Posted on Mar 18, 2014

Officer posting in formations.

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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.

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NCOs

Drill and Ceremony

Edited 12 y ago

Posted 12 y ago

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Responses: 5

SSG Robert Blum

Posted >1 y ago

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 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.  The Term "Post" is defined as the "correct place for an Officer or Non Commissioned Officer to stand in a Formation.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.  It works the same way for all Echelons. Its part of our military tradition, and should not be altered unit to unit.

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MSG (Join to see)

>1 y

Realize that this formation is at normal interval. 99.99% of company formations are at close interval.

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1SG David Whitehead

8 y

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.
Retired First Sergeant and former Drill Sergeant

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SGT James Elphick

Posted 12 y ago

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 (Join to see)

12 y

The fact that its done different ways in different places tells me that it's broken to begin with.

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1LT (Join to see)

Edited >1 y ago

Posted >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 (Join to see)

4 y

Where else would they stand?

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SSG James Doherty

Posted >1 y ago

When turning over the formation to a senior the junior is to, while facing the formation, take one step forward, execute an about face and salute the senior. The senior returns the salute. Junior then procedes to their left around the formation and assumes the position at the back of the formation. The senior then takes one step forward, executes an about face and awaits the commanders instructions.

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SSG James Doherty

>1 y

I stand corrected on my own post just a little bit. TC 3-21.5 Chapter 8 Para 8-3d. sub para. 1(d) reads:

When the company commander has halted at his post, the first sergeant salutes and reports, "Sir, all present," or "Sir, all accounted for," or "Sir, (so many) men absent." The company commander returns the Salute and commands POST. The first sergeant faces about and marches to his post three steps to the rear and at the center of the company, halts, and faces about. The guidon bearer steps forward three steps. The platoon sergeants face to the right in marching and assume their posts to the rear of their platoons (if the platoon leader is not present, they step forward three steps). The platoon leaders march around the left flank of their platoons and assume their posts by inclining facing to the front. The company executive officer assumes his post two steps to the rear of the first sergeant.

https://rdl.train.army.mil/catalog/view/100.ATSC/36E2FF6E-6A92-4FCE-A25F-09B684EEAA3C [login to see] 265/chap8.htm

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CW3 (Join to see)

>1 y

So it seems there is quite literally no specified manner, just they right face and march off and assume (a non-specified) post in the rear of the platoon. Good looking out.

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CPT Lawrence Cable

8 y

CW3 (Join to see) - No, the first two drawings have the correct position for the NCO's and Officers. If the 1st Sgt has the formation, the officers are at the rear of the formation. When the CO takes over, the 1st Sgt does an about face, the commander marches around the left of the formation to his position 12 paces in front of the command. That is the reason for the difference in paces is to allow the officer to enter formation. After reporting and at the command post, the 1st Sgt would do about face and go to the place indicated on the first drawing at the rear of the formation. The Platoon NCO's should march around the right side of their platoons and assume their place 3 paces behind and centered on their platoon. The Platoon leader walks around the left flank and assumes the position 3 paces in front of where the Platoon Sgt stood. So basically, everyone in the first illustration swaps places.
In reality, a full company and battalion formations take up a lot of room, so adjustments of the distance is pretty common, but that's the rules for the parade ground.
They took drill and ceremony a lot more serious in the old days.

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CPT Lawrence Cable

8 y

CPT Lawrence Cable - To answer when the groups move, they all should execute at the commanders order "Post".

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CW3 (Join to see)

Posted >1 y ago

Any other thoughts?

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SGT (Join to see)

5 y

Where do you stand if you're a Warrant Officer assigned to a platoon?

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Officer posting in formations.

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