What's the longest you ever had to stand in formation and for what purpose?

2015-04-18T22:54:38-04:00

Simply put, we've all had to stand in formation. Most of use have seen folks fall out for various reasons. Maybe that was you. Anyway, what is the longest you ever had to stand in formation? What was the event or the reason?

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 18 at 2015 10:57 PM

2015-04-18T22:57:28-04:00

5 hours for a brigade change of command. In the Georgia heat, that's no joke.

Response by CSM Michael J. Uhlig made Apr 18 at 2015 11:05 PM

2015-04-18T23:05:35-04:00

We were in formation for several hours, three consecutive days for the rehearsal ceremony of the Armor School leaving Fort Knox....the actual ceremony only lasted about an hour. I was impressed that only a couple Soldiers fell out, the threat of heat exposure is cumulative, keep that in mind and do not keep your people in formation just because!

Response by SGT Richard H. made Apr 18 at 2015 11:09 PM

2015-04-18T23:09:57-04:00

I don't remember the exact length of time, but somewhere right around a 1/2 day for a Division change of command....and a couple of half day practices leading up to it.

Response by LTC Gavin Heater made Apr 18 at 2015 11:31 PM

2015-04-18T23:31:17-04:00

Half a day over several days for the 50th Anniversary of the attack on Oahu and Pearl Harbor held at Schofield Barracks , HI in 1991. I was the OIC of the Salute Battery for the celebration. The ceremony had more Stars present than in the Heavens that night. I think my back and knees are still sore.

Response by SGM Erik Marquez made Apr 18 at 2015 11:41 PM

2015-04-18T23:41:48-04:00

WORST EVER, Division Review, 82ND Airborne Fort Bragg ....

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 19 at 2015 1:25 AM

2015-04-19T01:25:31-04:00

Shortly after arriving back from our 15 month deployment we were forced to stand in the rain in Hawaii for several hours awaiting a Senator or Congressman to address us. He showed up an hour or so late, said a few sentences, mugged for the cameras and left. You have to love the smell and feel of wet berets.
Quite a welcome home lol

Response by SrA Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 19 at 2015 2:06 AM

2015-04-19T02:06:13-04:00

Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, Honor Guard. We had a retiree funeral, standing at attention for a couple hours because the lead forgot his que to put us at ceremonial at ease...new mexico sun doesn't play in the summer!

Response by COL Charles Williams made Apr 19 at 2015 2:10 AM

2015-04-19T02:10:14-04:00

10th Mountain Division... Division Change of Command... entire division on the field.... Crazy long...

So, whenever I was in charge, one of my main focus points were the troops on the field... as all they want to do is leave.... speed is key... No one really cares what the host, outgoing or incoming commander has to say...

Response by SGT John Wesley made Apr 19 at 2015 2:46 AM

2015-04-19T02:46:03-04:00

When Gen. Norman H. Schwarzkopf left I Corp in Ft. Lewis. I thought my legs we're turning to jelly. We had M-16's with fixed bayonets and a soldier in the unit beside mine about impaled himself when he locked his knees. The soldier behind him grabbed his LBE, probably saved his life.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 19 at 2015 9:34 AM

2015-04-19T09:34:03-04:00

I remember my basic training parade field graduation ceremony like it was yesterday.

It was summer. Extremely hot. Relaxin' Jackson. (I was scheduled to go to Benning, but, about 1-2 weeks prior to departing, I received orders to go to Jackson instead.)

It fell between roughly 1 hour and 1 hour + 30 minutes.

My company commander 'fell out' about midway through.

Response by PO1 John Meyer, CPC made Apr 19 at 2015 10:20 AM

2015-04-19T10:20:10-04:00

It was about 3-4 hours long in Italy in the summer on a very hot flight deck for a Change of Command ceremony.

One of the first ones to fall out was a Marine SGT! Oh yeah.... The other Marines in the command gave him hell for that.

Response by ENS Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 4 at 2016 2:22 AM

2016-08-04T02:22:53-04:00

Had to stay in formation for well over 2 hours in the hot Florida sun when our instructor called us to attention for muster, forgot the muster sheet so went back inside to get it, and forgot about us. We had pretty nasty sunburns after that - several people dropped out from locking their knees. I can't really talk much about my time at my "A" school because I have nothing good to say. The leadership there was absolutely toxic at the time..

Response by ENS Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 4 at 2016 2:28 AM

2016-08-04T02:28:05-04:00

Second post here, not the longest, but worth a mention. The entire command was standing at in formation for an open Captain's Mast (NJP - Article 15). Anyway, it was a classic case of how leadership changes formations times by 15 minutes every time it was passed down.. Had a newer E7 call the entire formation to attention when he though the Skipper would arrive in 5 minutes - ended up standing at attention for well over 45 minutes. I suppose the E7 was too nervous, inexperienced, or absent minded to put the formation at-ease.. Several Sailors fell out due to heat or locking their knees. Thankfully when the Captain arrived, he took one look at us and put the formation at-ease (very unusual for an NJP).