USAF Drill & Ceremonies - 1970s style

[@cycleguy1943]

BMT 3723 FLT 035 Jan-Feb ‘83….I do remember this and the memories back then

[@patriot03062]

Interesting. I went thru Basic at Lackland June/July 1970 and the women squadrons were separated from the men squadrons. Plus that blue short sleeve was not released at that time but was approved a few years later. Another observation is that all these airmen have 2 stripes which means that this not basic training.

[@garyjones2582]

One of them had 3 stripes.. (a Sgt.)

[@tri5ford]

Never is it stated this is basic, its drill and ceremonies.

[@JamieSmith-fz2mz]

I was in Drum and Bugle Corps flight in Basic. We were a co-ed flight. When we marched around Lackland without our horns, other flights ALWAYS did a double take. We had only 20 guys and 10 women, and we had two total goofballs for TI’s.

[@RMB42]

Not everyone at Lackland was/is in basic, and these were obviously not basic trainees. In addition to men and women in the same formation, note the stripes on the participants and the lack of a campaign cover on the MSgt.

[@patriot03062]

@@RMB42 True. After I finished Basic Training my Tech School was also at Lackland. After 4 years of Active Duty I eventually joined the Air Force Reserves for 17 years. I was sent back to Lackland for NCO Academy Course. Our Group was made up Active Duty Air Force, Air National Guard , and Air Force Reserves. I have to say that returning back to Lackland after a couple decades brought back so many memories of my training at Lackland and it was a happy feeling and sad feeling at the same time. It’s like my adult life started at Lackland at age 19. Eventually I served at Tan Son Nhut AB in Saigon for a year. I really miss all those fine men and women I served with over the years. Where are they now?

[@dr.stanleyhearstsr9363]

1971, don’t remember women in our “monkey drills. Great memories.

[@steveperry1344]

it's amazing, 50 yrs later and i still remember all of this. the only thing i question is the airman called out of rank and saluting the sargent, i remember that being a no-no. i thought we would report as ordered to a sargent, only officers were saluted and outdoors.

[@brianifitness3656]

Hi Steve! In certain ceremonies the flight leader salutes the sergeant in taking control of the flight. Same for open ranks and regulation marches. At least, that’s what happens these days. I was a black rope (drill team) during my tech school days.

[@steveperry1344]

@@brianifitness3656 when i was in tech school at keesler the way i remember at our squadron the guys with the ropes were the lead airman had a red rope and then their were several guys with yellow ropes and then there were guys with green ropes, maybe squad leaders. we would all fall in on our squad leader come to attention and do a taller tap twice, open ranks and then enmass march across the flight line to school. that's just something of i how remember it. i was a 30454 ground radio repairman. july, 68 to july 72. that's a nice accomplishment to be on the drill team

[@brianifitness3656]

@@steveperry1344 Thank you Steve. There are still Airmen leader ropes as you said. Green, yellow and red. Aside from that, there is a white rope for chapel guides, a teal rope for sexual assault awareness, and most recently there is a "zebra" rope, black and white, for student mentors.

[@RMB42]

In addition to the below, it might also have been done just for demonstration purposes for the film.

[@cjshrift1450]

@@steveperry1344 Rope(s) INFO: *RED* rope - A/B/C Shift Leader ((I progressed thru - ALL Three(3). Yellow Rope - Drill/Flight Leader as you Marched To/From your Tech School training; *Green* was the Bay/Floor Leader in charge of Bay/Floor Cleanliness standards. Oh, Those were the Days of NON-PC USAF days !!

[@michaelpond6386]

Obviously not 69 or early 70 we never even saw WAFs. Those uniforms also were not standard issue at that time.

[@eutimiochavez415]

Yes there were I was the re

[@williamwingo4740]

I was in July 1967-November1972 and never saw uniforms like that. we had the old "1505" suntans, and the WAF were in lighter blue. This is 1973-1974 at the earliest; probably later. I do remember practicing D&C in the parking lot, though.

[@michaelpond6386]

From 69 to 73 there were dress blues, 1505s, and optional 1549s , fatigues were OD green. I saw WAFs in a lighter blue color, when I was at my PCS base. There were no WAF working the flight line. The first female maintenance Officer I ever saw was at Takhli in 72/3 .

[@williamwingo4740]

@@michaelpond6386 We were issued the old blues called 1084's at Lackland in 1967. The 1549's came in about 1970 and were standard by the time I got out in 1972. They were darker, a little lighter, and the side pockets were inset; but still four buttons. The three-button "sport-coat" style came later.

[@michaelpond6386]

@@williamwingo4740 the 1549s were just coming in in late 69. They were not an issued item. Since I was in aircraft maintenance I was not interested but some guys were. I think I wore my issues blues about twice in four years. 1505s a little more often. Stateside fatigues and jungle fatigues almost everyday.

