Drill Bits: Learning to Walk

[LibertyHallVols]

So, you've sewn the chevrons to your sleeve... Congratulations! You're a sergeant!

1) How do you walk in a straight line?
2) Who gives a rat's @$$ whether or not you know how to do so?
3) What happens if you don't?

...oh yeah, don't cut and paste out of the manual... that's CHEATIN'!!! Read it and use your own words. ;)

Enjoy!

... and don't forget, today is Tax day!

[Norsk]

Re: Drill Bits: Learning to Walk

1) For a guide to walk straight, pick an object in the distance and an intermediate object that is in line with the distant object. Walk straight forward while keeping the two objects lined up. It's also important not to become so fixated on walking straight that you change the distance of your step, especially for the guides of the following companies when marching in a column of companies.

2) Who cares? Well for starters, your company commander and the rest of your company as well as the battalion commander. This is also very important for the color sergeant as they are leading the color guard out in front of the battalion. If they drift, speed up or slow down, it screws up allot.

3) As the color sergeant, when marching as a battalion front, the whole battalion is guiding on you. If you drift off the battalion will drift off with you. When marching in a column of companies, the guides of the 1st company have to march straight forward where they are directed or they will screw things up when making other movements such as deploying or changing the direction of the column.

I'm sure that I have missed some, but it's time to go to work

Thanks for posing these questions. It's good to get the mind going as the season approaches.

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Drill Bits: Learning to Walk

Yep, that pretty much sums it up, Ben! Thanks!!

For company and battalion guides, being able to walk in a straight line is sooo important! From the perspective of the private in the ranks, when the sergeants keep the company on a straight path, marching and drilling just "feels easier".

When the sergeants don't do this job well, you get the accordion effect as you hear "dress right" and "give left" in rapid succession. Its like trying to walk through a mosh pit.

Corporals have a role here, too (or whoever is posted next to the guiding sergeant). Their job is to keep the rest of the company from pushing the guide off of his path. So, if the company is dressing crushingly to the right, the man next to the guiding sergeant needs to hold firm.

[flattop32355]

Re: Drill Bits: Learning to Walk

The critical sgts in this case are the 1st sgts and the second sgt of the left-most company. The rest of the second sgts are just along for the ride as file closers while in line of battle.

They become important as company left guides when in column or when the battalion breaks up from the battleline in manoeuver. Third, fourth and fifth sgts are still file closers.

[Jim Moffet]

Re: Drill Bits: Learning to Walk

I would recommend that all NCOs practice the techniques that Sgt. Quie noted. Yes, third, fourth sergts. are "just file closers." All you need is to have a casualty or two in higher offices, and a 4th sergeant can find himself the 2nd sergeant. If the next command puts your company into a column of companies right in front, that man has to know how to march in a straight line, be a guide, follow in the traces of the leading guides, and keep the correct distance (full, half or closed en masse) from the preceeding company. As Silas said on another thread, this all too frequently is misunderstood or poorly practiced.

At a recent event in Kentucky, one company iu my battalion had the standard "reenactor math" attrition. 2 of the no-shows were sergeants. A corporal found himself the 2nd sergeant, and though he learned a lot on the fly, was found wanting in the duties of his rank in battalion drill. May we all learn from his embarrasment. If you wear stripes, you need to know the job of those positions you may find yourself tasked to perform.

Jim Moffet
Western Brigade
Co. A, Minnesota First

[Becky Morgan]

Re: Drill Bits: Learning to Walk

A corporal found himself the 2nd sergeant, and though he learned a lot on the fly, was found wanting in the duties of his rank in battalion drill. May we all learn from his embarrasment. If you wear stripes, you need to know the job of those positions you may find yourself tasked to perform.

Jim Moffet
Western Brigade
Co. A, Minnesota First

Think about how often that must have happened during real battles. Now think about it happening early in the war, when only the regulars really knew drill. That wasn't an inconvenience or an embarrassment; that was life or death. The corporal of whom you speak just had an unfortunate period moment:)