Marching to Chow

Cadets marching to chow at LDAC 2010.  Photo: www.facebook.com.

At camp, your favorite part of the day will likely be meal time.  You'll take in twice as many calories as you're used to, but will still manage to lose a few pounds.  Something about being outside for weeks at a time really carves those hunger lines into your cheeks.

You'll be placed in a platoon with other Cadets from across the country.  Everybody is in charge of the platoon at least once, so it's not a question of "if" you'll have to lead your buddies to chow, but "when."  This post will guide you through the steps you will take in order to complete this high-visibility task successfully.  Remember, literally everything you do at camp is evaluated.  This is no different.

1.  "FALL IN!"

First, pick a spot for your formation.  By now you have been trained to respond to the command of "Fall In" and so have your peers.  When you call for a formation with this command, it won't take more than thirty seconds for everyone to drop what they're doing and form up, at the position of attention, in front of you.

Hint: to make a formation happen faster, which will do nothing but good for your daily evaluation, first call for your squad leaders, and have them send out a warning order to their squads.  "Formation in five" will ensure the platoon is squared away, awaiting your command.

2.  "Right Face."

Whenever you move any formation from one place to another, you do so by facing the platoon to the right and forward.  Never face to the left.  (Don't bother asking why it's that way - it just is).  If you actually need to march to the left, you start marching to the right, and execute a counter column.  This is hard enough to execute that it deserves its own heading.  See the post about it above.

There two commands in a facing movement: the preperatory command, followed by the command of execution.  The preparatory command is the word "Right," issued from the diaphragm, drawn out in an ascending or descending pitch.  This alerts the formation to the coming command of execution.  The command of execution is "FACE!," issued from the diaphragm at top volume.  Having heard the preparatory command, the formation will instantly respond to the command of execution by executing the facing movement simultaneously and in synchronized rhythm.

3.  "Forward March."

The command of Forward March is in two parts.  The preparatory command is "Forward," followed by "MARCH!"  Immediately begin calling time, with "Left...left...left," each time your left foot hits the ground.  This keeps the formation in step and your evaluation in good order. 

Hint: The more confident you sound, the more confident your formation will look.

4.  "Column Left / Column Right."

Think of the formation as a moving train.  It has one path, and moves down its tracks dutifully, to whatever end.  In the old days, this often meant marching into enemy gunfire and artillery, staying in step even after their comrades were shot to pieces.  This requires the utmost discipline, and like a train, a perfectly disciplined formation of troops will march clear off a cliff if they are not commanded to stop.  (Luckily, such a platoon never existed, at least not very long).

It can be hard to steer the formation if you haven't had much practice.  You cannot derail it or turn it on a dime.  You can, however, decide how the tracks ahead will lay.  The Army steers a moving formation with the commands of Column Left and Column Right.

The preparatory command is "Column Left," issued on the left foot, or "Column Right" issued on the right foot.  The command of execution is "MARCH!"  Both the preparatory and execution commands together take one pace, or the amount of time it takes to take one step with each foot, to issue.  On the command "MARCH," the inner-most rank pivots 90 degrees on the opposite foot the command was issued.  (For instance, in Column Left, they pivot on the right foot; in Column Right, they pivot on the left).  The second rank inward faces half-right or half-left 45-degrees for one additional pace before pivoting again 45 degrees on the same foot.  The third rank inward (which is also the second rank outward) takes two additional paces before pivoting again, and the last rank takes three additional paces.

Hint: the fourth rank doesn't typically have to exaggerate the 45-degree pivoting movements because they are on the outside and generally end up giving a "round" appearance to the turning formation. 

The result, after all ranks have made the 90-degree turn, should be a diagonal-looking formation, which the ranks then correct by shortening or lengthening their stride as appropriate to make it square again.

These Chair Force cadets aren't good for much, but they know how to look pretty while they're at it.  Watch how they execute the Column Left.

5.  "Mark Time / Halt."

You have arrived at your destination.  Time to stop the train.  But you can't just yank the brakes all at once or you'll plow through the station and cause a catastrophe.  You need to allow a little space for all that tonnage to slow down.

The way to properly stop a moving element is with the command "Mark Time, March."  At the preparatory command of "Mark Time," issued on the left foot, the squad leader at the front rank of each column will prepare to stop moving and mark time.  At the command of execution, "MARCH!," the formation will stop in place and begin marking time.  You continue calling out "Left...left...left" as your left foot hits the ground, until it is time to halt.

The command to halt stops the formation and places the troops at attention.  The preparatory command is "PLATOON," issued on the left foot, and the command of execution is "HALT."  At "HALT," the formation will mark time for one more pace, and then come to the position of attention simultaneously.  If your rhythm is good, it will make everyone look smart.

6.  Left Face.

You will always face right, toward the formation, and call "Left Face," so that when they respond you will be facing them.  From there, you may choose to put them "At Ease," for further instruction.