Doctor Drill,

I went to an activity this weekend, and during the drill instruction, this crazy major from some other wing told us that we were falling in wrong.  I know for a fact that I'm falling in right, since my old cadet commander, C/2Lt Joe Squaredaway, taught me the right way.

This major said that when we fall in, we're not supposed to "cover down," (fill in the front rank first) but rather, if there is an extra airman on the end of the flight, he or she is supposed to fall into the last rank, not the first. And the other thing he told us was "The guide is a non-optional position."  Since we didn't have a flag, I don't know why there was this guy standing where the guidon normally stands. (I'm not sure if I'm explaining this right, Dr. Drill, so I'll try a crude diagram below)

      #  #  #  #  #  #  #  E  G

      #  #  #  #  #  #  #  E

      #  #  #  #  #  #  #  E

F  #  #  #  #  #  #  #  #  E

G = This new guide guy, E = the element leaders, and F = the flight sergeant

I am pretty stressed out, Dr. Drill, because I'm sure I've been doing this right all these years and now someone comes along and throws water in my face.  Are you sure this isn't some typo in the manual?

Thanks for the help,

Cadet Joey Bagodonuts

Dr. Drill Responds:

Dear Joey,

The good Major may be crazy, but it sounds like he has all his Stuff in one bag.  I won't address the specifics of how to get everybody standing in formation here, since that is covered in the Drill For Dummies article entitled "How Do I Fall In?" But once you have everybody in formation, its time to get the flight squared away..

First, as usual, a grounding in the applicable regulation:

AFMAN 36-2203, Drill and Ceremonies, paragraph 4.3.1.4 covers the squaring of the flight prior to sizing. (sizing is covered in the Drill For Dummies article  "How Do I Size the Flight?")

First, the key part of the paragraph:

"... The left flank of the formation will be squared off with extra airmen filling in from the fourth to the first element [emphasis added. -DD].  For example, if there is one extra airman, he or she will be positioned in the fourth element; if there are two extra airmen, one will be positioned in the third element and one will be positioned in the fourth element; and so forth." [4.3.1.4]

Ah!  The Major was correct!  Those extra airmen at the left flank fill in the flight beginning in the rear-most element, not starting in the front element (as many of us were originally taught).

Also:

"... The flight sergeant will occupy the last position in the fourth element.." [4.3.1.4]

Referring back to your picture (using some extra schnazzy graphics) we see that the (one and only, in this case) extra airman is positioned at the left flank of the rear-most element, with the flight sergeant to his left.

If we had three extra airmen, the flight would look like this:

The flight is now properly squared off.  You can now size the flight.

Now about that guide guy the Major was talking about. The guide is an important position for drill; not just for formation.  Nowhere in AFMAN 36-2203 is it suggested that you can merely forego using a guide.  It is a mandatory position. For now, I suggest you read paragraph 4.2. Rules for the Guide in AFMAN 36-2203.  I will discuss the actual procedures of the guide in more detail during a future rampage.

Dr. Drill.