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How to use hand and arm signals (visual signaling) to communicate silently

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In a military or survival situation where silence must be maintained in order to mask your presence from an enemy, foe, or target, several types of non-verbal communication (visual signals) are available including flags, pyrotechnic, chemical lights, ground-to-air signals, and hand and arm signals. The United States Army Field Manual 21-60 lays out the standard for hand and arm signals (see below) but other hand signals have been adopted and are commonly used in situations requiring visual communication.

The limits of visual communication

Visual signals are, of course, limited in range and reliability. As such, weather elements and possibly terrain can disrupt the use of hand and arm signals when the line of sight is disrupted.

Hand and arm signals are easy to misunderstand which is especially problematic when non-standard hand signals are used by the participants.

Lastly, hand signals may be vulnerable to enemy interception and allow the possibility that the visual communications is received and properly interpreted by the foe, possibly even without your knowledge that the communication was intercepted.

Uses for hand signals

Despite their limitations, hand and arm signals are useful in military and survival situations and are especially useful when participants remain relatively close together. Hand and arm signals may be used by participants to coordinate movement and actions in a silent manner and may be used by leaders to control the movement of their team during patrol or combat movement. Hand and arm signals are also useful for hunting or tracking parties who must maintain silence to avoid alerting their target to their presence.

Common hand signals

Below are the various hand and arm signals that can be used when visual communication is required.  When receiving hand signals, be sure to pay attention to the signaler’s facial expressions too.  Eyes and head movement may be used to add emphasis or additional communications (e.g., nod of the head for “yes” or “no”, tilt of the head to indicate direction).  Recognize too that multiple hand signals can be combined in sequence in order to more accurately communicate the thought or action.

Counting and numbers hand signals

Hand signal for number one

 

One

Hand signal for number 2

 

Two

Hand signal for number three

 

Three

Hand signal for number four

 

Four

Hand signal for number five

 

Five

Hand signal for number six

 

Six

Hand signal for number seven

 

Seven

Hand signal for number eight

 

Eight

Hand signal for number nine

 

Nine

Hand signal for number ten

 

Ten

  

People hand signals

Hand signal for you

 

You

Hand signal for me

 

Me

Movement hand signals

Hand signal for come

 

Come

Hand signal for hurry up

 

Hurry up

Hand signal for stop

 

Stop

Hand signal for freeze

 

Freeze

Hand signal for go here or move up

 

Go here or Move up

Hand signal for rally point

 

Rally point

  

Actions hand signals

Hand signal for listen or I hear

 

Listen or I hear

Hand signal for watch or I see

 

Watch or I see

Hand signal for cover this area

 

Cover this area

Hand signal for I understand

 

I understand

Hand signal for I don't understand

 

I do not understand

Hand signal for crouch, go prone, or lie down

 

Crouch or lie down

Hand signal for breach or breacher

 

Breach (or breacher)

 

Animals, people, and circumstances hand signals

Hand signal for enemy

 

Enemy

Hand signal for hostage

 

Hostage

Hand signal for sniper

 

Sniper

Hand signal for dog

 

Dog

Hand signal for a leader

 

A leader

   

Articles and items hand signals

Hand signal for pistol weapon

 

Pistol (arm bent)

Hand signal for rifle weapon

 

Rifle (arm straight)

Hand signal for shotgun weapon

 

Shotgun (pumping action)

Hand signal for ammunition

 

Ammunition

Hand signal for vehicle

 

Vehicle

Hand signal for gas

 

Gas

Hand signal for door

 

Door

Hand signal for window

 

Window

Hand signal for point of entry

 

Point of entry

   

Formation and position hand signals

Hand signal for column formation

 

Column formation

Hand signal for file formation

 

File formation

Hand signal for line abreast formation

 

Line abreast formation

Hand signal for wedge formation

 

Wedge formation

United States Army FM 21-60 Hand Signals

The U.S. Army’s FM 21-60 manual, albeit dated, provides many useful hand signals too, most of which are more sophisticated and complex than the examples above.  Some Army signals even have variants that can be used during nighttime activities.

May I have your attention

Attention

I am ready, Ready to move, or are you ready?

