Thursday, April 19, 2012

Bragging Rights

From the Usual USAF Source...
Squared Away: The Air Force's honor guard won the hard-fought Joint Service Honor Guard Drill Competition at the Thomas Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C. "I think this was one of the best performances I've seen from our guys in the last two years," said competition judge MSgt. Nathan Todd. USAF's drill team beat out honor guards from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine during the April 14 competition, an annual event. Despite breaking a drill rifle midway through the team's exhibition drill routine, "their bearing was not broken and their training propelled them to victory," added Todd. "We trained for anywhere from eight to 12 hours a day specifically for this," stressed honor guard member SrA. Christopher Martinez-Hernandez. "We put in a lot of hard work." (Washington, D.C., report by A1C Daniel Burkhardt)
So much for that tired old saw about the Air Force not being "military."  I think that captain... and the leaders of the other honor guards/drill teams... has Big Brass Ones to walk through a line tossed rifles tipped with flashing bayonets.  BIG ones.  Congratulations, USAF Honor Guard.

Photo credits: U.S. Air Force Photos/Senior Airman Perry Aston.  As always, click to embiggen.

Updated:  Video (at some small college in Loosy-Anna which supposedly has some expertise in football.  Or so I've heard.).

14 comments:

  1. Cool. I could watch drill teams all day. (my viewing history on youtube backs that claim)

    Funny story: my goofball best friend from the highschool/college era is now an AF LtC. (still hard for me to believe). Back in the '90s he was in a color guard at an event for President Clinton, about the time of the Lewinsky mess. He was probably a 1Lt or Captain at the time. Horny Bill went down line shaking hands with everybody in the color guard. When he got to my friend, friend went to attention and refused to extend his hand. Bubba stood there dumbfounded for just a second and then said "Okaaaaayyy" and wandered off.

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    1. Your friend had Big Brass Ones too, Inno. I'm betting he got his ass chewed for that lil trick. But GOOD on him!

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    2. Inno, that is a bitchin' story that he should tell his great grandchirrens one day!

      Bitchin'!!!

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  2. That’s why the Air Force guards every US Embassy around the world, flies the POTUS around and guards the WH…no wait…;)

    Quick story; attended an Army base for MOS training 30 yrs. ago, Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MA. While there, our Marine contingent had to attend a change of command ceremony, which obviously was overwhelmingly Army personnel. Every unit had to march past the viewing stands upon arrival and take their positions for the ceremony. The people in the stands, dignitaries, friends, relatives, would give each a courteous round of applause. Then we, the Marines, marched in and past the viewing stands…standing O, loudly clapping, shouts and whooping it up commenced. Overwhelming much more than for any of the Army units by far, not even close. Reminder - on an Army base, from friends and family, etc. related to Army folks.

    And we were merely a bunch of everyday Jarheads put together by circumstance, from all over the fleet, no drilling practice, most didn’t even know each others names much less could anticipate each others tendencies marching. Everything we knew about drill was imbedding during boot camp - which was hours on end, everyday.

    ‘Nuff said.

    (No, I’m not comparing that to these fine men pictured above, simmer down now. Just making a point.)

    Another quick story since Buck has me going; during boot camp, the four platoons of the cycle would regularly hold competitions throughout the length of our stay, 13 weeks, of various types - tug of war, combined scores of PT and rifle…etc., which my platoon managed to loose all of. It endeared us to our kind and understanding DI’s.

    Then came the final, most prestigious of all, especially since it was our Senior DI’s first graduating class, - drill. YesireeJimBobCatTail, we smoked ‘em. Remember it like yesterday.

    That is all, done blabbing.

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    1. I'll give ya this: the Marines are favorites with most Americans, and rightly so. All I remember about basic is graduating, and that was almost 49 years ago. No, wait. That's NOT true.

      I remember being on the obstacle course towards the end of our training and bein' berated by some fat SSgt TI about payin' attention to this phase of our training "because you just might NEED it if they send yer ass to Veet-Nam." "What?," sez one of us. "VEET-NAM, Dummy! We're fighting a WAR over there!" It got real quiet... given this was September of 1963 and virtually NO one knew we were in it up to our asses, even then. But we did pay attention after that.

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  3. I had a young friend who was part of the Old Guard in DC for a while. He was about 6'6" - they like 'em tall. Those drill teams are impressive.

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    1. The Old Guard is one of the most-storied divisions in the Army... that's a prestigious assignment.

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  4. Ho hum...everybody knows that the USAF is the best at everything. Sure, them Marines have them some snappy dress uniforms (can't deny that).

    But, EVERYBODY knows that it is WAY harder to get in to the USAF nowadays. Obviously, it was pretty easy back when you got in, Buck, but now it is WAY HARD.

    Growing up, and living most of my life here within one mile of BAFB (and, "The Base Kids" were assigned to my school district), I guess I might just be an AF homer.

    Jeepers! The Barksdale Air Show is this weekend. The Thunderbirds have been prack-tizing all afternoon right overhead as I've been trying to get my weeds under control.

    Impressive as hell!!!

    It always is. Even though I've seen it most of my life, the precision is just impossible to ignore. THE CHAIR FORCE IS THE BOMB!

    Except for The Army Reserve, which is equally The Bomb...which is taking another son to the sand pretty quick. But, THEY'RE THE BOMB, TOO!

    Okay...that was a retarded comment. Delete it if you must.

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    1. The ONLY retarded bit was the aspersions you cast upon me. It was pretty hard to get in the AF back in '63.

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    2. Nyuk!

      Was just joshin', Buck.

      As you already knew...

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  5. BTW...I guess I missed it the first time around.

    But, NOBODY DOES DRILL LIKE THEM FIGHTIN' TIGERS!

    Everybody else sucks, and when we happen to win a trophy, we DO NOT let it get all busted up, like the retarded Bamaroids!



    Just sayin'...

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    1. After ya have the AF come in to show ya how it's done.

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    2. Indeed! Contests don't lie.

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  6. That there is fan-damn-tastic, Inno. Juicy and sweet.

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Just be polite... that's all I ask.