Drill School of Instruction
2015 – 2016 – Grand Commandery ofMinnesota
IN HOC SIGNO VINCES
Course TopicsCourse Topics
✠What is Drill?
✠Command Presence
✠Planning for Success
✠Key Drill Items
✠Inspection
What is Drill and whyshould you care?What is Drill and whyshould you care?
✠Definition
The purpose of drill is to enable a commander or noncommissioned officer to move hisunit from one place to another in an orderly manner; to aid in disciplinary training byinstilling habits of precision and response to the leader’s orders; and to provide forthe development of all soldiers in the practice of commanding troops (U.S. ArmyField Manual 3-21.5)
Elements of DrillElements of Drill
✠Discipline is the suppression of base desires, and is usually understood to besynonymous with restraint and self-control. (Sound familiar?)
✠Installing habits of precision and response is critical to our ability to lead ourCommanderies in carrying out their orders
✠Development of our Officers, and our Sir Knights requires repetition andreinforcement of what we expect of them and of us
So what?So what?
✠Our Ritual is what makes Sir Knights unique from the rest of the York Rite
✠We practice our Chivalric posture, as well as strengthening our connection tohistorical Knights
✠Parades, as well as our formations, require precision to be able to move as asingle unit
✠While we don’t fight with our Swords, they are an extension of our bodies, andthe operative working tool of a Sir Knight
Command PresenceCommand Presence
Leadership andCommandLeadership andCommand
✠We define leadership as influencing people by providing purpose, direction, andmotivation, while operating to accomplish the mission and improve theorganization
✠Command is the conduct of operations through decentralized execution basedupon orders. Successful command demands that subordinate leaders exercisedisciplined initiative, acting aggressively and independently to accomplishthe mission.
Key AttributesKey Attributes
✠Influence – Not Direction, not Order
✠Provide Purpose – Why?
✠Provide Direction – What?
✠Provide Motivation – Desire for someone to do something
✠Accomplish our Mission
✠KEY – We need to accomplish our mission
Command VoiceCommand Voice
✠Loudness – Must be able to be heard
✠Projection – Heard at the back of Asylum and the Front
✠Distinctiveness – Cadence of command
✠Pause between Commands
✠Raising pitch at end of Command
✠Inflection – Not what you say, but how you say it
Planning for SuccessPlanning for Success
PlanningPlanning
✠Leader needs to know WHAT is going to be done, WHY it is being done,WHEN to do it
✠More importantly – need to know HOW to do something
✠“Those who would lead, must first learn to follow”
✠Six “P’s” – Proper Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance
✠We all have our favorite saying about Planning – it all comes down to a singlefactor – without Planning, we are unable to succeed
Who?Who?
✠Unit Commanders are key to planning and preparation
✠Commander - Obvious
✠Captain General – Needs to know everything that the rest of theCommandery should be doing
✠Senior Warden – Take cues from the Captain General
✠Sword Bearer – In command of the Standard Guard
Inspection SectionInspection Section
✠Start with the Full Form Opening – Use this as the base of all Conclaves
✠Reception of Inspecting Officer, Distinguished Guests – Same basic process
✠Practice, not only the movements but also the titles
✠Flag Presentation
✠Communication across Lines – Practice this because the words are difficult
✠Inspection and Review
✠Pass in Review
✠Triangle – Remember, you can use the Alternate Triangle
Inspection TimelineInspection Timeline
✠Inspection minus 7 - Full Form Opening
✠Inspection minus 6 - Reception of Inspecting Officer, Distinguished Guests
✠Inspection minus 5 - Flag Presentation, Communication
✠Inspection minus 4 - Inspection and Review
✠Inspection minus 3 - Pass in Review, Triangle
✠Inspection minus 2 – Full rehearsal, stop / start
✠Inspection minus 1 – Dress Rehearsal (Full uniform, Sword) full flow, nostopping
✠Inspection – Officer’s Call two hours prior to start
Key Drill ItemsKey Drill Items
Drill - CommandsDrill - Commands
✠Most commands are two parts – Preparation and execution
✠Cadence – Speed
✠Pitch – raising at the end of the command
Drill - FacingDrill - Facing
✠Left, Right and About Face are critical commands during Inspection, but alsoConclaves
Drill - MarchingDrill - Marching
✠Always – first step with Left Foot
✠Columns – Maintains formation, one after another
✠Wheel – Maintains ranks, pivoting as a body
✠Halt – Take one more step forward, then bring the rear foot forward to positionof Attention
✠Mark Time – A pause or ability to allow units to catch up
✠In Asylum, all marching at the half step
✠Adapt to Asylum
InspectionInspection
InspectionInspection
✠Know your Asylum
✠Size of the Asylum is key – how many steps long and wide
✠Sidelines
✠Know your Sir Knights
✠How many regular attendees (helps plan for the Lines)
✠How prepared are they?
✠Know the Officers
✠Every drill session with your Sir Knights requires at least one for the Officers
InspectionInspection
✠Including other Sir Knights
✠If you do not have enough Sir Knights, ask for assistance
✠Grand Commandery Guards are there to help, as are other Commanderies
✠Communicate – Cannot stress this enough
✠Commandery
✠Grand Commandery – Inspecting Officer, Grand Recorder, Grand Guards
✠Family
✠I… just don’t know
✠Grand Guard: S.K. ______________________________________
Inspection -AdministrationInspection -Administration
✠Laws, Rules, Regulations
✠Records
✠Financial
✠Recorder
✠Quartermaster
✠Asylum
✠Flag
✠Constitution
✠Bible
✠Officers’ Stations
QuestionsQuestions