I am ready, Ready to move, or are you ready?

Mount

Mount

Disregard previous command, As you were

Disregard previous command, As you were

I do not understand

I do not understand

Prepare to move

Prepare to move

Halt or stop

Halt or stop

Increase speed

Increase speed

Advance, Move out

Advance, Move out

Open up or spread out

Open up

Close up

Close up

Right/Left turn

Right/Left turn

Slow down

Slow down

Move forward (vehicle traffic signal)

Move forward

Move in reverse(vehicle traffic signal)

Move in reverse

Close distance between vehicles and stop (vehicle traffic signal)

Close distance between vehicles and stop

Stop engines (vehicle traffic signal)

Stop engines

Dismount (vehicle traffic signal)

Dismount

Neutral steer (used for track vehicles)

Neutral steer (track vehicles)

Stop (an alternate signal used to stop a vehicle)

Stop (an alternate signal used to stop a vehicle)

Message acknowledged (I understand)

Message acknowledged (I understand)

Move over or shift fire (gunnery signal)

Move over or shift fire

Fire weapon (gunnery signal)

Fire

Commence firing weapon (gunnery signal)

Commence firing

Cease firing (gunnery signal)

Cease firing

Out of action

Out of action

Disperse

Disperse

Assemble or rally

Assemble or rally

Join me, follow me, come forward

Join me, follow me, come forward

Increase speed, double time, rush

Increase speed, double time, rush

Take cover

Take cover

Air attack

Air attack

Nuclear, biological, or chemical attack

Nuclear, biological, or chemical attack

Check the map

Check the map

Pace count or number of steps

Pace count or number of steps

Phone or radio communication

Phone or radio communication

Head count

Head count

Danger area

Danger area

Stop and freeze

Freeze

Left and right traffic stop (traffic control)

Left and right traffic stop

Front traffic stop (traffic control)

Front traffic stop

Rear traffic stop (traffic control)

Rear traffic stop

Traffic from right may go (traffic control)

Traffic from right may go

Traffic from left may go (traffic control)

Traffic from left may go

Convoy open up distance between vehicles (convoy signal)

Convoy open up distance between vehicles

Convoy reduce distance between vehicles (close up) (convoy signal)

Convoy reduce distance between vehicles (close up)

Convoy – pass and keep going (convoy signal)

Convoy – pass and keep going

Convoy – move in reverse, back up (convoy signal)

Convoy – move in reverse, back up

Raise the hoist winch cable (used in recovery operations)

Raise the hoise winch cable (used in recovery operations)

Lower the hoist winch cable (used in recovery operations)

Lower the hoist winch cable(used in recovery operations)

Raise the boom (used in recovery operations)

Raise the boom (used in recovery operations)

Lower the boom (used in recovery operations)

Lower the boom (used in recovery operations)

In-haul the winch

In-haul the winch

Lower the spade (used to signal digging machinery)

Lower the spade (used to signal digging machinery)

Raise the spade (used to signal digging machinery)

Raise the spade (used to signal digging machinery)

Cut engine or stop rotors (aircraft control signal)

Cut engine or stop rotors

Load has not been released (aircraft control signal)

Load has not been released

Hookup complete (aircraft control signal)

Hookup complete

Release (ground-to-air signal for aircraft)

Release (ground to air signal for aircraft)

Depart (ground-to-air signal for aircraft)

Depart (ground to air signal for aircraft)

Go around, abort, do not land (ground to air signal)

Go around, abort, do not land (ground to air signal)

Land the aircraft (aircraft control signal)

Land the aircraft

Stop the aircraft (aircraft control signal)

Stop the aircraft

Steer the aircraft right (aircraft control signal)

Steer the aircraft right

Hover (ground-to-air signal for aircraft)

Hover (ground to air signal for aircraft)

Downloadable hand signal charts

Below are a collection of downloadable hand signal charts.

  • HandTool
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  • 58381615 10157190888818637 3108798861871677440 n
  • 9280 Forklift Telehandler HandSignals Poster Web grande
  • H 004 Hand Signal Chart Galion 150F 7 inches wide by 8 inches
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