How are they chosen?Īctually, today is the first day of our silent drill school. Tell me about the 24 Marines in the platoon. That is definitely something that I constantly get to improve on - making sure everything is to the Marine Corps' standards. It's doing that part to perfect what I'm presenting. Also, there are all the minor drill movements and making sure that my appearance is perfect, from the uniform to how I'm standing to how I'm executing things - on top of making sure that everyone's taken care of in my platoon and the mission's being met. I never thought standing still for so long would be as hard and exhausting as it is. It's a command-selected position, and it's really an honor.Ġ1:14 What is the hardest part of leading a drill platoon? Then I was chosen to be the Bravo Company executive officer, and I just got selected for Silent Drill Platoon. After I graduated, I became first platoon commander in Bravo Company. Then, once you graduate, you go off to your job. It's something we all share and work through. Do you get chosen for it?Īll officers and staff non-commissioned officers who get stationed at Marine Barracks Washington go through Ceremonial Drill School. I want to lead Marines and be selfless in that regard. It's an honor, but it's not the reason that I'm here. So, I want to do my best for my Marines and the mission. Yes, I am the first, but at the same time, I'm team commander and I've done this before. I wouldn't necessarily say I take that title as a big honor. What are your thoughts on that designation?Īt the end of the day, I just I feel honored to be a potential role model for both men and women who want to be a Marine. There have been a lot of female "firsts" in the military over the past few decades. We get to go around the country to organizations and schools that request us to be there to show the world what the Marine Corps is - that we are professionalism and how we care for attention to detail. We're given the opportunity to represent the Marine Corps to the public. VIRIN: 210924-A-IW468-260 What's so special about the Silent Drill Platoon? The 24-Marine platoon's performances with their 10-pound M1 Garand rifles are precise and calculated – and they're all done without verbal cadence or commands.Īs Hastings took over the reins of the platoon, she talked to us about this special mission. The highly disciplined platoon performs during historic Friday Evening Parades at the barracks and Tuesday Sunset Parades at the Marine Corps War Memorial, along with other ceremonies throughout the nation from May to August. Hastings served as a marching platoon commander and a marching company executive officer before being selected as the 2023 Silent Drill Platoon commander. There, she was required to go through Ceremonial Drill School to learn the rigorous fundamentals of the ceremonial mission. In 2020, she moved to Washington, D.C, to serve at Marine Barracks Washington, a registered national historical landmark that supports ceremonial and security missions. Hastings, 28, graduated from the Naval Academy in May 2017 and immediately began serving as a Marine Corps field artillery officer with the 1st Battalion, 12th Marines in Hawaii.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |