# Army drill language **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 2, 2003, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/army-drill-language/185861 "2003-07-02T20:43:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![daniel801](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@daniel801](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/daniel801)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/army-drill-language/185861/1 "2003-07-02T20:43:10Z")
What the heck are the US Army drill sergeants saying as commands, phonetically? Sounds like Al Pacino or something. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/army-drill-language/185861/2 "2003-07-02T21:03:31Z")
Well… depending on what he wants done. In no particular order, here’s a few commands. Platoon, Attention Right, Face Left, Face Forward, March Column Left, March Column Right, March Rear, March Counter Column, March Open Ranks, March Right Shoulder, Arms Left Shoulder, Arms Inspection, Arms Port, Arms Sling, Arms Present, Arms Eyes, Right That’s what I can think of off the top of my head. Those are the actual commands but it never sounds like that. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/army-drill-language/185861/3 "2003-07-02T21:29:43Z")
My dad was a training instructor in the air force, was myself in the amphib navy, then married a gal in the army (whose brother took our combined warnings and joined the coast guard), so I have familiarity with all five branches of service. I could always understand the army drill sergeants enunciations, since they were the same facing movements I learned in the navy. In the navy, we were punished for not giving the commands especially clear (“by the left flank, MARCH,” and “Left oblique MARCH”), since navy training emphasizes the clear communications required for the technical jobs in the fleet. The Marines are another story altogether. All I can guess is that their cadence calls sacrifices ennunciation for the sake of more deep-lunlung volume, and understanding them is an “insider’s” thing to build team spirit. ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/army-drill-language/185861/4 "2003-07-02T21:48:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Slithy Tove \* > \*\*The Marines are another story altogether. All I can guess is that their cadence calls sacrifices ennunciation for the sake of more deep-lunlung volume, and understanding them is an “insider’s” thing to build team spirit. \*\* [ul]:mad: [sup] **Damn, the cat’s outta the bag!** [/sup][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/army-drill-language/185861/5 "2003-07-03T00:14:41Z")
What’s the deal with “Eyes, right”? ---
**Author:** ![Matchka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Matchka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Matchka)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/army-drill-language/185861/6 "2003-07-03T00:50:53Z")
Eyes Right is a marching command used in parade-type ordeals. At the command of execution, “RIGHT,” the left-most files turn their heads 45 degrees to the right while the right-most file continues to look straight ahead (cuz someone’s gotta pay attention to where the formation is headed). I’ve only ever seen this done when passing the grand poobah presiding at the affair. Once the unit has passed said poohbah, a different command “Eyes FRONT” (I can’t recall, they may forego the “eyes” part), is given and the formation redirects their face directly ahead and goes marching home again. Really quite a snazzy move as D & C goes. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/army-drill-language/185861/7 "2003-07-03T01:14:54Z")
“Ready, FRONT” is the command to return from Eyes Right/Eyes Left. It is even snappier when the command is given by someone carrying a sword. Rumor has it more than one sword has been left stuck in the ground as the unit passes by when a sweaty hand executes the movement. ---
**Author:** ![radar\_ralf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b2d939/32.png) [@radar\_ralf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/radar_ralf)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/army-drill-language/185861/8 "2003-07-03T01:19:29Z")
Matchka, I believe the command is “To!” to return the eyes to the front. Sorta like, “A hand salute… hut.” and then, “To!” to bring the hand back down. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/army-drill-language/185861/9 "2003-07-03T01:40:06Z")
My Drill Sergeants (back in 1979 at Fort Knox) uttered the appropriate commands in a quite understandable fashion. “Attention!” sounded like “Attention!” The senior Drill Sergeant gave us a bit of a lecture about how “ten hut!” isn’t a drill command. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/army-drill-language/185861/10 "2003-07-03T01:49:43Z")
**radar ralf** , the preparatory command is “HAND” and the execution command is “SALUTE”. To return to attention, “READY”, then “TO” for execution. At least that is the Marine Corps drill command system. I assume the Army has some differences, so you may be talking about that. ---
**Author:** ![Matchka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Matchka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Matchka)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/army-drill-language/185861/11 "2003-07-03T02:11:44Z")
And let’s not forget the bridge-saving “route step/MARCH” and “Quittin’ time/MARCH” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/army-drill-language/185861/12 "2003-07-03T04:08:32Z")
Nice stuff to learn… It’s apparentlly how white guys learn about rhythm. ---
**Author:** ![Matchka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Matchka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Matchka)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/army-drill-language/185861/13 "2003-07-03T06:07:06Z")
“Left, Right, Left, Right … Come on, Black guys help the white guys.” Don’t be fooled, even the terror of Drill Sergeant isn’t enough to teach some folks how to walk. Sure makes it fun though.