Foot drill A Foot drill is an essential part of the training regimen of organized military and paramilitary elements worldwide . " Foot drill " or " Drill " stems from time since antiquity when soldiers would march into battle , be expected to gather in a formation , and react to words of command from their commanders once the battle commenced . Much of the drill done today is either ceremonial , or implemented as a core part of training in the Armed Forces . Military discipline is enhanced by drill , as it requires instant obedience to commands . Drill proved useful when marching formations of soldiers cross - country . For example , officers could form men from an eight - wide route march formation to a two - wide formation for passing through gates and other narrow passages , without losing time or cohesion . Drill was used to efficiently maneuver formations around and through obstacles . Drill was often used as a forerunner to great battles ; during them it justified itself . It was also utilized after battles , where quick restoration of the corporate unity of an element was required . Drill in history . Vegetius composed his treatise on the Roman Empire ' s military , " De Re Militari " , at some point between 378 and 390 CE during the reign of Valentinian II in the Western Roman Empire . This work consists of three separate , yet related books , the first establishing methods of training and selecting new recruits , the second and third books a continuation of the first , describing in detail training and discipline matters as they pertained not only to the troops , but also to the leadership in times of training and battle , as well as positing an argument for reforms in the army . Within these books can be found a detailed guide for drill of the army . Among these drills , the " military step " describes how initial training should consist of " " constant practice of marching quick and together . Nor is anything of more consequence either on the march or in the line than that they should keep their ranks with the greatest exactness . For troops who march in an irregular and disorderly manner are always in great danger of being defeated . They should march with the common military step twenty miles in five summer - hours , and with the full step , which is quicker , twenty - four miles in the same number of hours . If they exceed this pace , they no longer march but run , and no certain rate can be assigned . " " Drill and ceremony in the Order Of Malta . Within the Order of Malta Ambulance and Cadet Corps in Ireland , there is a tradition of Foot Drill through the ranks . Like armies all over the world there is a high standard of Foot Drill , and they hold competitions both in First Aid , Home Nursing and Foot drill once a year for the Cadet Corps and Ambulance corps to keep standards at a high level . Some of the cadet corps and ambulance corps learn their foot drill in Gaeilge . Origins of modern drill in the U . S . Military . United States military drill originated in 1778 , as part of a training program implemented by Baron Friedrich von Steuben to improve the discipline and organisation of soldiers serving in the Continental Army . The following year Baron von Steuben , by then a Major General and the Inspector General of the Continental Army , wrote the Army ' s first field manual , " " The Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States " " , which has come to be more commonly known as the " Blue Book " . The methods of drill that von Steuben initiated remained largely unchanged between their inception and the time of the American Civil War . One major change to come about since that time is that troops now march at a cadence of 120 steps per minute , instead of the original 76 steps per minute at the time of the American Revolution . The stated aim of drill is to " " enable a commander or noncommissioned officer to move his unit from one place to another in an orderly manner ; to aid in disciplinary training by instilling habits of precision and response to the leader ’ s orders ; and to provide for the development of all soldiers in the practice of commanding troops . " " Between branches of the military , as well as between the military forces of various countries , the methods of drill will vary . In the United States Armed Forces , the basis of drill procedures can be traced to von Steuben ' s " Blue Book " . U . S . Army drill procedures . The procedures for drill in the modern United States Army are set forth in Army Field Manual ( FM ) 3 - 21 . 5 , Drill and Ceremonies . Part one of the field manual contains guidelines for the different aspects of drill ; Distribution of the field manual is currently unlimited , and the manual can easily be found on the internet . Drill commands . Most of the commands in modern drill are separated into two distinct parts ; the Preparatory Command , and the Command of Execution . The preparatory command indicates to the person performing the movement that a command of execution is soon to follow - and which action to perform . . The command of execution indicates the movement to be performed . An example of this is the command " Present ARMS " , which is utilized to command a group of soldiers to render a salute . In this command , the word " Present " is the preparatory command , whereas the following word , " ARMS " is the command of execution . The movement is performed immediately upon reception of the execution command . When issuing the command , vocal inflection is varied so that the preparatory command is given less emphasis , and the most emphasis is placed on the command of execution . There is usually a slight hesitation between each element of the command , about the duration of a finger snap . Other examples of the two - part command structure are : Drill movements . All drill movements are performed from the base position of Attention . In this position , the person performing the movement stands straight , arms down and slightly flexed , fingers curled into the palm , thumbs pointed down and placed against the seam of the trouser , and the feet positioned at a forty - five degree angle with heels together . The most common command given by leaders to gather their elements into formations is the command " Fall IN " , at which time the person takes their position in the formation and at the position of attention . From this position , almost any other drill command can be executed . Basic foot drill commands ( British Army ) . Squad , Squad SHUN - Move the soldiers to the position of attention . The chin is raised , with the neck in the back of the collar , chest forced out , arms held by the sides , and the hands forming a fist . The thumb should be forcing down on the index finger , and touching the seam of the trouser . The feet should be angled at 30 degrees , with the heels touching . Stand at , EASE - Move the soldiers from a position of attention to a ' braced up ' position of rest . Stand EASY - Put the soldiers to a position of rest from the STAND AT EASE position