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

Dear Dr. Drill,

Recently in my squadron, the point has come up as to where the Flight Commanderss are to be posted at the beginning of the formation as the NCOs are reporting (Element Leaders to the Flight Sergeants, Flight Sergeants to the First Sergeant, First Sergeant to the Cadet Commander, the whole bit). I have seen no provisions for this in the beloved AFM 36-2203 and we were wondering what is supposed to be done for this.

C/Capt COLIN C. CARMELLO, CAP
Bethesda Chevy-Chase Composite Squadron,
MDWG, MER, CAP

Dr Drill Responds

Dear Cadet Carmello,

Dr. Drill has searched his photographic mental database (which contains the latest revision of the AFMAN 36-2203) and, in 0.9 nano-seconds, has returned a response which reads:

Error – no reference found.

Bummer. You're hatin' life. AFMAN 36-2203 can’t answer your question specifically.

But it does suggest the following, in the very first paragraph:

1.1.1. This manual includes most Air Force needs in drill and ceremonies, but it does not cover every situation that may arise. For unusual situations, using good judgment and taking into account the purpose of the movement or procedure can often provide the solution. (See AFR 900-6.)

Which means you're pretty much almost on your own as it pertains to situations not covered in the D&C manual.

Of course, now you're deep in despair.

"But Dr. Drill!" you wail, "There just has to be an answer someplace!"

To which I would say: Sorry, trooper, it appears that the Air Force doesn’t care if your flight commanders have their fingers in their ears, eating the wax, waiting for the sergeants to say, “Hey – SIR! Time for formation… get your pips over here!”

Or, perhaps… this is just a MAYBE here…. Could it be that there’s ANOTHER reference that answers your question? NAAAH! AFMAN 36-2203 is the be-all, end-all of military drill and ceremonies, right?

WRONG.

Have you ever heard of the United States Army? It’s this little band of soldiers that’s been around since 1775, more or less ensuring your freedom along with the other branches of the US Military. They have this little book called the Field Manual 22-5 (FM 22-5 for short). This manual is the Army Drill and Ceremonies reference, and it’s about twice as thick as the Air Force Manual. In fact, the AFMAN 36-2203 is derived FROM the FM 22-5. Take a look at it online at it here.  It’s pretty good readin’.

So, as it says in AFMAN 36-2203, para 1.1.1, you have to exercise good judgement, why not let our buddies over at the US Army exercise it for us? I mean, after all, they went to the time and expense of writing this great manual, we might as well get a little of our tax dollars back, huh?

To answer your very good question about where officers should stand when NCOs are assembling a formation, let me define a few terms for you, and we’ll dispatch that question of yours with CadetStuff efficiency. Ready?  Here we go…

The Army calls an Element a SQUAD
The Army calls a Flight a PLATOON
The Army calls a Squadron a COMPANY
The Army calls a Group a BATTALION
The Army calls a Wing a BRIGADE
The Army calls an Airplane an INFERNAL CONTRAPTION
The Army calls your sister -

Let's leave that last one alone, shall we? Dr. Drill doesn't want to burn any bridges just before prom season...

Now that you’re fluent in the Army’s lingo, we can refer to FM 22-5, Section 7-3, d… and I quote (CAUTION – ARMY SPEAK AHEAD)….

d. The company may be formed by the first sergeant (platoon sergeants) or by the company commander (platoon leaders). When possible, the platoons assemble near the formation site before the arrival of the first sergeant or company commander. If the company is formed by the noncommissioned officers, the platoon leaders normally observe the procedures from a position to the rear of their platoons.

And you thought the army was low-crawling the whole time!!  Oh, how wrong you were! Oh, and don’t worry… Dr. Drill will not try to describe the screwy language of the US Navy without adult supervision and parental controls…. That language gets REALLY weird.

Let’s get back to that formation thingy again. Many believe that officers should stand off to the side of the formation while NCOs do the forming and reporting. Continuing, officers should march on together from the respective sides of the formation, pause, and all face to the front together. Just curious – where’d you all hear that? I’m not sure I’ve seen it written anywhere. Why not insert a couple of side-straddle hops (military jumping jacks) while you’re at it?

This is yet another case of what Dr. Drill calls, “Vigilante Drill.” The book doesn’t say how it’s done, so we’ll make up our own way that looks pretty cool and is usually extremely cumbersome. Wrong answer. (I can just see the three red Xs on the screen a-la Family Feud, can’t you?) Remember, drill and ceremonies are supposed to look sharp and crisp and military… but they’re also supposed to be relatively simple! Getting a group of people to execute a maneuver together in an EFFICIENT manner! Keep that in mind, and you’ll be all set!

I’ve saved this final point for last, because I feel it is the most important. All kidding aside – this is serious!

Have you ever had a question about drill and ceremonies and brought it to your squadron commander? Then you were unsatisfied with his or her answer, so you asked Dr. Drill…. And when Dr. Drill came up with something different, you went back to your commander and said, “Sir, you’re WRONG ‘cause Dr. Drill said THIS!”

CAUTION… WARNING… WHOOP, WHOOP – PULL UP!

What we've got here is a failure to communicate - tactfully!  Dr. Drill is not to be used as a blunt instrument to reshape the pointy heads of your superiors. Dr. Drill has made an extensive study of the Drill Manual and knows some people who know some things, but he's not the Final Authority on what happens at your squadron. That Final Authority is? That's right, kids! Your SQUADRON COMMANDER.

So, here's what you do: if you find that Dr. Drill tells you something different (Editor's note: Or Drill for Dummies, etc.), then what you should do is get some reference materials, prepare your arguments and PowerPoint presentation so that a 3 year-old could understand it (We are talking about squadron commanders here!) and go to the Old Man and say, "Sir, I've been doing some research on that. Can I show you what I found?" Then, if your commander insists that you should still do it wrong: Drive on, trooper! After all, you're the one holding the cold stethoscope at your squadron, not Dr. Drill!

Until next time, sports fans…

Dr. Drill