▁Yan kee ▁Do od le , ▁to ▁the ▁app la use ▁of ▁the ▁crow ds . ▁ ▁Dr um ▁Major ▁The ▁drum ▁major ▁of ▁the ▁unit ▁is ▁distinguished ▁from ▁the ▁other ▁mus icians ▁by ▁his ▁head ge ar , ▁the ▁light - inf antry ▁Cap . ▁In ▁contrast ▁to ▁modern ▁Army ▁bands , ▁and ▁as ▁an ▁indic ation ▁of ▁prom in ence , ▁he ▁car ries ▁an ▁es pon to on ▁instead ▁of ▁the ▁standard ▁ma ce . ▁The ▁es pon to on ▁is ▁an ▁ 1 8 th - century ▁weapon ▁carried ▁by ▁officers . ▁However , ▁it ▁is ▁used ▁by ▁the ▁drum ▁major ▁to ▁issue ▁silent ▁commands ▁to ▁the ▁Corps . ▁As ▁the ▁es pon to on ▁remains ▁in ▁the ▁drum ▁major ’ s ▁right ▁hand , ▁the ▁drum ▁major ▁is ▁the ▁only ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Army ▁author ised ▁to ▁render ▁a ▁left - hand ed ▁sal ute . ▁ ▁A ▁mock ery ▁is ▁made ▁of ▁this ▁statement ▁in ▁the ▁next ▁picture , ▁where by ▁the ▁drum ▁major ▁can ▁be ▁seen ▁carrying ▁his ▁es pon to on ▁in ▁his ▁left ▁hand . ▁ ▁Perform ances ▁ ▁As ▁an ▁official ▁representative ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Army , ▁the ▁Corps ▁aver ages ▁over ▁ 5 0 0 ▁performances ▁ann ually . ▁The ▁Corps ▁has ▁ent ert ained ▁millions ▁of ▁people ▁in ▁major ▁par ades , ▁page ants ▁and ▁historical ▁celebr ations ▁throughout ▁the ▁United ▁States ; ▁and ▁has ▁served ▁America ▁as ▁a ▁good will ▁amb assador ▁as