Trump Says He'll Show Off The US Military In Parades

[DonViejo]

Source: Talking Points Memo

By CAITLIN MACNEAL Published JANUARY 18, 2017, 9:10 AM EDT

Donald Trump plans on displaying the United States military's strength when he becomes president by having troops march in parades.

“Being a great president has to do with a lot of things, but one of them is being a great cheerleader for the country,” Trump told the Washington Post in an interview published Wednesday morning. “And we’re going to show the people as we build up our military, we’re going to display our military."

"That military may come marching down Pennsylvania Avenue. That military may be flying over New York City and Washington, D.C., for parades. I mean, we’re going to be showing our military," he continued.

Trump made the comments while talking about his campaign and its slogan, "Make America Great Again." He revealed an option for a slogan for his 2020 re-election campaign to the Washington Post.

Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/trump-military-parades

[underpants]

1. And propaganda rallies

What could possibly go wrong?

[CatWoman]

2. i'm having flashbacks featuring Red Square..........

[underpants]

8. :-)

[CatWoman]

45. ...

[greatauntoftriplets]

28. I have visions of him taking off his shoe

and banging it on the podium, a la Khrushchev.

[HockeyMom]

35. Third Reich?

A lot of Dtrump's mindset is sounding like that.

[dixiegrrrrl]

107. Hair Twitler

is what some folks are calling him...

[bench scientist]

187. I prefer shitler

[dchill]

160. Fourth.

To be correct.

[DK504]

43. Exactly, what I was thinking.

[raccoon]

90. Me too. Great minds think alike, I guess. nt

[brush]

67. And the SS troops goose stepping in Germany before WWll.

[MBS]

82. my first thought as well.

I can't believe this is happening.

[YvonneCa]

142. Look at this...

... http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/national-international/Trump-Inauguration-Parade-Whos-In-the-Parade-List-of-Participants----In-Order-410866725.html

[pangaia]

155. 2nd DIVISION... "Rural Tractor Brigade"........HUH?

Where is the Urban Tractor Brigade?

[GP6971]

177. Damn....

my son's university, Norwich University, is in this damn sham.

[pangaia]

178. Sorry for your pain.

You better delete your post.

😂

[GP6971]

179. Why? Am not being difficult, just don't understand the reason to delete. n/t

[pangaia]

180. I'm just kidding.

[GP6971]

181. thanks!

he graduated a number of years ago and he and I think we should both own the university with the amount of money we paid!!

[MBS]

165. I saw Obama's 2013 Inaugural parade

This is so different, to say the least.
Obama's also, of course, had US Army bands, etc. But then there were SO MANY OTHERS. High school bands, community groups of all kinds, native dancers, all kinds of people . . . I'll have to look at my old photos to refresh my memory on the details. But it was a full representation of America. And the parade went on forever.. until after the sun went down, which I remembered, because I was getting very cold at the end!
The 2013 parade must have continued at LEAST 3 hours. Trump's will only be 90 minutes. Is that due to his short attention span? Inability to stand the weather? (even though the presidential box is heated and covered)? Or - most likely, since I read that DC high school bands refused to participate, and I'm sure that they're not the only ones to decline the invitation- they had as much luck getting people to participate in the parade as they have for the concert..

[YvonneCa]

167. We're going to find out...

...very soon. I really hope for a small turnout to send him a message. Somehow, I think he'd just make excuses for whatever happens. He'll blame it on the weather.

[alfredo]

192. Your link didn't work. Here's another.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/donald-trump-administration/2016/12/inauguration-parade-lineup-233064

Most seem from the south.

[Doitnow]

158. I'm old enough to remember

news reels in the movie theaters of Hitler overseeing soldiers in goosestep parading by him. Hitler forced people of talent to entertain him, too. Didn't I hear Trump say he was going to have the military band playing at his inauguration? Seems like he has to use force to get his entertainment, too.

[ChazInAz]

194. Ironically....

A few years ago, I visited the dirigible air field in Nuremberg where that nasty little paper-hanger held those huge rallies. The place is a muddy wasteland and his reviewing stand is a decaying ruin. The great Reich's Stadium in the same city? It's decaying in place, untouched since the workers dropped tools near the end of the war: a cavernous, echoing reminder of bombastic nationalism gone mad. A portion of it is used as a museum and resource center for war crimes.
If Trump has even a slight inclination to personal reflection and inventory, he might want to keep that in mind.

