The U.S. Air Force

Military cadence (also called a cadence call or “jody call”) is a traditional call-and-response work song used by military personnel while marching or running. It is designed to synchronize footfalls and breathing, reinforce unit cohesion, and maintain a steady training pace. Cadences typically feature a single leader (caller) who improvises or selects verses, with the group responding in a fixed refrain or echoed phrase, often over a simple, repetitive rhythmic pattern aligned to the movement.