Soldiers often need to operate in complete silence to maintain the element of surprise and avoid detection by enemy forces.

But they still need to communicate with each other.

So, how do they do it without telegraphing their position?

With hand signals.

During the past century, the military has developed hand signals that allow its members to communicate with each other while in stealth mode. The hand signals also allow communication when things are too loud for their comrades to hear oral communication.

The U.S. Army first developed uniform hand signals during WWII. As time went on, the vocabulary of this visual language expanded. Other branches of the military also developed hand signals, typically following the Army’s lead. The most recent standardized hand signals from the U.S. Army are codified in TC 3-21.60. There are many of them for different situations: patrol, convoy control, ground-to-air communication, etc.

To find out which military hand signals might be useful for a civilian to know, I talked to fellow Okie and former Green Beret Harrison Anderson, who did 12 years of active duty service in the Army. He’s now  in the Army Reserves and finishing up his business education at OU (Boomer Sooner, baby!).

A Guide to Military Hand Signals

While you might not find yourself in Nam trying to sneak past Charlie, it can still be useful for civilians to know a few military hand signals.

As Harrison noted, “Hand signals can come in handy if you’re out hunting and need to keep quiet.”

If you’re not a hunter, you can use them when paintballing, playing capture the flag with your bros, or attempting to avoid being detected by a horde of baby-eating barbarians during the apocalypse. Plus, they’re just cool to know.

Here’s a rundown on some of the main military hand signals:

Numbers

Because one of a soldier’s hands may be occupied with a gun, the Army has developed a system to indicate numbers with just one hand.

Basically, the hand signals for numbers 1-5 are straightforward, with one finger extended up for each numeral. Then when you get to 6-9, you turn your hand to the side and extend out the number of fingers you’re adding to 5, e.g., two fingers out is 5 + 2 or 7. A closed raised fist is zero.

Useful Patrol Hand Signals

Slow down. Tell people to slow their pace by extending your arm horizontally to the side, palm to the front, and waving your arm downward several times.

Halt. Signal for someone to stop by raising your hand above your head, palm facing forward.

Freeze. Use the same signal for halt, but make a fist. Freeze tells someone to not only stop, but to not move at all to avoid detection.

Stop, Look, Listen, Smell. Place your open hand behind your ear to tell your crew to pay attention to their environment.

Assemble. Raise your arm vertically above your head, palm open, and make a circle with your arm. Use this signal when you need your buddies to rally around you so you can talk shop.

Double time. Use this signal to tell your crew to hurry the hell up. It’s a lot of fun to do. Just pump your fist like you’re trying to get a truck driver to blow his horn.

Understood. The U.S. Army actually codified this common civilian gesture. Flash a simple thumbs up like the Fonz to indicate you understand the communication.

I Don’t Understand. This was my favorite one because it’s so funny. Just shrug your shoulders like you have no clue what’s happening, which indicates you don’t understand the communication.

Useful Vehicle Hand Signals

Harrison shared a few hand signals that can be used when you’re communicating with the driver of a vehicle. He told me he actually uses these a lot out in the civilian world when he or someone else is backing up a big truck with a trailer hitched to it and the driver’s visibility is compromised.

When your friend’s behind the wheel, you can use these signals to help him maneuver his vehicle safely (or vice versa).

Indicate How Far a Driver Has to Back Up. Use this hand signal when someone is backing up a vehicle and doesn’t want to run into something behind it. As the signaler, place yourself behind the vehicle but in sight of the driver’s side mirror. Extend your forearms to the front, palms separated and facing inward. As the vehicle backs up, bring your palms progressively closer together to indicate to the driver the shrinking distance between the vehicle and the object behind it.

Stop a Vehicle That’s Backing Up. When you need to indicate that the driver of the reversing vehicle needs to stop, make an “X” with your forearms.

Stop a Vehicle at Night. Harrison said knowing this signal can come in handy for civilians when a disaster like a tornado or wildfire strikes. Often, the National Guard will be sent to these areas to help with rescue and clean up or to enforce an evacuation order. If you approach a road closure barricade at night, you might see a guardsman moving a flashlight from side to side; that’s a military signal to stop.