[xxqqqzme]

195. All we need are giant pictures of

St ronnie and tRump hanging in all camera angles.

[calimary]

119. Isn't that the way the Russians do it?

Those parades around Red Square on May Day? With all the troops and artillery and big bombs on wheels circling Red Square? Hmm... wonder where he got THAT idea...

[Mr. Evil]

134. And at a complete wasteful cost of

hundreds of millions, if not billions of dollars for this useless display of... well... waste.
The only thing this will show is that Trump is only brilliant at one thing...
being stupid.

[Doitnow]

196. Stupid people don't know they're stupid

[kairos12]

3. As a former infantryman there was nothing I hated more than parades. Way to piss

off the troops Orange Julius.

[itsrobert]

16. former Air Force

Parades are a pain in the neck. Only leadership, who don't march in parade are happy about them as they get all the praise as they watch from the stands.

[Hortensis]

74. If you guys hated them then, how about with

new Trump-approved uniforms? He can't think much of those drab, understated things worn now. Perhaps something more like this. When asked if he'd be visiting England, he started babbling about his admiration of their pomp and circumstance and started conflating his mother with the gueen. (Scary clown emerging...)

[jmowreader]

97. That would be worse

That thing would suck to set up the night before a parade.

[LiberalLovinLug]

99. I can totally see Trump "donning" this kind of outfit for special occasions

Or when he declares his first war. Which you know is coming. He of all presidents will be eager to get his "war president" credentials checked off.

[Hortensis]

110. Any first war is likely to have Trump going up against

these guys. Kim Jong Un apparently favors a lot less display of medals than his father did.

[NYC Liberal]

197. Remember when Nixon changed the WH guard uniforms to...well, something like that photo?

The Nixon parallels (ego, paranoia, racism) continue.

[Hortensis]

202. Omigosh, I hadn't! Just looked, and they didn't go over

at all well with the public. Supposedly those ridiculous stage-prop hats were the first thing to go. Nixon's "palace guard" uniforms ultimately ended up being worn by the Southern Utah State marching band. Thanks for the ridiculous history.

Look at these poor Secret Service agents.

[SeattleVet]

115. Yep, well said. Parades are a total pain in the ass for the troops.

Once in a while there was a bright spot, though...

When I was stationed at Plattsburgh AFB, NY in the mid-1970's some colonel decided he wanted a full retirement ceremony, including the pass-in-review of the airmen. We all get into our dress blues (probably the first time I had to wear them after Basic Training a few years before), go stand around, march in a circle around the parade ground, then stand at attention while they did the rest of the ceremonial things, handing out awards and plaques, speeches about how great a leader the guy was, etc.

The best part (for us, anyway, being mostly 20-somethings in the mid 1970's) was the choice of music. At one point when the higher ranking officers marched off of the podium, they began to play the "Liberty Bell March", one of John Philip Sousa's rousing marching masterpieces - but also, it was much better known to all the rest of us as the theme song from 'Monty Python's Flying Circus'.

Imagine, if you will, a few hundred mostly younger people, all dressed up (and can't go anywhere else right now), all struggling to keep from bursting out laughing. Lots of shoulders were seen shaking, and once in a while someone let loose with a giggle. The people on the podium probably never even knew what had set us all off - I seriously doubt that the people in command were huge Monty Python fans.

[pangaia]

159. I have known musicians in all the DC bands for decades.

Trust me. NONE of them like parades.
On the other hand, they are all very, very good musicians.

Most people think the players in these bands are chosen from among the ranks of the Army, navy, etc..

Far from it.
The 'jobs" ( and that is what they are) are open by audition. There could easily be well over 100 applicants for a clarinet position.

[JudyM]

49. I expect that the last thing this guy cares about is how our troops feel. A clear 180 from Obama.

[Eliot Rosewater]

101. Eh, not gonna matter, we are going to war and the troops wont be here.

War is a method of production of profit for a small group of people.

Trump and Putin will join forces to fight a war somewhere, for this reason as well as a land grab for his business partner, Putin.

The worry is when does it go nuclear?

[yallerdawg]

4. Jesus H. Christ.

Corrupt Trump IS insane.

