A Complete Guide to Army Hand Gestures & Military Signals

U.S. Marine Corps veteran Zachary Green goes over common army hand signals & what they mean

Co-authored by Zachary Green and Aly Rusciano

Last Updated: December 4, 2025 Fact Checked

• Patrol Signals
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• Vehicle Signals
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• Aircraft Signals
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• Number Signals
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• Pyrotechnic Signals
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• Video

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Hand signals are used in the military to stealthily and easily give out commands. This silent form of communication can be the difference between life and death on the field—so what are these signals, and what do they mean? Keep reading for a complete guide on the most common hand-and-arm signals used in the military, with help from U.S. Marine Corps veteran Zachary Green.

What are military hand signals?

U.S. Marine Corps veteran Zachary Green says common military hand signals include “Forward,” “Halt,” “Freeze,” and “Fire.” These are non-verbal ways for soldiers to communicate with each other and other units. Think of it as a silent, stealthy way to give commands and orders.

Steps

Section 1 of 6:

Hand-and-Arm Signals for Patrol

1. 
   1
   Attention To get someone’s attention, extend the arm sideways at a slight horizontal angle. Then, with the palm forward, wave the arm from side to side several times.

   Meet the wikiHow Expert

   Zachary Green is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. He is also an entrepreneurship coach with over 10 years of experience, where he specializes in helping people transform their businesses, relationships, and lives.
2. 
   2
   Ready? To say “I am ready,” “Ready to move,” or “Are you ready?” extend the arm toward who you’re signaling. Then, raise the arm with the palm out at chest level.
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3. 
   3
   Disregard Command To disregard a previous command and cancel the last order, Green says to cross both arms above the head. Cross the arms at the wrists with palms facing forward.

   • To remember this signal, Green offers this easy mnemonic: “Scratch that.’”
4. 
   4
   I Don’t Understand To show confusion or say “I don’t understand,” raise both arms and bend at the elbow, bringing the hands in toward the chest. Place both of hands across the face with palms facing out.

   • Alternatively, Green says you can shrug with your palms facing up to say, “I don’t understand,” which also means “request repeat.”
5. 
   5
   Halt To tell someone to stop, Green says to raise the hand upward with the palm face forward while fully extending the arm. This signal means “stop immediately,” he explains.

   • At night, this signal can be done by moving a light horizontally back and forth.
   • To remember this signal, Green offers this easy mnemonic: “Palm says, ‘Pause private.’”
6. 
   6
   Freeze To tell someone to stop or freeze, Green says to make a fist with your hand and to raise it beside your head. He explains that this signal means “Stop” and “Stay alert.

   • To remember this signal, Green offers this easy mnemonic: “Fist = focus.”
7. 
   7
   Message Acknowledged To show that you understand a command or message, hold out a fist and give a thumbs up.
8. 8
   Danger Area To indicate that a hazard is ahead, Green says to make a throat-cut motion.

   • To remember this signal, Green offers this easy mnemonic: “Cut throat = watch out.”
9. 9
   Enemy in Sight To indicate that an enemy is spotted, Green says to point the weapon in their direction.

   • To remember this signal, Green offers this easy mnemonic: “Point = target.”
10. 
    10
    Fire To tell someone to fire a weapon, drop the arm sharply from a raised vertical position.

    • Alternatively, Green says the Fire signal, which means “begin firing,” can be made by placing the palm down and waving it back and forth. An easy mnemonic to remember this signal is “Wipe & Fire,” explains Green.
11. 
    11
    Cease Fire To tell someone to hold their fire, raise the hand in front of the forehead, palm out. Swing the hand and forearm up to down in front of the face several times.

    • Alternatively, Green says the Cease Fire signal, which means “stop firing,” can be made by placing the palm out front and raising and lowering it. An easy mnemonic to remember this signal is “Palm stop = no shoot.”
12. 12
    Range To indicate the distance to a target, Green says to raise a fist and then show a finger for each hundred meters.

    • To remember this signal, Green offers this easy mnemonic: “Fingers = hundreds.”
13. 13
    Hasty Ambush To tell someone to make a quick ambush, Green says to close a fist and push it outward.

    • To remember this signal, Green offers this easy mnemonic: “Fist pop = hit ’em fast.”
14. 
    14
    Double Time To command someone to move faster or run, Green says to raise a fist above the head and pump it downward. Or, raise the fist above the shoulder and pump it upward. Do this several times rapidly.

    • To remember this signal, Green offers this easy mnemonic: “Fist pump = hustle.”
15. 15
    Right/Left Flank To tell someone to shift formation, Green says to extend the arm to the side.

    • To remember this signal, Green offers this easy mnemonic: “Point = flank.”
16. 16
    Assemble To tell someone to regroup, Green says to raise the arm above the head and make a circle motion.

    • To remember this signal, Green offers this easy mnemonic: “Circle up.”
17. 17
    Shift To tell someone to get into a slide formation, Green says to move the hand horizontally from the chest.

    • To remember this signal, Green offers this easy mnemonic: “Slide over.”
18. 18
    Objective Rally Point To tell someone to meet at the objective, Green says to touch the belt, point down, and then circle the finger.

    • To remember this signal, Green offers this easy mnemonic: “Buckle-circle = meet here.”
19. 19
    Rally Point To tell someone to regroup and check gear, Green says to touch the belt and point down.

    • To remember this signal, Green offers this easy mnemonic: “Buckle = count here.”
20. 20
    Head Count To make an accountability check, Green says to tap the back of the helmet.

