Your 11 General Orders

[Griff Murphey]

Were you of the generation that memorized the 11 general orders? I was in ROTC at the time. I think they dumbed them down to 3 general orders about 1968, which was rather a damning indictment of the U.S. Educational System.

The next time I see one of these guys with a "Homeless Vet" sign I think I'm going to crack my window, hold up a dollar, and ask him, "What's your First General Order?" If he gets anywhere close to it he gets the dollar. If a blank look, no dollar.

[Liam]

"I will guard everything within the limits of my post and quit my post only when properly relieved"

Funny how one can retrieve such info from the far reaches of one's grey matter.

[Art]

"I will guard everything within the limits of my post and quit my post only when properly relieved"

Funny how one can retrieve such info from the far reaches of one's grey matter.

Yeah, I guess the education system failed early, I never did memorize all of those.

[Michael Tompkins]

As a young MP in the late 70's, I was stuck for a time as a guard at a Nike-Hercules site in W.Germany. The "guard knowledge" we had to retain was quite dizzying. I spent hours trying to memorize it all. Funny thing...as soon as I left and went thru Out-Processing, they told me to forget everything I knew. They literally said that to me! At the time, I thought to myself, isn't this the kind of stuff you hear in the movies? It was laughable! Mike

[Dan Shapiro]

I think Griff was from "way back". 67-70, we still had 10 General Orders. IIRC, the 11th was "Shoot all hostiles on sight."

[Griff Murphey]

It is in fact, 11 general orders and I think the USMC still uses them. The 11th is:

"TO BE ESPECIALLY WATCHFUL AT NIGHT, AND DURING THE TIME FOR CHALLENGING, TO CHALLENGE ALL PERSONS ON OR NEAR MY POST, AND ALLOW NO ONE TO PASS WITHOUT PROPER AUTHORITY."

[cwartyman]

1st general order is to take charge of this post and all government property in view and yes in 1988 we were required to memorize them down in glorious Parris Island besides the 11 th the other long one was to receive, obey and pass on to the sentry who relieves me all orders from the commanding officer, officer of the day, officers and non commissioned officers of the guard only. I believe that was the 6th.
Mack

[Bill D]

The 11 General Orders for a Sentry: (Navy)

1. To take charge of this post and all government property in view.

2. To walk my post in a military manner, keeping always on the alert, and observing everything that takes place within sight or hearing.

3. To report all violations of orders I am instructed to enforce.

4. To repeat all calls from posts more distant from the guard house than my own.

5. To quit my post only when properly relieved.

6. To receive, obey and pass on to the sentry who relieves me, all orders from the Commanding Officer, Command Duty Officer, Officer of the Deck, and Officers and Petty Officers of the Watch only.

7. To talk to no one except in the line of duty.

8. To give the alarm in case of fire or disorder.

9. To call the Officer of the Deck in any case not covered by instructions.

10. To salute all officers and all colors and standards not cased.

11. To be especially watchful at night, and, during the time for challenging, to challenge all persons on or near my post and to allow no one to pass without proper authority.

They were a little different for a Marine and a LOT different for the Army.

[Dan Shapiro]

Thanks for the reminder. There were 11. Just another case of CRS.

We did have a 'catch-all' in the army. "I'll walk my post from flank to flank, and take no crap from any rank!"

[mike24d20]

While guarding a ammo dump at Ft. Bliss in the early 70's. We had only one general order, Shoot too kill all who entered our area of patrol if they failed to correctly give the correct call sign. There was a nuke in storage. An for the life of me I could never remember all the general orders, spent a lot of time on KP in basic.

[phil441]

In AF Basic in 1961, I knew them all. The TI would, while you were distracted by some duty, walk up behind you and shout "Airman! What is General Order Number ___!" If you couldn't recite it instantly, It was gonna be a very long next couple of days.
When I left Basic, my brain just threw all that away.

[Michaelp]

I'll walk my post rom flank to flank and take no **** from any rank.

[Griff Murphey]

That must be the 12th, Michael!

[pcox]

My company, which was aircraft general support, recieved word that the new base commander would be inspecting us. I had a two man room to myself and I worked on it for two days. It sparkled. TA-50 was laid out on the bunk perfectly, footlocker was perfect, wall locker likewise, M-14 couldn't have been cleaner. I was ready! The first thing that Major General did was ask me what my third general order was. That's when I realized that I wasn't ready. I couldn't recall. He grinned and said "nice try" and walked out. The CO gave me a pretty hard look. Two days later I was on the duty roster for guard mount, even though I was technically exempt from duty because of my job. Message recieved.

[joem]

# 11 got me a Captains Mast when some goof ball Lt tried to catch people sleeping on guard duty. He failed to halt and be recognized in the dark. He halted when I racked the shotgun and made him lay in the dirt road then whisper the pass word. I had one day of extra convoy duty, but I didn't see him around the bunkers again. Co knew I did it on purpose. RVN 68.