[gohuskies]

5. He w ants to remake Triumph Of The Will..

What a sick s.o.b.

[kairos12]

17. Correction: Triumph of the Swill.

Welcome to DU.

[kairos12]

23. A preview of Drumpt's Parades

[gohuskies]

120. Time to resurrect William Shirer's The Ris and Fall of the 3rd Reich

The propaganda machinery Drumpf has assembled and the incessant telling of the Big Lie plus a willfully ignorant extremist faction of Tea Party bots is frighteningly similar. The lesson in Shirer's book needs to be broadcast loud and clear.

[TheCowsCameHome]

6. Putin will arrange these events.

Trump will take his marching orders from him.

[MyOwnPeace]

7. Of course he will.......

they're the only people he can get to show up!!!

[FSogol]

9. Kim Jong-Trump! Putin must remember those Soviet parades with pride

[Generator]

84. That's the problem

DU'ers are mind readers. That is literally what i was thinking down to the bad name for Trump.

[dalton99a]

10. It's a must-have.

[Qutzupalotl]

32. Watching Trump gives me goose steps.

[area51]

104. I saw what you did there.

GMTA

[Ilsa]

154. And let's hope he doesn't require our military to goose step! NT

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

174. Thanks. While reading the OP, images like this immediately came to mind.

You saved me the trouble of googling and posting.

[Paladin]

11. Just like an 8 year-old kid. God help us all. (nt)

[dixiegrrrrl]

113. An 8 year old with nuclear toys....n/t

[Fritz Walter]

138. An 8-year-old...

...Who wore a military costume instead of a uniform.

... who used a bogus diagnosis of bone spurs in an as-yet-unidentified foot, to avoid actually donning a real uniform, picking up a weapon, and actually standing a post.

... and who continues to insult Gold Star Families, actual veterans, and service members.

Somehow, all of these have earned him a pass to become CIC, in ways that Kafka would have said, "No fucking way!"

[Aviation Pro]

12. Great...

Another fucking cheerleader in the White House.

A fucking five deferment poser.

His shit is going to get old pretty quickly with the services.

[bluedigger]

13. Always wanted to know how many tanks could park on the Mall.

Gonna be a great 4th!

[world wide wally]

14. Sadly, the American people will love these ugly parades

Just a hunch.

[MindPilot]

18. I think you are right

A bunch of people whose closest association with anything military was watching Saving Private Ryan will wave their little flags and cheer.

[onethatcares]

25. break out the

purple heart bandaids

[world wide wally]

58. I'm waiting to see people waving their little American flags as the Russian tanks roll

down the streets.

[geek tragedy]

40. uneducated white people will love it.

So it's more of a play to his fascistic dumbfuck base than anything

[Hortensis]

72. We're the American people, and a big part of it.

We don't glorify the military because it is a tool we use, not something to be worshiped and possibly used by.

[demigoddess]

105. Well, they better like them, because they will be paying for them. These things aren't

cheap. Lots of money spent on nothing but show. God, how stupid.

[world wide wally]

117. That is why I want to start selling red baseball caps that say "Duuh"

[exboyfil]

15. We already have military marching bands who

I think appear a significant portion of local parades around the country. They are great ambassadors for our armed services and very respected. We also usually have vets who also march recognizing their service to the country. We also have the Thunderbirds and Blue Angels. We have air shows, military fly overs, and color guards at most major sporting events. We have Fleet Weeks. We have National Guard and Reserves who also march in parades. What the hell is he talking about.

As another poster has said, active duty military have their own jobs. Let them work on their training, logistics support, medical support, and combat.

[Roland99]

19. Der Furious Twitler

[UpInArms]

20. Yay!! Saddam de Trumpmeister!

[jalan48]

21. The message-get used to seeing the military in your community.

[Baitball Blogger]

22. You had to see that coming. And it's only fit, since our country is less free because of Trump,

and more of a military junta.

[democrank]

24. Don Jong-un

I certainly support our troops, but must we have this G. I. Don chest beating?

[Joe Bacon]

27. Don't you mean "Draft Dodger Donny"?

[TheCowsCameHome]

29. Don Ding Dong Dung

[kysrsoze]

70. Small Dong Un

[Renew Deal]

26. Kim Il Dung

[Scurrilous]

30. ¡Me encantan los desfiles!

