Cait the Proud Trans WomanJun 15

Just saw video of Trumpy's Big Birthday Blowout.

I was completely stunned to see the soldiers marching. Because they weren't marching. They were out for a stroll. No one was walking in step, half of them didn't even do a basic eyes left move when they passed the review stand. That's one of the most simple drill evolutions there is, you literally just *turn your head* and keep marching.

I know, I'm not US military, but drill is drill. It's been the way it is for about 300 years, since the evolution of firearms as a major weapon of war, for old reasons that don't really matter, having to do with the accuracy of those early firearms. It's retained for its ability to build cohesion, discipline, and quick instinctive response to orders.

And drill has a look to it. This was not that.

For me, that was a signal: "We don't want to be here either. We're not with him. We're here because we're good troops, and we do what we're ordered when it's a legal order. But he can't make us respect him."

Just to interpret what you can see for yourselves on the video. A good half of those troops are *not* on Trump's side.

Any vets out there want to chime in?

Show threadmyrmepropagandistJun 15

@oldladyplays

To do a parade you need a director with skills that have as much to do with dance and musical theatre as with the military. It's a SHOW and it requires practice and planning that just probably didn't happen.

US military might has not been about such displays for a very long time. Really our government wants us to forget about the big expensive murderous army and navy we have.

Trump doesn't get this? And the kind of talent he needed to pull this off wasn't there.

Show threadCait the Proud Trans WomanJun 15

@futurebird

Oh, you're absolutely right. This is just about..knowledge of the methods of training and the automatic nature of drill movements once you learn them. You don't just discard them because you forgot.

Show threadBenJun 15

@oldladyplays @futurebird

I don't think most of the (US) Army does drill.*

I didn't watch the parade but I did hear the cadets did well. They practice drill a lot (to a fault, some might argue).

I wouldn't read into it too much.

*Edit to add in a comment for all the replies who need to tell me I'm wrong because they are vets and learned how to move in a formation:

Yes. You're right. The Army does march around in step. But there's a bit of a difference between marching in step in a squad or a platoon to the dfac and performing a parade. Practicing for a parade is a distinct skill and doing it well takes practice. If you introduce new variables, like a change in formation size or the presence of loud music that contradicts your cadence, then it's going to look bad.

We could certainly argue that the staffs planning did not give it their best effort, but I don't assume it's an intentional snub by everyone who was out of step.

Second edit to drive the point home:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UPcQAI3i8OQ

I can think of no group of thousands of people that spend more time parading than service academy cadets. Take note of how they look with and without a drum to keep cadence.

Army Navy Game 2012: The March On

YouTube
Show threadBwazJun 15
@jianmin @oldladyplays @futurebird
Here"s a video. The marchers are all clearly arranged in lines of the same number, one in front of the other. And very clearly, not bothering even to be in step or swing arms in sync with others around them. They had to do it, but didn't care to make it look obedient. https://kolektiva.social/@Hex/114687815400108908
hex (@Hex@kolektiva.social)

Attached: 1 image Y'all were wondering which way the army would break. This is as clear an answer as you're going to get. During drills they were perfectly in time. This isn't a mistake. It's a message.

kolektiva.social
Show threadCait the Proud Trans Woman

@Bwaz

Yeah. You can even see the two guys just inside the formation on the far side of the front row, they're marching in step, but everyone else is just ambling. I could never walk beside another military person and *not* walk in step. It's just habit. That they *aren't* doing it is unmistakable, and for me undeniably deliberate.

@jianmin @futurebird

Jun 15 at 4:55pmWeb
Show threadBenJun 15

@oldladyplays @Bwaz @futurebird

We don't have audio. Is there a clear cadence that is audible? It looks like the front left lead adjusted his stride and it threw the formation off. Towards the end of the GIF, they start to fall back into sync.

As a control, let's cherry pick a video of very-well-rehearsed cadets for Army Navy march on. Take note of how they look when the drum is loud vs. when it's not there.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UPcQAI3i8OQ

Obviously if the Army cared more they could have made this look sharp. There are a lot of factors that contribute to a lack of motivation, including the overall context.

But I'm very cautious to paint targets on service members who were filmed being out of step and frame it as insubordination. Unlike you, they could lawfully suffer punitive action if you're right.

Army Navy Game 2012: The March On

YouTube
Show threadCait the Proud Trans WomanJun 15

@jianmin

Wow, for someone trying not to argue, you sure are persistent. I don't know any more polite ways to say this, but I disagree with you. I'm not going to change my mind, no matter how many times you say the same thing in different ways. I'm sorry we don't agree, this obviously causes you grief on some level, but this is the last time I'm going to answer. Please stop, so I don't have to take the stop of blocking you.

@Bwaz @futurebird

Show threadJayJun 15
@oldladyplays @Bwaz @jianmin @futurebird It didn’t look like some of them were standing up straight, either; some looked like their heads/torsos were a bit slouched.