Bishop Kenny NJROTC Naval Science One

1. CHAPTER 8
PLATOON DRILL

2. 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

3. 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

4. Platoon Formation in Line

5. Platoon Formation in Column

6. 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

7. Posts of Individuals (cont.)
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.

8. 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.

9. Posts of Individuals (cont.)
Platoon commander’s movements

10. Rules for the Guide

11. 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

12. More Rules for the Guide (cont.)
• Other column/file changes
• Guide sets direction and cadence
• Guide does not Count Off

13. 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.”

14. To Form Line From Column
• Executed only when halted.
• Command is “Left, FACE.”
• Platoon commander and guidon take
new posts.

15. Aligning a
Platoon
Command is
“Dress right,
DRESS.”

16. Close Interval Dress Right Dress

17. Executed in same manner as
Dress Right Dress, except:
• Command is “At Close Interval,
Dress Right, DRESS.”

18. • 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.

19. 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”

20. 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

21. To March In The Oblique

22. To March In The Oblique (cont.)
• "Forward, MARCH" - original direction
• "In Place, HALT" - halt in the oblique
• "Resume, MARCH" - resume oblique

23. 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.

24. What are the elements of a
platoon headquarters?

25. 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.

26. Where does the unit leader
march when in charge of the
platoon?

27. 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.

28. What are the two formations of
a platoon?

29. What are the two formations of
a platoon?
Line and column

30. Where is the platoon
commander’s post when in
line?

31. 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.

32. Where does the mustering petty
officer march in column
formation?

33. Where does the mustering petty
officer march in column
formation?
The mustering petty officer
follows the last member of the
right file (squad).

34. Where does the guide march in
the platoon unless otherwise
directed?

35. Where does the guide march in
the platoon unless otherwise
directed?
The platoon guide takes post
on the right.

36. What is the command to form
the platoon?

37. What is the command to form
the platoon?
“FALL IN” or “At Close Interval,
FALL IN.”

38. How do you dismiss the
platoon if under arms?

39. How do you dismiss the
platoon if under arms?
“Inspection, ARMS;”
“DISMISSED.”

40. What is the command for
counting off while in column?

41. What is the command for
counting off while in column?
“From Front to Rear, Count,
OFF.”

42. What is the command given to
form the platoon from line to
column?

43. What is the command given to
form the platoon from line to
column?
“Right, FACE.”

44. What is the command given to
change the formation from a
column back to a line?

45. What is the command given to
change the formation from a
column back to a line?
“Left, FACE.”

46. What is the distance between
squads when in line in the
platoon?

47. What is the distance between
squads when in line in the
platoon?
40 inches

48. What does the platoon
commander do after aligning
the first rank in the platoon?

49. 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.

50. What are the proper procedures
to do “Dress Left, DRESS”?

51. What are the proper procedures
to do “Dress Left, DRESS”?
At the command, “Dress Left,
DRESS,” everyone except those
on the left flank smartly turn
their heads to the left, look, and
align themselves. At the same
time they will smartly raise their
left arm or elbow to provide
interval (the left arm is used for
both dress right and dress left).

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

53. 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.

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

55. 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.

56. How many steps are taken by
each rank when opening
ranks?

57. 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.

58. How many steps are taken by
each rank upon the command
“Close ranks, MARCH”?

59. 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.

60. Which member of the platoon
establishes the pivot point for
“Column Left, MARCH” in the
platoon?

61. 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.

62. Which foot is the command of
execution given on for “By the
Right Flank, MARCH”?

63. Which foot is the command of
execution given on for “By the
Right Flank, MARCH”?
Right foot

64. What is the command to
resume the original direction
of march after “Right Oblique,
MARCH” is given?

65. What is the command to
resume the original direction
of march after “Right Oblique,
MARCH” is given?
“Forward, MARCH.”

66. The command “To the Rear,
MARCH” is given as which
foot strikes the deck?

67. The command “To the Rear,
MARCH” is given as which
foot strikes the deck?
Right foot

68. When marching in column of
twos, where does the platoon
commander and guide march?

69. 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.

70. TRUE or FALSE. “Close
Ranks, HALT” is the command
given when the need for extra
distance is concluded.

71. 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.)

72. 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.

73. 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.