[@Nasalspray5965]

don't round your corners airman

[@OVERHERE-OVERHERE]

This video brings back A memory of my Air Force group, 1964 th Conmunications Group Standing on the Flightline in Formation at Ramstein AB For over an hour On a miserable, Dark,rainy day... For A change of Command...the Recording of “Wild Blue Yonder” Playing on a loop... Proud and Lucky To have been called Airman. 1980-84 Bless Our Troops And Veterans, Thank You All.

[@lucky4724]

Was at the stein "76-78", shoutout to K-TOWN !!! Served "73-78" !!! #RESPECT

[@RapticGaming]

I was stationed at ramstein 2018-2021

[@billexusaf1542]

Does anyone recognize the drill "Sargent"? Looks like a young Dale Dye to me. Sounds just like him too. Dale dye was a retired Marine Capt. who worked in many movies as the military advisor.

[@JamieSmith-fz2mz]

BMTS/Lackland was the BEST time of my AF experience. Everything after that was a huge letdown. If I were to do it again, I would keep messing up so that I never graduate from Basic Training. If I did it right, I think I could string that along for 4 full years. I'm kidding.

[@kayeb7809]

I spent my whole four years on Lackland but worked at the dental clinic.

[@Zombywoof92553]

1975 we had khakis and no women in the flight.

[@hofico6]

The instructor looks and sounds like the guy that trained the actors for Saving Private Ryan and also starred in it.

[@cjshrift1450]

Its made for "HOLLYWOOD", NOT the Real Deal with *NO* actual TI 'inflection' nor "Correction", if ya screwed UP !! ha! ha!

[@MrPonca77]

These Airmen are very well trained.

[@mr.2d749]

Drill was always fun at NCOLS and NCOA.

[@VOOODOOO37]

Crusty old MSgt. After basic training we never used drill again

[@hofico6]

That’s not the point, is it? Nothing crusty about that MSgt.

[@VOOODOOO37]

@@hofico6 he is old and crusty. It's not an insult. Apparently you have never been in the military

[@danielpurcell7395]

VOOODOOO I was SP, we used drill at guard mount everyday. Of course we were a different catergorie then the rest of the Air Force. With all of the training I received, and the discipline involved we were old school just like the Army. 71-75 and very proud of it.

[@VOOODOOO37]

@@hofico6 crusty isn't critical, it's an accurate observation of how it used to be. Must be a lib

[@steveperry1344]

we still had to march in formation at keesler training.

[@joesouza1147]

Some of these movements I don't recall ever doing.

[@sgtmomOK]

As a WAF, I don't ever remember being integrated with male troops. We marched as our own squadron. I remember I'd just met my husband, and we had to participate in a parade. When the WAF squadron came on the field, the guys all broke out whistling at us - a dog whistle, not an attractive woman wolf whistle. Meeting up with my new love afterward, I was deeply humiliated, and could hardly look at him...until a bird happened to poop on his hat just at that moment. 41 years later, we're still together.

[@kcwilliams9603]

Sgt Mom Your right I went to BMT in January 1974, we rarely saw male enlistees unless we were at church or the BX. I was was in the old world war 2 barracks two in a room. Cold mornings at 430/5am for the March to chow hall. After BMT went to Sheppard AFB for medical lab school. 904xx

[@sgtmomOK]

We were forbidden to speak to "male petsonnel". They'd try to talk to us on rare occasions we encountered then, only to have them start swearing at us for being stuck up! I went to Kessler for Personnel School in Biloxi. I was told I could assigned to Cali, Hawaii or Europe if I was "nice" to the instructors. This was before computerized duty assignments. Well, I wasn't "nice" and ended up one of the first women sent to Minot, ND. Horrible place,no cold weather gear for us. I worked on a team converting manuel files to computer files while there. Truly an awful place.

[@yqwgjsg]

KC Williams 1975 3708 BMTS Flt 185. I remember we rarely saw females except marching by and at Chapel. We could talk to WAF's at chapel and sat next to them. Nothing was ever going to happen but we got bragging rights by sitting next a girl. Everyone went to Chapel since they told us anyone who didn't would stay behind and clean the dorm. Chaplain Charlie was better than a buffer and we might get to see women. I remember the Chapels were really nice. Must have been the first modern buildings at Lackland

[@yqwgjsg]

joe souza Yes but there are some they didn't cover. Rout step, at short interval-dress right dress, hand salute, and my favorite, monkey drill where the first squad did a continuous left face, the 4th squad did continuous right faces, and the 2nd and 3rd squad did about faces on a 2 count which was when the 1st and 4th squad had completed their first facing movement. This had everyone facing rear at the same time and front at the same time. This was the damnest thing to see but our execution was flawless. Made one hell of a racket on the pad under the barracks. Our TI told us this was an illegal drill but I think that was BS since it developed precision drill.