The Rifles

C077/K051 Feb 21-Apr 25, 1990

I do understand not all companies that went through Orlando practiced with the rifles. The ladies did not start using them until after the men did. And initially, the base was to be set up for men only in the north half while the women only were in the south half.

We began with the rifles after work week, so starting in the 6^th week of training, maybe. Our recruit gunners mates had keys to the locks on the gun racks, and it was their job to keep the guns clean. The rifles themselves were out of service M1 Springfields.

Along with marching with the rifles, we had to learn the bugle toots that went along with that. I think we had a couple guys who were on drill teams before the Navy. They were used to show us the moves. One of the first practices we did in our compartment on the line. The boom box we all chipped in for was used to play the toots.

During the time leading up to us actually using the rifles, the gunners mates had to keep them clean.

The day finally came when the CC announced, “Gunners mates, unlock the whore houses. Everyone grab a piece.” And we thought we were going to all get lucky. HA!
There were still some guys who had a hard time actually marching, so now we had to do it with rifles. Well, this was going to be interesting. I think we started to just march around a little while getting used to holding them. It was a bit different at first, but soon we figured it out.

To get us accustomed to the toots, we started to listen to them in our compartment. Each one was explained to us, and we would practice the movement. Setting that rifle down at the proper spot was difficult. As was moving the rifle about your head, while not moving your head.

We had an exercise to help with that. We paired up with a similar height person. We then took off our boondockers and socks and put on our shower shoes. We also put on our watch caps. Then with our partner, we stood back to back. The goal was first not to smack the other guy in the head with your rifle. Then second, not to smash your toe. We also pulled our watch cap down over our eyes.

Let me see how memory serves me for the movements. Order arms, parade rest, right shoulder arms,  present arms, and port arms. Did I get them? I do not recall we had to do inspection arms for the actual marching inspection. And remember each one has its own bugle toot.

OK, back to the practice with a partner. We did the various movements while trying not to hit the other guy or break a toe. Some guys had sore heads and banged up toes after that. I am sure I hit my partner, he hit me. But, we picked it up pretty quickly. I do know I did not hit my toe. I had a habit of breaking that toe a few times, so I would remember hitting it.

We also started to practice marching to music. This was another wrinkle in the mix. Until then, we used our cadence caller. Now, we had to listen to the beat fo the music and march correctly to it. Left foot on the bass beat. Well, that sure did sound easy. Yeah, but it wasn’t we spent a good many hours on the grinder carrying our pieces and listening to Anchors Aweigh. We might have used some other more modern music, but not totally sure about that. I actually found it easier to march with music than the cadence.

The strange thing we found out later, not only was this for an inspection, but it was also our pass and review we were practicing for. For that, we had a live band and a live bugler. The bugler was a young lady from our sister company.

Over time we practiced, practiced, and practiced some more. Oddly, I remember spending most of that practice time down on the south grinder during the day. We made mistakes while doing the toots. When that would happen, the offending recruit would be asked a question and then told to drop. Push-ups began. I always found it odd some would do maybe 10 push-ups and ask to recover. FC1 Adams normally would reply, “No, F NO, keep going.”

When I would mess up, I would just keep going until I was told to recover.

The RCPO also had some added responsibility with his saber movements during all of this. Ours did a great job and was on his game for the inspection.

So, we suffered through banged heads and sore toes from practicing.

We endured a couple black flag practice days out on the grinder. Yeah, one day was miserable. Nearly everyone had a friendly grinder reminder from that one. We marched back, and we were the only company out on the sidewalks that afternoon.

Oh, forgot the put this out there, holding the rifles was an art in itself. We had been used to swinging our arms while we marched, now we had to carry the rifle. There was no arm motion allowed. I spoke to a young lady who was in K061, the same year as I was there. She told me carrying the rifles hurt her wrist. I do recall when we first start with them, it was a little strange to carry them, but that feeling went away after a while

On inspection day, it was a chilly morning. We had on our utility jackets. Why do I remember that? I was the only person in the company to stencil my name on the wrong side of my jacket. And during present arms, I did not hold my rifle 4” away from my chest. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the inspector pointing me out. He even motioned to the stencil on the wrong side. Damnit.

There were some other minor infractions during the inspection. Our marching portion was actually really good. We could sure put it together when we needed to.

After the inspection, we marched back to our compartment to put the pieces back in the whore houses. We assembled on the line for us who screwed up to receive our chewing out.
“Adams, how far from your chest do you hold your piece?”
“4 inches, sir.”

“WTF, didn’t you do that? UNSAT!”

Others got chewed on as well. But, I do not recall a punishment, which was odd.

Overall the company did well. As noted above, the RSPO did an outstanding job with his motions and added responsibility. This inspection helped cement our company as a contender for the CO’s White.

On a personal note about marching with the rifles. I liked it. I know it is more of an Army or Marine thing, but I just thought we looked good doing it. To me, it just seems like a military thing to do, if that makes sense.