Milwaukee, Wisconsin -- Those Marines brought that precision to Milwaukee, WI, when they performed during halftime at the Milwaukee Bucks basketball game Nov. 10, 2016, the Marine Corps Birthday.
The Silent Drill Platoon, like the Marine Corps itself, consists of Marines recruited from across the nation. These Marines are sometimes lucky enough to perform in their home state.
“The traveling is one of the best parts of being a part of the platoon,” said Lance Cpl. Austin Havel, a rifleman in the platoon and a native of New Richmond, Wisconsin. “It is humbling to be one of the people to represent the Few and the Proud.”
As a part of their duty in the platoon, the Marines travel across the country and world performing for various groups. Places such as Times Square, Fleet Week in San Francisco and Nashville, and even Ft. Henry, Ontario.
“One of the most impactful places I have performed is for the Invictus Games,” said Lance Cpl. William Gorr, a rifleman with the platoon and a native of Princeton, Wisconsin. “When the crowd started yelling U-S-A, it was surreal. It was a proud moment and I had to fight back a smile.”
Each performance the platoon does is unique in its own way but a common performance is the one for veterans.
“Any time we perform for a crowd of veterans it is a humbling experience,” said Gorr. “You can see it in their eyes when you talk to them after the performance of how proud they are of you. Whether it is for the Honor Flight or Invictus Games, it is humbling to see where we have come from and up hold that standard that they set.”
For most of the Marines in the platoon there is a history of service in their families.
“I come from a military family and I wanted to keep that legacy going,” said Lance Cpl. Michael Clausen, a rifleman with the platoon and native of Green Bay, Wisconsin. “I’ve learned a lot of discipline, focus and how to become my own person. For me, when I do these shows, I do them for the other Marines, both active duty and veterans.”
Each Marine that is a part of the platoon serves a two year ceremonial tour as part of the Marine Corps’ only Silent Drill Platoon. The platoon performs at events large and small across the country in support of the Marine Corps’ mission.
“There is something special about what we do,” said Lance Cpl. Hayden McCue, a rifleman with the platoon and a native of Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin. “Meeting different people when we travel and seeing their faces. When there is a Marine there it makes me feel good about being a part of a brother hood.”
Part of the Silent Drill Platoon’s mission is being one face of the Marine Corps that the public sees. This helps the efforts of the local Recruiting Station such as RS Milwaukee, which covers the Milwaukee, WI. area.
For more information about the Silent Drill Platoon or if you wish to request the platoon for an event please visit. http://www.barracks.marines.mil/Units/Silent-Drill-Platoon/.
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