DEFINITION OF TERMS

• Alignment - A straight line upon which several elements or teams are formed or the dressing of several elements upon a straight line. A unit is aligned when it is dressed.
• Base - The element on which the movement is regulated. For instance, in executing right into a line, the leading squad is the base.
• Cadence - The uniform rhythm by which a movement is executed or the number of steps or counts per minute of which a movement is executed. Drill movements are normally executed at the cadence of quick time or double time.
• Center - The middle point or element of a command. In a platoon of three squads in line, the second squad from the right is the center.
• Column - A formation in which the elements are placed one behind the other.
• Depth - The space from front to rear or any formation or position, including the front and rear elements.
• Distance - The space between the elements when the elements are one behind the other. Between units, it varies with the size of the formational; between individuals, it is an arm’s length to the front plus six inches or about 40 inches, measured from the chest of one man to the back of the man immediately face front.
• Double time - Cadence at a rate of 180 steps per minute.
• Echelon - one of a series of elements are disposed one in the rear of the other.
• element - An individual, squad, platoon, company, or larger body.
• file - Two men, the front-rank man and the corresponding man of the rear rank. The front-rank man is the file leader. A file that had no rear rank is a “blank file”.
• flank - The right or left extremely or a unit, either inline or column; the element on the extreme right or left of the line; a direction of a right angle to the direction of an element on a formation facing in.
• definition of terms

  • alignment
  • base
  • cadence
  • center
  • column
  • depth
  • distance
  • double time
  • echelon
  • element
  • file
  • flank
• formational arrangement

  • front
  • frontage
  • guide
  • interval
  • quick time
  • rank
  • step
• front - The direction in which a command faces.
• frontage - The space occupied by an element measured from one flank to the opposite flank. The frontage of a man is assumed to be 22 inches, measured from the right to the left elbow and therefore does not include the 12 inches between all men in line. The frontage of a squad, however, includes the intervals between the men.
• guide - The man whom the command or element thereof regulated its march. This is often the case in battle or practice marches. In squad drill, a private (number 1 front rank) is often the guide.
• interval - The lateral space between elements on the same line. An interval is measured between shoulder and elbow when the left hand is placed on the left hip.
• quick time - Cadence at the rate of 120 steps per minute.
• rank - A line of men placed side by side. There are two ranks, the front and the rear.
• step - The distance measured from heel to heel between the feet of a man walking. A step may be any prescribed number of inches. The half step and back step are 15 inches, the right step and left step are 12 inches. The steps in quick time and double time are 30 and 36 inches, respectively.
• guess the labels

  A) depth

  B) center

  C) front

  
• guess the labels

  A) rank

  B) interval

  
• guess the labels

  A) distance

  B) file

  
• Formational - Arrangement of the elements of a unit in line, in column, or any other prescribed manner.