Drill commands

• Fall In. Have designated troops move into formation on the parade square and/or ground.
• Fall Out. Have designated troops to face the commander to be dismissed.
• Dismissed. Telling designated units to leave the parade square/ground.
• Attention Have the soldiers adopt the At Attention position

• Stand at Ease (United States: Parade Rest) has the soldiers in a more relaxed position.
• Stand Easy (United States: At Ease) has the soldiers adopt the next easiest stance, where hands are still clasped behind the back, however, the soldiers can relax their upper bodies (the shoulders can be slacked) and quietly speak. This is often, but not always, followed by an implicit 'Relax' ('Rest'). This is typically used when being addressed/lectured for a long period of time where the positions of attention or at ease would be too painful/uncomfortable to hold.
• Relax (United States: Rest): The only parade instruction given in an ordinary voice, rather than the raised, emphatic parade voice. This is the only position that actually offers soldiers freedom of movement. Soldiers are typically allowed to move other than moving their feet, though, when it is given by a high-ranking officer, soldiers typically move a minimal amount after a bit of stretching.

• Right Dress, – all personnel except the right marker bring up their left arms parallel to the ground. At the same time, all members of the formation snap their heads so they are facing right. After this, they pause, and then shuffle back to a new position, where their hand is extremely close to the soldier's shoulder on their right, unless otherwise specified. The American version of this is called Dress Right, DRESS.
• Left Dress – all personnel except the left marker bring up their right arms parallel to the ground. At the same time, all members of the formation snap their heads so they are facing left. After this, they pause, and then shuffle back to a new position, where their hand is extremely close to the soldier's shoulder on their right, unless otherwise specified. The American version of this is called Dress Left, DRESS.
• Inward Dress/Centre Dress – used when a parade is formed up in two or more groups with Colours, Guidons, or Banners on parade. This is used so that dressing is off the colours. The formations to the left of the Colour Party will dress to the right and the formations to the right of the Colour Party will dress to the left. All personnel to the right of the Colours in front row and left column except the left marker take one step forward, pause, and only the front rank bring up their left arms parallel to the ground. At the same time, all members of the formation snap their heads so they are facing left. All personnel to the left of the colours in front row and right side column except the right marker take one step forward, pause, and only the front rank bring up their right arms parallel to the ground. At the same time, all members of the formation snap their heads so they are facing right.
• Eyes Front (United States:Ready Front) – the front rank snaps their arms down and faces forward, while all other ranks simply face forward.

• Shoulder/Slope Arms: The rifle is brought on the left or right sides by the shoulder.
• Change Arms (Commonwealth only): The rifle is changed from one shoulder to another, only possible when in Slope Arms position.
• Present Arms: The soldiers bring their weapons to the front of their bodies, and adjust their right foot position. Soldiers without weapons use a salute appropriate for their headdress. In the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth of Nations, the command is often preceded with a General Salute or Royal/Presidential/National Salute, when appropriate.
• Order Arms: Servicemen carrying a weapon will lower it to the ground.
• Port Arms: The weapon is brought out in front of the soldier, and held by the right hand on small of the butt, or equivalent, and the left hand about the forestock, or equivalent.
• High Port Arms: The weapon is brought out in front of the soldier in the form similar to Port Arms but higher so that the butt and forestock or equivalent is raised.
• For inspection, Port Arms (United States:Inspection Arms): The weapon are raised at the port position in order that it can be properly inspected.
• Reverse arms: The weapon is held reversed as a sign of mourning.[6]
• Ground Arms: Servicemen bring their rifles to the ground.
• Trail Arms: Servicemen bring their grip from the pistol grip to the carrying handle of the rifle in order to carry the rifle horizontally
• Sling Arms: If the soldiers have a "sling" (strap) on their rifles, then this command can be called. The soldiers will loosen the sling so they can now have their rifles strapped around their shoulders.
• Unsling Arms: Servicemen will unloosen the sling so they can now have their rifles at the port or high port position.
• Front Sling Arms: Servicemen holding weapons with slings attached to the chest now sling those weapons in the Port or High Port Arms position.
• Fire of Joy, load weapons: This command is used in parades such as the National Day Parade in Singapore, and Trooping the Colour. Soldiers will load the rifle with the blank round in preparation of the Feu de joie, French for Fire of Joy in parades. This is called in Polish as the Salwa Honorowa or Honor Volley.
• Fix Bayonets: In US ceremonies, whenever the bayonets are to be fixed to the weapons, this command is called out. In times, the accompanying bugle call for it is used before the order is done. The troops pull out their bayonets from their uniforms and attach them to the weapon.
• Unfix Bayonets: Soldiers in formation remove their bayonets from their rifles and return them to their uniforms.

