Military Hand Signals Explained: How Soldiers Talk Without a Word

Military hand signals explained: the real US Army hand and arm signals soldiers use on patrol, and what each one means. Why does a closed fist stop a whole squad, and what's the difference between HALT and FREEZE? We follow one squad on a full patrol, from forming up to crossing a danger area to making contact, and decode every signal along the way. All the signals come from the Army's own training manual, Visual Signals (TC 3-21.60, March 2017). As a bonus, we look at how a fighter jet is launched from an aircraft carrier without a single word spoken. Chapters: 0:00 Nine soldiers, one fist 0:34 Why not just talk? 1:33 Forming up: join me, rally, wedge, vee, line, column 2:44 On the move: pace count, headcount, map check, radio 3:51 Halt vs freeze (most people get this wrong) 4:50 Crossing a danger area 5:36 Contact: enemy in sight, take cover, air attack 6:16 Weapon crew signals 6:50 Launching a jet without a word 7:40 Quick test Which signal surprised you most? Tell us in the comments. Source: U.S. Army TC 3-21.60, Visual Signals (2017). Footage: DVIDS (dvidshub.net). U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy video. The appearance of U.S. Department of War (DoW) visual information does not imply or constitute DoW endorsement. #militaryhandsignals #army #militaryexplained