thedrifter
11-02-07, 06:30 AM
The Florida Times-Union
November 2, 2007
These Marines will get your attention
By Jeff Brumley,
The Times-Union
While most of the action at the Jacksonville Sea & Sky Spectacular will be in the skies, a historic part of it will unfold on the ground.
On Saturday morning, the U.S. Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon will twirl, toss and catch M-1 rifles in drills made famous for nearly 60 years.
Known for its synchronization, silent cadences, fixed bayonets and ramrod-straight Marines, the team has become a symbol of the corps itself, said Capt. Joshua Glover, commander of the Washington-based unit.
The Times-Union spoke by phone with Glover about the history of the platoon and the Marines who serve in it.
How long has the drill platoon been around?
This is the 60th year. They started in the summer parades of 1948 and received a very enthusiastic reception and it's continued to perform ever since.
What will folks see if they catch the platoon's drill Saturday morning?
The platoon does a 13-minute drill exhibition. The first eight minutes are coordinated drills with all 24 platoon members. The last five minutes is a very complicated rifle inspection.
How much traveling does the platoon do?
The group will do approximately 100 shows a year. We'll travel approximately 50,000 miles a year, and I think this year we're on track to perform for about 800,000 people.
At what kind of events does the platoon usually perform?
We do parades in the D.C. area throughout the summer - at the Marine Corps War Memorial, battle color detachment shows ... funerals. We travel all over the country and the world. When we travel, we do everything from air shows to local county fairs to NFL games.
Do Marines make a career of the platoon?
For the enlisted team ... they've gone to boot camp and infantry training, but this will be their first duty station. ... They'll be in the platoon for two years. After that two years, they'll go to an infantry platoon where they'll serve out the rest of their enlistment. ... The exception to that is platoon sergeant and the platoon commander. This is not our first duty station. We will do a tour in an infantry unit, then come to the platoon.
So the platoon is open exclusively to infantry Marines? Why is that?
I couldn't really speculate on that. I know it's always been infantry.
jeff.brumley@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4310 SEA & SKY SPECTACULAR The Jacksonville Sea & Sky Spectacular runs today through Sunday at the Jacksonville Beach oceanfront. For a complete listing of the air show's aircraft and performers, see today's Weekend section. The U.S. Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon will perform at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the SeaWalk Pavilion, where Beach Boulevard dead-ends at the ocean.
For more information about the platoon, visit its Web site at our.marines.com.
Ellie
November 2, 2007
These Marines will get your attention
By Jeff Brumley,
The Times-Union
While most of the action at the Jacksonville Sea & Sky Spectacular will be in the skies, a historic part of it will unfold on the ground.
On Saturday morning, the U.S. Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon will twirl, toss and catch M-1 rifles in drills made famous for nearly 60 years.
Known for its synchronization, silent cadences, fixed bayonets and ramrod-straight Marines, the team has become a symbol of the corps itself, said Capt. Joshua Glover, commander of the Washington-based unit.
The Times-Union spoke by phone with Glover about the history of the platoon and the Marines who serve in it.
How long has the drill platoon been around?
This is the 60th year. They started in the summer parades of 1948 and received a very enthusiastic reception and it's continued to perform ever since.
What will folks see if they catch the platoon's drill Saturday morning?
The platoon does a 13-minute drill exhibition. The first eight minutes are coordinated drills with all 24 platoon members. The last five minutes is a very complicated rifle inspection.
How much traveling does the platoon do?
The group will do approximately 100 shows a year. We'll travel approximately 50,000 miles a year, and I think this year we're on track to perform for about 800,000 people.
At what kind of events does the platoon usually perform?
We do parades in the D.C. area throughout the summer - at the Marine Corps War Memorial, battle color detachment shows ... funerals. We travel all over the country and the world. When we travel, we do everything from air shows to local county fairs to NFL games.
Do Marines make a career of the platoon?
For the enlisted team ... they've gone to boot camp and infantry training, but this will be their first duty station. ... They'll be in the platoon for two years. After that two years, they'll go to an infantry platoon where they'll serve out the rest of their enlistment. ... The exception to that is platoon sergeant and the platoon commander. This is not our first duty station. We will do a tour in an infantry unit, then come to the platoon.
So the platoon is open exclusively to infantry Marines? Why is that?
I couldn't really speculate on that. I know it's always been infantry.
jeff.brumley@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4310 SEA & SKY SPECTACULAR The Jacksonville Sea & Sky Spectacular runs today through Sunday at the Jacksonville Beach oceanfront. For a complete listing of the air show's aircraft and performers, see today's Weekend section. The U.S. Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon will perform at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the SeaWalk Pavilion, where Beach Boulevard dead-ends at the ocean.
For more information about the platoon, visit its Web site at our.marines.com.
Ellie