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An important part of manhood has always been about having the competence to be effective in the world — having the breadth of skills, the savoir-faire, to handle any situation you find yourself in. With that in mind, each Sunday we’ll be republishing one of the illustrated guides from our archives, so you can hone your manly know-how week by week

Doing all this, inspecting these minute burglar-alarms, did not make him feel foolish or self-conscious. He was a secret agent, and still alive thanks to his exact attention to the detail of his profession. Routine precautions were to him no more unreasonable than they would be to a deep-sea diver or a test pilot, or to any man earning danger-money. Satisfied that his room had not been searched while he was at the casino, Bond undressed and took a cold shower. —Casino Royale, by Ian Fleming

When James Bond was out on assignment around the world, he sometimes stayed in nice, swanky hotels. Yet while 007 always got some pleasure out of these stays, he couldn’t afford to relax and drop his guard; when on the job, Bond was in constant danger of being counter-spied on and ambushed. Thus, when he stepped out of his room, the vigilant secret agent always left “minute burglar alarms” that would detect the intrusion of his antagonists and alert him to the fact that someone had gone through his belongings while he was away. A hair (plucked from his head; you could use thin thread or lint) here, a faint dusting of talcum powder there, left telltale evidence of a disturbance. 

Whether you’re at home or in a hotel, in the business of earning “danger-money” or just a teenager who wants to know if your parents have been snooping in your room, the tactics above — all drawn from Bond’s various adventures — will help you know if someone’s been poking through your things.

Illustration by Ted Slampyak

Help support independent publishing. Make a donation to The Art of Manliness! Thanks for the support!

An important part of manhood has always been about having the competence to be effective in the world — having the breadth of skills, the savoir-faire, to handle any situation you find yourself in. With that in mind, each Sunday we’ll be republishing one of the illustrated guides from our archives, so you can hone your manly know-how week by week.

Do you remember the scene in The Road where the boy and his father discover an untouched, perfectly stocked survival bunker? The hungry nomads happily gape as they take in crate after crate of canned goods, an unbelievable oasis in an otherwise desolate, apocalyptic landscape. The pair liberate the contents of the cans with a can opener, and make a dinner of canned pears and peaches; “They licked the spoons and tipped the bowls and drank the rich sweet syrup.”

But what if father and son hadn’t found a can opener amongst the supplies? Fortunately, as long as they knew some alternative opening methods, they wouldn’t have been out of luck. 

Despite how impenetrable they may seem, cans of food are made from fairly thin aluminum. Exploiting the can’s weakness with a variety of tools is easy. Here are three ways to get at your next meal if ever you find yourself without a can opener.

Illustrated by Ted Slampyak

Help support independent publishing. Make a donation to The Art of Manliness! Thanks for the support!

An important part of manhood has always been about having the competence to be effective in the world — having the breadth of skills, the savoir-faire, to handle any situation you find yourself in. With that in mind, each Sunday we’ll be republishing one of the illustrated guides from our archives, so you can hone your manly know-how week by week.

Hydroplaning is a terrifying situation for even the most experienced driver. It occurs when water is forced under your tires, causing them to leave the surface of the roadway and you to lose control of the car. In normal conditions, your tires are designed to shed water to the sides. But, in deeper pools of water, or when your tires are worn, the grooves on your tires may not be sufficient to force water out of the way. When water isn’t sent to the side, it goes underneath and hydroplaning occurs. At higher speeds, the problem is only exacerbated.

As with most emergency maneuvers, the best way to deal with them is to avoid them entirely. A few pointers for prevention:

• Keep tires properly inflated
• Replace worn tires
• Avoid cruise control in wet conditions
• Drive slower in wet conditions
• Avoid road edges where puddles tend to accumulate

If you do find yourself losing control, staying calm and making smooth maneuvers is important. As outlined above, what specific actions you take depend on the type of car you drive.

Illustrated by Ted Slampyak 

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One of the problems you can encounter with incandescent light bulbs is that when the glass bulb breaks, they’re hard to get out of the socket. But with a bit of ingenuity, you can easily take care of this job.

