CHAPTER 8

PLATOON DRILL

Platoon Drill

• Interval in line and count off same as

squad

• Squad leaders are base for

movements

• Simultaneous movements on platoon

commander’s command of execution

Platoon Drill (cont.)

• Successive movements on squad

leaders’ supplemental commands

• Unit leader marches left and parallel

• When halted, unit leader 6 paces in

front and centered

Platoon Formation in Line

Platoon Formation in Column

Posts of Individuals

Platoon Commander’s post:

• In line - 6 paces in front

of center of front rank

• In column - at head of

the left file

Mustering Petty Officer’s post:

• When platoon commander is present:

~ when platoon is in line, post is left

of left member of rear rank

~ when platoon is in column, post is

following last member of right file

• When platoon commander is absent,

he/she takes platoon commander’s

post.

Posts of Individuals (cont.)

Platoon guide takes post as described

in paragraph 8003.

Extra members fall in on left when in

line and in rear when in column.

In this chapter, platoon commander

means the individual drilling the

platoon.

Posts of Individuals (cont.)

Posts of Individuals (cont.)

Platoon commander’s movements

Rules for the Guide

More Rules for the Guide

• Dress Right (Left)

Dress

• Column of Files

from the Left

• Column of Twos

from the Left

• By the Right (Left)

Flank and To The

Rear

More Rules for the Guide (cont.)

• Other column/file changes

• Guide sets direction and cadence

• Guide does not Count Off

Count Off

• Designates relative position in ranks.

• Executed when halted at attention,

in line or column.

• In line, command is “Count, OFF.”

• In column, command is “From Front

to Rear, Count, OFF.”

To Form Line From Column

• Executed only when halted.

• Command is “Left, FACE.”

• Platoon commander and guidon take

new posts.

Aligning a

Platoon

Command is

“Dress right,

DRESS.”

Close Interval Dress Right Dress

Executed in same manner as

Dress Right Dress, except:

• Command is “At Close Interval,

Dress Right, DRESS.”

• All cadets except rightmost in squads

place heel of left hand on hip, and

look to the right.

• Cadets move by short steps until right

arm touches left elbow of cadet to

their right.

To Form For Physical Drill

• Executed when halted at attention

and in column of threes or fours at

normal interval

• If armed with rifles, at Order Arms

• “From Front to Rear, Count, OFF”

To Form For Physical Drill (cont.)

• “Take Interval to the Left, MARCH”

• “Arms, DOWN”

• “Even Numbers to the Right, MOVE”

• Upon completion, “Assemble,

MARCH” is given

To March In The Oblique

To March In The Oblique (cont.)

• "Forward, MARCH" - original direction• "In Place, HALT" - halt in the oblique• "Resume, MARCH" - resume oblique

To March To The Rear

• The purpose is to march the platoon

to the rear for a short distance.

• The command is “To the Rear,

MARCH.”

• It is given when marching at quick

time or at double time.

What are the elements of a

platoon headquarters?

Platoon headquarters consists

of a minimum of a platoon

commander, a mustering petty

officer and a platoon guide.

What are the elements of a

platoon headquarters?

Where does the unit leader

march when in charge of the

platoon?

The unit leader will march to

the left and parallel to the

platoon from a position where

they can best control the unit.

Where does the unit leader

march when in charge of the

platoon?

What are the two formations of

a platoon?

Line and column

What are the two formations of

a platoon?

Where is the platoon

commander’s post when in

line?

In line, the platoon

commander’s post is six (6)

paces in front of the center

of the front rank of the

platoon.

Where is the platoon

commander’s post when in

line?

Where does the mustering petty

officer march in column

formation?

The mustering petty officer

follows the last member of the

right file (squad).

Where does the mustering petty

officer march in column

formation?

Where does the guide march in

the platoon unless otherwise

directed?

The platoon guide takes post

on the right.

Where does the guide march in

the platoon unless otherwise

directed?