[TheCowsCameHome]

31. Who has military-themed parades anymore?

[HopeAgain]

56. And the answer is...

Kim Jong-un
Vlad Putin
Xi Jinping

[brooklynite]

33. I dunno: won't he need a balcony installed at Trump Tower?

[not fooled]

168. Well,

The lampposts are already there

[sarge43]

34. Ah Clueless, the military always marches in the inaugural parades

There are special units that do nothing but ceremonies all over the country, parades, concerts, air shows, etc.

However, seeing you don't know shit from apple butter about the armed forces, I can understand your confusion.

[orangecrush]

81. My brother was in 3rd Infantry

On the Honor Guard.

It sounds to me like Trump is talking about something beyond the inauguration.

[sarge43]

85. I think he's just talking out his fat ass again.

Among his many other appalling characteristics, he has the attention span and memory retention of a cockatiel. Further, he has no idea how the armed services function; it's not a collection of his lackeys.

In short, he's just mentally masturbating yet again. It sounds good to him, so it must be twue ... and Yuge.

[orangecrush]

88. Agreed

In my lifetime, I have never seen a president elect act with such total arrogance.

I think we may have a real problem this time.

[sarge43]

91. Yes.

I haven't felt this concerned since Reagan was making "jokes" about first strikes.

[lark]

128. Cheney talking about the survivability of nuclear strikes scared me badly.

Drumpf scares me far worse, and Cheney is pure evil.

[sarge43]

130. "The living will envy the dead."

Creatures like Cheney and Trump live in a bubble. They seem to believe that money and power would somehow protect them. Fundamental physics and chemistry may take a little longer to do their voodoo on them, but they would. A bank account or title gives no protection against gamma radiation.

[dhol82]

136. That's a vile calumny against cockatiels!

[sarge43]

139. I ran it by three 'tiels in my living room.

They all said, "Huh? Whatever."

[dhol82]

149. Just whistle to them

They'll get it.
LOVE cockatiels. Sadly, I can't have them anymore. Got violently allergic to bird dander after I had a pair. Still wish I had mine. Would just have to have them behind glass.

[sarge43]

151. Love them, too.

Sweet natured, silly little clowns, love to hang out with their persons

[dhol82]

152. Totally!

[not fooled]

170. Give the yam credit!

He does have a knack for promulgating tasteless, gaudy spectacles that appeal to the lowest common denominator

[Oneironaut]

199. Drumpster believes everyone is his lackey

He is the center of the universe, and we're all here to appease and amuse him. All politicians have their head up their arses, but Trump is an extra foot or so further up the rectum.

[NickB79]

112. Sounds like he wants tanks and Humvee's rolling down the road

Like his Russian buddies used to do.

[sarge43]

124. Wouldn't be surprised.

As said, another one of his wet dreams -- "They're big, YUGE! Just like me!

Cleaning out that rat's nest that subs for his 'mind' would keep a regiment of shrinks in business for years.

[DFW]

36. If he wants to be a cheerleader for America, here are four hints

Look at how popular Bill Clinton was around the world as opposed to Reagan.

Look at how popular Obama was around the world as opposed to Bush Lite

Think how cheerful 20 million Americans will be to hear they are losing health insurance (seeing a few thousand troops and missiles REALLY ought to compensate for that).

Think how cheerful American women will be to be forced into coat hanger abortions again (seeing a few fighter jets roar overhead in formation REALLY ought to compensate for that).

Last hint: if anyone thinks spending a few gazillion dollars to put on Soviet-style military parades is going to cheer anyone except the ones in the stands being saluted, they are misinformed.

[liberalmuse]

37. God help us all.

I'm an atheist. We are fucked! This man is a degenerate Dictator wannabe.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

38. How tyrant-like of you, Donald.

If he ever tries to repeal the 1st Amendment in some way, that will be the clincher!

It's obvious that he doesn't like dissent... just like Hitler didn't.

http://www.dw.com/en/the-law-that-enabled-hitlers-dictatorship/a-16689839

Once Germans realized that any anti-Hitler or anti-Nazi comments could get reported to the Gestapo and get them killed, it was over.

