Hopkins County Central High School

Apollo High School

2280 Tamarack Road

Owensboro, KY 42301

TELEPHONE (270) 852-7100

FAX (270) 852-7120

December 5, 2012

MEMORANDUM FOR JROTC UNITS

SUBJECT: Letter of Instruction, Apollo Invitational Drill Meet

The Apollo Invitational Drill Meet will be held at Apollo High School, Owensboro, KY, on February 23, 2013. Competitions will begin at 0800 hours and will end when all scheduled events have been completed (approximately 1530).

The purpose of this Letter of Instruction (LOI) is to outline details concerning the event. Entry into competition by JROTC units indicates willingness to abide by this LOI. It is the responsibility of school instructors to insure that team members are familiar with information contained herein.

1. General: A registration table will be set up at the entrance. Team packages and escorts to assigned rooms will be available. A competition schedule will be forwarded prior to the drill meet.

1. In Brief: A Commanders meeting will be held at 0800 hrs in room #701 to discuss rules and address questions.

1. Events:

First Year: Unarmed Inspection; Unarmed Drill; Color Guard and Unarmed Knock-Out Drill.

Advanced: Armed Inspection; Color Guard; Unarmed Drill, Armed Drill, and Two person (Tandem) Exhibition and Unarmed Knock-Out Drill.

The Color Guard, Armed Regulation Drill, and Unarmed Regulation Drill will be the sequences used at the 2013 Air Force Eastern Regional Drill Competition.

You can view these sequences at: You can download the LOI, Registration form, and the score sheets at: Click on “Apollo Drill Competition” on the Navigation Bar, download the score sheets and LOI if needed, and then complete the online registration.

The score sheets are also available at:

You may have to copy and paste the links to your internet browser to make the connection.

1. Fee: Unit entry fee is $75.00 per school for the basic drill categories, and individual cadet entries for knockout will be $2.00 per cadet. Tandem Exhibition Drill will be an additional $25.00 per event and not counted toward the overall points. Funds generated will pay for the competition trophies. Make checks payable to Apollo JROTC. Mail checks to Colonel Paul, Apollo High School, 2280 Tamarack Rd, Owensboro, KY 42301. Payment is due NLT 10 Feb 2012.

1. Uniform: Standard issue uniforms provided by the host service may be used for the events. Cadets will wear headgear for all competitions. Shoes with taps/cleats will not be allowed on the gym floor at anytime.

1. Awards: The following trophies/medals will be awarded:

1) First, second, and third place trophies for (first year and advanced) Inspection, Armed Drill,

Unarmed Drill and Color Guard. Exception: Cadets must either be in the first-year category or advanced category, not both. First-year may participate in the Tandem exhibition category.

2) Knockout Competition: First thru tenth place medals for both first-year and advanced.

3) Overall championship trophies for first year and advance categories

1. Security: Weapons and equipment are the sole responsibility of each team. Each team will be assigned an area for your convenience. We will have some limited access areas around the High School.

1. Practices: No practices will be held in the competition drill areas. However, the team commanders will be allowed to inspect the drill area after the In Brief and prior to the first competition. Rifle spinning or other “exhibition style” weapons handling will only be done during the competition and only in the designated location. Practices may be conducted in the parking lot outside the gym area.

1. Judges: Recruiting personnel from all military services are typically used as judges. Following the In Brief, participants will not discuss the competition with any judge. If this rule is broken, penalties will result in either point deduction or total disqualification for that competition category. Any complaints or concerns shall be directed to Colonel Paul. Decisions of the judges and Meet Director are final!

1. Customs and Courtesies: Respect will be given to the Colors, officers, enlisted, cadets, and civilians practicing military customs and courtesies. Please help minimize the noise especially while teams are performing. Loud, uncontrolled team members or guests will not be tolerated and may be asked to leave the facilities (at the discretion of the meet officials).

1. Please see enclosure (2) for lodging information and driving directions.

L. Apollo High School campus and drill competitions are alcohol/drug/tobacco/weapons free. There is no smoking allowed during the competition by cadets, instructors, or chaperones.

