Remembrance Day parade tips

[C7]

Hey everyone.

As I'm sure you all know, on November the eleventh we, as CF members, will have one of the longest parades of the year, involving standing at attention for two hours plus. This is tougher than rucking for that amount of time. People passing out is not unheard of. As such, there are some things you should know.

#1: For goodness sake, don't be tense. Relax your arms, back and legs. Bend your knees slightly and let your arms hang loose. It might not look quite as "crisp" as if you're standing rigidly, but it will help your body. When you're marching, or actually doing drill, do it to the best of your ability, but standing at perfect attention for that long is just asking for cramps or collapse.

#2. Keep your weight on the balls of your feet. Leaning back onto your heels isn't a good idea, and will make your feet sore for a long time after. Humans were meant to stand on the balls and toes of the feet.

#3. Drink water that day, but not immidiately before. If you drink water right before you go on, you're going to have to answer nature's call halfway through the ceremony. Not a good idea to pee yourself in your dress uniform. Instead, have a big breakfast, and drink plenty of water, stopping about an hour to 45 minutes before you leave. This will give you time for a bathroom break.

Any other thoughts or tips?

 

[orange.paint]

As such, there are some things you should know.

#1: For goodness sake, don't be tense. Relax your arms, back and legs. Bend your knees slightly and let your arms hang loose. It might not look quite as "crisp" as if you're standing rigidly, but it will help your body. When you're marching, or actually doing drill, do it to the best of your ability, but standing at perfect attention for that long is just asking for cramps or collapse.
Any other thoughts or tips?

Yeah how about stand at attention properly.As it is remembrance day and you know the whole people died for you to be there thing.Apparently you never seen someone slow march a guidon across the parade square at the present arms.Remembrance day parades are actually not that long from the 7 years I've been in anyway.

Don't listen to this kid.Stand at attention eyes strait forward.The public WILL be watching,last thing you want is to look like a bunch of numptys.Plenty of time to loosen up the legs after with a few beer,or for us armoured guys haul out the grease gun to pump the nipples permanently attached in our knees. (An EME MOD 2001)

 

[Sig_Des]

I'll be standing cenotaph again in Vanier this year, and from last 2 years doing the same thing, here's a couple of tips.

Those White mickey mouse gloves do NOTHING for the cold. What I did was go to Giant tiger/zellers/sears. In the women's section (it's the only place I could find them), and buy a pack of those thin cotton gloves in white. It's not much, but it's better than nothing. Wear them under the ceremonial gloves.

Double up on socks, and make sure they're dry.

Long Johns are a HUGE help. I know it's hot before you get to parade, but it helps. Same thing as an undershirt.

Look sharp, and remember what you're parading for. Good parades and guards to everyone participating.

 

[geo]

while standing at attention, you may wiggle your toes - it doesn't show & it keeps your blood circulating

 

[Journeyman]

while standing at attention, you may wiggle your toes - it doesn't show & it keeps your blood circulating

Absolutely! Worst Nov 11th parade ever (at the risk of a thread-jack), I was on the cenotaph down in the park at Niagara Falls. The mist from the Falls turned us into ice statues.....very photogenic...but really freakin' miserable.

Anyway.....in addition to wiggling your toes......SLOWLY tense and relax all your muscles - - especially the larger ones, like the lats (back) and quads (frontal thigh). If it's not done slowly, it can be seen by the audience.

 

[Phillman]

Speaking of looking sharp, getting a haircut before the parade doesnt hurt.

 

[Journeyman]

Speaking of looking sharp, getting a haircut before the parade doesnt hurt. 

Thank you for your wise insight. Oh....I'm sorry, you're a black-hatter; for your people, that was a legitimate bit of advice  :

 

[PhilB]

Hahaha, long johns! works great till you have to wear a kilt, then just kiss your balls good bye! one think I found really helped was putting good insole in my oxfords/parade boots. We do it in our combat boots, why not parade boots?

 

[krystal]

what i used to do was get those hand warmer packets. You shake them up and toss them in your gloves. They aren't noticable when saluting.

 

[career_radio-checker]

Those White mickey mouse gloves do NOTHING for the cold. What I did was go to Giant tiger/zellers/sears. In the women's section (it's the only place I could find them), and buy a pack of those thin cotton gloves in white. It's not much, but it's better than nothing. Wear them under the ceremonial gloves.

If you got time Des, you want to get us some more of those?

edit: My tip for anyone doing cenotaph duty is to find away to tape that mag into the magazine case. Trust me, even after you check to make sure the mag is properly seated, it's  most likely to follow Murphy's law and fall out when you least expect it.

 

[brihard]

My first unit gave me cenotaph duty at the memorial in Kingston in my first year there. An honour, but a brutally cold one. Rest on your arms reverse for an hour and a half is not fun, particularly when the day starts out warm and then clouds over and turns to sleet. The warm weather was exactly why I eschewed the hand warmer packs, and the sleet that started twenty minutes later gave me cause to regret it. I didn't break position of course, but a couple of my buddies in the parade said they could tell those of us up there were feeling it. Not fun, but it really drove it home that anything I was apt to suffer was still pretty trivial.

 

[2929]

Fortunately, living in Vancouver, the bitter cold is something I don't have to worry about. I'm more concerned about soaking up my own weight in water standing guard at the cenotaph! ;D

Yeah how about stand at attention properly.As it is remembrance day and you know the whole people died for you to be there thing.Apparently you never seen someone slow march a guidon across the parade square at the present arms.Remembrance day parades are actually not that long from the 7 years I've been in anyway.