[geek tragedy]

39. Just like the Soviet Union and North Korea nt

[LeftinOH]

41. Apart from the inauguration, how many parades is he gonna get?

How many parades does any President ever get? Will he be occupying himself with parade planning? Under Trump, the USA is a big show, for which he will be the Executive Producer.

[nancy1942]

42. North Korea wannabe?

[bucolic_frolic]

44. Juvenile mind

belongs in solitary confinement

[onetexan]

46. Does anyone else hear similarities of Red Square & Tiananmen Square marches here?

I hope our military generals defy this illegitimate president and march to their own tune to protect our country. This moron is an American disgrace the world over.

[Wounded Bear]

47. WWPD?

What would Putin do?

[Buckeye_Democrat]

48. My brother worked with a PhD physicist from Germany...

who used to warn him back in the 70's about what he perceived as infatuation with the military in the USA.

The physicist witnessed the rise of Hitler in his youth and he argued it mostly happened because Germans were pro-military nuts.

My brother didn't take him too seriously -- e.g., "That can't happen here."

[uppityperson]

50. Good god.

[JudyM]

51. Well of course - flashy displays of his power are his main interest.

[sabbat hunter]

52. will they be

goose-stepping down Pennsylvania Avenue?

[Bayard]

53. Expect a re-design of military uniforms

Lot's of tacky gold. Shiny. And a big, TRUMP embroidered in several places.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

57. Maybe something like this?

[dgibby]

78. Not to mention a special uniform for Herr Twittler himself,

all gold, of course, with lots of medals and braid. We are so screwn!

[bullwinkle428]

98. Essentially completing his transformation to third-world dictator.

[dgibby]

125. Absolutely! n/t

[HopeAgain]

54. Seig Heil?

Goose stepping and mandatory citizen attendance?

[world wide wally]

55. Has he figured out a way to make money off it yet?

Or is this just for advertising?

[Locrian]

59. of couse he would.....

[Cha]

60. he better not send them off to a stupid war he starts on twitter.

[earthside]

61. Since Trump lies about everything ...

... we will have to wait and see what actually transpires.

I'm just about done reading Hannah Arendt's 'The Origins of Totalitarianism' and while we are still quite far away from the totalitarianism of the Nazis and the Bolsheviks, there are very clear indications that Trump and the Trumpians are strongly trending in the that direction.

It is interesting to read the importance Arendt puts on lying as part of the totalitarian state.

We are in big, big trouble, folks.

[Freethinker65]

62. Huuuuge displays of tanks and troups marching through US streets will backfire bigly

Continuing to honor veterans and new recruits in small community based parades, and displays of military capabilities in air and water shows is much more effective. Trump does not understand the power and influence of nuance and subtlety.

[exboyfil]

79. Yes our model reinforces that are armed services

are citizens first and soldiers, marines, sailors, and airmen second. It is the right model.

About the only thing we don't have are ICBMs rolling down the street. Air Shows and Fleet Weeks already display an impressive array of military equipment.

[hatrack]

164. Setting aside everything else, who pays to resurface the streets?

I'm sure that among the many things the Numbnuts-In-Chief doesn't know is what tanks do to asphalt and concrete.

Moron.

[angrychair]

63. Just what we need

More ultra-nationalist adoration of the military.

We already have military bands and vets that march in parades but that is not what he means. He is saying exactly what it sounds like, active duty military and military hardware being paraded down Main Street.

[harun]

66. Sounds like it. I am sure a few ICBM's rolling down main st. will be all the rage this summer.

[Sunlei]

64. The only Parades that HAVE TO march when their Leader Trump orders them to.

Republicans way to squander millions and millions of taxpayers money for fucking parades!!

[kacekwl]

65. Why doesn't he just get some

green plastic army men and play in his room with Barron.

[IronLionZion]

68. Anyone who doesn't like it will be branded a traitor

"Of course the people don't want war. But after all, it's the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it's a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger."
-- Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials

There were people who wanted to make Germany great again, and Italy, China, North Korea, Russia, etc.

[kimbutgar]

69. Just like putin does

He marches his troops as a show of force.

It's scary and obvious he is listening to his putin boss.

[progree]

71. I am so hoping for bread and circuses too. nm

[vkkv]

73. Just like Red China, N. Korea, the USSR, Iran under the Shah dictatorship..

All other failing and failed states.

Very scary.

