A squad is a group of 8-12 individuals formed for instruction, discipline, control, and order. The squad drills as a unit and executes movements together. The squad is normally formed in a single rank with the squad leader in the lead position maintaining 3 paces from the squad. Squads can be sized according to height and armed squads fall in at Order Arms. Counting off allows individuals to be numbered in line or column. Close and Extend commands are used to adjust the interval between squad members. Oblique marching can be used to change the direction of march.

1. CHAPTER 7
SQUAD DRILL

2. • A squad is a group of 8-12
individuals formed for instruction,
discipline, control, and order.
• Members of a squad take positions,
move, and execute the manual of
arms.

3. • Squads execute movements at the
same time.
• Squads may drill as squads or part
of a larger formation.
• Squads march in line for minor
changes of position only.

4. Squad Armed With Rifles
• “Right (Left) Shoulder, ARMS,”
“Port, ARMS,” or “Sling, ARMS” are
given before squad movements.
• “Trail, ARMS” may be given for short
distances, or may be done
automatically.
• At command “Squad, HALT,” remain
at Right Shoulder, Left Shoulder, Port
or Sling Arms until Order Arms or
other manual command.

5. Unit Leader
• The unit leader is
the individual
drilling the squad.
• If the unit leader is
a squad leader, the
the number two
cadet acts as
squad leader.

6. To Form The Squad
1 2 3 4
Normally, the squad is formed according
to position 1 through 10, regardless of
size, with squad leader in position 1.

7. To Form The Squad (cont.)
1 2 3 4
For parades and ceremonies, squad
should be sized. Squad leader in
position 1, tallest cadet in position 2,
down to shortest cadet in position 10.

8. To form at close interval, the command
is “At Close Interval, FALL IN.”
If the squad is armed:
• Fall in with weapons at Order Arms.
• “Inspection, ARMS,” “Port, ARMS,”
and “Order, ARMS” follow.

9. To Count Off
In line:
The command is “Count, Off.”
At the command “Off,” everyone except the
squad leader, turn their heads 90 degrees
over the shoulder and look to the right. The
squad leaders shout ONE. The person in the
file to the left of the squad leaders turns
his/her head smartly back to the front and at
the same time shouts TWO.

10. To Count Off
In line:
After the person to their right has shouted
their number, each subsequent person to
the left turns his/her head back to the front
and at the same time shouts the next higher
number.
Numbers are counted off in quick time
cadence.

11. To Count Off
In column:
On the command “From Front to Rear,
Count, OFF,” the squad leader smartly turns
his/her head to the right 90 degrees over
the shoulder and shouts ONE as the head is
turned back to the front.

12. To Count Off (cont.)
In column:
Each subsequent rank, having seen the
person’s head in front of them return to the
front, turns his/her head to the right and
shouts the next higher number as the head
is turned smartly back to the front.
This is carried on in sequence at quick time
cadence.

13. To obtain close interval from
normal interval in line:
• Command is “Close, MARCH.”
• Squad leader is base of movement.
• On command “MARCH”:
~ Squad leader stands fast, left hand
on hip.

14. To obtain close interval from
normal interval in line: (cont.)
• Other members face right, march to
within 4 inches, face left, then execute
Close Interval Dress Right Dress.
• Without command, hands down and
eyes front.
• Unit leader recenters on squad.

15. To obtain normal interval from
close interval in line:
• Command is “Extend, MARCH.”
• Squad leader is base of movement.
• On command “MARCH”:
~ Squad leader stands fast, raises
left arm.

16. To obtain normal interval from
close interval in line: (cont.)
• Other members face left, march to
30-inch spacing, face right, then
execute Dress Right Dress.
• Without command, hands down and
eyes front.
• Unit leader recenters on squad.

17. To March To The Oblique
Procedures
The command “Forward, MARCH.”
The command “HALT.”
The command “In Place, HALT.”
The command “Resume, MARCH.”

18. What is the normal formation
for a squad?

19. What is the normal formation
for a squad?
A single rank

20. How many paces does the unit
leader maintain from the
squad?

21. How many paces does the unit
leader maintain from the
squad?
Three paces

22. How do you size the squad?

23. How do you size the squad?
To size the squad, the tallest
member takes a position behind
the squad leader. The rest of
the squad members line up
according to height from tallest
to shortest.

