combination of flagstaffs, ornaments and colors. However, non-military honor guard units are still military-type units and most often follow some sort of military guidance and usually that is the Army’s drill and ceremonies manual, Training Circular (TC) 3-21.5 which was Field Manual (FM) 3-21.5 which was FM 22-5. As far as colors go, nothing has changes from manual to manual. However, I encourage honor guard units to follow the honor guard methods of the military which have been designed and refined to provide the best look, best techniques with a minimum of wear and tear on the body. The Honor Guard Manual is the only complete guide for honor guards available today.
So, here is what I recommend:
Rifle: Either the black or chrome DrillAmerica M1903 Replica and here is why: Which Drill Rifle is Better?
Flagstaff and color (flag): Proper standard ceremonial colors are 4′ 4″ x 5.5′ on 9′ 6″ light ash 2-piece guidon flagstaffs with the Army Spear/Spade ornament. When working in smaller areas (crowded ballroom, for instance), 3′ x 5′ colors on 7′ 9″ or 8′ 5″ flagstaffs is permissible. For complete information, please read All About the Flagstaff then Flagstaff Ornaments, All About Flag Sizes and whether or not your colors should have fringe. Finally, read How to Properly Mount a Flag on a Flagstaff. Flagstaffs other than described above (i.e. aluminum) are not authorized in the military and that goes for JROTC as well. The only exception to that is Army female cadets may use the aluminum flagstaffs.
Color Bearer Harness: The most professional harness, what I’ve used for years and what the presidential service honor guard color teams use, is the black clarino (high gloss) or white leather harness with either chrome or gold-colored hardware just looks superior. Match the hardware color with the uniform accents and the hardware on the flagstaffs for a complete look.
Stands: My first choice is the Military Floor Stand. Thanks to my working with Wendy Lazar, the founder and previous owner of Glendale Industries (www.paradestore.com), this stand is offered without the extra hardware which holds 2 more flags. My second choice would be the cast iron Admiral Floor Stand which comes with a small plastic sleeve to support a guidon flagstaff’s ferrule or you could also use these Floor Stand Adapters and even use these carrying cases.
Covers: Flagstaff covers the military uses are these Canvas Covers. However, the canvas is relatively lightweight and can easily wear or get a hole in it from a misplaced Army Spear. The nylon cover* is more durable or you could use this airline carrying case for each of your flagstaffs. There are these carrying cases as well.
*Military color teams do not execute the case/uncase sequence during ceremonies except on very rare occasions. JROTC color teams do perform these tasks as part of a competition. The nylon cover is not authorized for competition. Colors are uncased before a ceremony 99.9% of the time.
Equipment links take you directly to my favorite online military equipment supply company, paradestore.com pages.
March 7, 2013 in Ask DrillMaster, Honor Guard, Instructional
A flag does not have fringe and is flown from a stationary or mounted pole. A color has fringe and is what a color team carries and presents or posts.
Flag Size Information
The sizes in bold are always carried with a 7’ 9” or 8’ 5” (never mix heights) flagstaff and the blue-bold sizes are carried with a 9′ 6″ flagstaff. These are the only two sizes a military or military-type honor guard/color team should have.
Now read up on Nomenclature of the American Flag, All About the Flagstaff, Flagstaff Ornaments, The Only Time the Spread Eagle is Used, How to Properly Mount a Flag on a Flagstaff, To Fringe or not to Fringe, that is the Question,
February 4, 2013 in Ask DrillMaster, Commentary
I received this question: How and why does a military color guard and marching band color guard differ?
My answer: This is a great question and one that I’ve dealt with for several years since I have been a judge for marching bands, winter guards and military drill teams/color guards. So here is a detailed explanation and a little history.
Marching Band Color Guard History
Purdue University put the first marching band on a football field and created a “Block P” in 1907. All bands began as military units and then developed into ceremonial units and other types of bands (brass, parade, etc.). High schools eventually created their own marching bands and, from what I can gather, the color guard became part of the marching band’s show in the late 1940s and 1950s. Preceding the color guard came majorettes, baton twirlers and pompom girls. Picture courtesy syracuse.com
When veterans returned after WWII, they began local marching bands and drum and bugle corps (eventually creating DCI in 1970). Most often, the girls went into the color guard and carried the American flag, state or organizational flag and had two rifle guards. Most of these rifles were made of solid wood and were replica’s of the M1 Garand which made its debut in WWII. The DrillMaster iDrill M1 Rifle is an example. High schools probably mirrored what was happening at this point. marching band color guards had only one place to go for information on the flag: US Army and Field Manual 22-5, Drill and Ceremonies*. 22-5 was the only manual available anyone in the military or in the civilian world to explain how to carry a flag in a color guard**.
