You hit several nails squarely on the head! My husband is a USAFA grad so drill and ceremony is firmly engrained. He also taught JROTC after he retired, and for 10 years, met with his students at 6 a.m. so they could practice for drill meets. He even taught saber drills. I suspect his kids could have done better than those troops, and certainly all the things you've mentioned make a lot of sense. While the parade was getting ready to step off, we were at my husband's very first protest ever. I think he was a little wary about what to expect, although I've told him about the ones I've been to. He was wearing a VoteVets t-shirt proclaiming "I am not a sucker or a loser". He got a lot of comments from the crowd. I think he will be coming back with me next time around.
I believe that you are 100% correct. Those soldiers resented TF out of what they were treated like and being made to do and at the point of the actual march, gave zero f*cks.
I read somewhere that the troops were to stay in the Dept. of Agriculture offices so they all had to sleep on the floor and how many bathrooms do you think were available in those floors of offices. I would hope this wasn't true, but we saw the National Guard in LA sleeping on loading docks, so who knows.
First, thank you for all of your service but especially in the Old Guard. Second, I agree with you that marching in step is not that hard! I’d like to think the lackadaisical performance was due to not caring to impress the person who holds the title of “commander-in-chief.” A better way to honor the Army’s 250th birthday would have been to give those soldiers a day off, not additional duty on the weekend, probably one of many as they prepared for this event.
Thank you for your perspective, insight and compassion for those were viewed as and treated like props - it all fits with the way this regime's leadership views anyone and anything.
I agree. It was the worst marching in a military parade I’ve ever seen. I also agree it’s not that hard to march in step and if on occasion you do get out of step, it’s easy to quickly get back in step. But what I saw was so many not every trying to be in step, let alone worrying about being out of step. I also agree marching in wool uniforms in hot, humid weather is shear torture. We routinely had at least one person per parade pass out during the summer months while standing at attention. It’s been a long time since I was in the military but we never marched that bad even when we were first learning and had no idea what we were doing or how to respond to the marching commands.
Thanks for your insights from experience. As a USAF Chaplain I didn’t do much marching (except in an initial training course with lawyers… the most memorable “command” given by a Chaplain was “Oh shit! It’s a tree!” Embarrassing yet not surprising… the Dirty Diaper in Chief has no respect for those who serve or who have served. I was happy that the crowd was “small” just like him.
I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt. It was really hot and humid, they’d been waiting all day, etc. However! They are soldiers! They are trained to fight, right? Conditions most likely will not be optimal and they may have to go without sleep, food, water, bathrooms, etc. Last night they just had to march in sync. So definitely something else was going on. Charlotte, you are right on. Thank you for your insight and service!
I saw a comment on Bluesky today to the effect that if Army soldiers are told to do something they don't want to do, no one is better at doing it poorly. I think that was what we were seeing yesterday. And I don't blame them. As you said, they weren't being respected, they were being asked to be part of a spectacle to please a man who has never respected them.
As a member of my high school’s marching band, I agree that being in step is easy. I think they were tired and “burned out”. I only watched a few clips of the parade, but it was exactly what the felon deserved.
Thank you for taking the time and effort to explain all this to those of who never served. And maybe next time you could flag a link that goes to X. I would have liked reading that analysis but not there.
You hit several nails squarely on the head! My husband is a USAFA grad so drill and ceremony is firmly engrained. He also taught JROTC after he retired, and for 10 years, met with his students at 6 a.m. so they could practice for drill meets. He even taught saber drills. I suspect his kids could have done better than those troops, and certainly all the things you've mentioned make a lot of sense. While the parade was getting ready to step off, we were at my husband's very first protest ever. I think he was a little wary about what to expect, although I've told him about the ones I've been to. He was wearing a VoteVets t-shirt proclaiming "I am not a sucker or a loser". He got a lot of comments from the crowd. I think he will be coming back with me next time around.
Great. I’m glad your husband is involved, a couple that protests together…
I believe that you are 100% correct. Those soldiers resented TF out of what they were treated like and being made to do and at the point of the actual march, gave zero f*cks.
They gave him the parade he deserved.
I read somewhere that the troops were to stay in the Dept. of Agriculture offices so they all had to sleep on the floor and how many bathrooms do you think were available in those floors of offices. I would hope this wasn't true, but we saw the National Guard in LA sleeping on loading docks, so who knows.
First, thank you for all of your service but especially in the Old Guard. Second, I agree with you that marching in step is not that hard! I’d like to think the lackadaisical performance was due to not caring to impress the person who holds the title of “commander-in-chief.” A better way to honor the Army’s 250th birthday would have been to give those soldiers a day off, not additional duty on the weekend, probably one of many as they prepared for this event.
Thank you for your perspective, insight and compassion for those were viewed as and treated like props - it all fits with the way this regime's leadership views anyone and anything.
Keep writing - we need your voice.
I agree. It was the worst marching in a military parade I’ve ever seen. I also agree it’s not that hard to march in step and if on occasion you do get out of step, it’s easy to quickly get back in step. But what I saw was so many not every trying to be in step, let alone worrying about being out of step. I also agree marching in wool uniforms in hot, humid weather is shear torture. We routinely had at least one person per parade pass out during the summer months while standing at attention. It’s been a long time since I was in the military but we never marched that bad even when we were first learning and had no idea what we were doing or how to respond to the marching commands.
Thanks for your insights from experience. As a USAF Chaplain I didn’t do much marching (except in an initial training course with lawyers… the most memorable “command” given by a Chaplain was “Oh shit! It’s a tree!” Embarrassing yet not surprising… the Dirty Diaper in Chief has no respect for those who serve or who have served. I was happy that the crowd was “small” just like him.
I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt. It was really hot and humid, they’d been waiting all day, etc. However! They are soldiers! They are trained to fight, right? Conditions most likely will not be optimal and they may have to go without sleep, food, water, bathrooms, etc. Last night they just had to march in sync. So definitely something else was going on. Charlotte, you are right on. Thank you for your insight and service!
I saw a comment on Bluesky today to the effect that if Army soldiers are told to do something they don't want to do, no one is better at doing it poorly. I think that was what we were seeing yesterday. And I don't blame them. As you said, they weren't being respected, they were being asked to be part of a spectacle to please a man who has never respected them.
I agree that marching in step is not hard. I did it in Girl Scouts. At 11. The little I saw looked like 'too tired to care' all over the place.
Girl Scouts! Yes! We did Color Guard and you bet we were in step!🤦♀️
Excellent column and great explanation of marching. I didn’t bother to watch the parade but I think I’ll find a You Tube video and watch some of it.
You know, there’s a thin line between marching badly on purpose or marching badly because you just don’t give AF. I’m curious what this is.
As a member of my high school’s marching band, I agree that being in step is easy. I think they were tired and “burned out”. I only watched a few clips of the parade, but it was exactly what the felon deserved.
All Trump's going to realize is that Macron had a better parade.
Maybe this will be what gets Hegseth fired.
Thank you for taking the time and effort to explain all this to those of who never served. And maybe next time you could flag a link that goes to X. I would have liked reading that analysis but not there.
I imagine morale was a bit low for these soldiers…maybe a little bit of rebellion to not give it their best?