Don't listen to this kid.Stand at attention eyes strait forward.The public WILL be watching,last thing you want is to look like a bunch of numptys.Plenty of time to loosen up the legs after with a few beer,or for us armoured guys haul out the grease gun to pump the nipples permanently attached in our knees. (An EME MOD 2001)

Could not agree more, Remembrance Day is not the day to be lazy with drill. No matter how cold, wet, tired, or sore you get, it is nothing compared to what those before us had to endure! The least we can do is look good on parade, buy 'em a brew after, and listen to their stories!

 

[orange.paint]

Thank you for your wise insight. Oh....I'm sorry, you're a black-hatter; for your people, that was a legitimate bit of advice   :

Boots on for parade too Journeyman? ;D
I gotta buff my bald one up for parade.....I started going bald decided to help nature out. No hair cuts for this cat.

 

[orange.paint]

Fortunately, living in Vancouver, the bitter cold is something I don't have to worry about. I'm more concerned about soaking up my own weight in water standing guard at the cenotaph! ;D

Could not agree more, Remembrance Day is not the day to be lazy with drill. No matter how cold, wet, tired, or sore you get, it is nothing compared to what those before us had to endure! The least we can do is look good on parade, buy 'em a brew after, and listen to their stories!

I cannot stress this more.I've noticed in my unit a few years ago all the young guys went home right after the parade.Show some respect!Head out to the legion and listen to some good stories and hang out with the boys.I'm not sure if it's the whole "me" generation thing or not,but Jesus I'm sure you all can put down the x box controller and pick up a beer. Even if you don't drink the stories are usually colourful and either amazing or good for a laugh.

(A beer is those beverages that come in usually brown bottles for you x box junkies in the shacks)

 

[bilton090]

My first unit gave me cenotaph duty at the memorial in Kingston in my first year there. An honour, but a brutally cold one. Rest on your arms reverse for an hour and a half is not fun, particularly when the day starts out warm and then clouds over and turns to sleet. The warm weather was exactly why I eschewed the hand warmer packs, and the sleet that started twenty minutes later gave me cause to regret it. I didn't break position of course, but a couple of my buddies in the parade said they could tell those of us up there were feeling it. Not fun, but it really drove it home that anything I was apt to suffer was still pretty trivial.

    Rest on your arms reverse !, should say rest on your arms at the reverse !
          Nov 11 is the BEST ! parade of the year, show your pride !

 

[Rice0031]

I'll definitely be out to see it. I'd love to be a part of it, but us non-BMQer's aren't good for much, including drill. Though I am told by my CoC  that the recruits might get to take a backseat and help out.

Hey Harding, maybe you can verify this: aren't the Camerons leading the parade?

Hope to see you out there, maybe meet a couple army.ca folks again.

As a matter of fact that gives me quite the idea. (Forgive the hijack): A Remembrance Day Meet & Greet (Ottawa). Say sometime in the evening.

I'll start a thread in Radio Chatter and you can all voice your opinions.

--Rice

 

[Pikache]

I cannot stress this more.I've noticed in my unit a few years ago all the young guys went home right after the parade.Show some respect!Head out to the legion and listen to some good stories and hang out with the boys.I'm not sure if it's the whole "me" generation thing or not,but Jesus I'm sure you all can put down the x box controller and pick up a beer. Even if you don't drink the stories are usually colourful and either amazing or good for a laugh.

(A beer is those beverages that come in usually brown bottles for you x box junkies in the shacks)

It doesn't help that many of the new guys are from high school, and not of drinking age...

 

[2929]

That is no excuse not to come out to the legions and hang out with the vets. We have a few underage people and a few people who plain just don't drink, but they will be joining us on our legion tour. If they don't join us, they better have one damn good excuse! The excuse to end all excuses!

 

[orange.paint]

It doesn't help that many of the new guys are from high school, and not of drinking age...

I joined the CF regular force at 17 years of age.I was at my unit for two years before I could drink.Not once was I told to leave a legion.You don't have to drink.However I may or may not have taken opportunity in being in CF's as a free pass to drinking for the night.No one I.D's a guy in DEU!

Seriously drinking or not visit with the old guys listen to their stories and share a few yourself.You don't have to get totally hammered to appreicate the day for what it is all about.Rememberance and RESPECT.

Show a little and drop by your local legion.(I may or may not buy you a beer...(just like the old guy at the quickymart use to for 10 dollars when we were 11).

Sorry for spelling,spell check aint loading up.

 

[career_radio-checker]

I cannot stress this more.I've noticed in my unit a few years ago all the young guys went home right after the parade.Show some respect!Head out to the legion and listen to some good stories and hang out with the boys.I'm not sure if it's the whole "me" generation thing or not,but Jesus I'm sure you all can put down the x box controller and pick up a beer. Even if you don't drink the stories are usually colourful and either amazing or good for a laugh.

+1
I think it's important to sit down with Veterans at the Legion and learn about their experiences. But after saying "Thank you for your service," it becomes really difficult to engage the vets and stimulate further conversation. I can sometimes get where they served and what they did during the war but the conversation doesn't go very far after that. In fact at the Legions I've been to the Veterans prefere to mingle with themselves and us reservists stick in our own group. Its terrible! Like a Junior Highschool dance, with boys on one side and the girls on the other.
I respect Veterans rights to keep the really 'sensitive' stories to themselves and their buddies, but it would really be nice to have a genuine conversation with Veterans over a beer. Any ideas on how I can approach a veteran and get them to say more than just their 'name, rank and serial number'?

regards.
CRC