The Drill of the Guards

"Hawaiian Style Drill"

As interpreted by: King’s Guard Generation IV Drill Master Willington “Willy” Leong

The King’s Guard Drill style is rooted in traditional Military Exhibition Drill and influenced by many local and international drill team perspectives.   The JROTC competitions in Hawaii during the early 1970’s were very competitive.

 The Armed Exhibition Drill team of each school embodied their tribal pride, and were showcased as the main event of field day competitions. Intense inter-school rivalries motivated teams to develop very distinct techniques of rifle manipulation, unit formations, and sequence execution in the battle to impress the judges. Inevitably, each school established its individual signature style, readily identifiable within the local drill community. The first two Generations of Guards were comprised of two state powerhouse teams of that time. Generation 1 was from the McKinley High School Drill Team followed by Generation 2 of the Farrington High School Drill Team. Two very different drill styles, but equally matched in their intensity.

Generation 4 is when decisive transformations occurred. The one-school mindset was now superseded by cooperation and unity. Individuals from previously rival teams shared the interest in the art of drill and were eager to learn from each other. This era of enthusiastic collaboration raised the bar for Guard performance standards to new heights, and the pay raise by the King’s Alley management was also a welcomed incentive. Although the Farrington drill style was still prominent in these early years, other styles quickly became integrated into the Guard’s sequences.     

During this period of being exposed to diverse styles of drill, I became obsessed with the depth of possibilities of this art. On another, equally important level, I began fostering friendships with fellow guards that, consequently, inspired both personal and team growth. Coming from an alma mater of drill champions which thought, trained, and drilled only “one way”, I was excited to be free to explore and innovate without reprimand or retribution. Unexpectedly, the management announced they were considering terminating the Guard program to opt for more conventional, mainstream advertising. The Guard Leadership recognized that change was needed to reinvigorate the program. After discussing options with Generation 4 Commander Angel Fredeluces, he promoted me to Drill Master. Knowing that I would need assistance, I in turn, requested the assignment of Brian Punzal as Executive Officer. This would be the founding of the Trilogy of Command. It was now my responsibility to regiment the unit. I knew that a unique style of drill was required to compliment the design of our uniforms. It would need to accentuate military bearing and present appropriately with the vintage theme of the shopping center. The uniform needed to remain neat during performances so the drill style couldn’t be too disheveling. Although the colonial long rifles were period correct, they were not ideal for advanced drill manipulation. We consequently switched to Springfield 1903 rifles which opened up drill sequence possibilities.