Close, MARCH and Extend, MARCH

[Майор Хаткевич]

I'm running into some trouble when administrating the Achievement 3 Drill tests with the commands of Close MARCH and Extend, MARCH (both stationary and marching).

I think I have the stationary worked out, and about 75% sure on the marching, but does anyone have any sort of schematic/video/etc reference I can use beyond AFMAN 36-2203?

Edit: This is what I imagined in my mind when reading through the AFMAN: Close / Extend March

Close / Extend March (Halted)

Correct?

[manfredvonrichthofen]

Having done drill since I was a cadet, and while in the Army, seems spot on. It's exactly what I remember.

[Майор Хаткевич]

Great! I drew it out on paper at the meeting, and these videos demonstrate it really well.

[manfredvonrichthofen]

I would show these videos to the cadets, it explains it better than I could.

[Майор Хаткевич]

Yea, I was going to mock it up in Photoshop, but now I'll just show and have them take a stab (or twenty) at doing it right.

[coudano]

Yes, those are correct (and really nicely illustrated also)

Except of course for that middle element dude taking WAYYY bigger than 24" steps, and not swinging his arms, but that's just nit picking

If there are 4 elements, then the base (4th) will standfast
3rd takes 2 steps
2nd takes 4 steps
and 1st takes 6 steps

When stationary, the steps are 12" steps (just like right step or left step harch)
IF you are counting cadence you only count two sets (hut two three four, hut two three four)
With 4 elements that will leave an extra 4 counts, for the first element to get to where they need to be.
They do this last 2 right-steps (4 counts) without cadence.

[Майор Хаткевич]

Yea, noticed the almost-goose-step he's doing there too.

And speaking on this topic...I do believe the CAP Cadet Drill Guide has a typo on this...

[Майор Хаткевич]

Close, MARCH &
Extend, MARCH
Close, MARCH (AT THE HALT)
 On MARCH, the fourth element stands fast.
The remaining elements take the required number
of right steps, all at the same time, and halt
together:
The third element takes two steps
The second element takes four steps
The first element takes six steps.
EXTEND, MARCH (AT THE HALT)
 To return to normal interval, the cadets
reverse the procedures described above (ie: the
third element takes two left steps...)
Close, MARCH (ON THE MARCH)
 On MARCH, which is given on the right foot,
the fourth element takes up the half step following
the command of execution.
51

 The third element obtains close interval by
pivoting 45 degrees to the right on the ball of the
left foot,taking one 24-inch step (with coordinated
armswing) toward the fourth element, and
then pivoting 45 degrees back to the left on the
ball of the right foot.
 The second element does likewise, taking
three steps between pivots.
 The first element does likewise, taking five
steps between pivots.
 Upon executing the pivots, the cadets resume
their orignal direction of march and they take up
the half-step once close interval is obtained.
 On the command Forward, MARCH, all
elements resume a 24-inch step.
Extend, MARCH (ON THE MARCH)
 To return to normal interval, the cadets
reverse the procedures described above and the
command is called on the left foot.
52

53
 On the command MARCH, the fourth element
stands fast.
 The remaining elements take the required
number of right steps, all at the same time, and
halt together.
The third element takes two steps.
The second element takes four steps.
The first element takes six steps.
 Upon executing the pivots, the cadets resume
their orignal direction of march and they take up
the half-step once normal
interval is obtained.
 On the command
Forward, MARCH, all
elements resume a
24-inch step.

[coudano]

The CAP drill guide has SEVERAL technical inaccuracies, meh
But it's good enough for den-mom DCC, I guess, so whatevs.  haha

The way I like to think of armswing is this:
If you are turning 90 degrees or more, then you pin your arms.  (right flank, to the rear, column right if you are in the column in the direction of the turn)

If you are turning less than 90 degrees, then you swing your arms (column half right, close/extend, or column right/left if you are not in the column in the direction of the turn)

[Майор Хаткевич]

The problem I've noticed is people relying on the guide instead of the AFMAN

[coudano]

Also in some alternate universe, if you were trying to close while in inverted column, you would need to swap your lefts and rights, as your base column would be to the left.