The responsibilities were few for the marching band color guard on the football field and in parades: carry the American flag guarded by two rifles guards and present the colors at some point in the performance. That was it. Then someone had a bright idea: put more girls on the field with generic flags and have them all dip when the Anthem is played. The color guards marched with their bands all marching the 6 to 5 step (“Chair Step,” 6 steps to 5 yards). Lines were straight and drill was symmetrical! Flag movement was, present to the front and left/right sides; plus other vertical and horizontal movements.
Dance and WHAT?
Carving: when a piece of equipment (now there’s 3: flag, rifle and saber) is fluidly moved through the air, carving out shapes. Straight lines and angles all but disappear. Plus, now the girls in the color guard are learning and performing dance moves that are layered underneath equipment work.Military uniforms gave way to more dance-oriented clothing.
The same goes with the drill the band marches: for many bands, 6 to 5 now becomes 8 to 5 creating a much more smooth, gliding step and the formations are becoming asymmetrical at times with curves and various other shapes.
It’s Concert Season, but what do we do?
When football season is over, so is marching season for the marching band. Now the band moves indoors and concentrates on putting on concerts for the winter. But what does the color guard do? It used to be that the girls would do homework until the next semester. Enter Winter Guard International (WGI). In 1977 some people associated with DCI wanted to keep and build on the skills of the color guard’s girls- and eventually guys, and created a winter program that culminates in April.
The Military Color Guard/Color Team
It has been decades since the first military color team was first marching down American streets or in military parades and not much has changed except some adjustments in movements for timing.
“Color Team” better defines a military units that carries the colors and helps separate it from the marching band-type color guard.
Conclusion
It all began with the military color guard and evolved from there, but in pretty much one direction only: the marching band color guard. Military color teams stayed the same, as we would expect.
Color Guard:
Color Team:
*FM 22-5 is now Training Circular 3-22.5.
**For the marching band and winter guard world these to words are sometimes put together: colorguard. The same for winterguard.
January 31, 2013 in Honor Guard, Instructional
Q: Why do some military color guard flags have different things at the top of the pole?
A: This is a great question! And here is the answer:
Military
Each service has specific requirements, whether service members know it or not. All services are required to use the 2-part light ash (wood) guidon flagstaff in three heights: 7′ for a guidon, and 7’ 9” or 8’ 5” for colors. Read, All about the Flagstaff for more info.
The ornament is also a requirement: all services must use the spear, more commonly called the Army Spade except for the Navy and the Coast Guard. NTP 13 (see Downloads) states that all color teams (guards) must use the (gold) battalion lance or the more common name, battle-ax. There are other situations where the ornament is changed due to the rank of the officer/official who is on board a Navy vessel. The Army Spade comes in gold (Army and Marines) and silver (AF and, when in joint service situations, Navy and CG).
“Civilian”
I put that in quotes, because firefighters, law enforcement officers and emergency medical service personnel are not in the military, but they are no necessarily 100% civilian either. The only standard that “civilian” color guards should follow is the US Army’s guidance.
A color team never carries a “spread eagle” ornament. This ornament is for mounted and ‘permanently posted flags only.
by DrillMaster
DrillMaster at Daytona Nationals 2013
May 11, 2013 in Commentary, Drill Teams
National High School Drill Team Championships 2013
The National High School Drill Team Championships were a big hit yet again! Drillers and teams from all over the country, Guam and Hawaii came to showoff their skills. Some teams left with trophies, others left with great pride in knowing they had done their best.
The picture at left is of me having a long and very good discussion about everything under the sun with a drill team coach. We will be working together in the future in honor guard and drill team endeavors.
Daytona Nationals 2013 DrillMaster Fans
The two gentlemen in the picture at right (C/Lt Cdr Jacob Lindsey and C/Lt JG Tevion Gray) are from St Louis, Missouri and attend the Cleveland Jr. Naval Academy. What’s remarkable about these two fine cadets is that they are on their school’s drill team and the team was not doing very well at competitions, this is until they bought Exhibition Drill for the Military Drill Team- both volumes. Interestingly, once they read both of my books, according to Cadet Lindsey, they began to have a better understanding as to what exhibition drill was about and the team began to sweep all of their drill meets in SY12/13! Yes, they swept the drill meets. As I constantly say, education is key- and this proves my point!
John Jay High School AFJROTC
Now owns a copy of each one of my books that I had available at my table, all except The DrillMaster: Filling in the Gaps, because I had just published it on the Friday before. MSgt Harwell, stopped by after Step II had a good rehearsal and purchased the books. I had the distinct opportunity to pray for my brother in Christ and I pray that he finds joy and contentment as he moves on in life.
I’m looking forward to seeing you all next year at competitions around the country and then in Daytona!
National High School Drill Team Championships, exhibition drill, fancy drill, freestyle drill, regulation drill, color guard, color team, john jay high school, afjrotc, njrotc, mcjtrotc, ajrotc, drill competition, drill meet
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