The United States Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon is a 24-man rifle

platoon A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two or more squads, sections, or patrols. Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the branch, but a platoon can be composed of 50 people, although specific platoons may rang ...

led by a Captain and Platoon Sergeant of the

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

(USMC). Often referred to as The Marching Twenty-Four, the

unit Unit may refer to: Arts and entertainment * UNIT, a fictional military organization in the science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' * Unit of action, a discrete piece of action (or beat) in a theatrical presentation Music * ''Unit'' (a ...

performs a unique silent precision

exhibition drill Exhibition drill is a variant of drill that involves complex marching sequences which usually deviate from drill used in the course of ordinary parades. Teams performing exhibition drill are often affiliated with military units, but the scope of ...

. The purpose of the platoon is to exemplify the discipline and professionalism of the Marine Corps. The Silent Drill Platoon, which first performed in 1948, originally as a one-time show, received such an overwhelming response that it soon became part of the routine parades at Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C. In 2022 Kelsey M. Hastings became the first woman to command the Silent Drill Platoon.

Drill movements

The Marines execute a series of calculated drill movements and precise handling of their hand-polished

M1 Garand The M1 Garand or M1 rifleOfficially designated as U.S. rifle, caliber .30, M1, later simply called Rifle, Caliber .30, M1, also called US Rifle, Cal. .30, M1 is a semi-automatic rifle that was the service rifle of the U.S Army during World War ...

rifles with fixed bayonets. The routine concludes with a unique rifle inspection involving elaborate rifle spins and tosses. All drill movements are done with superfluous spins of the rifle, making the Silent Drill Platoon's drill unique from other Marine units' drill movements.

Selection and training

Marines are selected from students at the two Schools of Infantry, located at

Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and is one of the largest Marine Corps bases in the United States. It is on the Southern California coast in San Diego County and is bordered by O ...

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

and

Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune () is a United States military training facility in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Its of beaches make the base a major area for amphibious assault training, and its location between two deep-water ports ( Wilming ...

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...

, from interviews conducted by barracks personnel. Fat Albert low level pass

Once selected, Marines are assigned to Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C., to serve a two-year ceremonial tour. Beyond their ceremonial duties, the Marines collaterally train in the field as infantrymen. Throughout the year, these Marines hone their infantry skills at the

Marine Corps Combat Development Command Marine Corps Combat Development Command (MCCDC), located at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Prince William County, Virginia, has the mission of supporting the development of future operational concepts and the determination of how to best organize, ...

Marine Corps Base Quantico Marine Corps Base Quantico (commonly abbreviated MCB Quantico) is a United States Marine Corps installation located near Triangle, Virginia, covering nearly of southern Prince William County, Virginia, northern Stafford County, and southeas ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

and other bases. The Marines selected must be male and must be between 5'11" and 6'1" () tall and be in the median of their weight requirements for their height. Uniformity is a key asset. Experienced members of the Silent Drill Platoon, usually non-commissioned officers, have the opportunity to audition to become rifle inspectors. They must go through inspection tryouts graded by rifle inspectors of the previous year. Only two Marines who audition will become rifle inspectors. Once the year's Silent Drill Platoon members are selected, they begin their training in Washington, and continue to train at

Marine Corps Air Station Yuma Marine Corps Air Station Yuma or MCAS Yuma is a United States Marine Corps air station. It is the home of multiple squadrons of F-35B Lightning IIs of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron 1 (MAWTS-1), Ma ...

, Arizona, perfecting their routine year-round. Throughout the year, they perform at Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C., and at numerous events across the United States, and also represent the Marine Corps abroad.

References

External links

Official website
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Photos of the Silent Drill Team at the USMC Sunset Parade at the Iwo Jima Memorial
{{US Marine Corps navbox Military units and formations of the United States Marine Corps Ceremonial units of the United States military Military ceremonies