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Everybody Loves a Parade 😉

Or we really do hate You People.

One or the other.
 
Ah . . . training. Big difference, amigo. (But thank you for your service.)

The exercise was for an Air National Guard unit. We were active duty Air Force. And in our basic training/technical schools during my era we marched. At close of day technical school at Shepherd AFB the parade was mass formations passing in review. Every single weekday.

For several years here in San Antonio we celebrated Armed Forces Day with a full fledged military parade. Watched them. Marched in them. Sadly, now the military only participates in the River Parade on Armed Forces Day.
 
Bodecea said:
Lee Greenwood, who's song doesn't believe that women died for this country too.
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Pathetic!

He can't hit the medium notes let alone the high ones. He's forgotten all about those "key" things and staying in one through the song and where did he get that sport jacket? Is he selling used cars on the side?

He looks ridiculous!
 

The article never seems to come down to a solid yes or no.
The times I've done it, it has always been with respect, to show my respect, but I don't do it all the time either.
There have been times where I just quickly clapped my hand to my heart instead, like one does when reciting the Pledge.
 
Hey man he salutes foreign military officers so why wouldn't he do the same with Americans?
 
Lutherf said:
Yes. Anything that celebrates exceptionalism in this nation is sad because we all must learn to hate America as much as the political left does or else they will roll out more protests to "teach" us how to hate properly.
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You just used up your month's supply of hyperbole. It's best not to blow your load all at once.
 
Lutherf said:
Look, if that's the best reason you have to hate America and hate the Army and hate Trump then more power to you.
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My father-in-law (Vietnam, First Gulf War, Iraq/Afghanistan) and youngest sister-in-law (Iraq and Afghanistan, now reserves), all Army, all Democrats, all served. My little cousin (two tours Afghanistan, victim of PTSD, suicide) also Democrat, Army and served. All veterans. All fought for this nation. So, you can take your "liberals hate America" BS and shove it up your ass.
 
Napoleon said:
It was a neat parade.
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No.

It wasn't.

It was pathetic. It was a disgrace. My in-laws who are veterans were not impressed. I saw some of the footage...this was weak sauce and not a good representation of the Army. I am very disappointed: so many family and in-laws that were in the armed forces (mostly Army, some Navy) who were disappointed as well.

I remember the end of the first Gulf War in DC with the parade and awesome fireworks to celebrate the end of the war and the coming home of our troops (National Victory Celebration). So proud, so happy.

For many years afterwards, I would go to the Spirit of America shows in DC with family or in-laws. Those were awesome shows that showcased the US Army Band, the Old Guard, various honor units (with caissons) drills and various vehicles like the Strykers. But always as an important part of the show: swearing in volunteers into the Army in front of the crowd.

Those were awesome displays and great reasons to be proud, not just of the Army, but the armed forces in all. This parade was weak, ill-attended and geared for the vanity of one man...not even a real celebration of the Army.
 
You and your family are entitled to your opinion. It was a good parade and a real celebration.

Since you only saw "some of the footage" you can view both the parade and the celebration at C-SPAN's website. All the elements you say were missing were in the parade and aftermath. My only problem with their coverage is Brian Lamb spent too much time interviewing his two military guests rather than show the parade full screen all the time.
 
Hamish Howl said:
Not because they're not soldiers, they are...But because the last time they practiced D&C was in basic.
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Yeah, that was the last time in 1992 - and I hated it. I am 2m and had to walk in front (in Germany we used to get sorted by length). My lieutenant was 1,60 and hated me. And all Comrades had shorter legs than me and hated me...
 

Indeed, the troops on foot were loose and sloppy. Their posture was relaxed rather than alert and focused. It's apparent to me the grunts were going through the motions for the Generalissimo. They were not taking it seriously. The West Point contingent of the cadets looked like they were strolling along together rather than marching.

