"Accurate Simulation of Military Operations" Topic
12 Posts
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etotheipi | 29 Apr 2019 8:30 a.m. PST |
Based on the discussion on this thread, I ask … How much does being in a marching band simulate being in the military? 0-100% 85.37%, I say. Similarities: - Doofy uniforms. - Nearly everyone wearing a shako doesn't know it's called a shako. - Logistics is way more important than individual field performance. - At least ten times more time spent practicing as opposed to doing. Probably at least twenty. - You don't have to know your left foot from your right foot, but it helps. - Your friends don't remember the 999 things you did right, but they are crystal clear on the one you did wrong. - Close order drill. - The loudest person gets the most attention. - It's not what you know. It's whom you know. - You will be ridiculed by your peers for using "whom" correctly. - Never step in front of someone else's direct line of fire. - The soloist with the horn is a self-aggrandizing, arrogant prat. - Needs more cowbell. - Shoes. It's all about the shoes. - In the end, you're tired, sweaty, your feet hurt, and you just hope everyone made it through OK. - The terrain is never what is was in practice. - You slack on maintenance, your field performance will blow. - It's too damn expensive. - Some loudmouth who doesn't actually go on to the field is yelling at you about dirt on your pants. - Same thing. Different day. … others? |
Dye4minis | 29 Apr 2019 9:50 a.m. PST |
IMHO= 88%. The ability of the leadership to keep the band functioning as a unit while marching across the field. (Does the music still remain recognizeable, everyone at the same bar /measue at the same time while making movement progress across the terrain- as planned?) |
Grelber | 29 Apr 2019 10:23 a.m. PST |
High school bands in shakos do not dress their lines as well as Guards in bearskins. An example of Clausewitz's comment that, in war, even simple things become difficult. Grelber
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Parzival | 29 Apr 2019 10:57 a.m. PST |
I just had an amusing mental image of a Roman cohort spelling out "AVE CAESAR!" on a field, with a ballista crew as the exclamation point.* *Yeah, I know, punctuation appeared long after the Caesars, but it just fits the image.
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Extra Crispy | 29 Apr 2019 11:54 a.m. PST |
Also: Time in action is about 2% of time spent waiting around being bored. |
McLaddie | 29 Apr 2019 12:01 p.m. PST |
With your "points of similarities" list, I assume you aren't being serious… so… -the ones with the biggest 'instruments' always march in back. -The ones in the lead have the most gold braid. -Pointless flourishes on the basic performance [swinging back and forth, high stepping] get the most martial attention. |
etotheipi | 29 Apr 2019 2:19 p.m. PST |
I think my comparisons are fairly serious. They are just a serious look at the commonalities in self deprecating humour across both groups. |
McLaddie | 29 Apr 2019 3:10 p.m. PST |
I think my comparisons are fairly serious. They are just a serious look at the commonalities in self deprecating humour across both groups. 'fairly serious'? -Doofy uniforms. [Unlike Band uniforms, there is an attempt to make military work clothes untilitarian…and NOT stand out from the terrain.] - Nearly everyone wearing a shako doesn't know it's called a shako. [So who does say it? Not the military/ band members I guess.] - Logistics is way more important than individual field performance. [So food for the band is more important to the band than their performance? This one is lost on me--that is true of any wargame gathering or business meeting.] - At least ten times more time spent practicing as opposed to doing. Probably at least twenty. [True, but then that is true of professional sports and astronauts. Not particularly humorous.] - You don't have to know your left foot from your right foot, but it helps.[that's not what I've heard] - Your friends don't remember the 999 things you did right, but they are crystal clear on the one you did wrong.[And this is different from life in general?] - Close order drill. [Bands do it a lot more than the military after boot camp--even the Guards only practice for a couple of months before the one performance on the Queen's Jubilee] - The loudest person gets the most attention. [this is no different from life and politics.] - It's not what you know. It's whom you know. [And this is different from life and promotions at work? - You will be ridiculed by your peers for using "whom" correctly.[This isn't unique to marching bands and the military. Try doing it at your university.] - Never step in front of someone else's direct line of fire. [Again, and this is different from life and or high school?] - The soloist with the horn is a self-aggrandizing, arrogant prat.[Again, and this is different from life and politics?] - Needs more cowbell.[Absolutely, particularly politics.] - Shoes. It's all about the shoes. [This is dating 101. - In the end, you're tired, sweaty, your feet hurt, and you just hope everyone made it through OK.[That is true of life and at the end of the Tough Mudder.] - The terrain is never what is was in practice. [That is life, hiking and Golf.] - You slack on maintenance, your field performance will blow.[And this is different car maintenance?] - It's too damn expensive. [If it were only true for just marching bands and the Military.] - Some loudmouth who doesn't actually go on to the field is yelling at you about dirt on your pants.[Again, and this is different from life, sports and politics?] - Same thing. Different day. [Again, no different from life or the news.] … others? How much does being in a marching band simulate being in the military? 0-100% How much does a Marching Band and the Military simulate real life? About 100% |
etotheipi | 29 Apr 2019 3:36 p.m. PST |
'fairly serious'? So, I never said they were unique to only marching band and the military, just that they are common to marching band and the military. So … there go most of your points. |
Legion 4 | 29 Apr 2019 4:00 p.m. PST |
As a Grunt we did few parades. And didn't like it much when we did. |
McLaddie | 29 Apr 2019 5:20 p.m. PST |
So … there go most of your points. Well, I was being humorous too. However, I would think that your list should somehow establish some unique commonalities between those two organizations to make any 'fairly serious' statement about "How much does being in a marching band simulate being in the military? 0-100%" It is just as serious as asking how much does Golf or square dancing simulate being in the military--or a marching band for that matter? 0-100% We know the shoes are all important. I thought there was a similarity because Military operations and marching bands because both practice scripted performances to coordinate large numbers of people in those collaborative activities. Because of that you can draw some common practices, challenges and needs between the two. That can help in understanding something like the use of drill on the battlefield, but it isn't necessarily the same as one simulating the other. But they are not the only organizations that do that. Community theater groups practice many, many weeks for 3 or 4 performances. And there is always someone trying to hog the spotlight. |
Jcfrog | 30 Apr 2019 3:58 a.m. PST |
Military of the past… As for present or near past, combat warriors (who could also be soldiers)… only the less frightening, tense, lethal part of the job. "Being a soldier can be at times real dangerous"… or something alike. …or cutting carrots and cooking boiled rice compare to being a top chef ;) |
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