Wing Drill Team

[DTcommander042]

I've been working on convincing my wing to start a wing drill team for months.  I've done all the research and figured out everything that I'll need.  I've had experience with color guard all the way up to the reagional level for the past 3 years, and I've also went to the National Honor Guard Academy.  In other words I've had much experience with drilling and everything involved.  The wing chose me as commander and sent out emails to the entire wing requesting participation.  There are about 4 squadrons participating.  I'm looking for any ideas on how to make my drill team successful.  We're studying manuals, working on physical fitness, aerospace, and of course, drill and volleyball.  They've shown great improvement but I'm at a loss as to where to go next.  Does anybody have any advice on to how to make this work??

[Cool Mace]

You may want to check youtube for any innovative drill routines. Of course, you want to make sure standard drill is perfect before starting this.

Lay out a plan for each meeting. One week we would do standard drill, then vollyball after.  The next week might be innovative drill along with a panel quiz.

[CAPDan]

Come up with a regular schedule for practices, ie. 1st week Inspection, Standard and Innovative Drill at Squadron 1 drill pad, week 2 aerospace & leadership practice at Squadron 2 meeting room, week 3 PT and Volleyball at Curry HS, week 4 Standard and Innovative Drill at Squadron 4. Week 5 do some fun stuff and team building exercises.

Become very familiar with CAPR 52-4, L2L, Aerospace history and current events, AFM 36-2203.  Create a binder for each cadet with these materials.

Get experienced seniors and cadets to help you out. I would suggest putting someone in charge for each area and coming up with practice schedules for each of those areas.

Get on YouTube and watch videos of prior competitions. Don't just watch CAP competitions but JROTC and ROTC can give you some ideas for your innovative routine.  Keep in mind any movement has probably been done before, the trick is to put them into exciting and visually appealing order.

Check out http://www.kalemis.com/ncc/index.html for past pictures and videos of NCC.

At first keep your practices open to everyone that wants to join. Do not discount the motivated 14 year old C/Amn because you have a ton of 18+ year old cadet officers and NCO's. Older cadets tend to have more on their plate with college, special activities and such, so be prepared when competition time comes and they bow out.

Practice, Practice, Practice and above all remember to have Fun!!!

Daniel Prosser, Capt., CAP
Senior Escort
2012 Pacific Region Drill Team

[DTcommander042]

I've already made binders of all the manuals for the cadets, and once a week we have practice before our meeting.  We go over different things every week.  We have a practice coming up at the end of this month and then we'll work on everything.  I've already got the first half of our innovative drill routine laid out and it looks really nice.  I've looked up many many videos and pictures from previous competitions.  I highly doubt that our team will win this year simply because most of the cadets are airmen or lower ranking, but most are young too.  They have many years left in CAP. 

My main problem is that I have people from different squadrons.  Squadrons from over 4 hours away.  Individual squadrons practice on their own every week and I send out group texts twice a week saying specific things that I want cadets to work on.

For Innovative Drill and Quiz Panel, cadets are working hard and have some say in the way that things go.  Also on quiz panel I have created aerospace notecards from the aerospace books that each cadet has a copy of.  They know the questions and they have little things that they get when they study and work that will motivate them.

They're doing great right now and they're having fun.  At this next practice we'll be going on a 3-7 mile run (not sure how much yet), and when we get to where we're going there's going to be a volleyball net and things set up for the cadets to have a party after all their hard work that day and they can just relax and have fun.

Thanks for the suggestions!

[Garibaldi]

That's the problem with Arkansas, I've noticed. Everything is at least 4 hours away from everything else, which stinks. It really stinks that pretty much anything wing-wide has to be done in Little Rock, because it's a central location, and while that eliminates having to drive up to 7 hours cross-state, it's a drag that other units can't host wing activities in other places because of the drive time involved.

You are a pretty strong leader, from what I've seen. You're going to do well with this.

[a2capt]

..and this is different from many other wings?

[Garibaldi]

..and this is different from many other wings?

Well, back WIWAC, we always traveled places and had other units visit us for SAREXes, drill comps, whatever. I don't know what changed over the years to make travel so bloody difficult. Maybe it's a matter of perspective?

