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What is the common phrase in military, ordering the soldiers to get to work - start executing instructions issued?

Say, a civilian (expert) is presenting tasks that need to be completed in detail. Then the officer issues a short order that boils down to "Do what he said". What is the word/phrase of that order?

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    On STNG it was "Make it so".
    – StoneyB on hiatus
    Commented Apr 10, 2015 at 14:44
  • I would guess "Follow your orders." or simply "Get to work.", though the latter could be used anywhere not just in the military.
    – user3169
    Commented Apr 10, 2015 at 18:24
  • I've heard "on the double" on TV, and found on MW that it may mean "right away". Not sure that it's military specific, though.
    – Lucky
    Commented Apr 11, 2015 at 1:48
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    'at[Br] on[US] the double' is actually a military term & it means literally 'at twice the marching pace', colloquially, 'as fast as you can', but it would require an instruction to be done at that speed.
    – DoneWithThis.
    Commented Apr 11, 2015 at 15:41

2 Answers 2

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Well, as I see it (as an ex-GI), there are three possibilities.

1) The course of action is obvious to all of the hearers, down to the individual level, and the group is very small, and the civilian is trusted by the unit. Then the officer would likely say something like, "You heard the man. Do it." This would be unlikely for any task which the soldiers ordinarily do, such as combat.

2) More likely, although the task has been analyzed in detail, there's no reason to think that the civilian knows the capabilities of the individuals. So the order would be something like, "Jones, you do A. Smith, you take B.... Let's go."

3) And, depending on the officer and the unit, the order might well be, "Sergeant, get it done."

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  • In my specific situation there's a general, a line of lieutenants, and a civilian expert listing specific, quite complex prerequisites of the task that needs to be done. The general delegates each part of the task to the next of lieutenants in line as soon as it's been said. "The blast radius is 10 kilometers, we need to find an uninhabited area of that size." [find it] "I will need help of someone skilled in [obscure software]." [find them]. "Transport of about a ton of components to the destination" [organize it]. "A car battery and 230V inverter, 100 watt minimum, connected to it" [get it].
    – SF.
    Commented Apr 13, 2015 at 22:56
  • In Polish there's a specific order ("Wykonać!") which is used to instruct the soldiers to get to performing given task after specific (and more lengthy than a simple order) instructions were issued (be it by the officer or third party).
    – SF.
    Commented Apr 13, 2015 at 23:02
  • While I can't write for you, you ought to be aware that if a general is commanding a bunch of butterbars (lieutenants) something has gone very wrong. Either that or the general is a micromanaging idiot (although some, in fact, are).
    – WhatRoughBeast
    Commented Apr 14, 2015 at 21:06
  • Seriously, if among these requests from the expert is "A roll of shrink wrap and a permanent marker", should the general assign that to a colonel? The lieutenants are to carry out simpler of the requests and to deliver the more complex ones to relevant units - often far above their pay grade, who are on stand-by awaiting these kinds of orders. Think of them as office-boys; an intelligent message dispatch system.
    – SF.
    Commented Apr 15, 2015 at 5:40
  • If the problem which the expert is addressing can be solved by a roll of shrink wrap and a magic marker, a general has no business getting involved. More seriously, nowadays if a general is acting on a problem he will give orders directly to his subordinate commanders - and that's not usually lieutenants. The US Army, at least, does not use lieutenants as message boys to transmit orders from generals. I seriously question your military expertise.
    – WhatRoughBeast
    Commented Apr 16, 2015 at 21:08
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You know, this is usually used for movement, but I think it applies well here too. "Move out."

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  • Welcome to ELL! This is considered comment-like to many people, so it might be better if you be a little more elaborate on your answer. Thank you.
    – M.A.R.
    Commented Apr 13, 2015 at 19:56
  • I will keep that in mind in the future. I just figured that since I completely and succinctly answered the question, there would be no reason to add any superfluous material. I'll just bite my tongue if I don't have more to add in the future.
    – Dan
    Commented Apr 13, 2015 at 20:00
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    @Dan - Don't bite your tongue; leave a comment if you think the contribution might be helpful. Another way to add to an answer is to provide an example to substantiate it. For example, a 2005 book by Tabor Evans reads: “You men have your orders,” Morgan said. “Move out.” The soldiers split up and faded away into the shadows. Adding something like that helps when people aren't sure that your answer is correct. (Some answers often make people think, "Is that really true?" particularly when a phrasing is used rather heavily in British English but not American English, or vice-versa.)
    – J.R. ♦
    Commented Apr 13, 2015 at 20:12
  • Good point. However, answers in a comment is one of my pet peeves. I know I'm new here, but I've been using stackoverflow regularly for about four years. I think if it is an answer, it should be an answer, long or short. I would agree that my answer isn't the best this time, but I still think it's an answer, not a comment. Finding a reference using my example is an excellant idea! It is not actually commenting on the question, or asking for clarification. Similarly, it is not expanding or making a note or addition to another answer.
    – Dan
    Commented Apr 13, 2015 at 20:16
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    I agree that this an answer, and indeed a responsive answer; I have upvoted it. But I agree with J.R. that an example would make it better, not so much because it makes it a more convincing answer as because it provides our particular audience a fuller context of how the phrase is used. On ELL just naming the phrase will remind most users of how they have heard or read it in use, but our users lack that broad context.
    – StoneyB on hiatus
    Commented Apr 13, 2015 at 22:12

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