TUSTIN : A Few Good Men Strut Their Stuff

Back in her native Pampanga in the Philippines, the sight of soldiers carrying rifles was not a pretty one for 12-year-old Kris Leonor. Often, it was the signal to run and hide, she said.

On Monday, Kris, a sixth-grade pupil at Currie Middle School, was among 250 Tustin students in a crowd of about 2,000 who watched and cheered as a squad of Marines twirled, tossed and caught rifles during a silent drill demonstration.

The late morning music and marching extravaganza at the Tustin Marine Corps Air Station was highlighted by the so-called Battle Color ceremony performed by the United States Marine Corps’ Silent Drill Team, and included a musical serenade by the acclaimed United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps.

Kris, who immigrated with her family to the United States last year, said she was impressed.

“I liked it a lot, especially the music. Maganda (beautiful). Hindi nakakatakot . (It was not scary),” she said.

Pampanga, a province north of Manila, has been plagued by a Communist insurgency since the 1950s. Civilians are often caught in the cross-fire between government troops and the rebels.

Kris was one of 32 students from Pamela Duncan’s English-as-a-second-language class who were invited for the show. Students from second to fifth grades from Thurman and Nelson elementary schools were also invited.

Master Sgt. Michael Gardner, drum major of the Drum and Bugle Corps, said the show is the second of a current tour of the West Coast that started with a stop at Yuma, Ariz. Later Monday, the group performed at the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station.

“It’s been fabulous,” said Gardner, who has been a band member for the past 18 years. “When you’re a performer, you love to perform in front of people. This is especially thrilling because we’re performing before Marines, who are like family.”

The Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, formed in 1934, annually travels more than 50,000 miles and performs 400 times during an 11-month tour of the country. The drill team first performed in 1948. The members are selected from the Infantry Schools at Camp Pendleton and Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Monday’s ceremony started with a display of 47 streamers, representing Marine Corps’ battles, campaigns and expeditions since it was founded in 1775. The Drum and Bugle Corps, composed of 65 musicians, then performed pop, jazz and traditional marching music. One of the most applauded numbers was the ballad “Hello Again.”

For most in the crowd, the highlight was the 11-minute drill exhibition by the 24-man silent drill team. Carrying 10 1/2-pound M-1 rifles, the team marched in precision without vocal commands. With bayonets fixed, the Marines shifted the rifles on their shoulders and twirled the weapons like batons.

In one sequence, two Marines simultaneously performed intricate tricks, including tossing the rifle in the air and catching it with one hand.

“It was fantastic,” said Jasmine Long, 10, a third-grade student at Nelson Elementary School. “I liked it when they threw the rifle in the air and caught it.”

Latoya Rickman, 9, and Nicole Perez, 8, both third-graders at Nelson Elementary School, said they most enjoyed the music, as did Hector Aguilar and Victor Olvera, both 12.

Duncan, the ESL teacher, said the show is a good one, especially for the students with limited English proficiency.

“This is our culture. They didn’t have to understand English to appreciate it,” she said.