Australian Army Drill - Right Turn
- D. M. Wright
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
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THE STARTING AND ENDING POSITION
A soldier must be already standing at attention before being commanded to turn left, right or about face. If soldiers are standing at ease, then the commander must bring their squad to attention first.
At the beginning and at the end of the turn, the soldier will be in the attention position.
THE COMMAND FROM THE 'ATTENTION' POSITION
While you are standing at attention, you will be commanded:
SQUAD... RIGHT... TURN.
The first word is the 'who'. Who should perform the command. In this example, it is a 'Squad'. But this word can be replaced by other units, small or large, like Section, Platoon, Company, Brigade, etc... This is not always used and can be skipped entirely.
The second and third parts are the command itself. Commands are always split into two audible sections. The first is usually longer and can be drawn out. This is so soldiers can anticipate early enough what they're going to have to do as soon as the third part is called.
The third part is usually as abrupt as a clap. Drill is set to a beat. The third part is as short as a musical beat, so that everyone moves at the same time on the second beat.
The second part can be as short or as draw out as the drill commander wishes. If the commander knows everyone is fresh and switched on, the second part can be short, sharp and shiny. If the commander knows everyone is exhausted or distracted, they might call it long just to ensure everyone is awake and ready to move:
SQUAD... RIIIIIGHT... TURN.
The commander can also extend it further to ensure their squad is listening and can anticipate what they will need to do:
SQUAD WILL TURN RIGHT... RIIIIIGHT... TURN.
Don't confuse that phrase with this:
SQUAD WILL TURN TO THE RIGHT...
as the next phrase can be any of the following:
SQUAD WILL TURN TO THE RIGHT... LEFT... TURN.
SQUAD WILL TURN TO THE RIGHT... RIGHT... TURN.
SQUAD WILL TURN TO THE RIGHT... ABOUT... TURN.
THE DRILL BEAT
To ensure everyone moves together, soldiers are to have the same musical beat drilled into their heads.
Most drill movements use the following cadence:
1 2 - 3... 1
The third part of the command becomes the 3 as if from the previous musical bar:
RIIIIIGHT TURN 1 2 - 3... 1
TURN RIGHT ON THE DRILL BEAT
From the 'Attention' position...
On the beat after "TURN" is called, on the first '1' beat...
Raise your right toes.
Raise your left heel.
Swivel your body 90° right. Turning on your right heel and your left toes.
Plant your right toes on the ground. This foot should be at the same off-angle you will use for your attention position. You cannot pivot and have your foot aiming directly ahead of your new position or your body will not turn far enough.
Your body should align directly above your right foot. Your left foot should remain on your left toes, slightly back.
Pause for the '2' - '3' beats.
Unlike the attention and at-ease movements where you use one beat for a knee up and one beat for a knee down, during a turn, the first '1' beat is only for the swivel, so the knee up and down will start as soon as the '3' beat hits (not before):
Once the '3' beat hits...
Raise your left knee. Your left boot should raise to the height of your right boot. Your foot should dangle straight below your knee. See 'COW KICKING' for further information on what not to do.
Your arms should remain by your side in the attention position.
Right on the final '1' beat...
Your foot should hit the ground at the instance of the final '1' beat.
You should now be in the attention position as the end of the movement:
Your heels should be together.
Your toe-ends should be about 30° between each other.
You should be able to place someone else's boot between your toe-ends and no wider.
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