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Under arms deodorant...

Dr. Drill

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

Dear Dr. Drill,

I have been looking for an Air Force Manual of Arms, but have had no success. I have noticed that you are good at finding things like this (even for Marines like that LCPL). So could you please help me out?

Sincerely,

C/SSGT Andrew Albertson
Civil Air Patrol
Cleveland Composite Squadron
TNWING

Dr. Drill Responds


Dear Andrew,

Prepare yourself as Dr. Drill wields the Cold Stethescope of Righteous Indignation and repeat after me: "Yes, Dr. Drill: I will read the AFMAN 36-2203 Air Force Drill and Ceremonies Manual!

This is something that you would have encountered very quickly during a thorough review of the drill manual. The answer is in the first chapter of the drill manual. It is, in fact, on the first page of the drill manul. To be brutally honest, it's the second paragraph of the drill manual:

1.1.2. Units or organizations required to drill under arms will use the procedures in US Army Field Manual 22-5, SECNAV 5060.22, or USAF Academy Cadet Wing Manual 50-5. The types of weapon used will determine the appropriate manual.

However, Dr. Drill is going to give you the benefit of the doubt on this one, because the correct terminology for the type of drill that includes a manual of arms is drill under arms. This may be a simple misunderstanding caused by unfamiliar jargon; but now that you know the jargon, make sure you use it wisely and pass it along.

So, you see there is no Manual of Arms for the Air Force. The Air Force has wisely decided to avoid reinventing the wheel and would like you to use the others listed, where appropriate.

Good luck!

Dr. Drill

Caution: Dr. Drill isn't always one hundred percent serious. Please activate your Joke Detectors. And don't call us when you find yourself explaining to a membership termination board why you used a staple gun to keep a cadet's hands at his sides during "To The Rear, March". All we're going to say on your behalf is "Duh!"

And if you find yourself on the bad end of a serious counseling because you decided to go toe-to-toe with your squadron commander over the position of the guide during a squadron-in-mass formation or something similarly trivial, well, we're just going to point, laugh and call you names!

Dr. Drill welcomes comments and corrections. Nothing herein is to be construed as official policy unless quoted from an up-to-date regulation or manual and 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 and knows some people who know some things, but he's not the Final Authority on what happens at your unit. That Final Authority is? That's right, kids! Your UNIT COMMANDER.

Readers who choose to hardcopy this document are entitled to specific rights, namely: you may print this off and read it repeatedly until you have memorized it and then rattle it off as if you had thought it up yourself; but if anyone asks you - or if you have to actually pull this printed copy out of your pocket to read from - then you are required under Law (Jude Law, that is. Y'know, the English guy in "Gattica"?) to say, "This was on CadetStuff.org and I stole it like it ain't no thang!" and then do the River Dance.