CMO

DRILL – consist of certain movements by which a unit or individual are move in orderly, uniform manner from one place
to another. Movements are executed in unison and with precision.

CEREMONIES – are formation and movements in which a number of troops execute movements in unison and with
precision just as in drill; however, their primary value is to render honors, and stimulate esprit de corps.

DRILL TERMS AND DEFINITION

1. ALIGNMENT – a straight line upon which several elements or terms are formed. It is the dressing of elements upon a
straight line. A unit is aligned when it is dressed. 
2. ARMS SWING – the swinging of arms must be 6 inches straight to the front and 3 inches straight to the rear of the
trouser seams, with knuckles out facing forward and fingers formed into a fist with the thumb over the forefinger.
3. BASE – is the element on which a movement is regulated. For instance, in executing right front into line, the leading
squad is the base.
4. CADENCE – is the uniform rhythm in which a movement is executed. Drill movements which are normally executed at
the cadence of quick time. 
SLOW TIME – is the cadence at a rate of 60 counts or steps per minutes. It usually used during funeral march.
QUICK TIME – is the cadence of 120 counts or steps per minutes
DOUBLE TIME – is the cadence of 180 counts or steps per minutes
5. CENTER – the middle point or element of a command. In platoon of three squads in line, the second from the right is
the center.
6. COLUMN – a formation in which the elements are placed  one  behind  another. 
     Ex: A column of files (men  placed  one      
           behind  another);  Column squad 
           (squads  one  behind another); and   
           column    platoon (one  behind  
           another).
7. COVER – is a aligning yourself directly behind the man to your immediate front while maintaining a correct distance
8. Depth – is the space from front to rear of any formation or position. This includes the front and rear elements. The
depth of a man is assumed to be 12 inches.
9. Distance – is the space when the elements are one behind the other.
(1) Distance between units varies with the size of the formation
(2) Distance between the individual is an arm’s length to the front plus 6 inches measured from the chest of
one man to the back and the  man immediately to his front.
10. ELEMENTS – is an individual, squad, section, platoon, company, or larger unit forming as part of the next higher unit.
11. EYES RIGHT – The direction of the face during the eyes right should be 45 degrees to the right side.
12. FLANK – flank’s right or left of any formation as sensed by a element within that formation.
13. FILE – two men, the front rank man and the corresponding man of  the rear rank. The front rank man is the leader. A
file, which has no rear rank man, is not a file. The term file applies also to a single man in a single rank formation. It is a
single column of men one behind the other.
14. FORMATION – is the arrangement of elements of a unit in line, in column  or any other prescribed manner.
LINE FORMATION – is a formation in which the elements are side by side or abreast of each other, 
COLUMN FORMATION – is a formation in which the elements one behind the other. 
Note: To change a line formation to a column formation, the command is right face. To change a column
formation to a line the command is left face. 
15. FRONT – is the direction in which a command faces 
16. 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 elbow and therefore does not include 12 inches
between all men in line. The frontage of a squad, however, includes the intervals between men.
17. GUIDE – the man with whom the command or element thereof regulates its march. 
18. HEAD – the leading elements of a column. To understand this definition, one must remember that an element is a
file squad, company or larger body forming a part of still another larger body.
19. INTERVAL – is the lateral space between elements on the same line. An interval is measured between individuals
from shoulder to shoulder, and between formations, from flank to the flank.
Normal Interval – is the lateral space between men measured from right to left by the men on the right holding his left
arm shoulder high, finger touching the right shoulder of the man to his left.
Close Interval – is the lateral space between men measured from right to left by the man on the right placing the heel of
his left hand on his left hip even with the belt lane, fingers and thumb joins and extended downward with his body and
touching the arm of the man to his left.
Double Interval – is the lateral space between men, measured from right to left by raising both arms shoulder high with
the fingers extended and joined (palms down) so that the fingertips acre touching the fingertips of the man to the right
and left.
20. LEFT/RIGHT – the left/right extremity or element of a larger body or troops.
21. LINE – a formation in which the different elements are abreast. The expression “abreast of each other” means on the
same line.
22. OBLIQUE – an angle between 0 and 45 degrees. (Right/left oblique – march is at an angle of 45 degrees.
23. PIECE – the term piece as used in this text means the rifle or automatic rifle.
24. POST – is the correct place for the officer to stand in a prescribed formation.
25. RANK – is a line which is only one element in depth.
26. STEP – is the prescribed distance measured from heel of a marching man. A step maybe 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 and
double time are 30 and 36 inches respectively