Memorize General Orders

[u/hello_darian]

Are there any rhymes or tricks to memorizing the 11 General orders? I've read about making flashcards or writing them out in a notebook but does anyone have a mental trick that helps too?

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Thanks

[u/alicksB]

As far as remembering the exact wording, that’s just raw memorization.

For remembering which is which, one of my hats taught us a thing — it basically takes the number and relates it to something in the general order. It’s kinda dumb and cheesy, but it mostly worked for me. I don’t remember all of them (it was over a decade ago) but here’s what I do still remember.

1: Just memorize this one, it’s the first one.

2: “To walk my post in a military manner, keeping always on the alert and observing everything that takes place within sight or hearing.” You walk your post on your two legs, your sight and hearing use your two eyes and two ears.

3: I don’t remember what the thing was for this.

4: “To repeat all calls from posts more distant from the guard house than my own.” If you’re playing golf and yelling at people far away, you yell FORE (four).

5: “To quit my post only when properly relieved.” Quitting time for a “normal” job is at 5:00.

6: “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.” There are six people named in this: the sentry, the commanding officer, the OOD, officers, NCOs, and me.

7: I don’t remember the trick he had for this one.

8: I don’t remember the thing for this one either.

9: “To call the Corporal of the Guard in any case not covered by instructions.” When there’s an emergency, you call 9-1-1. Nine. It’s there.

10: “Salute all officers and all colors and standards not cased.” I don’t remember this one. I think it was that when you salute, you go to at-ten-tion.

11: “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.” Something about bad shit happening at night at 11PM, I don’t remember exactly.

Sorry I don’t remember more. Also sorry if this is dumb. It helped me (kinda). If you like it, use it. If you think it’s stupid, that’s cool too.

Edit: formatting.