San Diego -- A senior drill instructor walks across the parade deck towards his platoon. He stops and readies himself. “Fall in!”
Recruits of Company K, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, competed in their Final Drill aboard the depot, Sept. 23.
The purpose of Final Drill is to test a platoon’s ability to execute a specific set of drill maneuvers for score.
“Final Drill is used to see how well the platoon came together for the final event,” said Staff Sgt. Otis V. Gordon, senior drill instructor, Platoon 3233. “It’s the final test of their overall discipline.”
The Co. K platoons competed against each through their Final Drill score. The winner will take home the Final Drill trophy; the last trophy competition in recruit training that decides who will become the Honor Platoon.
On that early, hazing morning, recruits ran through a pre-determined set of drill maneuvers. Prior to going out on the parade deck, a drill master presented a set of cards face down to the senior drill instructor. The senior drill instructor then picked a card, and on that card is what his platoon was expected to perform during the event.
The order of drill maneuver execution on the cards is not new to the senior drill instructor or platoon. This knowledge gave them the opportunity to train and prepare for the various cards that could be chosen.
“We spend every waking minute or spare time to train them; either in the squad bay, parade deck, or anywhere else that we can utilize,” said Gordon, an Oceanside, Calif. native. “For Final Drill we give them an idea on what the drill master will be looking for so they can practice to be especially sharp in those areas.”
The card started with Co. K recruits performing various rifle manual drill maneuvers including: order arms, left shoulder arms, inspection arms, rifle salute, stack arms, and many more. The recruits must have confidence and discipline to properly execute each move and hold their position. Failure to do so will cost the entire platoon points.
“Drill will teach us discipline and get us to do what we’re supposed to do,” said Recruit Hector J. Delgadocardona, guide, Plt. 3234. “Final Drill will show that we’re working hard and trying to be the best of the best.”
Following the rifle manual drill maneuvers, Co. K recruits prepared to execute the marching portion of the event. The recruits must stay in marching synchronization of each other and execute the drill maneuvers precisely when the instructor gives the command. Though it may seem simple, the game-day stress can sometimes be overwhelming.
“Some recruits struggle with being really nervous because they don’t want to disappoint their senior drill instructor or platoon,” said Gordon, who has been a drill instructor for one-and-a-half years. “They might forget a technique or mishear the command because of that.”
Even recruits with previous experience in drill found the experience difficult.
“I was in the Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps and did a lot of drill prior to coming to recruit training,” said Delgadocardona, a Long Beach, Calif. native. “I felt it was harder for me because I had to get retrained to the proper Marine Corps way of drilling.”
Through hard work and dedication, Plt. 3231 came out victorious in Final Drill.
Recruits have come a long way since training day one. They have learned basic but valuable skills that will carry with them throughout their Marine Corps career. The discipline they have learned has helped them excel with drill in recruit training. In the future, they may need to utilize it again while out in combat.
“If they’re on patrol and halt is called they have to be disciplined to do exactly that,” said Gordon. “If not, excessive movement may get them or the Marine next to them hurt.”