[neeksgeek]

75. Oh good.

I've always wanted a president who would play "my missile is bigger than yours."

[Motley13]

76. they are practicing the goosestep as we speak

[Doreen]

77. I knew with dictator Trump that we were going

to be seeing more military force being shown. Maybe some will not call it Martial law but get used to seeing more police or military types wondering around with guns and keeping sharp eyes and ears out for what we say and do. Military parades are just "see what I have and can use against you at my whim"?

[Historic NY]

80. Donald they come out now on Memorial Day parades ...

and at community events. Risking equipment and personnel to stoke your ego in what is a PR stunt isn't worth it.
Small displays by those units living in our community is what binds us together. Many are in demand, like the bands.

[Blue Idaho]

83. The one group that can't say no to Trump

Civilian groups are free to decline his invitations to save his inauguration from looking like a flop - but the military has to respond to their new boss.

[muntrv]

86. Sounds like North Korea.

[MosheFeingold]

121. Has the same thought

Very Soviet, strong man, etc.

[matt819]

87. No surprise. He's an utter madman!

This is what third world countries and dictatorships do.

I hope the Pentagon puts a stop to this in its tracks. It's a waste of time & money. It's beyond idiotic.

[braddy]

89. When did we ever not have the military in parades, I hated doing it 45 years ago.

[mentalsolstice]

92. I can't wait for twitler to start wearing a uniform himself

It will have the bestest sash and very very magnificent medals. Gold medals created just for him.

[Nitram]

93. The little tin soldier loves a parade.

[bora13]

94. more bad intel

someone must have told him mistakenly that the military doesn't already drill and march enough.

[Parker DeWitt]

95. I wonder if the Nixon uniforms are still around

Nixon tried to dress up the White House security staff. It lasted about a month. The old uniforms must be in a closet somewhere:

[dalton99a]

100. Hard to miss the guns and gold

[jmowreader]

173. I heard they sold them to a college as band uniforms

[Downtown Hound]

96. Parades? WHOO HOO! PARADES!

Who needs health care when you've got PARADES! WHOO HOO! GO PARADES!

[TygrBright]

102. Pootie told him it works great! n/t

[keithbvadu2]

103. Trump likes people who weren't captured

[titaniumsalute]

106. Shit we already have about 300 air shows every year

And it seems every big sporting event has fighter jet flyovers, Naval Days in various port cities, etc.

[Paladin]

108. OK---what genius arranged for Trump to view "Triumph Of The Will"???

This will not end well.....

[yellowcanine]

109. Maybe Pootie will send a brigade.

[Hekate]

111. Jesus Christ on a trailer hitch

[louis-t]

114. Wait, this is serious?

I thought it was a joke.

[rtracey]

116. and

And the Russian soldiers will be goosestepping down Pennsylvania avenue followed by their tanks

[klook]

118. Trump fans will show their support

http://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/309627/the-kkk-is-having-a-parade-in-north-carolina-to-celebrate-trumps-win/

[BobTheSubgenius]

122. May Day in America.

Charming. I wonder if Vlad is on board with this.

[Angry Dragon]

123. all of his idols did it ......... Putin and Hitler

[jonno99]

126. If he wants to lose the support & respect of the military, then by all means have them "parade".

Every self-respecting service member I know HATES to be in parades.

[lark]

127. And will those military be goose-stepping and doing the (Nazi) drumpf salute?

Or will Drumpf just dream that they are doing that while he plots and schemes to make it so?

[Vermijelli]

129. Fascist-in-chief n/t

[jumptheshadow]

131. New Yorkers just LOVE low-flying planes

What a way to boost the city's morale!

[The Wizard]

132. When do we start calling him

Kim Jong Don?"

[SleeplessinSoCal]

133. God I hope this backfires on him quick.

[CRK7376]

135. God I hated marching in parades

and retirement ceremonies. Waste of time for the troops.....stand here, eyes right heaven forbid you pass out due to the heat or locking your knees in place.....

[DeminPennswoods]

137. All the services have professional bands

All the services have Field Bands and ceremonial units. That is all the Old Guard unit in VA does. These are professional musicians and some of the best at their craft in the country. One of my relatives spent his Army tour in a Field Band and went on to play with the symphony, pops and best jazz and big bands in his community after he got out.

