But the bigger issue is that the shield *shape* of riot shields is clearly patterned off of the Roman scutum - a nice big rectangular bodyshield. But the scutum doesn't have a strap grip, it's held with a single bar, parallel to the ground. I tell my students... 7/23
-
-
...but I'm not at all surprised that the version of a square formation that's in the doctrine - and thus the one that someone pulled out the field manual to perform - happens to be the last militarily useful form of square. Cause that's how institutional memory works. 18/23
Näytä tämä ketju -
I can't make out the patches, but these look like Army National Guard soldiers (
#miltwitter can correct me, I'm sure), in which case, I'd bet this is the first time any of them have ever had to form square. I'd be surprised if they'd even trained it, but a version of it...19/23Näytä tämä ketju -
...is in the field manual, FM3-19.15, for 'Civil Disturbance Operations,' though it is three-sided, not four. https://fas.org/irp/doddir/army/fm3-19-15.pdf … In terms of forming square, this would be unconscionably sloppy for a Napoleonic War infantry regiment (too slow, not nearly neat enough)..20/23
Näytä tämä ketju -
...but I think we should give our soldiers (if they are ANG like I think, they're soldiers) a break. I doubt they've had much need or time to drill this, and square is a hard formation to form quickly or well. Early gunpowder armies had to drill a TON to get it right...21/23
Näytä tämä ketju -
...more importantly, they're holding position and keeping their cool in the face of a crowd. They're responding to orders, keeping awareness and not letting themselves be provoked, nor are they provoking. So in the important stuff, in this video, they're doing well.

22/23Näytä tämä ketju -
So that's that. It's a hollow rifle square, performed with riot shields, something from 1815 AD not 415 BC. Regardless, I still love the hell out of their new impromptu drill instructor, especially his directions that they listen to what their staff sgt says.


23/23Näytä tämä ketju
Keskustelun loppu
Uusi keskustelu -
Lataaminen näyttää kestävän hetken.
Twitter saattaa olla ruuhkautunut tai ongelma on muuten hetkellinen. Yritä uudelleen tai käy Twitterin tilasivulla saadaksesi lisätietoja.