Marine Shapes Silent Drill Platoon
(March 16, 2010) |
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As drill master for the Marine Corps Silent Drill
Platoon, Cpl. Robert Dominguez is tasked with memorizing, teaching
and passing down the platoon's unique drill manual, creating a new
drill sequence for the platoon to perform each year, and selecting
new members and the 24 Marines who will drill during performances. |
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MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz., March 12, 2010 The Marine Corps Silent
Drill Platoon performs around the world, demonstrating discipline, precision and
dedication to tradition.
But who chooses these men? Who teaches them the time-honored tradition of
representing the Marine Corps with their silent performances?
Marine Corps Cpl. Robert Dominguez, a 26-year-old native of Selma, Calif.,
serves as the platoon's drill master. He is tasked with memorizing, teaching and
handing down the platoon's unique drill style, called “slide drill.”
“It's a great honor to be the 62nd drill master of the Marine Corps Silent Drill
Platoon, teaching the manual to Marines and passing it on,” said Dominguez, who
became the drill master Nov. 4. “I am the keeper of the Silent Drill Platoon's
traditions.”
The drill master keeps the manual for slide drill and passes it to the next
drill master, a rite of succession that has remained unchanged since its
creation.
“Back in 1948, all the drill was choreographed and slide drill was created,”
said Dominguez, who is in his third year with the platoon. “What I do as the
drill master is use that manual and come up with a new sequence for the year. I
think up some cool ideas and go back through old drill sequences and try to make
a new, fresh sequence with some more flavor.”
Marines may remember drill from their boot camp landing-party manual, but slide
drill is different. It uses no verbal commands and modifies common drill
maneuvers, such as port arms, to best fit the platoon's style and varying
formations. |
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“It's very difficult to learn,” Dominguez said. “You've got
to have a lot of bearing, coordination and discipline to be
able to learn slide drill.”
However, teaching drill is not the drill master's only
responsibility.
“To represent the Marine Corps, the Marine Corps wants the
best, and it's my job to select them,” Dominguez said.
Dominguez trains and chooses the platoon members during
their initial training, determining who makes the cut and
who gets cut. After that, he decides which members make up
the “marching 24,” the two dozen Marines who actually
perform.
If Dominguez believes the platoon's proficiency declines, he
can declare a challenge day, during which members audition
for spots among the marching 24.
The drill master is a coveted and respected position among
the platoon, and Dominguez is equally respected by his
platoon. “As a drill master, he does demand the perfection
needed of this platoon,” said Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Perry
Bell, who is in his first year with the platoon.
The downside to being the drill master is watching from the
sidelines and not being able to perform with the platoon,
Dominguez said.
“Performing is an adrenaline rush,” he explained. “You can't
get that feeling anywhere else. It's unfortunate that I'm
not in the fight with them, not performing, but I get to
critique them and make them better.”
For decades, the Silent Drill Platoon has been an American
icon, personifying the discipline and precision of the
Marine Corps through public demonstrations, recruiting
posters and commercials. Now that responsibility lies
primarily in Dominguez's hands as the drill master of the
nation's most famous drill team.
“Nothing that we do is about us,” Dominguez said. “The
picture is bigger than us. To the public, we represent the
Marine Corps.” |
Article and photo By USMC LCpl. Austin Hazard
Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz
Special to American Forces Press Service
Copyright 2010 |
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