You can submit your questions to Dr. Drill via e-mail to : DrDrill@CadetStuff.org.

Dr. Drill,

Besides the 7 basic responses and "Hooah," what is the proper way to give the cadets in my flight the ability to speak freely or to explain themselves while in formation?

C/MSgt. Derby
Flight Sergeant
NCR-NE-019

Dr. Drill responds

Thanks for the question!

I'm not sure I know how to answer, mostly because I'm not sure what you're asking. The 7 what? Hooah? Ability to speak? Wha..?

If your Cadets lack the ability to speak, then I suggest the following: the next time you have an overnight activity, steal hairs from their combs and have their DNA sequenced. You might find their inability to speak is because they're actually a group of shaved apes who have escaped from a zoo and donned uniforms to try to blend in.

But let's assume for the sake of argument that they're humans...

Okay, back to the 7 Deadly Sins (or whatever). I'm not sure where these came from, I've never seen them in any drill manual I've gone through (and this is a forum for drill questions), so what gives? Why would you want to limit what your Cadets can say in response to a question? If the question needs only a yes or no answer, then that should be all you get. Otherwise, huh?

I'm going to assume one of these is 'No excuse, sir". But why would that even be a standard response? Let's say Cadet Snuffy forgot his flight cap. You say, "Snuffy! Why did you forget your flight cap?" and, since there's really no good reason for him to forget it, you expect him to answer "No excuse, sir". But, since you already know you don't care about his answer and you don't want him to give you an acceptable answer, then why even ask a question? Why not just say, "Snuffy! You leave your cover at home again and I'll have you wearing a newspaper hat all night!"

But enough of that nonsense...

"Hooah"? Are you guys running an Army program out there? I gathered you were a CAP unit. Shouldn't you guys be saying "Air Power!"?

Just curious, there...

So, I'm gathering that the real question is how can you allow your Cadets to speak freely when in formation.

I can almost hear it now.

You: "Day and night, night and day! Work my fingers to the bone, and for what?"
Cadet Snuffy: "I don't..."
You: "Shut UP! Now when i ask you a question you keep your trap shut! Do you think i'm talking just to hear myself talk? ANSWER ME!"

Two answers here, but you're probably not going to like either of them.

The first answer is to point out that even though silence is required when at attention, when you ask a question or open a dialogue with someone in a formation, that serves as an implied consent to speak in response. So, when you talk to Cadet Snuffy, he's supposed to talk to you.

The second, of course, is to put your people at the position of Rest, and they'll be able to talk all they want. And, I'm guessing, more than you want.

Running off at the mouth, I remain,

Dr. Drill