This month's question:
Dr. Drill:
I am having trouble finding in the AFMAN 36-2003
drill manual where the person in command of the flight should march. I know it used to be
centered on either side of the flight, however I was told that this changed when the
manual was updated.
Sincerely,
Cadet I.M. Slick
Dr. Drill Responds:
Section 2.2.2 states, "The commander faces the troops
when giving commands except when the element is part of a larger drill element or when the
commander is relaying commands in a ceremony."
This means that the commander should not be leading the march from the front (i.e.
because she would then not be facing the troops). There is no other requirement,
however, for the location of the commander while marching. She may be on any side or
to the rear of the flight.
Hmm... Are you sure the manual used to say something different?
More likely (and this is how many of the drill errors we see regularly are propagated),
you were taught that the commander should be centered on either side of the flight, and it
was easy to assume that this came from someplace in the manual. Maybe at some time
in the distant past it was so specified, but the text quoted above from AFMAN 36-2203 -
the Air Force Drill & Ceremonies Manual - is identical to text in the previous AFR
50-14.
There is a "Drill
for Dummies" article that addresses this and other questions relating to
commanding a unit in drill. Why don't you take a look at "How do I give drill commands?".
Best of 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!"
Dr. Drill welcomes comments and
corrections. Nothing herein is to be construed as the policy of Civil Air Patrol
unless quoted from an up-to-date Civil Air Patrol regulation. Even then, it may not
be the policy of Civil Air Patrol. ALWAYS CHECK WITH YOUR CHAIN OF COMMAND! |
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