    • To remember this signal, Green offers this easy mnemonic: “Tap & count.”
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Section 2 of 6:

Hand-and-Arm Signals for Vehicles

1. 
   1
   Mount To command to mount a weapon or vehicle, Green says to place the palm down near the waist and then raise it in a 45° arc. Keep the arm straight and raise it to the side with an open palm. Repeat these two to three times.

   • To remember this signal, Green offers this easy mnemonic: “Up we go.”
2. 
   2
   Start Engine To signal the command to start engines or say “prepare to move,” simulate the cranking of an engine by moving the fist in a circular motion at waist level.

   • At night, this signal can be done by moving a flashlight in a figure-8 motion at waist level.
3. 
   3
   Increase Speed To tell someone to go faster, raise the fist to shoulder level and thrust upward. Repeat rapidly several times until the desired speed is achieved.

   • At night, this signal can be done by moving a light vertically several times in front of the body.
4. 
   4
   Slow Down To tell someone to decrease their speed or slow their pace, Green says to extend the arm horizontally at your side with the palm down and wave the arm downward several times.

   • At night, do this command by holding a light at shoulder level and blinking it several times toward the vehicle.
   • To remember this signal, Green offers this easy mnemonic: “Slow your roll.”
5. 
   5
   Right or Left Turn To tell someone to change their direction and redirect their path, Green says to extend the arm horizontally. To signal which way to turn, extend the arm horizontally in the desired direction (left or right).

   • At night, perform this signal by circling a light in the desired direction.
   • To remember this signal, Green offers this easy mnemonic: “Point, then move.”
6. 
   6
   Move Forward To tell someone to continue moving, move the hands and forearms up and down, bringing the palms up to the chest. Stop once the vehicle is in the correct position.

   • Alternatively, Green says the Forward signal can be made by placing the hands behind the head, palm up, and then sweeping them over the head. An easy mnemonic to remember this signal is “Overhead → go ahead.”
7. 
   7
   Stop Engines To tell someone to turn off a vehicle, extend the arm parallel to the ground with the hand open. Move the arm across the body in a throat-cutting motion.
8. 
   8
   Dismount To tell someone to exit a vehicle, extend the arms and bring them up into a “V.” Bring the arms back down to shoulder level.

   • To tell someone to dismount and get down to take cover, Green says to hold the arm at 45° with the palm down and sweep it down. He offers this easy mnemonic to remember it: “Down and duck.”
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Section 3 of 6:

Hand-and-Arm Signals for Aircraft

1. 
   1
   Cut Engines To tell a pilot to turn off the aircraft or stop rotors, place the arm level with the shoulder with the palm down. Draw the hand across the neck in a throat-cutting movement.
2. 
   2
   Negative Signal If there’s a bad signal coming from the aircraft, give a thumbs down to the pilot.
3. 
   3
   Hookup Complete To say that the hookup is complete, move the fist up and down while making contact with the other fist, like you’re climbing an imaginary rope.
4. 
   4
   Release Tell the aircraft to release by extending the left arm horizontally with the fist toward the load. Then, give a slicing motion with the right arm under the left arm.
5. 
   5
   Proceed Right or Left To tell the aircraft to proceed right or left, extend the corresponding directional arm across the body to signal which way to move.
6. 
   6
   Depart To tell an aircraft to depart, make a circular motion with the right hand above the head, and throw the arm in the direction of takeoff.
7. 
   7
   Do Not Land Advise an aircraft not to land by crossing the arms repeatedly overhead.
8. 
   8
   Land To tell an aircraft to land, cross the arms downward in front of the body.
9. 
   9
   Stop Tell an aircraft to stop by crossing the wrists above the head with the palms forward.
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Section 4 of 6:

Numerical Hand Signals

1. 
   There are specific hand signals that signify numbers in the military. Every number must be able to be shown on one hand, in case a soldier is holding something. The army developed creative hand signals to solve this issue. Here’s how to count with one hand like a soldier:

   • 1: Hold up one finger
   • 2: Hold up two fingers
   • 3: Hold up three fingers
   • 4: Hold up four fingers
   • 5: Hold up five fingers
   • 6: Hold out one finger horizontally
   • 7: Hold out two fingers horizontally
   • 8: Hold out three fingers horizontally
   • 9: Hold out four fingers horizontally
   • 0: Closed fist

Section 5 of 6:

Signals for Pyrotechnics

1. 
   The 3 types of pyrotechnic signals are star clusters, star parachutes, and smoke parachutes. Pyrotechnics are prearranged signals used throughout an entire unit to signal a large group. These types of signals can be used for unit identification, target marking, and location reports. There are 3 types of handheld pyrotechnic signals used in the military:

   • Star clusters: Used for signaling and illumination; produce a cluster of 5 free-falling stars.
   • Star parachutes: Used for signaling and illumination; produce a single parachute-suspended star.
   • Smoke parachutes: Used for signaling; produce smoke from a perforated canister that’s parachute-suspended.
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Section 6 of 6:

What types of hand signals are in the army?

1. 
   The army uses arm-and-hand, flag, pyrotechnic, and ground-to-air signals. These signals are most commonly used to deliver quick messages and commands without speaking. While arm-and-hand, flag, pyrotechnic, and ground-to-air signals are the most widely used in the army, each level of command can use its own signals.

   • Flashlights, chemical light sticks, and other items can be used to signal soldiers.
   • There’s no limit to what a signal can be! As long as the receiving soldiers or units know what the signal means, it can be used.

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