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Seems like a lot of urban legends here. Actually, military firing squads are not composed of volunteers. The firing party is detailed on orders to perform the duty and a commissioned officer is detailed to command the execution. There is no exact number to make up a firing party but the manual recommends between eight and twelve although more were not uncommon. Contrary to myth there are no blanks in any of the rifles. Usually an aiming card is pinned to the chest over the heart, but this is not always done. Despite an earlier comment, there is a very great difference in the recoil of a live round as opposed to the recoil (or almost total lack thereof) of a blank cartridge so it would be immediately apparent whether one fired a live or a blank round. The officer commanding the execution gives the order to fire and then draws his pistol to administer the 'coup de grace' which is a round through the head to make certain that the job is done and the poor bastard on the receiving end is not still alive and hurting. (Some versions of the manual give the officer discretion as to whether the coup is necessary and some require it). On rare occasions, if the person to be shot is a commissioned officer who has not been stripped of his rank, he may be allowed to command his own firing party. This is an old fashioned way to allow him to die with honor. A blindfold is offered and often refused. The last cigarette often seen in old movies is not covered in regulations and presumably offered at the discretion of the officer commanding when he offers the blindfold. All of this is spelled out in Service Regulations. There are minor variations among the Services and what I have related is from the 1917 edition of the Army's General Regulations for field and garrison service.
I believe the last military execution by firing party was in the middle 1940's so this would be a moot point except for the civil jurisdictions (two, I think) which allow this.
Personally, I'm not a big fan of capital punishment but considering the lesser of several evils I think I would choose firing party. There is some dignity in the ceremony and the impact of several large calibre rounds would knock out the receiver instantly so that even if a coup de grace were required it would be painless. The actual impact would be momentary.
I think the 'chair' is barbaric, hanging shameful, gas definitely cruel and unusual, and lethal injection so clinical that it robs one of any last shred of dignity. The firing squad allows a man to stand up and look death in the eye and face it with courage and dignity. Anyway, thats how I see it.
dekeguy
Capt, USAR
Forward Deployed
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