Drill question

[xray328]

If any of you are drill experts can you please shoot me a PM? Just need something clarified outside of the public view...thanks!

[capmaj]

May want to do a spell/grammar check on your post.

[xray328]

[emoji15]

[PHall]

Just do what the manual (AFMAN 36-2203) says and you should be good to go.
AFMAN 36-2203 is the official Drill and Ceremonies manual for the Air Force and Civil Air Patrol.

[xray328]

Thank you to the folks that have replied via PM, I'm waiting for a few responses but I think I'll get the answer I need.  Thanks again!

[xray328]

Just do what the manual (AFMAN 36-2203) says and you should be good to go.
AFMAN 36-2203 is the official Drill and Ceremonies manual for the Air Force and Civil Air Patrol.

AFMAN 36-2203 is being challenged not for what it says but for what it doesn't say.

[PHall]

Just do what the manual (AFMAN 36-2203) says and you should be good to go.
AFMAN 36-2203 is the official Drill and Ceremonies manual for the Air Force and Civil Air Patrol.

AFMAN 36-2203 is being challenged not for what it says but for what it doesn't say.

At the risk of being a pain. AFMAN 36-2203 is the official Drill and Ceremonies Manual for the Air Force and Civil Air Patrol.
If you read paragraph 1.1.1 you should have your answer.

[lordmonar]

The question was "can you do column movements in INVERTED column formation"

36-2203 says it is "normally" done in column formation.  But does not specifically forbid it.   So it is one of those gray areas that come up from time to time.   

I was PMing X-ray on this.

[xray328]

So much for this not being discussed in public view...lesson learned.

[SarDragon]

A. What's wrong with public discussion? It's not sensitive info, so if we all talk about it, everyone can learn.

B. As for the question, "can you do column movements in INVERTED column formation?", why not?

[xray328]

Because it puts the element leaders in the rear. Also, depending on the number of cadets in the flight, you could end up with an empty spot up front which would make the movement difficult to execute.

[PHall]

Because it puts the element leaders in the rear. Also, depending on the number of cadets in the flight, you could end up with an empty spot up front which would make the movement difficult to execute.

Well, if the Flight Commander is doing their job right, they shouldn't have to do a column maneuver inverted.
A little situational awareness goes a long way!

[xray328]

It's during a drill competition.  The drill sequence requires the cadets to do a "to the rear" which puts them inverted.  They are then asked to perform a column movement. The question was if this was prohibited.  The general consensus was that while it not prohibited, it's unusual and generally not performed.  However, because the competition is in less than a month and the issue was only brought up now, the sequence will remain the same.  It will allow the airman, now in the element leader positions, the chance to prove that they can perform the column movements as well as the NCO's.

[kwe1009]

Depends on the rules of the drill competition.  In the old NCC drill competition you were given a list of commands to perform but they were not the only commands that could be executed.  So for your question, the flight could just do another to the rear and then you are back where you started.

[PHall]

Interesting that they are doing a Drill Comp when the NCC is only doing Color Guards right now...

[Capt Thompson]

1. If it is for a Drill Comp, there should never be uneven elements, so there should be no problem doing column movements when inverted.

2. If a Cadet is good enough to make the Drill Team, regardless if they are a one stripe Airman, they had better be able to do column movements in an element leader position. If not, a. pick better Cadets for the team, or b. the team isn't ready to be in competition. Just my .02

[TheTravelingAirman]

1. If it is for a Drill Comp, there should never be uneven elements, so there should be no problem doing column movements when inverted.

2. If a Cadet is good enough to make the Drill Team, regardless if they are a one stripe Airman, they had better be able to do column movements in an element leader position. If not, a. pick better Cadets for the team, or b. the team isn't ready to be in competition. Just my .02

I cannot hit this hard enough. At my last posting, it was a shop event to go judge local A/N/AFJROTCs at NJROTC hosted drill competitions, and the teams that had even one person not ready consistently lost points with myself and a fellow AF SSgt (Soon to be AF LT, way to go man!). Mind you, we aren't hitting very hard unless the unit is soup sandwich status, or someone is consistently failing to meet basic standards (left instead of right, missing commands, out of order, etc), but those one or two points lost can matter a great deal if you have a lot of good team, and it adds up quickly over a 32+ count drill sequence.

[Nuke52]

1. If it is for a Drill Comp, there should never be uneven elements, so there should be no problem doing column movements when inverted.

2. If a Cadet is good enough to make the Drill Team, regardless if they are a one stripe Airman, they had better be able to do column movements in an element leader position. If not, a. pick better Cadets for the team, or b. the team isn't ready to be in competition. Just my .02

Niiiiiiiiiice.  You win the internet for today (or for 17 days ago when you posted it--your choice).