[sarge43]

141. They practice four to five hours every duty day.

They learn and practice precision drill movements. They're very, very good at what they do.

[DeminPennswoods]

143. Yes, they are

My dad pointed out to look at the rank insignia on their sleeves. Most are top or close to the top of NCO scale and also have the stripes on the end of their uniform sleeves that show how many years they've been in military. IIRC, 1 stripe = 4 or 5 years.

[sarge43]

144. Four years, I believe.

Yeah, the more stripes, the more time in. The promotion system turns red in tooth and claw about half way up the greasy pole (E-6). So, the zebras have drive and staying power.

[DeminPennswoods]

147. 4 is what I thought

Those stripes turn from red to gold after the 3rd or 4th one, iirc.

[DeminPennswoods]

145. AF band

Here's a link to just the USAF band and music. I'd say the bands are probably one of the best kept secrets of DoD. http://www.music.af.mil/

[cstanleytech]

157. You might have a point there and imagine the power of a USAF tuba combined with

Donald Trumps big mouth and ability to exhale hot air?

[jmowreader]

175. The Old Guard isn't a band

You're thinking of the US Army Field Band. The Old Guard is an infantry regiment (its true unit designator is the 3rd U.S. Infantry) that does mostly ceremonial duties in the National Capitol Region...their job is also to defend the NCR against enemies foreign and domestic, so when NATO finally tires of his shit and sends the Bundeswehr Fallschirmjäger and the British SAS to bring Trump to justice, the first people they'll have to fight off will be the Old Guard.

[DeminPennswoods]

188. Old Guard is ceremonial

They are a ceremonial unit, although iirc, they were called to serve in Iraq or Afghanistan due to the shortage of other combat ready units. I'm pretty sure they have a fife and drum corps.

http://www.oldguard.mdw.army.mil/regiment.

[Brother Buzz]

140. What he's saying is he couldn't even book one Shriner outfit for his fucking parade

[dhol82]

150. +1

[flvegan]

146. I'm banking on impeachment before any parade like this can happen.

[bhowle]

148. tRump really needs

a very snappy looking military uniform to wear around.

[dalton99a]

184. Oh, he will be beautifully covered

?w=1000

[tblue37]

153. Will he have them goose stepping? nt

[JI7]

156. Small Hands

[flags]

161. no kidding

I honestly expected this . I would not be surprised if he donned a uniform.

[YOHABLO]

162. This idea we have to "build up" our military is hogwash. It's just a way to line the pockets of the

Military Industrial Complex. Let's 1st find out where trillions of dollars have gone missing at the Pentagon.

[hatrack]

163. Could be the STUPIDEST FUCKING THING HE'S EVER SAID . . .

And he's said some pretty stupid shit.

Unbelievable.

[iluvtennis]

166. OMG, we live in Russia or a banana republic now. Disgusting.

[briv1016]

169. I guess book burnings are next.

Points for picking which one they choose. Here's a hint. a lot of individuals have already done it and posted the video online.

[bucolic_frolic]

171. Back to the U.S.S.R.

the 1930s and the 1950s

[QC]

172. Why should Pootie have all the fun?

[Zambero]

176. North Korea does that so well

Perhaps more DOD funding could be directed to VA patients, instead of staging a militaristic dog and pony show for the purpose of further gratifying Trump's bloated ego.

[Javaman]

182. You mean like this?

or like this?

[SummerSnow]

183. So this is what he wants...

[Rex]

185. Is he fucking with us?

[meadowlander]

186. So the only way to get anyone to play the inauguration is to order them

on pain of court martial.

[Vinca]

189. Oh, great. It's going to be just like North Korea.

[milestogo]

190. I bet he'll show them off in wars as soon as he can.

[ProfessorGAC]

191. It's May 1st Already?

Boy does time fly. Who knew the May Day show of force parade was Friday?

[blueseas]

193. WTF?

Will someone please leak more info before we are turned into Russia light?

[alarimer]

198. Tin pot dictator.

Piece of shit really wants to be dictator. Guess what, Trump, WE HATE YOU!

[smirkymonkey]

200. He is an absolute madman!

He needs to be stopped. I don't know how, but he really needs to be stopped.

[liberal N proud]

201. Logical step in the progression into the fascist hole America is headed.

[sarcasmo]

203. If you don't attend the parade, no rations for your family.