Now, you might be thinking, “Why do I need to know how to do this when incandescent bulbs have been phased out?” It’s true that last year, the U.S. banned incandescent light bulbs to nudge people to start using LED bulbs, which are typically made of plastic and don’t break like incandescent bulbs made of thin glass. But there are two reasons why you still need to know how to remove a broken incandescent bulb. First, you probably still have some incandescent bulbs in use around your house. If they ever shatter, you’ll want to know how to get them out. Second, while run-of-the-mill incandescent bulbs that you use to light your house’s rooms were banned, incandescent bulbs for appliances and bug lamps are still legal. So even in the age of the LED bulb, there’s still a chance you’ll use, break, and need to remove a shattered bulb.

Above, we showcase four methods for removing a broken glass light bulb. Before you use any of the methods, make sure the power is shut off to the light socket. You don’t want to electrocute yourself. Also, put on some heavy-duty work gloves and snap off any glass shards remaining on the bulb so you don’t cut yourself during the removal process. Keep those gloves on as you extract the bulb.

Help support independent publishing. Make a donation to The Art of Manliness! Thanks for the support!

An important part of manhood has always been about having the competence to be effective in the world — having the breadth of skills, the savoir-faire, to handle any situation you find yourself in. With that in mind, each Sunday we’ll be republishing one of the illustrated guides from our archives, so you can hone your manly know-how week by week.

It is almost guaranteed that every boy, at some point, wanted to be a cowboy. The thought of hopping on your trusty steed and riding off into the sunset is too perfect a dream to ignore. Learning how to ride a horse well, though, can take years. It involves understanding the nuances of a horse’s behavior and how your own behavior communicates your intent to them. But, with a few basics, you can certainly get at least a taste of that childhood dream. The first step? Mounting up.

Like this illustrated guide? Then you’re going to love our book The Illustrated Art of Manliness! Pick up a copy on Amazon.

Help support independent publishing. Make a donation to The Art of Manliness! Thanks for the support!

An important part of manhood has always been about having the competence to be effective in the world — having the breadth of skills, the savoir-faire, to handle any situation you find yourself in. With that in mind, each Sunday we’ll be republishing one of the illustrated guides from our archives, so you can hone your manly know-how week by week.

Burning buildings, daring escapes, or a new career in stunt work may require you to make the leap from the top of a building into a well-placed dumpster. Without question, this is a last resort action and shouldn’t be attempted unless absolutely necessary. But, if you find yourself with the need to make the ultimate dumpster dive, these tips can help you reduce the chances of serious injury.

Like this illustrated guide? Then you’re going to love our book The Illustrated Art of Manliness! Pick up a copy on Amazon.

Help support independent publishing. Make a donation to The Art of Manliness! Thanks for the support!

An important part of manhood has always been about having the competence to be effective in the world — having the breadth of skills, the savoir-faire, to handle any situation you find yourself in. With that in mind, each Sunday we’ll be republishing one of the illustrated guides from our archives, so you can hone your manly know-how week by week.

Every sport has its own holy grail move or shot. In golf, it’s the hole-in-one. In football, there’s the Hail Mary. For basketball, the full-court buzzer-beater. And in bowling, it’s the 7-10 split. Also known as “bedposts,” the 7-10 split happens when a bowler’s first ball knocks down every pin except the 7 pin and the 10 pin — the rear corner pins. Knocking down one of the pins is simple, but picking up a spare by knocking down both is nearly impossible.

While statistics suggest that there are other bowling shots that are technically harder to pull off, none have the formidable reputation of the 7-10 split. In the history of professional bowling, only a handful have pulled it off. 

There are a few ideas on how to pick up the 7-10 split. The first is to use high speed to knock either pin back into the pinsetter machine and have it bounce out, hopefully in the other pin’s direction. But this method fails on most modern pinsetter machines that have curtains which prevent pins from bouncing back out. Some people believe it’s possible to hit the outside of either pin and force it to slide across the lane and into the other pin. But, there is simply not enough room for the bowling ball to hit the far side of these outside pins.

