Definition of

Closed order

Parade

The closed order indicates an ordered grouping to parade or receive an instruction.

The notion of order has several uses. It can be used to refer to the proper arrangement of elements among themselves, to the location of things in the corresponding place or to the way that must be respected to do something.

The idea of ​​closed order is used in the military field. This is the name given to the formation in which the troops must group together in an orderly manner to receive an instruction or parade . The closed order is the opposite of the open order , whose formation leads the troops to disperse to cover a greater surface and become more difficult to attack.

Marching

Closed order training, therefore, tells soldiers how they should position themselves and mobilize to form a cohesive unit . It is usually the first instruction that a member of the army receives since it is an introduction to the logic of subordination and helps to assimilate the essential issues of the movement of a troop.

The closed order gives the instructor the opportunity to tell the group how to move. Thanks to its simple formations, taking positions is quick.

When a military parade takes place and the soldiers march in discipline, it is a grouping in closed order. According to specialists, this provision increases the morale of the troops and contributes to strengthening discipline .

Obedience

Obedience is very important in the closed order.

The importance of obedience

Discipline is strengthened thanks to learning the importance of obedience to high-ranking personnel, one of the fundamental points for a military unit to function as a single entity, as well as an orchestra that follows the conductor. These and other values ​​fundamental to success on the battlefield can be instilled through close order, and for this reason it is believed to be the first thing soldiers should learn.

In combat , the closed order was losing preponderance as firepower increased. A close-order formation is an easy target for the enemy equipped with machine guns, for example, while an open-order formation minimizes the effect of fire as soldiers spread out over the terrain.

The closed order in the past

If, however, we look to the past, the closed order was of great importance since it gave rise to military formations that appeared on the battlefield with a great advantage over their opponents. It is not known exactly where in the world these military instructions originated, but it is believed that the Romans were the pioneers: they lined up their soldiers in such a way that they could not be dispersed, as if it were an unbreakable wall .

We must remember that the first armies of humanity were not governed by any formation, but rather used their force with a more or less spontaneous strategy , which was created on the fly. When the Romans began using closed order, they caused a revolution that many tried to copy.

The commanding voices

One of the most important concepts in this context is that of command voices : these are the orders that the unit commander gives to the soldiers and the rest of the personnel, which must be expressed orally and through clear language. defined, except for very particular exceptions. Other people who can give command are the assistants and senior assistants.

The closed order is made up of a large number of movements that must be carried out by soldiers in a group and coordinated manner. Among the most common are the following: looking forward, standing at attention, arms at the sides of the body, firm step, turns, chin tucked in, changes of step and greetings.