Overview
Reporting is a key component of each drill phase at most drill competitions. This element is generally utilized at the beginning and end of a given routine or drill sequence though sometimes, competitions require a verbal report in be delivered in advance of ENTERING the drill area.
Contents
While you should always check your competition’s SOP or LOI for specifics, a report will generally contain the following elements:
- Greeting of the Day
- School Name
- Team Name
- School Location
- Drill Manual Utilized by Team (If Applicable)
- Drill Phase of Competition
- A Request of the Head Judge to Utilize/Exit the Drill Area
NOTE: When referring to the drill area, check your SOP. While you may call it “the drill pad,” you want to refer to the drill area by the verbiage most familiar to the judges. You also want to be aware of the service-specific verbiage for a drill area. A “drill pad” only exists in the Army. For the Marine Corps, it’s a “drill deck.” We recommend using “drill area” as it’s the most general and most likely to be referenced in the SOP and on the scoresheets but you should run your own strategic filter to decide upon the best way to refer to a drill area!
Regulation Drill
Here are some examples of verbiage for various regulation scenarios:
- General Report In
- [RANK], [TEAM NAME], from [HIGH SCHOOL], in [CITY, STATE] is reporting in for the Regulation drill phase. We will be drilling in accordance with [DRILL MANUAL]. Respectfully requesting permission to utilize your drill area, [RANK]!
- Air Force Armed Drill Team Report In
- [RANK], [TEAM NAME], from [HIGH SCHOOL], in [CITY, STATE] is reporting in for the Regulation drill phase. We will be drilling in accordance with [DRILL MANUAL]. Rifle manual will be conducted in accordance with [DRILL MANUAL]. Respectfully requesting permission to utilize your drill area, [RANK]!
- Report In When Utilizing Multiple Manuals
- [RANK], [TEAM NAME], from [HIGH SCHOOL], in [CITY, STATE] is reporting in for the Regulation drill phase. We will be drilling in accordance with [DRILL MANUAL] with the exception of [MOVEMENTS] which will be conducted in accordance with [DRILL MANUAL]. Respectfully requesting permission to utilize your drill area, [RANK]!
- General Report Out
- [RANK], [TEAM NAME], from [HIGH SCHOOL], in [CITY, STATE] has completed the Regulation drill phase. We have drilled in accordance with [RESTATE MANUAL] (with the exception of the [MOVEMENT(S)] which have been conducted in accordance with [RESTATE MANUAL]!) Respectfully requesting permission to exit your drill area, [RANK]!
Color Guard
Here are some examples of verbiage for various color guard scenarios:
- General Report In
- [RANK], [TEAM NAME], from [HIGH SCHOOL], in [CITY, STATE] is reporting in for the color guard sequence. We will be drilling in accordance with [DRILL MANUAL]. Respectfully requesting permission to utilize your drill area, [RANK]!
- Marine Corps Team Uncasing Per Army TC 3-21.5
- [RANK], [TEAM NAME], from [HIGH SCHOOL], in [CITY, STATE] is reporting in for the color guard sequence. We will be drilling in accordance with [DRILL MANUAL] with the exception of the Uncasing of the Colors which will be conducted in accordance with Army TC 3-21.5. Respectfully requesting permission to utilize your drill area, [RANK]!
- General Report Out
- [RANK], [TEAM NAME], from [HIGH SCHOOL], in [CITY, STATE] has completed the color guard sequence. We have drilled in accordance with [RESTATE MANUAL] (with the exception of the [MOVEMENT(S)] which have been conducted in accordance with [RESTATE MANUAL]!) Respectfully requesting permission to exit your drill area, [RANK]!
Exhibition Drill
While judges will likely expect to hear the same information contained in the examples above, most notably you likely won’t state any drill manuals since exhibition drill is, by its vary nature, outside of any given regulation (except the Marine Corps Order which does define “Trick Drill” as a discipline). As such, your wording could vary greatly with your creativity and/or choreography. Here are some examples:
- General Report In
- [RANK], [TEAM NAME], from [HIGH SCHOOL], in [CITY, STATE] is reporting in for exhibition drill. Respectfully requesting permission to utilize your drill area, [RANK]!
- General Report Out
- [RANK], [TEAM NAME], from [HIGH SCHOOL], in [CITY, STATE] has completed exhibition drill. Respectfully requesting permission to exit your drill area, [RANK]!
Inspection
Inspection competitions also evaluate the uniform preparation of each cadet. Therefore, we should add a uniform manual/order under which our uniforms can be graded. It’s important that you consult your competition’s SOP/LOI for specific procedures as these procedures could affect how you report in and/ or out. Here are some examples:
- General Report In
- [RANK], [TEAM NAME], from [HIGH SCHOOL], in [CITY, STATE] is reporting in for the Inspection phase. We will be drilling in accordance with [DRILL MANUAL]. Our uniforms will be inspected in accordance with [UNIFORM MANUAL/ORDER]. Respectfully requesting permission to utilize your drill area, [RANK]!
- Report In Wherein You Must Ask Permission to Form the Team for Inspection (i.e. NJROTC Competition)
- [RANK], [TEAM NAME], from [HIGH SCHOOL], in [CITY, STATE] is reporting in for the Inspection phase. We will be drilling in accordance with [DRILL MANUAL]. Our uniforms will be inspected in accordance with [UNIFORM MANUAL/ORDER]. Respectfully requesting permission to form my team for inspection, [RANK]!
- Confirmation of Preparedness for Inspection (Paired w/ Above)
- [RANK], [TEAM NAME] is formed for Inspection!
- General Report Out
- [RANK], [TEAM NAME], from [HIGH SCHOOL], in [CITY, STATE] has completed the Inspection phase. We have drilled in accordance with [RESTATE MANUAL]! our uniforms have been inspected in accordance with [RESTATE UNIFORM ORDER]! Respectfully requesting permission to exit your drill area, [RANK]!