Impressive. I use to do drills too. I was part of a armed exhibition drill team. I used to do stuff like this: [video=youtube;eMDlcwywwXQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMDlcwywwXQ"[/video]
Really? What unit? I was with the USAREUR Honor Guard, Precision Rifle Drill Team, Heidelberg, FRG, 1976-78. We were nominally the 529th Military Police Company, but were tasked to also perform the drill and ceremony functions for the CINC, USAREUR. We traveled all over Europe putting on drill shows for NATO, US military and their dependents. Where did you perform and what years were you in? Like the marine in your video sample, we also used the M14 (nickel plated bayonet with custom made wooden stocks). One of the things that many people don't fully appreciate is that the weapons used in those drill performances are actual military grade rifles capable of live fire; most audiences assume that they're plastic or made of light weight materials for display purpose only. We also used to do daily rifle PT with them too, LOL... Here's a clip of the Old Guard (3rd US Inf Div) from DC in one of their old performances. It's the exact same format show that we used to put on, except they used the '03 Springfield: [video=youtube;1dxTBK7jI1s]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dxTBK7jI1s"[/video]
Haha, sorry, I didn't do it in the army. I actually did it for JRTOC in high school. We drilled everyday and went to 3 competitions a year. We did use the M14 rifles, but our barrels were filled with cement due to school regulations. Did that for about 2 to 3 years. Being young, reckless and fearless, I practiced all kinds of tricks. I'm pretty sure I can do every single thing that marine in the video did plus more, however I do admit, I'm was probably not as sharp as he is.
We drilled quite a lot too, and used weapons with fiberglass stocks for routine practice sessions and rifle PT. This way, if a weapon was dropped and a stock was broken, it didn't matter all that much. The wooden stocks were all specially selected, light in color, hand sanded and polished. They were saved for show use only. We had a great time traveling TDY all over Europe and the Mid East putting on drill shows.
