900 divisions

[rouhanashi]

Hey everyone! I just graduated September 4th in a triple threat division and I thought I'd provide some information on 900 divisions.

So first of all, 900 divisions are performing divisions. There are 3 types of 900 divisions which I'll explain in depth a little further down; staff, state flags, and triple threat. We PT less and have much less slack for people who can't pass their PFA or their swim qual, not because we're assholes, but because our "free time" is spent at the drill hall.

Staff divisions, which are all male, run graduation. Their division provides the reviewing commander, master-at-arms, and adjutant for the graduation ceremony. Basically those are the guys that stand right in front of where the CO is sitting and issue commands to the divisions, etc. Their division also has an honor guard that gets inspected by the reviewing officer and/or commanding officer (not 100% sure on who performs the inspection lol). Other than that, they have door openers, bell strikers, bodysnatchers, etc. They go off of very specific cues that help graduation run smoothly.

Next is state flags, which is an integrated division. Obviously they carry state flags, along with U.S. territory flags, and they're kind of like one giant color guard. Their division also provides the actual 5-man color guard (2 rifles, U.S. flag, Navy flag, POW flag) and the drum line.

Last, but not least, is triple threat, which is also an integrated division. They have a band, a choir, an armed exhibition drill team, and non-performers if you don't make the cut or get cut from one of those three. Not sure if all MUs have to be in a triple threat, but I know if you are an MU in a triple threat division you will be performing a solo while the band is playing. The Navy band plays at the beginning of graduation and provides the music you hear in the drill tape during the ceremony, but the triple threat band plays a few songs by themselves and with the choir. I wasn't in band, but I heard the music was prettyyy easy. As for the choir, most of our non-performers came from not making the cut for choir. If you've never done armed exhibition and only have experience in band color guard or armed regulation, you can still do triple threat drill team. For the band people, the rifles are a lot heavier, but you'll get used to it pretty quickly. For armed reg. people, most drill teams do simple, clean moves and save the cool fancy spinning for the RPCO or ARCPO, so as put in the work you're fine.


If you're interested in being in one of these divisions, be aware that only one 900 division is formed per week, but not all week. For example, I arrived on a Tuesday which happened to be the first day they were screening for triple threat. We got a majority of our division strength on Wednesday, with a few stragglers on Thursday. We're housed in ship 02, the USS Reuben James, which is the closest ship to pretty much everything. Only 900 divisions live in ship 02, and when you first get there you'll be sharing a compartment with a senior division that's about to graduate.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!