A drum major in the military is the individual leading a military band or a field unit (corps of drums, fanfare band, pipe band or drum and bugle corps). It is an appointment, not a military rank. Military drum majors utilize a ceremonial mace for giving commands while marching. Many drum majors, particularly American- or British-influenced ones, wear a sash that can carry embroidered badges of their home unit and battle honors; a pair of ceremonial drum sticks are often attached.
By country
Australia
The Australian Army traditionally styles the appointments along the same lines as the British Army. The drum major is usually an experienced member of the Australian Army Band Corps, although drum majors in regimental pipes and drums are typically members of the Royal Australian Infantry Corps. Drum majors generally have the rank of a senior NCO. However, capability is the main qualification for appointment: the most senior or highest-ranked member of the unit is not always the drum major.
Canada
The Canadian Armed Forces do not require the drum major to be a drummer. Being a former British dominion, a lot of the Canadian drum major tradition is inspired by the British Army. It is also influenced by French and American army music traditions and is an essential part the Canadian Forces drum major drill.
China
Drum majors in the People's Liberation Army and affiliated military bands use a mix of techniques that are of American, German and Russian influence. Most drum majors carry a mace consisting of a gold staff with a red chain connected to a red ferrule at the bottom wrapped around it, along with a red fringe with a five-pointed star above it at the top. This baton is used similarly to that in the Russian or German military, where the drum major swings the baton up and down vertically to the beat of the music.
The military band of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force uses an American-influenced mace and also executes American-style marching techniques, with the exception being the absence of a ceremonial sash which is worn across the stomach. All band members wear a modified version of the full dress uniform usually worn by the guard of honour; the only difference is the type of shoes they wear. Prior to the introduction of this uniform, the band wore the full-dress uniform worn by general officers.
Indonesia
Indonesian drum majors have a tradition that is a mix of Dutch, American, and British influences. Drum majors in the Indonesian National Armed Forces and Indonesian National Police are also not required to be drummers. In the military and police academies, where the drum majors change yearly, the only requirement is that they are cadet sergeant majors or cadet staff sergeant majors. In civil and police bands, there are one to six drum majors that serve alongside the director of music. The military and police drum majors wear full dress or service uniforms at the head of their formations in parades and wear the peaked cap.
Russia
In the Russian Armed Forces, drum majors () are commissioned officers, since they also serve as band leaders and conductors. They are not required to be drummers, but must have long experience as a military bandsman. The title was introduced in 1815 by the Imperial Russian Army. The uniform consisted of gold/silver galloons and a pair of epaulettes. The title was abolished in 1865 only for army regiments and would be reintroduced for the Red Army in 1918. The position would be toned down until after World War II, when they gained more significance. The Soviet Armed Forces made sure that the Soviet (and later Russian) model for drum majors could be differentiated with the Western version. The Russian model has been used in almost all former Soviet republics (the Baltics, Georgia and Ukraine being the exception).
All Russian drum majors are trained in military music schools and institutes like the Moscow Military Music College and the College of Military Music and the Institute of Military Band Conductors of the Military University of the Ministry of Defence, who graduate from these with the rank of lieutenant and during parades carry maces with either the service or full dress uniform.