How to Train cadets to stay in-line?

[Drill for life]

We have a problem in my unit, keeping dressed when we march. We have a competition on Feb 7. Our Platton marches great but the thing is we have a horrible habit of not staying dressed. When I mean dressed I also mean that almost everyone in our platoon(except the squad Leaders) doesn't stay dressed or covered. Any suggestions?

[ArmyJrotc Raider]

Try having their arms out in front of them (kind of like the nazi salute thingy) and march them like that for a while til they get it in their heads that they need to be (this distance) apart, and for their dress march them with one arm up on their side to keep them (this distance) apart. O yea they have different arm lengths so accommodate for that. It sounds really really really (cannot stress enough) stupid but it worked for the C/Lieutenants' platoon and I, training a bunch of fresh LET I's from middle school. Try it if you want and, good luck if you do or don't!

[Drill for life]

Originally Posted by ArmyJrotc Raider

Try having their arms out in front of them (kind of like the nazi salute thingy) and march them like that for a while til they get it in their heads that they need to be (this distance) apart, and for their dress march them with one arm up on their side to keep them (this distance) apart. O yea they have different arm lengths so accommodate for that. It sounds really really really (cannot stress enough) stupid but it worked for the C/Lieutenants' platoon and I, training a bunch of fresh LET I's from middle school. Try it if you want and, good luck if you do or don't!

Great idea. Thank you a whole lot, It's weird to see LET 1's march because you think"I was I like that" I don't know but hey we where. It's our turn to teach them so they can teach other people.

[03_SHOOTER]

If your people know anything about shooting yet, teach them to use the people in front of them like a rifle sight. You shouldn't be able to see the head of anyone ahead of the man directly in front of you. As far as interval, the arm trick is a good one, although it does look a bit funny, but when their arms get tired enough, they'll learn how to do it without having to hold 'em out there.

[TruBlu]

For side-by-side dress, I recommend a simple exercise where you march everyone in a single flank to have them all dressing to some one. This seems to be an effective tool. As for cover, if they have the above down, the flanks of the formation will set the cover and the rest will simply have to dress to those on the far sides. But above all, repetition is the only way. Constantly drill them on that one aspect until it's down.

[Drill for life]

It is better to be Covered thatn to be dressed because people ahve different sized arms.

[armysc_25b]

In the end, you need to maintain both. A cadence comes to mind: "Dress it right and cover down, 40 inches all around"