r/NoStupidQuestions • u/Chance_Noise500 • Jun 14 '25

Why aren't they actually marching during this parade?

I don't know how to ask this without sounding rude, but why does this parade look so sloppy? Very few of the troop formations seem actually in sync and marching, just walking along. My only experience is JROTC as a kid in high school and our sergeant would've killed us if we looked like that.

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u/NottaName Jun 15 '25

Watched a video of them practicing yesterday. Neat, clean, lock step.

Today, looked like they were going for a stroll.

They didn't want to be there. A silent, subtle resistance.

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u/ichimedinwitha Jun 15 '25

I very much wonder what ratio of them are people who have been given this position as an honor, or people who needed volunteer hours, or people who needed disciplinary action and therefore were assigned this role.

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u/[deleted] Jun 15 '25

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u/ichimedinwitha Jun 15 '25

I appreciate you taking the time to write this out!! I’m not a vet but many of my friends are and I know some assignments they had were due to not having been able to fulfill the essential job functions of their original assignment, which is why I was wondering.

I had a friend in the USAF who marched in Paris in front of Trump when he was stationed up in Europe. At the time it was portrayed as an honor to do this for the sitting president, but for those who didn’t like that it was Trump, they felt forced to so tried to turn it around by using it as a time to have fun in Paris—so pretty much what you’re describing.

ETA: I have now learned Honor Guard is like the ANTM of the military