This is a pretty basic marshal training outline.

Our approach will be interactive so we're going to leave this as a simple outline for now. A lot of you have done this before so we'll let you contribute your own experiences. You'll also notice that training is divided between "classroom" and "hands-on" training. We'll be doing both.

Freaky stuff?

Some of this stuff looks kind of freaky if you are seeing it for the first time. Kind of like we might be over-reacting or being paranoid. And it's true that we won't need some of the techniques discussed below in Washington DC. We're planning a peaceful, family event. But we'd also like to make help us grow to be confident action organizers as a movement. People in future actions might not have it so lucky as we anticipate having it.

"Classroom" type training.

Brief history of non-violent resistence (Thoreau, Ghandi) direct action in the United States (King), and how this relates to the First Amendment.
Historic objectives of actions (media, group cohesion, community outreach).
Different types of actions.
Passive nonviolence: rally/demonstration, etc.
Active nonviolence: march, serving papers, etc.
Organization in action. Permits, planning, MLO, marshals, services.

General rules for marshals:

Keep the march moving. A march line that is snagged or tied up in confrontation with counter-demonstrators or whatever is a march in potentially serious trouble.
Liaise in a professional manner with all public servants at all times and keep their representatives close---but not too close---at time of action.
Communications, traffic management, marcher management.

Hands-on training.

We'll talk about the points below, it's always good to talk these things through, but the hands-on component is key for these points. Besides, it's the most fun part of the whole training thing.

De-escalation
Ranks in hostile territory (link arms, women on the inside, men on the outside)
Counter-protestors (position a marshal or two just upstream from them, the marshal's back is at least minimally protected in this posture and the marshal smiles and tells people to move on by, it's a wonderful day, smile and walk on by)
Infiltrators who commit acts of vandalism (immediately call them out as the criminals they are and get the crowd to verbally and visibly denounce them, call ops and get law enforcement on scene ASAP)
Medical emergency (call ops, get EMS on scene ASAP)
March redirection
March deployment, control and conclusion.

What's a marshal and how do I become one?
Training outline for marshals.
Introduction for Medical Volunteers.
Travel to DC and lodging info.
Do's and Dont's: what to bring and what not to bring to a DC rally.
Some fun march chants to practice up on.
Un-official position on the Republican National Convention. Think mass action is the way to go?
An Activists' Guide to Exploiting the Media. This was written by a well known leftist but it's excellent.