Marine corps drill and ceremonies manual - Regimental Drum Major ...

Being-in line to form column facing to the left, the squad should first
form column by facing to the right, then execute necessary successive
column movements until the column is faced in the desired direction.)
b. Being in line at close interval to form column, the squad is first
extended to normal interval (see paragraph 7-7), then forms column by
facing to the right as described above.
c. Being in column at a halt and at the order, to form line, the
command is LEFT, FACE.
7-10. TO MARCH TO THE OBLIQUE
a. When marching in any formation, the command is RIGHT (LEFT)
OBLIQUE, MARCH. (The word OBLIQUE is pronounced to rhyme with strike.)
b. To teach men to march to the oblique, the instructor aligns the
unit and has each man do half right (left) face. The instructor points
out each man’s position and explains that each man is to keep this
position while marching. The position is kept by each man holding his
shoulders parallel to the man in front.
c. At the command MARCH, given as the foot in the direction of the
turn hits the deck, each man takes one more step forward, faces half right
(left) in marching, and steps off at a 45-degree angle from his original
direction of march (see fig. 7-5).
d. The command FORWARD, MARCH is given to resume original direction
of march. It is given as the foot toward the original front hits the
deck. At the command MARCH, each man faces half left (right) in marching
and steps off to the front.
Figure 7-5. --Marching to Right Oblique.
7-6