[Eclipse]

Most large wings have the same issues, and a Drill team is probably the worst-case for this since the
participants are going to be primarily cadets under driving age. 

ES will have the opposite demographic, and by design most of the participants know they will have to drive at least
a bit to be active.

Further, with an active ES program, you're driving maybe 2-3 times a quarter if you're really active, 2-3 times a year
is more likely, while a DT needs that 2-3 times a month, if not weekly.

These days there's less units, less adult leaders, less vehicles (especially the legendary military buses), and much higher
demands on kids time and attention.

[Майор Хаткевич]

..and this is different from many other wings?

Well, back WIWAC, we always traveled places and had other units visit us for SAREXes, drill comps, whatever. I don't know what changed over the years to make travel so bloody difficult. Maybe it's a matter of perspective?

Gas prices. .

[754837]

WIWAC in the 70's, gas prices were very high when compared to wages.  I remember we actually passed a hat for gasoline money.  I guess this is just more proof that I am getting old...

[Garibaldi]

Most large wings have the same issues, and a Drill team is probably the worst-case for this since the
participants are going to be primarily cadets under driving age. 

ES will have the opposite demographic, and by design most of the participants know they will have to drive at least
a bit to be active.

Further, with an active ES program, you're driving maybe 2-3 times a quarter if you're really active, 2-3 times a year
is more likely, while a DT needs that 2-3 times a month, if not weekly.

These days there's less units, less adult leaders, less vehicles (especially the legendary military buses), and much higher
demands on kids time and attention.

Somehow, I managed to forget that the family dynamic has also changed over the years, as well as socio-economic factors that necessitate both parents (if present) being breadwinners who don't have enough time to take Johnny or Janie to the various CAP things. I never had a driver's license when I was 16 so I relied on my parents to bring me everywhere, whichever one I happened to be staying with.

[DTcommander042]

The wing has said that they're going to cover gas prices for some of the stuff and that they're backing me up on everything.  I added up how much it would cost for the uniform items that we're going to have to have for the team and the total is just over $2,000.  So we have a lot of fundraising to do.  My problem isn't as much getting the cadets here, it's more the seniors not being able to drive and not wanting to tie up a whole weekend (Friday through Sunday), but these cadets have much dedication and what it takes so I'm hoping the seniors will see that in them and decide to help.

[Extremepredjudice]

What are you buying that is 2k?

[Eclipse]

What are you buying that is 2k?

$2k is about 20% of what a nationally competitive team will burn in a season.

[Extremepredjudice]

What are you buying that is 2k?

$2k is about 20% of what a nationally competitive team will burn in a season.

So a nationally competitive team burns 10k on uniforms...?

[Garibaldi]

What are you buying that is 2k?

$2k is about 20% of what a nationally competitive team will burn in a season.

So a nationally competitive team burns 10k on uniforms...?

Think team t-shirts and shorts, meals, supplies, lodging, new shoes, various and sundry materiel, and it adds up pretty dadgum quick.

[Майор Хаткевич]

TAILORED uniforms to fit a cadet like paint...not cheap.

[DTcommander042]

Our competition is in less than a month.  It's too late this year to get a second uniform.  The $2,000 is from shirt garters, t-shirts, shoes, cords, ribbons, volleyball knee-pads, and other needed uniform items.  We have a lot of fundraisers planned in the next year and we also have an opportunity to be able to recruit new cadets and senior members to help out and be on the drill team next year.  Next year we'll also get a second uniform and many other uniform articles.  This year was basically a 'trial' team.  Just to see if us cadets were up to the task to make a drill team.  We've succeeded in that, now it's time to build a national winning team.

[Майор Хаткевич]

I still don't get that...

What is wrong with the uniforms the cadets have currently? The goal is to wear them properly (and granted, not to look like a parachute is wrapped on a tiny cadet), so use the shirt garters, and call it a day.

[Eclipse]

+1 - if anything there should be a prohibition against this kind of nonsense.

Volleyball knee pads? Seriously?