It is unmistakable that Trump recognized right away this was not his Bastille Day grand military parade extravaganza. Nowhere near close in fact. For one thing, the troops marched in their work camos rather than wearing their formal dress or regular wear uniforms.

While only several units looked good, it's just obvious the Army made a stinker of it. The marchers were not self disciplined -- or well disciplined -- and not in a good order which says the Army communicated to 'em it did not take the parade seriously either. Slacking off seems to have been the order of the day.

When I was in The Old Guard in the Military District of Washington DC I marched in countless parades and later participated in judging some parades and this one was piss poor stuff. Virtually every unit of troops in this parade knows how to march well or at least respectably and this wasn't it -- by design.
 
Or maybe that’s just the state of the Army these days.
 
Napoleon said:
Or maybe that’s just the state of the Army these days.
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These guys train to be soldiers . They don't train to be in parades. Marching in lockstep is not a big part of their training. Quite frankly . I 'd rather have well trained soldiers than well trained marchers.
 
Callen said:
These guys train to be soldiers . They don't train to be in parades. Marching in lockstep is not a big part of their training. Quite frankly . I 'd rather have well trained soldiers than well trained marchers.
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It’s more plausible than a CT that they were ordered to be sloppy.
 
Callen said:
These guys train to be soldiers . They don't train to be in parades. Marching in lockstep is not a big part of their training. Quite frankly . I 'd rather have well trained soldiers than well trained marchers.
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You have both so you can stop pacing the floor nights. The parade represented all of the ten Army Divisions that are combat certified and ready to be deployed. As we saw, marching is not one of their specialties.

Well trained marchers in Washington DC are also well trained Soldiers, Marines -- Sailors and Coast Guard in the Sea Services -- Airmen, Space Force Guardians. They are both rather than one or the other. This is while you presume wrongly it is one dimensional for the Honor Guard units across the services in Washington DC. Your post popping off is wrong because you are uninformed and lazy about researching it.

There is no military specialty of ceremonial guard in the armed forces of the USA. Each guard has a regular Military Occupation Specialty or Rating in the particular service. A number of ceremonial guard members have had combat experience in their particular service.

Ceremonial units in Washington DC march during the summer -- and train to fight and win during the winter when the marching and parade season is slow. Each of the services guards of honor train for and conduct honors military funerals year round at Arlington National Cemetery.
 
Napoleon said:
It’s more plausible than a CT that they were ordered to be sloppy.
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They were nor ordered to be sloppy that is beyond ridiculous.
 
Not sure what about my post set you off given. your first paragraph agrees with my post. These are trained soldiers. Marching is not one of their specialties. I said nothing of other members of the armed services. Hope the rest of your day is better
 
Napoleon said:
Or maybe that’s just the state of the Army these days.
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It is not.

While we can be sure there was no order to these troops to slough it through, it's clear these troops can march better than they did.

Indeed, there are ways the chain of command can get the word around to the troops that slacking it is the expectation of the day. Doing this kind of military parade is anathema to the Army and to the USA armed forces. Doing it for the Generalissimo HimSelf is difficult to stomach. Hence the lousy show of marching.
 
Callen said:
Not sure what about my post set you off given. your first paragraph agrees with my post. These are trained soldiers. Marching is not one of their specialties. I said nothing of other members of the armed services. Hope the rest of your day is better
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I see your backup lights are better than your headlights.

I enjoyed correcting your post because I was able to make positive points about every member of the armed forces. I didn't use "rather have" in my post which is what your post did.

There's no need for your post given the US armed forces are trained to close on the enemy and kill 'em. All of the armed forces. The Pentagon has no thought whatsoever to train the armed forces to march well at the expense of their combat readiness and effectiveness. Your post was either or which is wrong.
 
My post, including the "rather have" was limited to these specific soldiers and what I consider to be unfair criticism of them. No backing up on my part and no "either or". I have been consistently supportive of them and pushed back on criticism of the way they marched. Be offended if you wish....but it's misplaced.
 
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