11.   To be especially watchful at night and during the time for challenging, to challenge all persons on or near my post, and to allow no one to pass without proper authority. When you see a person approaching your post, take the position of port arms and call, “Halt! Who is there?” The challenge must be made at a distance sufficient to prevent your being rushed by the person being challenged. If the person answers “Friend” or “Petty officer of the guard” or gives another reply indicating a friendly nature, call, “Advance (friend, and so on) to be recognized.” If you challenge a party of persons, after receiving a reply indicating the party is friendly, you call, “Advance one person to be recognized.” When you have identified the  one,  you  have  the  person  bring  up  the  rest  of  the party and identify each individual. You must positively identify all persons challenged before  permitting  them  to  pass.  If  you  can’t  identify them to your satisfaction, detain them and call the petty officer of the guard. Never let more than one person advance at a time. If two persons approach at the same time, have them halt; then advance the senior and pass that person (if properly identified) before advancing the other person. If the people are in a vehicle, you halt the vehicle and inspect the driver’s or the passengers’credentials, as appropriate.  (Normally,  inspecting  the  driver  of  a military vehicle is sufficient; but for a commercial truck or  taxi,  you  should  check  the  passengers  too.)  If  you believe there’s something suspicious about the vehicle or its occupants, direct one of the occupants to get out and approach you for recognition. If you aren’t satisfied beyond  a  reasonable  doubt  that  the  people  are authorized to pass, detain the person or party and call the petty officer of the guard. When challenging, advancing, and passing persons and patrols, always stand where you can get a good look at  them  in  such  a  way  that  you  are  protected  from  a surprise attack. Relieving an Armed Watch Two methods are used for relieving armed sentries. One way (usually used ashore) is for the Petty Officer of the Watch (POOW) to fall in the reliefs and march them to  their  posts.  Normally,  each  person  in  the  relieving detail is armed with a rifle. At each post, the petty officer halts the ranks, and both the sentry being relieved and the reporting sentry come to port arms while the person being  relieved  passes  any  special  orders  or  other information the relief should know. In  the  other  method  (usually  used  aboard  ship), each relieving sentry goes alone to the post. This sentry normally is unarmed and will relieve the sentry of the rifle or pistol as well as the post. The relief reports to the sentry, “I am ready to relieve you.” The sentry executes inspection arms and port arms and repeats the orders; the relief says, “I relieve you.” The relieving procedure is completed when the sentry being relieved passes the rifle to the relief and says, “I stand relieved.” NOTE Refer  to  the  ship’s  Standard  Operating Procedures (SOP) for relieving an armed watch. When standing an armed watch with a pistol, you must  strictly  observe  the  following  additional precautions: 1.   Keep  the  pistol  in  its  holster  except  when  the watch is relieved or circumstances require you to use it. Never engage in horseplay with the pistol—it is a deadly weapon and must always be treated as such. 2.   Do not surrender the pistol to any unauthorized person. 3.   The  pistol  normally  is  carried  loaded  aboard ship with one round in the chamber. Two loaded clips (magazines)  are  in  the  pouches  attached  to  the  pistol belt. Leave the clips in their pouches. 4.   When being relieved, a safe area for unloading a pistol must be established. In a safe area, remove the magazine from the pistol. With the weapon pointed in a safe direction (i.e., barrel full of sand), carefully jack the slide to the rear and remove the round from the chamber. Check  the  chamber,  ensuring  no  rounds  are  present. Release the slide and let the hammer go home (weapons terminology for returning the hammer to the uncocked position).  Dry  fire  the  weapon  and  then  engage  the safety. 3-10 Student Notes: