Pacesticks

I was asked last night to help if I can give guidance for staff carrying Pacesticks.
Specifically on parades. can anyone help??

I understood it as a total NO!

Yes, so going from the above information.

A DI attending a service of remembrance or marching in a rememberance parade is utterly unacceptable.

Would you agree?

Absolutely agree. It is not allowed.

As far as I’m aware you can only carry a pace stick if you’ve successfully completed the Drill Instructors Course!

I would say so, yes.

There might me scope for that DI carrying the stick if acting as a parade marshal alongside the parade (borderline instructional duties)

There could also be scope if the DI in question was the WWO and was in the parade as they may carry one as a badge of office.

It sounds like there is photo somewhere waiting be unleashed !!! A quick look on various social media sites confirms that many pace sticks were out on parade! tut tut…

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I used to on my local remembrance parade (and only on that parade) by request of the Parade Marshal. He wanted them carried to help with squaring away the different units on parade, so he carried as did the TA (as was) RSM, and myself.

How did the stick assist? Did you prod or shepherd people with it? did you snap it together at them in an imposing manner? Did you use it to measure the comparative sizes of your drill expertise?

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is squaring away the same as instructional duties?

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When i completed SSDIC with the current training team (Not Mitch) it was drilled into us the pace sticks were for instructional purposes only and not to be carried on parade, that is reserved for the WWO taking part in Wing parades only.

The carrying of Pace Sticks is absolutely forbidden on any kind of ceremonial parade.

Eight people in the ACO may carry canes (as seen in Blackadder for the suppression of enemy machine gun fire), and, err… that’s it.

Find a stick wielding cretin and run them through with the thing.

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There used to specifically be a line in the pre-AP1358C dress regs that stated that they were not to be carried on parades. I miss that line, though it was often ignored.

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And probably still is

Just remember that those rules are only for you guys and not for us green folk. The carrying of pace sticks for CSMs and RSMs is actually stipulated in some dress regulations (unless you are carrying a rifle of course!).

We’ve…er… had problems with others trying to apply their own regulations to us before.

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Oh dear, and I was reprimanded for making a light hearted quip about greatcoats in an email to my local DI and WWO (and others) where they were preaching about regulations - then I see said DI carrying a pacestick on Sunday and today I read this.

Oh dear, it seems Mr Regulation has been naughty - practice what you preach I say.

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Send him an email that just quotes the relevant regulations.

That’s it. no comments, no nothing.

And CC it to Aunty Dawn, her stick-wielding monkey and your wing commander.

Once a few dozen of these cretins have been sacked, and no one steps forward to take up their posts because they know that eventually they’ll be strung up on their own gallows, the ACO might recover some of its sanity…

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Thanks everyone for your input
It confirmed what I had said and thought.

this has all originated from an email received regarding a cadet being “incorrectly dressed” from a pacestick monkey, yet the same monkey and the rest of his troop were on parade with pacesticks and posing for pictures on social media afterwards trying to look all official and scary. Before the person responded they wanted me to confirm the regs with them.

So thanks againđź‘Ť

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Might be worth ccing the WWO…make it w little bit awkward for them…

Its already been done but no comment from the WWO

Out of sheer morbid curiosity, what was the cadets “infraction”?