That’s different and can see your frustration.
Can see how new officers on their first parade a staff practise would be useful though.
Our last wing parade was a bit of a joke on the officer front. There seems to be this rule in our wing that if you don’t want to march as an officer, just turn up in 2s, with a beret or sidecap (officers too on the beret!) holding a massive DSLR, and noone bats an eyelid.
We had more bloody photographers than flight commanders, Sgts leading flights and the only bloody pictures I ever saw were on the hosting squadron’s Facebook page, taken by a parent!
1 Like
I was happy to go once to make sure I was doing it properly, but no way was I doing it every year.
I know there are weird rules for photographers in Berets but I thought that was in No1’s?
One way to guarantee you won’t be asked to join in.
2 Likes
Big wing parades… in fact just wing parades in general can jog right on.
They serve very little purpose.
Wasted day.
Cadets fatigued from hurry up and die in the sun.
A few drillie cfavs get a hard on and that’s about it.
Better spent using that day on the range or DofE or frankly anything.
Worst of all. Just because a Wg cdr says ‘I want a parade’ it suddenly becomes an all hands to the pump mandatory attendance nonsense.
With the usual… 'but you can be a flight commander" … ooooo wow… all my dreams… as if that’s an incentive to waste a day.
5 Likes
In my neck of the woods there is no training for new / potential officers unless someone on the Sqn has the time - which they usually don’t.
As you say it comes back from Cadet days even though I can’t delete TLV from my muscle memory
6 Likes
Doesn’t the formal stuff still get done at ATF?
I teach drill regularly, though it is usually the more complicated stuff like rifle drill and banner drill, which the more junior instructors don’t tend to get taught really as it isn’t part of the initial training. I’m a captain. If you have the skills and it needs to be taught, why would the fact that you are an officer hold you back?
1 Like
There’s nominal drill, yes, and while the NCOs there obviously know their stuff, the very limited amount of time doesn’t allow for actual teaching. We had 3 CCF guys on our OIC, they knew was much drill on leaving as they did on entry; the square root of Geoff all.
Lies!
They knew how to salute when saluted and how to perform a pointless circle drill routine.
Ya know, the important stuff.
1 Like
Not the ones on mine!
I just perambulate or speak to someone’s Auntie, much easier 
1 Like
We have been putting on training/practice days since we were allowed to, all approved following the return to F2F guidance of course. First one was in April and there are a few more dotted through the year.
No cadets, just staff for practice in a peer environment. We have DIs running it, but let’s face it, everyone is rusty after not doing it for a year/18 months. Gives people the opportunity to practice.
IMHO if you’re teaching drill, your personal standard has to be up to scratch…and if you don’t practice how can you teach?
1 Like
So what people had forgotten how to “walk” or move in an organised fashion, which is all drill is when all said and done, after a year or so of not doing it. Doesn’t say much does it.
Frankly I don’t think it matters much who teaches it as long as they have a bit of an idea, after all getting a drill movement wrong isn’t life altering among normal people. When I’ve had no other uniformed staff than me, I let CIs loose, granted ex-cadets but still CIs. We don’t get excited about who teaches many of the things we do, unless HQAC in their pedantry decide to inflict some in house rule to restrict things or it makes sense to have someone with an NGB ticket ref water sports and climbing.
When we let people teach all manner of things without really having a scooby, why is it drill seems to be the one thing that a too many get excited over who it is who teaches it. The only time it might matter is a drill comp, but even then if the kids have half an idea and the bod out the front has learnt the routine and the kids listen to what is said, it’s not that big a deal and I speak as one who has been in the winning squad 3 times and out front twice. Three of the occasions we won, were the i/c hadn’t leant the routine or their squads weren’t listening and did the wrong thing. I did numerous continuity arms displays when I was cadet and we knew we’d messed up, but 99.9999% of those watching hadn’t a clue. People comment on how smart the cadets look on a parade and no one mentions the marching, even when watching you think it could be better. I know some will have had people say something about their drill.