If you want to practice the most reliable method of pulling off bowling’s holy grail, here’s the method you’ll want to focus on.

Illustrated by Ted Slampyak

Help support independent publishing. Make a donation to The Art of Manliness! Thanks for the support!

An important part of manhood has always been about having the competence to be effective in the world — having the breadth of skills, the savoir-faire, to handle any situation you find yourself in. With that in mind, each Sunday we’ll be republishing one of the illustrated guides from our archives, so you can hone your manly know-how week by week.

As the holidays draw near and the coldest days of the year start trickling in, the idea of warming up by the crackling flames of a picture-perfect fire is too alluring to resist. But without the right preparation, that ideal fire can turn into a room full of smoke accompanied by nothing more than a few wispy flames. A fireplace fire operates differently than your typical campfire, so it makes sense that building one should require a few tweaks to your standard procedure.

With indoor fires, it’s especially important to start with well-seasoned wood that won’t smoke you out of your living room. Along with good wood, you can help reduce smoke by using an upside-down fire-building technique. With kindling on top and large logs on the bottom, the flames won’t pass through cold wood, which only increases smoke production. The right technique and a few preparation tricks can go a long way to making your next cozy fire worthy of a Norman Rockwell painting.

Like this illustrated guide? Then you’re going to love our book The Illustrated Art of Manliness! Pick up a copy on Amazon.

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A blind spot in terms of driving refers to an area where the traffic outside your vehicle cannot be seen in its mirrors. 

The first time you encounter the reality of blind spots as a new driver can be quite disturbing; you look in your side-view mirrors and see nothing, but as soon as you start to change lanes, you realize there was another car right next to you, completely invisible to your view!



If you were like me, you were probably told that blind spots are inevitable, and the only thing you can do to overcome them is to physically look over your shoulder. 

I’ve been driving for a quarter of a century. And for 25 years I’ve been looking over my shoulder whenever I change lanes in order to check my blind spot. 

Well, I recently learned that cars don’t have to have blind spots. With a small adjustment of your side-view mirrors, you can, in fact, eliminate them. Here’s how to do it.

The Problem With Traditional Mirror Placement

Traditionally, many drivers adjust their side-view mirrors so that they can see both the other lanes of traffic and the sides of their own vehicle. While this may seem normal, positioning your mirrors this way is what creates blind spots and limits a driver’s field of view. 

The SAE Method: Adjusting Your Mirrors for Maximum Visibility

Back in 1995, The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) published a paper suggesting an alternative approach to mirror placement that eliminates blind spots and provides a seamless rear-view panorama. No more looking over your shoulder when changing lanes. 

The SAE method challenges the conventional mirror placement by advocating for a wider field of view. Instead of seeing the side of your own vehicle in the side-view mirrors, the goal is to capture as much of the surrounding traffic as possible. To achieve this, follow these steps:

Center Mirror Adjustment: Start by adjusting your inside rearview mirror. Position it so that you can see across your rear windshield while maintaining a clear view of the road ahead.

Driver-Side Mirror Adjustment: Look straight ahead with a level chin. Now lean to your left until your shoulder touches the inside of the door. Keep leaning until your head touches your window.

While holding this position, adjust the driver-side mirror until you can barely see your car door.

When you return to a center position, you shouldn’t see the side of your car at all in the mirror.

Passenger-Side Mirror Adjustment: Lean your body to the right, so that your head is just above the center console. Look into the passenger-side mirror and adjust it until you can barely see your car’s door. 

When you return to your center position, you shouldn’t see the right side of your car in the mirror at all.

With your mirrors in these positions, you’ve eliminated your car’s blindspots. Cars behind you should now appear to move cleanly from your center mirror to a side mirror.

Overcoming the Initial Disorientation

When you first adjust your mirrors according to the SAE method, you may experience a sense of disorientation. You’re probably used to seeing your own car when you look in your side mirror. But you’ll get used to the new view quickly and appreciate the enhanced situational awareness this mirror arrangement provides.

Illustrations by Ted Slampyak

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