Norwich University Regimental Drill Team brings home

First Place Honors from National Drill Team Competition

Shock Platoon Color Guard and Individual Routine Best in the Nation

The Norwich University Regimental Drill Team, the Shock Platoon, has returned from a five-day trip to New Orleans, where they participated in the Tulane University Mardi Gras Drill Competition, the largest and one of the oldest drill events of its kind in the country. Over 50 universities and military academies participated in the competition. This was the first national event of its size the Norwich team has attended in close to a decade.

Undaunted by the crowds and stiff competition from other schools, the Shock Platoon performed admirably. Out of the six events that make up the drill competition, the Shock Platoon placed first in two: the Color Guard and the Individual Routine, in which Matthew Angoy, a sophomore from Rahway, NJ, gave an impressive performance. Overall placements will be released after Tulane University's spring break.

"I am very pleased with how well they performed at Tulane," said Major Russ Holden, VSM, the group's advisor. "Our team consists mostly of sophomores and freshmen and have only been working together as a group for two months, but they performed as though they'd been working together for years. They practiced very hard for this event and should be very happy with how well they did."

The Shock Platoon was formed in 1937. The group regularly performs in parades, official ceremonies, and special events on campus and throughout New England. Drill Team members are required to learn numerous precision drill routines and provide support for special teams such as the Honor Guard, Saber Drill Team, and Color Guard.

The Norwich University Regimental Color Guard was recognized in 1975 by the State of Vermont and Governor Thomas P. Salmon as the "Official Color Guard for the State of Vermont."

dmudgett@norwich.edu, March 2003

A daily journal about the trip written by the commander of the Shock Platoon, as well as a photo gallery, are also available online.

What's New | 2003 News Archive