Sabres

• Draw Sabres: used to draw the sabres.
• Return Sabres: used to return the sabres.
• Present Sabres: used for officers to salute using their sabres.
• Shoulder/Slope Sabres: used for officers to slope the sabre in their left-hand shoulder.
• Order Sabres: the sabre is lowered to the ground after presenting or sloping.

A British soldier in the port arms position.

• Pass in Review – used in the US to denote the start of the march past segment of parades. When this command is said the parade prepares in readiness for the march past. It is also used as a way for a newly assigned commander to inspect the troops he/she commands.[7][8]
• Parade, in close order, left/right dress – in the UK, this command is used to commence dressing of parade units in close order
• Company, in close order, form three/four ranks – in the UK, this command is used to form companies into three or four ranks of personnel each
• Staff behind me, (forward) march – in the US, this command is used by the parade commander to form his parade staff in readiness for the march past/pass in review segment of parades
• Parade will now advance/retire in slow/quick time, about turn – in the Commonwealth the command is used to form parade formations when arranged in line formation for the march past
• Move to the right/left in threes - in the Commonwealth, this command is used for a company or companies to execute left/right turn forming three ranks

In the Commonwealth countries, the following saluting on the march commands are ordered with a preparatory command of 'Saluting on the march...'. For example, 'Saluting on the march, to the front Salute' and always called on the left foot.

• To the front Salute or Salute: The parade is halted and the right arm is raised so the forearm is placed at a 90° angle, while pointing at the temple. This is lowered and then repeated again, followed by an about turn and a resume in marching (off the left foot). The timing is: "Call, Check, Halt, 2, 3, Up, 2, 3, Down, 2, 3, 4, 5, Up, 2, 3, Down, 2, 3, About, 2, 3, In, 2, 3, Left, Right, Left!" It is one of, if not the longest drill movement in the military.

In British Corps, the drill movement for saluting to the front is the following. Two, three, up. Two, three, down.

• To the Right Salute: The right arm is raised so the forearm is placed at a 90° angle, while pointing at the temple. It is generally to a count of "Up, two, three, four, five, down, swing!"

This is done while looking to the right, except the right marker, who must stay looking to the front, to keep the flight, squad, platoon, etc. staying straight.

• To the Left Salute: The right arm is raised so the forearm is placed at a 90° angle, while pointing at the temple. It is generally to a count of "Up, two, three, four, five, down, away!"

This is done while looking to the left, except the left marker (as they are the front most of the saluting flank), who must stay looking to the front, to keep the flight, squad, platoon, etc. staying straight.

In the United States, the command for saluting on the march is "Eyes, RIGHT/LEFT." The parade leader and other officers execute the hand salute, while everyone but the right file or left file in either case turns their heads to the right." The command for recovery is "Ready, FRONT." If the command does not have rifles, they will salute if given the command present ARMS. The arms will be lowered back to their normal position on the commands Order ARMS. They can also salute if given the command Hand SALUTE. The salute is raised when the parade leader finishes saying "salute", and is lowered in after being held for the same amount of time elapsed between the words "hand" and "salute."

• Eyes Right: The parade turn their heads to the right after a check pace. The parade leader salutes while looking in the direction they gave.

This is done while looking to the right, except the right marker, who must stay looking to the front, to keep the flight, squad, platoon, etc. staying straight.

• Eyes Left: Similar to the Eyes Right except the parade looks to the left.

This is done while looking to the left, except the left marker, who must stay looking to the front, to keep the flight, squad, platoon, etc. staying straight.

