We have the same problem in my SAMS unit when we are honor guard at the USS San Francisco Memorial on Memorial Day. We are seated on the memorial itself which is about 2 feet higher than the audience that is seated in the parking lot. We face the audience directly and are up and down a couple of times throughout the service. It would seem there would be a problem but we have never heard of one. I guess it is not as big a deal as it might seem.