The DrillMaster: Filling in the Gaps Cover
The DrillMaster Education and Training System: Drill Team Training- The DrillMaster: Filling in the Gaps
Knowledge is key: educate yourself!
Drill Team Training: Filling in the gaps for the Exhibition Drill books and the Honor Guard Manual. After publishing these books, questions arose that I answered and ideas came to me, all of which I wrote in articles on my website, thedrillmaster.org. This is a collection of all of those educational articles from 2012. Collected and published to help independent Drillers, drill teams and honor guard units who are seeking to constantly improve and increase their knowledge.
This book accompanies Exhibition Drill for the Military Drill Team, Exhibition Drill for the Military Drill Team, Vol II and The Honor Guard Manual.
The Table of Contents
Chapter 1 JUDGING.. 13
The Process of Certification. 14
Becoming a Certified DrillMaster 14
World Drill Association Judge Certification. 14
Regarding Competition. 16
Military Drill Judging. 17
Amazing, Wonderful, Fantastic! 21
Stand Still Laddy! 22
Appreciating Creative Ability. 23
It’s Natural to be Negative. 24
What is Derived Achievement?. 26
The Essence of Judging Military Drill 27
How Drops Affect Scoring. 29
What Happens if you Drop a Rifle During a Drill Team Performance?. 30
What is the “SuperSquad” Competition. 31
Chapter 2 DRILL TEAMS. 33
Thinking Outside the Box. 34
Becoming a Professional Driller 34
Yeah, But He Just Dances. 36
What is a Military Drill Team?. 37
What is “Military Flavor”. 39
Regarding a Driller’s Bearing. 39
Ripple Lines. 41
What is Vocabulary?. 42
How to Expand Your Vocabulary. 43
What is Articulation?. 44
What is Audience Engagement?. 45
Excellence as an Effect 46
Programing, Programing, Programing. 46
Breath Control 48
Why Do We Practice the Way We Do?. 48
Issues to Consider When Designing/Programing a Routine. 50
Does Drill Team Style Matter to Win?. 50
Does Drill Rifle Type Matter?. 51
Learning to Drop. 52
Know What to Say and When to Say it 53
How’s Your Recovery?. 54
Sample Questions for a Drill Competition. 55
Thinking Outside of the Box. 56
Stepping and the Military Drill Team.. 57
The Opening Statement 57
Exhibition Drill Moves. 59
How to Switch Sides During a Column Movement 60
Marching Commands Matrix. 60
Hut, TOOP, THREEP, FOURP. 62
The Let Flank and the Column Left 64
The Column Movement 65
The Army Description (TC 3-21.5) 66
Commander Procedures for Column Movements. 70
The Column Half Left (Right) 73
How to Mark Time Properly. 77
Regulation Drill: What I Would Like to See. 78
Chapter 3 HONOR GUARDS. 83
How to Train an Honor Guard. 84
Sweat the Small Stuff 84
Echo and Silver Taps. 86
The Six-Man Flag Fold. 87
POW/MIA Hat Table Ceremony. 88
Can the POW/MIA Flag be in a Color Guard?. 94
All About the POW/MIA Flag and More. 94
The Fallen First Responder Ceremony. 98
How to Adjust During a Performance. 102
The 3-Volley and 21-Gun Salutes. 103
How to Join a Service Honor Guard. 106
Dispelling Tomb Guard “Facts”. 108
“Stop me if you’ve Heard this one…”. 113
How to Fold a Fringed American Flag. 115
All About the Flag on the Casket 115
Honor Guard Competitions: What I’d Like to See. 117
Chapter 4 COLOR TEAM (GUARD) 119
All About the Flagstaff 120
Joint Service Order 121
The Makeup of a Color Team.. 123
When to use The Ceremonial Pike Pole and Fire Axe. 125
Who is in Charge of a Joint Service Color Team?. 126
Authorized Formations for a Color Team.. 127
Color Team Spacing. 129
Color Bearer Port Arms. 130
Every Left On. 131
To Fringe or not to Fringe, That is the question. 133
The Marines Got it Right! 136
American Indian Sovereign Nation Flag Order 137
Can the POW/MIA Flag be in a Color Team?. 138
What is Color Team Exhibition Drill?. 139
“Unarmed” Colors. 139
“Fancy” Right Shoulder?. 140
Can a color team use rifles with bayonets or even use swords or sabers?. 140
Chapter 5 THE AMERICAN FLAG.. 141
Dipping the American Flag. 142
The American Flag at Half-Staff 143
When National Tragedy Strikes. 147
What to do When the Flag Passes. 148
US and POW/MIA Flags at Half-Staff?. 148
Are state flags flown at half-staff on September 11th?. 149
Chapter 6 MOTIVATIONAL. 151
What I strive For 152
Hard Work, Discipline, Desire and….. 152
Discipline at Practice. 152
Chapter 7 TRAINING.. 155
Learning by Word of Mouth. 156
First Step- and Hot to Step Off 156
The Mechanics of the First Step. 157
How to Half Step Properly. 158
How to Train When Not Practicing. 161
Practice Makes Permanent-Feet 162
Practice Makes Permanent- Knees and Hips. 165
Practice Makes Permanent- Shoulders. 165
Balance. 168
Posture. 169
Muscle Memory. 172
Chapter 8 DRILLFIT. 175
DrillFit: The Wood Chopper Exercise Variation with Rifle. 176
DrillFit: Side Bend with Rifle Exercise. 178
Book Exclusive: Exercises with a Rifle. 180
Chapter 9 GENERAL INFORMATION.. 183
All About Being a Leader 184
New Leader Syndrome. 184
Do You Discourage or Encourage?. 185
Licensing Music For a Performance. 186
The DrillMaster at Nationals. 186
Shoes for the Driller 187
Taps. 189
Competing with the “Best of the Best of the Best”. 189
“May the Best Man Win”. 189
Good Sportsmanship. 190
The Shoulder Cord. 190
How to Write Drill 192
How to Shape a beret 194
The History of the Challenge Coin. 195
Open or Closed Method?. 195
The Four Temperament Types. 196
Taller Tap. 200
“As I Was!”. 201
Roman Drill and Where Some of Our Commands Come From.. 201
