General Orders
Interior Guard
During BCT you will have an opportunity to perform guard duty. All interior
guards must memorize, understand, and comply with the three general orders:
General Order Number 1
“I will guard everything within the limits of my post and quit my post only
when properly relieved.”
General Order Number 2
“I will obey my special orders and perform all my duties in a military manner.”
General Order Number 3
“I will report violations of my special orders, emergencies, and anything not
covered in my instructions to the commander of the relief.”
General Order Number 1 gives you responsibility for everything that occurs
within the limits of your post while you are on duty. You must immediately
investigate any unusual or suspicious occurrence on or near your post, provided
you do not have to leave your post to do so. You must apprehend all suspicious
persons, using only necessary force to overcome resistance. If you should require
relief for any purpose, you must contact the commander of the relief for instructions.
General Order Number 2 requires you to become thoroughly familiar with the
special orders before you are actually posted. In addition to the special orders
connected with your post, you are required to obey and carry out any orders
or instructions from the commanding officer, field officer of the day, and
officers and noncommissioned officers of the Guard. No other persons are authorized
to give orders to soldiers on guard duty. You should pass instructions and
special information to your relief when appropriate. It also requires you to
perform your duties in a military manner, to be courteous to all, and to speak
to no one, except in the line of duty. You must maintain an erect and soldierly
bearing, carrying your weapon as instructed by the commanding officer or commander
of the Guard. You must salute individuals according to Army regulations. The
special orders will tell you whether and when to challenge.
General Order Number 3 requires you to report all special order violations
and emergencies. In case of a fire on or near your post, you should call, “Fire,
post number .” You should alert the occupants if the fire is in an occupied
building, and should give the alarm or make sure one is given. If possible,
extinguish the fire. Help direct fire-fighting apparatus to the fire. If a
disturbance occurs that requires assistance, call, “The guard, post number
.” If the danger is great, fire your weapon into the air three times
in rapid succession.
When you, as a guard, are asked, “What are your orders” by an
inspecting officer, the proper answer is: “Sir/Ma'am, my orders are
of two classes: general and special. My general orders are, Number 1: I will
guard everything within the limits . . . ” continuing until stopped
by the officer or until you recite all the general orders. You should be
able to answer any questions concerning the special orders for your post.
Exterior Guard
Exterior guards are not as formal and restricted as interior guards. Examples
of exterior guards are lookouts, listening posts, outposts, certain patrols,
and other guards in combat zones and field training, and guards outside the
limits of a military installation. Exterior guards perform their duties according
to special orders and instructions.
You must be able to perform the following:
Recite the General Orders
React to an Inspecting Officer
The soldier:
- Stops walking and assumes position of attention; when the inspecting officer
approaches, renders a proper hand salute.
- Executes order arms when salute is returned and remains at attention.
- When told to “carry on,” resumes walking post.
Challenge Unknown Persons (Night) and Summon Commander of Relief
The soldier:
- Upon seeing or hearing an unknown person, comes to port arms.
- Gives the command, “Halt.”
- Calls out, “Who is/goes there?”
- States, “Advance to be recognized.”
- Gives the command, “Halt,” when the person can be seen but not
closer than two or three meters away.
- Says, “State your business.”
- Requires unknown person to place identification on the ground and move back
six steps.
- Checks identification (ID) while keeping person under observation.
- If ID and authorization do not match, moves to phone and calls commander of
the relief while keeping person under observation.
- Release person to commander of the relief and explain that his or her identification
and authorization did not match.