What is the command to form

the platoon?

“FALL IN” or “At Close Interval,

FALL IN.”

What is the command to form

the platoon?

How do you dismiss the

platoon if under arms?

“Inspection, ARMS;”

“DISMISSED.”

How do you dismiss the

platoon if under arms?

What is the command for

counting off while in column?

“From Front to Rear, Count,

OFF.”

What is the command for

counting off while in column?

What is the command given to

form the platoon from line to

column?

“Right, FACE.”

What is the command given to

form the platoon from line to

column?

What is the command given to

change the formation from a

column back to a line?

“Left, FACE.”

What is the command given to

change the formation from a

column back to a line?

What is the distance between

squads when in line in the

platoon?

40 inches

What is the distance between

squads when in line in the

platoon?

What does the platoon

commander do after aligning

the first rank in the platoon?

The platoon commander faces

to the left as in marching, and

moves to a position on line

with the next rank.

What does the platoon

commander do after aligning

the first rank in the platoon?

What are the proper procedures

to do “Dress Left, DRESS”?

At the command, “Dress Left,DRESS,” everyone except thoseon the left flank smartly turntheir heads to the left, look, andalign themselves. At the sametime they will smartly raise theirleft arm or elbow to provideinterval (the left arm is used forboth dress right and dress left).

What are the proper procedures

to do “Dress Left, DRESS”?

What is the purpose of “Close,

MARCH”?

The purpose of this movement

is to close the interval

between files of a platoon in

line to four (4) inches.

What is the purpose of “Close,

MARCH”?

What is the purpose of

“Extend, MARCH”?

The purpose of this movement

is to extend the interval

between files of a platoon in

line to one arm length.

What is the purpose of

“Extend, MARCH”?

How many steps are taken by

each rank when opening

ranks?

1st rank takes two 30-inch

steps, 2nd rank takes one

30-inch step and 3rd rank

stands fast. If there is a 4th

rank, they take two 15-inch

back steps.

How many steps are taken by

each rank when opening

ranks?

How many steps are taken by

each rank upon the command

“Close ranks, MARCH”?

1st rank stands fast, the 2nd

rank takes one 30-inch step

and 3rd rank takes two 30-inch

steps. If there is a 4th rank,

they take three steps and halt.

How many steps are taken by

each rank upon the command

“Close ranks, MARCH”?

Which member of the platoon

establishes the pivot point for

“Column Left, MARCH” in the

platoon?

The leading member of the

base squad, excluding the

platoon commander and

guide, establishes the pivot

for the movement.

Which member of the platoon

establishes the pivot point for

“Column Left, MARCH” in the

platoon?

Which foot is the command of

execution given on for “By the

Right Flank, MARCH”?

Right foot

Which foot is the command of

execution given on for “By the

Right Flank, MARCH”?

What is the command to

resume the original direction

of march after “Right Oblique,

MARCH” is given?

“Forward, MARCH.”

What is the command to

resume the original direction

of march after “Right Oblique,

MARCH” is given?

The command “To the Rear,

MARCH” is given as which

foot strikes the deck?

Right foot

The command “To the Rear,

MARCH” is given as which

foot strikes the deck?

When marching in column of

twos, where does the platoon

commander and guide march?

The platoon commander is

ahead of the left file, and the

guide is in front of the right

file.

When marching in column of

twos, where does the platoon

commander and guide march?

TRUE or FALSE. “Close

Ranks, HALT” is the command

given when the need for extra

distance is concluded.

FALSE. (“Close Ranks,

MARCH” is the correct

command.)

TRUE or FALSE. “Close

Ranks, HALT” is the command

given when the need for extra

distance is concluded.

TRUE or FALSE. Ranks in rear

of the leading rank execute the

pivot movements on the same

points and in the same way as

the leading rank.

TRUE.

TRUE or FALSE. Ranks in rear

of the leading rank execute the

pivot movements on the same

points and in the same way as

the leading rank.