A Short History of American Military Drill 202
How to Prepare for a Competition. 203
How to Hold the Rifle While at Either Shoulder 205
Calling Commands. 206
Copy or Version?. 207
The DrillMaster Law Enforcement Education Program (LEEP) 208
Twitter hash Tags for the Military Drill World. 209
What do you Want to be When You Grow Up?. 210
Chapter 10 ASK THE DRILLMASTER. 211
Color Team.. 212
If the Colors are cased would you dip the flag during a salute?. 212
Colors and Spacing. 212
What Makes a Color Team Good?. 213
How Many Flags can a JROTC Color Team Carry?. 214
Can the Army color guard perform in the dark?. 214
Do military color guards use real bayonets?. 215
What side is the American flag and rifles when marching?. 215
What are the AFJROTC regulations for flying flag at half-staff?. 215
What is the size of the staff for an Army color guard?. 215
Does a guidon need a pike if it’s outside?. 215
When on a color team and at Parade Rest, do you lean the flagstaffs forward like a guidon?. 216
Does a service color guard swing their arms while marching?. 216
When is US flag dipped?. 216
Why are the rifles carried on the outside shoulder in a military color guard?. 216
Can a Color Team use pistols?. 216
What are the facing movements a color team (color guard) can make?. 216
When Should One Call Cadence?. 217
Drill Team.. 217
Team Training Difficulties. 217
Are there AFROTC exhibition drill regulations?. 218
What are the JROTC Standards for Earning a Color Guard Shoulder Cord?. 218
The Flank and the Slide. 218
What is the Straight-Leg Marching Technique?. 218
Where Can I Find a Complete List of Exhibition Drill Moves?. 219
Writing Drill 219
Who Makes the Rifles That Drill Teams Use?. 221
Ask the DrillMaster: Instructors for Military Exhibition Drill?. 223
What are the Restrictions on Buying JROTC parade/drill replica 19 03 Rifle?. 223
How can we make our JROTC drill team better?. 224
How do you Instill Esprit de Corps?. 224
Are Drill Team Bayonets Sharp?. 224
Who Manufactures the Mark 1 Parade Rifle?. 225
Can I use an M1 Rifle for Exhibition Drill?. 225
Is it Illegal to use a Bayonet on a Drill Rifle?. 225
Is the Guidon Bearer the Pivot Point?. 225
Are Springfield 1903 demilitarized rifles legal?. 225
What are pivots in marching band?. 225
From India: why is drill necessary in the armed forces?. 226
How do you make a drill team better?. 226
How can I learn the drills for JROTC faster?. 226
Is the Glendale M1903 rifle better than a Daisy Drill Rifle?. 226
How do you Train a CAP Drill Team?. 227
I need “how-tos” for rifle Exhibition Moves. 227
Where can I buy a Daisy Drill Rifle in [insert your town, city or state?] 227
How much trouble can you get in if you drop your gun in drill team?. 227
When stepping off, when do you use your right foot first?. 228
Our Drill Team commander says our rifles weigh 12 pounds. 228
What is the difference between Regulation Drill and Exhibition Drill?. 228
What can one do at Order Arms?. 228
I’m starting a drill team and am in need of some ideas. 229
Exhibition Drill Synch Question. 229
Honor Guard. 230
How do I start an honor guard?. 230
If the American flag is at half-mast where is the state flag?. 230
Why do military honor guard march toe-first?. 230
The number of members in an honor guard can range from?. 231
Is the POW/MIA table required at holiday parties?. 231
When is the POW/MIA table and/or script required in the Navy?. 231
What does the Bible represent on the fallen comrade table?. 231
Sprinkling on the Flag?. 231
The Flag as a Receptacle?. 232
Mounted Flag Questions. 232
What is the Difference Between the Marine Color Guard and Honor Guard?. 232
What are the qualifications for a JROTC honor guard?. 232
How do you sew honor guard aiguillette onto enlisted USAF service coat?. 233
What are the requirements for an Army 15 gun volley at funeral?. 233
What is the AF Honor Guard arm swing?. 233
Do all armed forces stand watch over caskets?. 233
Can Echo (Silver) Taps be played by one person?. 233
Can honor guard members still wear metal taps after service on the honor guard?. 233
How does one call cadence for honor guard?. 234
What are the responsibilities of an honor guard flight leader?. 234
Competition. 234
The WDA Adjudication System.. 234
Competing in Rounds. 234
What’s graded at a drill competition?. 235
What does one need to run a drill meet? 235
exhibition drill, armed drill, drill team, drill meet, drill competition, drill team training, bayonet, M1 Garand, M1903, M14, daisy drill rifle, Glendale DrillAmerica, fancy drill, freestyle drill
A short time ago a student friend of mine sent me a video of his armed solo performance asking for feedback (I give real-time audio feedback on performances of Drillers and teams in the WDA Adjudication System: Overall Effect, Composition Analysis, Marching & Equipment- usually a combined critique of a little from each caption). To preface the video, he told me that the first part, which was about 2 minutes or so, was Regulation Drill (RD)- the manual of arms. After that, he was able to begin his exhibition solo. Having to execute the manual of arms and then moving into your XD routine is fairly common across the US. I noticed somehting very specific that was not a good thing: no change in style from his mandatory RD sequence to his XD sequence. But, why would this be a bad thing?
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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