BREAKFAST, LUNCH, and other SNACKS will be available throughout the day from our Parent Boosters Club. We look forward to seeing you at our drill meet. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. I can be reached at (270) 852-7100, extension 743 or by e-mail at

EDGAR PAUL

Colonel, USAF (Retired)

Senior Aerospace Science Instructor

Attachment: Supplemental instructions and forms

DIRECTIONS AND LODGING

DIRECTIONS: There are numerous routes to Apollo High School. I urge you to use an internet mapping service such as Mapquest, for specific directions. Use the address 2280 Tamarack Road Owensboro, KY 42301.

LODGING: There are numerous lodging options and include Hampton Inn, Fairfield Inn, and Best Western. If you require lodging, I urge you to use one of the internet hotel locators.

If you have any questions on directions or lodging, please contact me.

COMPETITION GENERAL RULES
2013 APOLLO DRILL MEET

1. Teams may use their service equivalent commands and movements as long as they follow the drill card sequence and are in accordance with AFM 36-2203, Army FM 3-21.5 or NAVMC 2691. Bring variations to the attention of the judges at the general meeting.
2. Individual teams are provided with the following guidelines:
a. Teams will be present and formed in the designated ready area ten minutes prior to starting time.

b. The team commander will be directed by the drill meet timer when to move a team onto the drill area.
c. After properly reporting to the judge, the team will automatically execute the applicable drill card.

d. Upon the completion of the marching sequence, the team commander shall report out to the head

judge and immediately move his/her team off the floor.
4. Regarding the first year teams, the commanders and all cadets must be in the first year of JROTC program.

Special situations will be addressed with meet officials on a case-by-case situation.

5. Competitors may be assessed penalty points for any of the following violations: Note: Only the Head

Judge assigned to an event will assess penalty points.

a. Undue delay – five points per occurrence

b. Leaving the drill area during a routine, five points per occurrence

c. Any deviation from the drill sequence or extra commands will result in a loss of 5 points for that command.

d. Not having the minimum number of people required for the event – 25 points per missing cadet

e. Stylized Drill (movements that do not conform to AFM 36-2203, Army FM 3-21.5 or

NAVMC 2691) – up to ten points per occurrence

ANNEX I – COLOR GUARD INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Consist of four (4) person Color Guard; two flag bearers and two armed escorts.

2.All rifles must have rubber recoil pad protectors.

3.Drill Area is one-half of the basketball court (about 47’ X 50’.)

ANNEX II – “Unarmed/Armed/Inspection” Instructions

1.Teams will consist of a minimum of 13 members (12 plus Cdr) and a maximum of 16 members (15 plus Cdr.)

2.Weapons for armed teams: Demilitarized Arms: Facsimiles, M-1, M-14 or M1903 weapons. All weapons

must have rubber recoil pad protectors.

3.Commanders for armed teams must be armed and carry one of the following: Facsimiles, demilitarized rifle or saber/ sword.

4.The drill areas for both the unarmed and armed routines is 65’ x 86’.

ANNEX III – IDR Knockout Competition Without Rifles.

1.Shall begin 10 minutes following final Competition. All cadets with tickets may compete.

2.Knockout Tickets may be obtained the day of competition at the registration table or concessions stand. Request instructors or their designated representative obtain tickets verses each cadet buying tickets separately.

3. Commands will be given as clearly as possible. Commands will be issued with sufficient time

between them to allow the judges to eliminate individuals from the group due to errors in

execution. In the event, of a very close competition, marching commands may be given to

determine the winner. Sloppy execution of movements is cause for elimination.

ANNEX VI - Tandem Exhibition Drill.

1.The Tandem Exhibition Team will be composed of two armed members with either an exhibition rifle or facsimile rifle. The location of the competition will be in the upper level of the main gym.

2.The performance must meet the guidelines set forth for armed exhibition drill.

3.Tandem Exhibition will not count for the Overall Award, but will receive its own recognition.

4. The team must report in and report out. Failure to meet this requirement will result in penalization.

5. The team will enter the drill area when signaled by the head judge or the official escort.

6. The size of the drill area will be visibly marked. A 10-point penalty will be assessed for each boundary violation. A boundary violation is either team member stepping on or over the preset boundary lines.

7.Timing: Maximum time is 5 minutes. Timing will begin when the first member enters the drill area and will end when the last member departs the drill area. A 1-point penalty will be assessed for each second over the allotted time.

8.Judging: The judges will follow the same guidelines set forth for exhibition drill. The judges will consider originality, variety, degree of difficulty, precision, military bearing, and overall impression.

FLOOR LAYOUT/SIZING