Posted on Mar 18, 2014
CW3 Armament Technician
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I have perused the D&C reg, but it is extremely vague, at best.

 

Given a Company, BN, or BDE formation, the 1SG/CSM will fall in the group, give his spill, then turn over the formation to the Commander. The commander calls 'Post,' at which point his officers take charge of the subordinate units (Platoons or Companies or BNs, etc) at which point in time the enlisted member in charge awkwardly exits the formation.

 

Why is this designed in such a manner, and what is the proper time for the enlisted member to exit the formation in this situation? Immediately, 6 paces, 3 paces, etc? Watching other higher enlisted, it seems like everyone just does it their own way - certainly there has to be something in the reg to cover it.

Posted in these groups: Images 20 NCOsColors Drill and Ceremony
Edited >1 y ago
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SSG Robert Blum
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<p>If I'm reading this the way I think I am. When a Commander gives the command post, the subordinate officers (standing centered behind their element) Make a left face and March around the&nbsp;left of their element. The Enlisted member conducts a Right face as soon as the officer comes into his/her view, (normally as the officer is passing the front rank and marches around the right side of the element and assumes the position the officer was in. He or she never leaves the formation.&nbsp; </p><p>The Term "Post" is defined as the "correct place for an Officer or Non Commissioned Officer to stand in a Formation.</p><p>Why do we do it? When the 1SG/CSM etc. are out front, the NCOs are in charge are the formation, therefore the subordinate elements have NCOs out front. When the Commander takes charge of the Formation he/she "Posts" his/her subordinate Officers signifying that the Officers are now in charge of the formation.&nbsp; It works the same way for all Echelons. Its part of our military tradition, and should not be altered unit to unit.</p>
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MSG Ncoic, Training Aids, Devices, Simulators, And Simulations (Tadss)
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Realize that this formation is at normal interval. 99.99% of company formations are at close interval.
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1SG David Whitehead
1SG David Whitehead
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1LT (Join to see) - You evidently did not have a good NCO or Company Officer to insure that you were at your proper place. Go to you company first sergeant and as for a copy of FM 22-5, unless it's changed, it will give you all the info you need.
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SGT James Elphick
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Our leaders always stood one in front one in back and at post circled the formation the opposite way of each other. Or alternately, they officer came from the back, received a salute from the NCOIC, returned the salute and the NCO departed to the rear of the formation opposite the direction the officer had come from. Always seemed to work fine and there was never any awkwardness
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CW3 Armament Technician
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The fact that its done different ways in different places tells me that it's broken to begin with.
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1LT Maintenance Control
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Edited >1 y ago
Does anyone know any cases where it's correct for NCO's to be standing in the back of the Platoon formations with the Officers?
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SFC (Other / Not listed)
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Where else would they stand?
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