Military step or march is a regular, ordered and synchronized walking of military formations.
History The steady, regular marching step was a marked feature of Roman legions. Vegetius, the author of the only surviving treatise on the Roman Empire's military, De Re Militari, recognized the importance of:
constant practice of marching quick and together. Nor is anything of more consequence either on the march or in the line than that they should keep their ranks with the greatest exactness. For troops who march in an irregular and disorderly manner are always in great danger of being defeated. They should march with the common military step twenty miles in five summer-hours, and with the full step, which is quicker, twenty-four miles in the same number of hours. If they exceed this pace, they no longer march but run, and no certain rate can be assigned. Military marching of foot formations into a battle was a common practice in most European countries for centuries, and was even carried over into the new world as recently as the American War of Independence. Since then, it has been phased out by advances in military equipment and tactics; however, foot drill remains an important part of military education and training.
Marching types and commands
The following commands specify different types of marching:
Quick March: This is an instruction to begin marching at the Quick March speed with the left foot. The standard pace is 116 beats per minute with a 30-inch (76 cm) step, with variations for individual regiments, the pace given by the commander, and the speed of the band's rhythm: British light infantry and rifle regiments, for example, Quick March at 140 beats per minute, a legacy of their original role as highly mobile skirmishers. Highland regiments, which march to bagpipe music, march at 112 paces per minute when with pipe bands solely, while on 120 when with military bands. Australian Army Quick Time is 116 paces per minute with a 76 cm (2 ft 6 in) pace Canadian Armed Forces Quick Time is 120 paces per minute with a 76 cm pace except for: foot guards regiments whose pace is 116 per minute; Scottish/Highland regiments whose pace is 110 per minute; and light infantry (less Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, which drills as a line regiment) and rifle regiments, which have traditions of maintaining special agility and alertness on the battlefield, 140 paces per minute. United States Quick Time is 120 paces per minute New Zealand Army Quick Time is 120 paces per minute with a 76 cm pace The way a unit marches is based upon the unit's nationality, role and history. Most Western Bloc nations currently have similar quick marching styles of lifting their legs in a natural or casual manner. Former Eastern Bloc nations and several Latin American, Asian and African nations use or have used the goose step, with legs remaining straight during each step. Both of these function to maintain individual pace, unit pace uniformity, and actually help the soldiers march in their relatively elevated pace. The United States march command is "For-ward, MARCH," or "quick time, MARCH" when resuming quick time from another pace or from "route step". Arm movement is kept to 9 inches to the front and 6 inches to the rear (6 inches and 3 inches, respectively, in the U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Air Force) while marching, while the interval between ranks and files is both 40 inches. The light infantry version of the march is also used by the Spanish Legion during parades, as well as the Chasseurs of the French Army (Chasseurs alpins inclusive).
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