Hey,
So basically I just got promoted to Cpl in august however I’m a quite anxious person when it comes to public speaking, speaking to lots of people or important people (I am also one of the youngest and one of the only girls so i think this makes it a bit harder to be as confident ). This is a major problem when it comes to calling drill ( like any drill, including taking a flight ) The staff at my squadron have really helped me with this like letting me call drill at my own place and having the squad face the other way, to try build up my confidence ) however i have only called drill twice . Anyway sorry for the long backstory , So a few weeks ago i signed up for a jnco course and In the information/file is says there’s an examination/assessment i thought this would be a knowledge test or smth idk ?? but i wanted to double check so i have read some of the other posts and done some googling and it mentions that i would be examined on calling drill ? I am really anxious now and im not quite sure what to do? I don’t want to drop out because i’ve already been accepted and i think it would help my confidence however i really don’t want to ‘fail’ or anything because i know it would completely knock the little big of confidence it have . Was just wondering if anyone would be able to give me advice or confirm what kind of things would happen on the 2 days . Really sorry if this post is really long or the spelling/punctuation is messed up (i’m dyslexic )
Thanks so much for anyone who can help 
In terms of calling out words of command, there’s two acronyms that can come in handy. One of which you might already know:
Introductory - Informative, Clear and Level
Cautionary - Drawn out, Loud and falling
Executive - Sudden, Sharp and Loud.
There’s also CLAP.
Clear - What you say needs to be clearly understood
Loud - You need to be heard by the squad
As an order - Needs to be delivered in a manner which the squad will understand is a commanding tone
and with Pauses - Give yourself time inbetween words of command to think a little
In terms of your anxiety with the examinations: practice, practice, practice! Learn the words and give yourself plenty of time to think. Also, for things like words of command in quick time, look for Brassards being parallel with the ground for Left Heel. If you show the judge/examiner that your efforts and determination are there, they should take that into account. My advice would also be to ask them what they’re specifically looking for as part of the marking.
In short: Learn the words, take your time and continue to practice. I’m sure you’ll do absolutely brilliantly, the fact that you’re looking for support shows you care. And if you care, you’re in the right direction already! Good luck.
Hey thanks so much for the advice, by any chance do you know if there will be an assessment on calling drill or any other topics and the instruction file is very vague . again thanks so much for the advice it was very helpful.
Unfortunately courses vary Wing to Wing quite heavily. It’s likely there will be some form of Drill assessment. Whether that is your personal drill or you in charge of a Squad is down to the content set by your Wing Training Team. I’d ask your peers for advice as they’ll be able to tell you about their experiences and what they did on the course.
Thank you so much for your help
In the timeless words of the hitchhiker’s guide:
Don’t Panic.
Go along, enjoy the course. I’m sure the directing staff will have plans that will help you build confidence.
On our wing courses, we do a short test on ATC knowledge, but there’s no real impact from the result.
Our courses include a fair amount of practice taking drill, as this is often something corporals are needing and wanting.
The courses are also for development, there’s not so much of a pass or fail element at least in my wing. There will likely be a mixture of drill and leadership including discussions and practices. Remember everyone else there will be in the same position as you - probably newly promoted and keen to learn! I hope you enjoy the course
As most wings run these courses for cadets who’ve already been promoted, so making them pass/fail might be tricky (there’s that rule with J/I/A/HMLC that you revert to previous rank if not completed within three years: but three years is a lifetime in cadet years).
My Wing assesses drill instructions individually i.e. in pairs - a lot less stressful, I hope!
Maybe find someone you can practice with beforehand (they needn’t be a Cadet or staff) - I’ve seen people “warm up” shouting favourite foods at each other (“SAUSAGES!” “SORRY WHAT DID YOU SAY?” etc.). Practicing to a “click track” works for some but not others… Trying on your own/with mirror/helpful pet sometimes works too! Drill isn’t a massive part of the weekend usually, I think… I have 3 new NCOs and they all give commands very differently, and some are more “drilly” than others. Staff really want to make the weekend as useful for you as possible - it’s pretty difficult to need another go, but it’s fine if you do
Are you sure that’s a JNCO course and not SNCO?
NCO courses I’ve been involved in typically have small squads for JNCOs giving commands and pairs for SNCOs who practice drill instruction.