You are right about Marines (and Army as well) doing a better job of marching - you are a much more disciplined lot. As a submariner, we are a relaxed group and cherish our off time after months of isolation in a narrow tube. As a group I’d say we wouldn’t cheerfully want to put in time to relearn the art of marching crisply. I had a hard time getting my crew to smartly and in unison take one step forward for Pete’s sake....sorta like McHale’s Navy! Hate to admit it but that was back in the 70’s and 80’s in better times and I don’t think things have improved over the years, if you know what I mean. I know that sounds like a sad indictment but it was one of the reasons I retired after exactly 20, giving up an E9 spot back at the E-Ring.
Having said that, this morning I read an informal Military Times poll found that a vast majority of the publication’s readers oppose the idea of a military parade in Washington, D.C.
Eighty-nine percent of Military Times readers responded by answering “No, it’s a waste of money and troops are too busy.”
I see it very differently: for a certain amount of effort and expenditure, we have a chance to show America who we are face-to-face and connect with us. One of the great problems we have -which affects recruiting and readiness - is that the Left has turned our armed forces into a cartoon, a caricature instead of who we are.
This parade could reestablish that connection and maybe get some more young Americans to join us in protecting our country with us.
As I described in another thread, there was a military parade in Washington DC after the Gulf War and it was a hoot! There were massive crowds and they were eager to cheer for our young troops and marvel at the equipment that drove by and flew over.
Hell, if I can train sailors to shoot (I was the Ship's Self-Defense Training Officer for SURFLANT), no biggie to reteach them to march!