24. What is the command to form
the squad at normal interval?

25. What is the command to form
the squad at normal interval?
“FALL IN.”

26. How will members fall in when
the squad is armed?

27. How will members fall in when
the squad is armed?
At Order Arms

28. How do you dismiss the squad
when they are unarmed?

29. How do you dismiss the squad
when they are unarmed?
Give the command
“DISMISSED.”

30. What commands are used to
dismiss the squad when they
are armed?

31. What commands are used to
dismiss the squad when they
are armed?
Armed troops are dismissed
with the commands “Inspection,
ARMS;” and “DISMISSED.”

32. How do you “count off” in line?

33. How do you “count off” in line?
At the command “OFF,”
everyone except the squad
leader, turn their heads 90
degrees over his/her shoulder
and look to the right. The squad
leaders shout ONE. The person
in the file to the left of the squad
leader turns their head smartly
back to the front and at the
same time shouts TWO.

34. How do you “count off” in line?
After the person to their right
has shouted their number, each
subsequent person to the left
turns his/her head back to the
front and at the same time
shouts the next higher number.
Numbers are counted off in
quick time cadence.

35. How do you “count off” when
in column?

36. How do you “count off” when
in column?
In column, on the command
“From Front to Rear, Count,
OFF,” the squad leader smartly
turns his/her head to the right
90 degrees over the shoulder
and shouts ONE as the head is
turned back to the front.

37. How do you “count off” when
in column?
Each subsequent rank, having
seen the person’s head in front
of them return to the front,
turns his/her head to the right
and shouts the next higher
number as the head is turned
smartly back to the front. This
is carried on in sequence at
quick time cadence.

38. What are the two different
ways the squad can be
aligned?

39. What are the two different
ways the squad can be
aligned?
At Close Interval, Dress Right
(Left), DRESS and Dress
Right (Left), DRESS

40. How do you perform “Dress
Left, DRESS?”

41. How do you perform “Dress
Left, DRESS?”
This movement is similar to
“Dress Right, DRESS” except
that alignment is made toward
the left.

42. What is the purpose of “Close,
MARCH?”

43. What is the purpose of “Close,
MARCH?”
The purpose of this movement
is to close the interval between
individuals of a squad in line
to four (4) inches.

44. What is the purpose of
“Extend, MARCH?”

45. What is the purpose of
“Extend, MARCH?”
The purpose of this movement
is to extend the interval
between individuals of a squad
in line to one arm length.

46. What is the command given to
resume the original direction
of march from the oblique?

47. What is the command given to
resume the original direction
of march from the oblique?
“Forward, MARCH.”

48. Which foot is the command of
execution called on for “Right
Oblique, MARCH”?

49. Which foot is the command of
execution called on for “Right
Oblique, MARCH”?
Right foot

50. What command is given to halt
the squad facing in the original
direction of march?

51. What command is given to halt
the squad facing in the original
direction of march?
“Squad, HALT.”

52. What is the command to
temporarily halt the squad in
the oblique direction in order
to correct errors?

53. What is the command to
temporarily halt the squad in
the oblique direction in order
to correct errors?
“In Place, HALT.”

54. Which foot is the command of
execution called on to move
the squad to the rear?

55. Which foot is the command of
execution called on to move
the squad to the rear?
Right foot

56. What other commands may be
given when a squad is
marching to the rear?

57. What other commands may be
given when a squad is
marching to the rear?
None.

58. What commands, other than
the opposite flank, may be
given when a squad is
marching to the flank?

59. What commands, other than
the opposite flank, may be
given when a squad is
marching to the flank?
None.

60. When at Dress Right, Dress,
what command is given to
return to attention?

61. When at Dress Right, Dress,
what command is given to
return to attention?
“Ready, FRONT”

62. What position does the squad
fall in if armed with weapons?

63. What position does the squad
fall in if armed with weapons?
Order Arms

64. When does the squad leader
give the command “Ready
FRONT”?

65. When does the squad leader
give the command “Ready
FRONT”?
When the squad leader
determines the alignment is
correct

66. When are right and left
flanking movements used?

67. When are right and left
flanking movements used?
They are used when it
becomes necessary to move
cadets to the right or to the left
for short distances.

68. TRUE or FALSE. At half step or
mark time while in the oblique
direction, resume the full step
to the oblique on the command
“Resume, MARCH.”

69. TRUE or FALSE. At half step or
mark time while in the oblique
direction, resume the full step
to the oblique on the command
“Resume, MARCH.”
TRUE.