Marching with the company

H

helmsdown

5-Year Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2017
Messages
326
When I see pictures of the companies marching, is there a rhyme or reason to the order or is it random? Why does one person carry the company banner and is that a permanent thing? Any criteria for choosing the person to carry the banner? Do you want to be in the front or outside lines or is it better to be sandwiched in the middle so you stand out less.
 
I am pretty sure Companies march in review in numbered order as they do at Navy/Army game. Carrying the Guideon (Company Designation) is an honor. How they pick them I do not know. Getting lost in the crowd is always a good thing.
 
Guidon bearer is selected.. and is an honor , usually squared away Midshipman. During Plebe Summer, it will usually be a prior enlisted, NAPS, ROTC, etc. who has some drill experience. Company Staff will be up front, and Squad Leaders in front row. From there, essentially tallest up front and right, shorter sandblowers in the back. No good can come from being on the outside --if you march well, its expected...if you screw up, its visible.
 
Was I the only one who LIKED being on the outside? Especially if I happened to be on the windward side of the platoon...being in the middle made me claustrophobic, and on a hot, humid Annapolis day when you think it couldn't be any more steamy, guess what: it can! Right in the middle!
 
All I know is my plebe has had a constant look of serious concentration while in formation or marching. Running she looked like she was talking to some around her so I expect she's good there.
 
helmsdown said:
All I know is my plebe has had a constant look of serious concentration while in formation or marching. Running she looked like she was talking to some around her so I expect she's good there.
Click to expand...

I assume the comment is from looking at pictures..playing where's Waldo ? You will go crazy trying to tell what they are thinking from facial expressions in pictures. Keep in mind, I suspect that she has been running for 18 ish years...and marching/formation for a week now. OF course she is more comfortable running than marching !
 
I told my wife we shouldn't attach any emotions to her face based on one picture. They could be happy and step on a rock and looked pained for that one second. I don't have to play Where's Waldo, My DW has become and expert and already has about 30 of DD. We received a note, not a letter written the day after IDay. She sounded pretty tired with miles yet to go working on her room.

Do people stay here for the 4 years or do we drop off after IDay? It's already 180 degrees different from dropping a kid at regular college.
 
Old Navy nailed it for the why questions! Was the same for my year groups and appears it hasn't changed. Honestly you can't read anything by the faces. In formation they are pretty serious and usually the only talking is singing cadence. When on runs that aren't in formation there is more room and freedom to even chat with someone next to you. It's been a week, they are snapping out of the shock and fog and starting to get in rhythm of their new life. Slowly but surely things are starting to make sense.
 
Sandblowers (short people) are no longer always in back. They can now be in the front. It actually makes more sense to put them in the middle of the pack rather than at the back where they (with the shortest strides) are trying to keep up with tall folks up front.
 
But I like marching in the back! Way better back there. Although not the shortest, I always opted for last row with my roomies (who were legit sandblowers). I hated getting stuck in the middle.
 
Do the detailers move them around the unit? Does being in back one day and the front the next indicate anything?
 
JD Hopeful Dad said:
Do the detailers move them around the unit? Does being in back one day and the front the next indicate anything?
Click to expand...
Doesn’t really mean anything. They only need so many for certain spots in formation and drill. They rotate. Detailers actually get very little sleep, so they will rotate things around to get a break, nap, laundry.
 
NavyHoops said:
Doesn’t really mean anything. They only need so many for certain spots in formation and drill. They rotate. Detailers actually get very little sleep, so they will rotate things around to get a break, nap, laundry.
Click to expand...
I was asking about the plebes being moved around.

Makes sense for rotating the detailers, they're up before and after the plebes.
 
JD Hopeful Dad said:
I was asking about the plebes being moved around.

Makes sense for rotating the detailers, they're up before and after the plebes.
Click to expand...
Yes. Plebes will move around in formation. Usually tallest to smallest for parade formations, but they might not be there yet.
 
At least in our platoon, they basically assigned a plebe (rotating basis) to be an “assistant” squad leader for mustering purposes…so if the detail squad leader wasn’t present at an evolution, you became responsible for mustering the squad and reporting it to the platoon commander, which meant you stood at the head of the squad if this happened for a meal formation…but this only was instituted after a few weeks in. This also meant that the plebe better have their marching movements mastered since you were at the front!

For parade and drill, the formation is (or at least should be) height order…tallest to the front and right, shortest to the back and left.
 
Last edited:
Mine is always in the back row, sometimes switches left or right. A few times during PS she was 🎶 all by myself (herself) 🎶 in the last row. Made for easy Where’s Wanda hunting.
 
helmsdown said:
I told my wife we shouldn't attach any emotions to her face based on one picture. They could be happy and step on a rock and looked pained for that one second. I don't have to play Where's Waldo, My DW has become and expert and already has about 30 of DD. We received a note, not a letter written the day after IDay. She sounded pretty tired with miles yet to go working on her room.

Do people stay here for the 4 years or do we drop off after IDay? It's already 180 degrees different from dropping a kid at regular college.
Click to expand...
yes best to not read anything in the emotion or lack of on her face during plebe summer. you will have a better idea of how she is doing on Sunday for the first call. and yes it is the polar opposite of regular college - my 3rd child is a firstie now and my other 2 had regular college experiences - there is nothing that is similar at all!! Hope your call on Sunday is wonderful!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top