• To the front Salute or Salute: The right arm is raised so the forearm is placed at a 90° angle, while pointing at the temple. It is generally to a count of "Up, two, three, down!"
• To the Right Salute: The right arm is raised so the forearm is placed at a 90° angle, while pointing at the temple. It is generally to a count of "Up, two, three, down!"
• To the Left Salute: The right arm is raised so the forearm is placed at a 90° angle, while pointing at the temple. It is generally to a count of "Up, two, three, down!"

In the United States, salutes at a halt are given on the command "Hand Salute". They are lowered in the same amount of time elapsed between the two words. The command "present arms" will cause the command to salute if the command is not given rifles for the ceremony, but the salute will be held until they are ordered to lower it with the command "order arms".

• Advance in Review Order, by the centre, Quick March: This is used to pay final compliments to the reviewing officer. On this very command the unit being reviewed advances 15 paces and halts automatically before presenting arms to the reviewing officer. It is usually employed by the British Army and the Canadian Army, as well as by other Commonwealth armed forces.[9][10]

The 18th-century musket, as typified by the Brown Bess, was loaded and fired in the following way:

1. Upon the command "Prime and load". The soldier will bring the musket to the priming position, with the pan opened.
2. Upon the command "Handle Cartridge". The soldier will draw a cartridge. Cartridges consist of a spherical lead bullet wrapped in a paper cartridge which also holds the gunpowder propellant. The bullet is separated from the powder charge by a twist in the paper.
3. The soldier should then bite off the top of the cartridge (the end without the bullet) and hold it closed with the thumb and index finger.
4. Upon the command "Prime". The soldier should pour a small pinch of the powder from the cartridge into the priming pan. He should then close the frizzen so that the priming powder is trapped.
5. Upon the command " 'Bout" (About). The butt of the musket is then dropped to the ground by the left foot with the trigger guard facing to the rear and the soldier having just poured the rest of the powder into the barrel. Once all of the powder is poured into the barrel, the soldier should have stuffed the paper and the ball into the barrel, the paper acts as wadding to keep the gunpowder in the barrel and also packing it down.
6. Upon the command "Draw ramrods". The soldier should draw his ramrod from below the barrel. First forcing it half out before seizing it backhanded in the middle, followed by drawing it entirely out, while simultaneously turning it to the front and placing it one inch into the barrel.
7. Upon the command "Ram down the cartridge". He should then use the ramrod to firmly ram the bullet, wadding, and powder down to the bottom followed by tamping it down with two quick strokes.
8. Upon the command "Return ramrods". The ramrod is then returned to its hoops under the barrel. Then the musket is returned to the shoulder arms position.
9. Upon the command "Make Ready". The musket is brought to the recover position (held vertically in front of the body with the trigger guard facing forward) and the cock (hammer) is drawn back to the full-cock position.
10. Upon the command "P'sent" (Present). The musket is brought up to the firing position in anticipation of the command "Fire".

• Under battle conditions, many of these commands were combined for speed and efficiency. On the command "Prime and Load" troops would, without further order, carry out all movements up to and including "Make Ready". Because of the size of the companies and the general noise of battle, these commands could be and were often communicated through specialized drum beatings.
• This process was drilled into troops until they could do it by instinct and feel. The main advantage of the British Redcoat was that he trained at this procedure almost every day. The standard for the British Army was the ability to load and fire three rounds per minute. A skilled unit of musketeers was often able to fire four rounds per minute.

Cavalry drill had the purpose of training cavalrymen and their horses to work together during a battle. It survives to this day, albeit in a much-diminished form, in the modern sporting discipline of dressage. The movements sideways or at angles, the pirouettes, etc., were the movements needed for massed cavalrymen to form and reform and deploy. Of the proponents of classical dressage from which modern dressage evolved, probably the best known are the Lipizzaner Stallions of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police's Musical Ride gives an inkling of what massed cavalry drill at speed would have looked like.

Other tasks may be broken down into drills, for example, weapons maintenance, the British army used the rhythmic, poetic almost, "naming of parts" as a memory aid in the teaching and learning of how to strip, cleaning and reassembly of the service rifle.