CadetStuff.org:

the independent cadet program resource


Copyright © 2001-2008 CadetStuff.org.
May be copied as-is for Cadet training purposes with specific prior permission and appropriate citation. All other rights reserved.

Tell it to the Marines!

Dr. Drill

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

Dear Dr. Drill,

Here are some questions for you, Dr. Drill, regarding our company formations (typically used for promotions and awards, not marching).

--What if I don't want to dismiss the company (company commander's question)? More specifically, once in a company formation, what is the proper procedure for falling out to work sections?

--How about for falling out to congratulate recognized/promoted Marines in an orderly fashion?

--What guidance is there for compressed areas, where it is not possible to stand the allocated number of paces from the front and center of the company?

--Is there any guidance as to holding a mass company formation under circumstances in which one subordinate unit's numbers are so depleted that a proper platoon formation is untenable? For example, there are three platoons in our company, often each platoon has no more than 5 Marines, including the PltSgt. Is it better to have the company online, such as for a squadron/battalion formation, or keep the platoons distinct?

--For the platoon commanders: When they take their posts in front of their platoons, do they go around the right side of their platoons, and then, when posting the pltsgts again, when facing the Marines, go to the right again, or back to the left where they came from?

I'd appreciate your help on these minor questions, a simple e-mail will do. Thanks!

S/F

1stLt M. J. Butler

Dr. Drill Responds:

Hello, Lieutenant!

An email? Nah. The Doctor doesn't like emails, since it doesn't allow him to share the love - or the information - with his faithful fans. The goal here, of course, is to edumacate everyone.

I seem to get a fair number of questions from active-duty Marines. You guys are almost as bad as these Cadets! But, you're in luck because Dr. Drill has a prescription for what ails you.

First, I have to say that I'm not sure you can find references for some of these things. They're what the Doctor has seen or been told. If you or someone else does come across a written reference, by all means, pass it along!

Now, as far as dismissing the company to carry on the day. What I've seen is the company commander recall the First Sergeant and command "Carry out the training schedule." 'Training schedule?' you ask. And well you might, since Dr. Drill asked exactly the same thing. The explanation I got was that Marines are either at war or training for war. Since the company wasn't at war, they were in training. The other command I've heard is "Carry out the Plan of the Day", which is essentially the same thing.

I've seen a couple different methods for people to come up and get awards. Obviously, you can just call off names and people can step out of formation and report front and center. Just as obviously, this isn't as neat as you'd like.

There is guidance in the Drill Manual on formations FOR decorations and retirements, and I'll quote a bit of it here:

14-2. POSITIONING OF PERSONS TO BE DECORATED AND RETIREES
a. Persons to be decorated and retirees form a single rank in the center of the command, 15 paces in front of the line of company commanders. They form according to the rank of the decoration to be conferred, the highest ranking decoration on the right. Those to receive similar decorations take position by seniority within each decoration group. Retirees not receiving decorations form to the left of persons being decorated.
Obviously, you want the guys gettin' the geegaws up front when they need to be, and tucked away when they don't. The way I've seen the Marines do it is to tell the persons being awarded or recognized not to fall in with their platoons, but to form their own 'mini-formation' at the back of the company. Then, the First Sergeant commands, "Persons to be awarded, front and center". These guys march on, get their stuff and march back off; no muss, no fuss. This method also allows the battalion commander and sergeant major easy access to shake hands with these guys without getting in the Skipper's way.

Guidance for a compressed area? Hmm... Come on, LT! Haven't you seen 'Heartbreak Ridge'? What am I talking about, you're a Marine! Of course you've seen it. The advice I can give you on this one is: "Improvise, adapt and overcome." Make it work. If someone higher up the food chain has a better idea, they'll let you know. The NAVMC2691 wasn't written with every possible situation in mind, nor was it written to hamstring the users. Just do what you have to do. You'll be fine.

So, you only have a few Marines in a platoon, eh? Yep, you're right: that's going to be an awfully funny looking formation. So, what do to? Well, the General Rules for a drill of a platoon would seem to indicate that you should just run a mass formation. Here's what I mean:

8-1. GENERAL
b. A platoon consists of a platoon headquarters and two or more squads or sections. Platoon headquarters consists of a platoon commander and one or more assistants.
Since you don't even have enough Marines to make up a squad or section, then it only makes sense to run a company mass formation. If you feel you absolutely must maintain some platoon integrity, have the platoons form as squads within the mass platoon.

Now, on to the question about the delicate and enrapturing 'Dance of the Platoon Commanders'. Read along with the Doctor (you kids at home follow along, too):

9-3. TO FORM THE COMPANY
(b) If company officers receive the formation, the company commander and platoon commanders normally observe the initial procedures from a location to the rear of where the company is forming (officers remain with swords in their scabbards, if so armed). In this case, after receiving the reports of the platoon sergeants, the first sergeant faces the front and awaits the arrival of the company commander. When the company commander has taken post 12 paces front and center of the company, the first sergeant salutes and reports "Sir, all present and accounted for." or "Sir, __________ Marines absent." The company commander returns the salute, and may discuss absentees and issue necessary instructions to the first sergeant. Next, the company commander directs the first sergeant to TAKE YOUR POST, at which the guidon bearer marches forward 3 paces, and the first sergeant and platoon sergeant march by the most direct routes to their posts, the former in rear of the company. The latter on the left of the rear rank of their platoons; simultaneously, the company executive officer takes post to the rear of the company and the platoon commanders take their posts 6 paces front and center of their platoons.
Just to educate the folks at home who maybe haven't seen the well-oiled precision that is a company formation: when the Skipper commands 'TAKE YOUR POST', everyone starts moving at the same time. The platoon sergeants are heading for their posts at the left rear of their platoons and the platoon commanders are trotting up to the front of their platoons.

Now, let's keep in mind this basic guideline for movement within a formation:

"Changes of post are made by the most direct route, except where others are prescribed. The movement is made as soon as possible after the command of execution. Persons who have duties in connection with the movement take their new posts after those duties have been performed. Military bearing must be maintained by individuals moving from one post to another or aligning units. All necessary facings and changes of direction must be made as if drilling."

So, now we move on to the end of the show.

9-14. TO DISMISS THE COMPANY
a. The commands are FIRST SERGEANT, DISMISS THE COMPANY. The company being in line at a halt, at the command FIRST SERGEANT, the first sergeant moves by the most direct route to a point 3 paces from the company commander (9 paces in front of the center of the company), halts, and salutes. The company commander returns the salute and commands, DISMISS THE COMPANY. The first sergeant salutes; the company commander returns the salute, returns sword, if so armed, and falls out. Other officers of the company return sword, if so armed, and fall out at the same time. The platoon sergeants take their posts 3 paces in front of the centers of their platoons.
And here we have a working answer to your question...

Since everyone is moving by the most direct route, it only makes sense that the platoon commanders and platoon sergeants should go back and forth the same way they came on. If the platoon commanders exited stage left, they run smack into the platoon sergeants who were entering via that same stage. The resulting coconut-like sounds of their heads hitting together will cause Private Mike Marshall on the end there to snicker. And if he snickers, they'll all snicker; it'll be anarchy!

Anyway, I hope this helped. Thanks for writing.

Semper Fi,

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.