[Майор Хаткевич]

I like that the L2L curriculum is forcing drill upon cadets. In 4-5 years of active cadet status I have NEVER performed these. Now it's required to pin your third stripe. Most excellent. 

[jimmydeanno]

The problem I've noticed is people relying on the guide instead of the AFMAN

The guide is pulled from the manual.

[coudano]

The problem I've noticed is people relying on the guide instead of the AFMAN

The guide is pulled from the manual.

eh, somewhat...

[Майор Хаткевич]

Yep. It tries to explain...better...

[Brad]

The one time the Air Force uses obliques! LOL!

An excellent interpretation of it, and a good find on that video resource, Lt!

As a guy who learned the drill ropes the Navy/Marine Corps way, all we were told is to execute a right or left oblique and take x number of steps before turning back the other way.

Here's a picture from the NJROTC drill manual, which is based off the US Marine Corps Drill Manual, MCO P5600.20. Hopefully that will save you some drawing, heh.

[SarDragon]

Well, almost. The text says oblique, but what the individuals flight members are doing isn't that.

A right/left oblique is a maneuver performed by the entire flight at once, and is essentially a half flank movement. Everyone goes 45°right, or left, and continues at a full step.

[Brad]

Yea, and that's what they are doing. At least the portion that is not the base element. All the non-base elements turn 45 degrees, takes their number of steps, then pivots back. It's a selective oblique with a ripple added in.

The..."oliqueness" of it that I was referencing is that it's one of the few times that a flight turns 45 degrees at the same time.

I know it's not an actual oblique. I wish the Air Force had them though, instead of simply using the -- IMO -- phoning it in out of "Guide, LEFT" or "Guide, RIGHT".

[coudano]

I wish the Air Force had them though, instead of simply using the -- IMO -- phoning it in out of "Guide, LEFT" or "Guide, RIGHT".

Of course, what you mean here is "Incline to the LEFT" or "Incline to the RIGHT"

Guide LEFT, and Guide RIGHT don't change the direction of the flight, they only change which element the guide marches in front of.

[Brad]

I wish the Air Force had them though, instead of simply using the -- IMO -- phoning it in out of "Guide, LEFT" or "Guide, RIGHT".

Of course, what you mean here is "Incline to the LEFT" or "Incline to the RIGHT"

Guide LEFT, and Guide RIGHT don't change the direction of the flight, they only change which element the guide marches in front of.

That's it. Brain's not functioning at 100% right now. Still though, the whole snaking along of Incline to the LEFT/RIGHT always turned me off. Seemed like a cheap cop out.

[NIN]

I know it's not an actual oblique. I wish the Air Force had them though, instead of simply using the -- IMO -- phoning it in out of "Guide, LEFT" or "Guide, RIGHT".

The AF used to have obliques (or, at least, we were taught them, they might have not actually been in the Leadership Lab, I don't precisely remember).

They were pretty useless when you get right down to it.  Day-to-day point-to-point D&C (ie. encampment D&C) is not about "precision" while you're getting your flight from the chow hall to the flight line but rather "transportation."  You use a lot of "inclining" because the world is substantially NOT 90 degrees. 

I thought the Army was going to be all this cool marching all the time. After AIT, I think I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I "marched" that wasn't part of a ceremony on the flight line for "payday activities". Well, and PLDC.   And then there's the phrase "Incline along the road!" (aka "follow the road, squad leaders")

[SarDragon]

It indeed used to be in the Lead Lab (CAPM 50-3).

[NelsonJM]

Fantastic video, and thanks for posting! My squadron (9 cadets, 4 any given week (plus senior members)) was about ready to give up trying to interpret it from the guide during a drill test, and the AFMAN makes no sense, being still pictures.