Change step query

Everyone Uniform and Drill
1

Hi everyone,

Would someone be able to point me in the direction of a video showing the current method of changing step. Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

2

Not a video but should help

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3

Roughly the timings from what I remember - given on right, take one more step then lock your arms in, stomp your right foot behind your left and step off with your left.

4

Given when the right foot strikes the floor a full 30inch pace is taken with the left foot and you check your arms in a scissor like movement.

Then you bring the right foot so the hollow of the
Is placed rear and the right of the heel of the left foot (none if this twisty ankle malarky…its almost a 45 degree at most…like you were stood attention with your right foot slightly behind the left)

The left foot is then forced foward(no skipping…) and the arm swing is continued as in a normal marching position

Also i dont think the video is authorised to be shared online…i will have a look as i own a copy of the 818 video

5

Not what AP818 says…

6

You will find that AP 818 describes the right foot being “brought forward so that the hollow of the right foot is against the heel of the left foot”, however the current practice is to ‘stamp’ the foot in.
It’s really not possible to come through the full bent knee position if you observe the correct timings.

This movement in particular is a shining example of the way drill updates are promulgated in the RAF and is a lesson that we simply need to learn to get on with in the ATC.
The guys at RTS teach something a new way (particularly with the QCS influence) and the rest of the RAF learns by word of mouth from the DIs who happen to teach them if it’s required for parade or ceremonial purposes. The AP may then eventually be updated to reflect the practice once sufficient changes have occured to make it worthwhile issuing an amendment.

7

I can’t in any way see how that’s a good way of doing things. How hard is it to just change the damn document?

8

Because for 99% of the RAF, drill doesn’t matter. If you’re not in the regiment there’s a very real chance that once you’ve passed out of RTS you’ll never do any again.

So that’s the way to do things, because they’ve frankly got more important things to spend money on.

1 Like
9

shouldn’t the 1% (QCS/other) then take on the “duty holder” for the publication?

we don’t expect chefs to be writing pilot training manuals, or have armourers writing the MT orders so shouldn’t those who use the AP also write the AP??

10

See point 2.

11

If it doesn’t matter then it’s not worth changing.