JROTC

   Learn how to  march like a pro even if you're a beginner

     Have you ever wanted to become a cadet in Junior Reserves Officer Training Corps (JROTC) but didn't want to get embarrassed because you look like Michael Jackson while trying to march? This article will solve your problems and after you read it you might want to join your high school JROTC program.  

     JROTC is a program that strives to make the younger generation better in every way. The program is the connection between young people getting connected with their community, learning to listen to authority, becoming more connected with their peers, and teaches them to step up and take charge when no one else will. The mission of JROTC is "to motivate young people to become better citizens" and that's exactly what they do.

Marching

Before you learn anything you must learn to march. It's the most important skill you need. There are many different commands to marching, for instance, fall in, dressing, facing movements, and finally the command to start marching. You also need to be aligned while marching. To be able to march a squad all you have to do is call these few commands:

1. "Fall In"
2. "Dress Right Dress"
3. "Ready Front"
4. "Right Face"
5. "Forward March"

"Fall in"

“Fall In” is a command given to a group of cadets that lets them know they are about to start marching. A squad consists of seven cadets with the designated squad leader located at the right end of the squad. When "Fall In" is called, cadets lineup side by side with spacing between each person. Your feet should be at a 45 degree angle with your heels aligned. 

This cadet called his squad to fall in

"Dress Right Dress"

“Dress right dress” is the next command that is called. Its purpose is for every cadet in formation to have the same spacing between each person. When the commander calls this command, everyone's left arm goes out towards the person beside you and everyone looks to the squad leader. The squad leader’s head stays looking forward. If a cadets hand is touching you, you would then move down to the right with the rest of the squad, on your right, following you. If you are a squad leader, you never move. If you're too close to the person beside you, they would then move down. You do not drop your arm and look straight until the command "Ready Front" is called. 

The squads are getting their dress

Facing movements

There are three different facing movements that can be called before marching. When you do a facing movement, your heels should be aligned and your feet should be at a 45 degree angle.  

Right Face

One facing movement is “Right Face”. Right face is probably the most used facing movement. To do a right face, you are going to pivot to the right. As you pivot, your toes on your left foot and your heel on your right foot are going to stay on the ground. 

This is the way you should be turned when you do a right face

Left Face

The next facing movement is a “Left Face”. With a left face, you are going to do the opposite of a right face. Your left heel is going to stay planted while your right heel goes in the air, then you pivot. 

You should be turned this way when you do a left face

About Face

The last facing movement is an “About Face”. About face is a little harder, but it's not too bad. To do an about face, your right foot is going to go behind your left leg, with the calf of your left leg and the shin of your right leg touching. When you pivot, your right toes are going to be planted on the ground along with your left heel. 

This is the way your legs should cross when doing an about face

Alignment

When in formation everyone has to be aligned. You may be thinking, “It’s hard to stay aligned with the other cadets when marching”, but it's not. You can check your alignment by straightening your arm out in front of you while marching. We call this getting your cover. This helps you to see if you’re either too close or too far from the person in front of you. Another way to check your alignment is looking out of the corner of your eye to see if you are even with the person beside you. 

Each squad is getting aligned with each other

"Forward March"!

We have finally arrived at the command of "Forward March". Before you give the command, the commander first calls "Right face". When your squad is faced to the right, the commander calls "Forward March". When this is done, everyone steps off with their left foot. This is crucial. If you do not step off with your left foot, you and the rest of the cadets behind you will be off step. This is because while marching you should be in step with the person in front of you. Another way to know if you are on step is the commander of the squad will be calling cadence. This simply means they will say, "Left, left, left right". When the commanders left foot hits the ground, they then say left and vice versa. Even if you do get off step while marching, you can always get back on step by doing a little hop. 

This squad has just stepped off to start marching