Manual of Military Training by James A. Moss (best value ebook reader .TXT) 📕

And so could we go on indefinitely pointing out the object of each and every requirement of military training, for there is none that has no object and that answers no useful purpose, although the object and purpose may not always be apparent to the young soldier.

And remember that the final object of all military training is to win battles.

The following are the principal advantages of military training:

14. Handiness. The average man does one thing well. He is more or less apt to be clumsy about doing other things. The soldier is constantly called upon to do all sorts of things, and he has to do all of them well. His hands thus become trained and useful to him, and his mind gets into the habit of making his hands do what is required of them,—that is to say, the soldier becomes handy.

Handy arms are a valuable asset.

15. Self-control. In the work of the soldier, control does not stop with the hands.

The mind reaches out,—control of the body becomes a habit. The feet, legs, arms and body gradually come under the sway of the mind. In the position of the soldier, for instance, the mind holds the body motionless. In marching, the mind drives the legs to machine-like regularity. In shooting, the mind assumes command of the arms, hands, fingers and eye, linking them up and making them work in harmony.

Control of the body, together with the habit of discipline that the soldier acquires, leads to control of the mind,—that is, to self-control.

Self-control is an important factor in success in any walk of life.

16. Loyalty. Loyalty to his comrades, to his company, to his battalion, to his regiment becomes a religion with the soldier. They are a part of his life. Their reputation is his; their good name, his good name; their interests, his interests,—so, loyalty to them is but natural, and this loyalty soon extends to loyalty in general.

When you say a man is loyal the world considers that you have paid him a high tribute.

17. Orderliness. In the military service order and system are watchwords. The smooth running of the military machine depends on them.

The care and attention that the soldier is required to give at all times to his clothes, accouterments, equipment and other belongings, instill in him habits of orderliness.

Orderliness increases the value of a man.

18. Self-confidence and self-respect. Self-confidence is founded on one's ability to do things. The soldier is taught to defend himself with his rifle, and to take care of himself and to do things in almost any sort of a situation, all of which gives him confidence in himself,—self-confidence.

Respect for constituted authority, which is a part of the soldier's creed, teaches him respect for himself,—self-respect.

Self-confidence and self-respect are a credit to any man.

19. Eyes trained to observe. Guard duty, outpost duty, patrolling, scouting and target practice, train both the eye and the mind to observe.

Power of observation is a valuable faculty for a man to possess.

20. Teamwork. In drilling, patrolling, marching, maneuvers and in other phases of his training and instruction, the soldier is taught the principles of team-work,—coöperation,—whose soul is loyalty, a trait of every good soldier.

Teamwork,—coöperation,—leads to success in life.

21. Heeding law and order. The cardinal habit of the soldier is obedience. To obey orders and regulations is a habit with the soldier. And this habit of obeying orders and regulations teaches him to heed law and order.

The man who heeds law and order is a welcome member of any community.

22. Sound body. Military training, with its drills, marches, and other forms of physical exercise, together with its regular habits and outdoor work, keeps a man physically fit, giving him a sound body.

A sound body, with the physical exercise and outdoor life of the soldier, means good digestion, strength, hardiness and endurance.

A sound body is, indeed, one of the greatest blessings of life.

23. Look at the trained soldier on the following page; study him carefully from top to bottom, and see what military training does for a man.

THE TRAINED SOLDIER

The Trained Soldier WHAT DO YOU THINK OF HIM, EH?

PART I

DRILLS, EXERCISES, CEREMONIES AND INSPECTIONS

CHAPTER I

INFANTRY DRILL REGULATIONS

(To include Changes No. 20, Aug. 18, 1917.)

DEFINITIONS

(The numbers following the paragraphs are those of the Drill Regulations, and references in the text to certain paragraph numbers refer to these numbers and not to the numbers preceding the paragraphs.)

(Note.—Company drills naturally become monotonous. The monotony, however, can be greatly reduced by repeating the drills under varying circumstances. In the manual of arms, for instance, the company may be brought to open ranks and the officers and sergeants directed to superintend the drill in the front and rear ranks. As the men make mistakes they are fallen out and drilled nearby by an officer or noncommissioned officer. Or, the company may be divided into squads, each squad leader drilling his squad, falling out the men as they make mistakes, the men thus fallen out reporting to a designated officer or noncommissioned officer for drill. The men who have drilled the longest in the different squads are then formed into one squad and drilled and fallen out in like manner. The variety thus introduced stimulates a spirit of interest and rivalry that robs the drill of much of its monotony.

It is thought the instruction of a company in drill is best attained by placing special stress on squad drill. The noncommissioned officers should be thoroughly instructed, practically and theoretically, by one of the company officers and then be required to instruct their squads. The squads are then united and drilled in the school of the company.—Author.)

DEFINITIONS

24. Alignment: A straight line upon which several elements are formed, or are to be formed; or the dressing of several elements upon a straight line.

Fig. 1 Fig. 1

Note.—The line A-B, on which a body of troops is formed or is to be formed, or the act of dressing a body of troops on the line, is called an alignment.—Author.

25. Base: The element on which a movement is regulated.

26. Battle sight: The position of the rear sight when the leaf is laid down.

Fig. 2 Fig. 2

Fig. 3 Fig. 3

27. Center: The middle point or element of a command. (See Figs. 2, 3 and 5.) (The designation "center company," indicates the right center or the actual center company, according as the number of companies is even or odd.—Par. 298.)

28. Column: A formation in which the elements are placed one behind another. (See Figs. 4, 5, 6.)

29. Deploy: To extend the front. In general to change from column to line, or from close order to extended order.

30. Depth: The space from head to rear of any formation, including the leading and rear elements. The depth of a man is assumed to be 12 inches. (See Figs. 4, 5, 6.)

31. Distance: Space between elements in the direction of depth. Distance is measured from the back of the man in front to the breast of the man in rear. The distance between ranks is 40 inches in both line and column. (See Figs. 4, 5, 6.)

Fig. 4 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 Fig. 5 Fig. 6 Fig. 6

32. Element: A file, squad, platoon, company, or larger body, forming part of a still larger body.

33. File: Two men, the front-rank man and the corresponding man of the rear rank. The front-rank man is the file leader. A file which has no rear-rank man is a blank file. The term file applies also to a single man in a single-rank formation.

34. File closers: Such officers and noncommissioned officers of a company as are posted in rear of the line. For convenience, all men posted in the line of file closers.

35. Flank: The right or left of a command in line or in column; also the element on the right or left of the line. (See Figs. 2, 3 and 4.)

36. Formation: Arrangement of the elements of a command. The placing of all fractions in their order in line, in column, or for battle.

37. Front: The space, in width, occupied by an element, either in line or in column. The front of a man is assumed to be 22 inches. Front also denotes the direction of the enemy. (See Figs. 2, 3 and 5).

38. Guide: An officer, noncommissioned officer, or private upon whom the command or elements thereof regulates its march.

39. Head: The leading element of a column. (See Figs. 4, 5 and 6.)

40. Interval: Space between elements of the same line. The interval between men in ranks is 4 inches and is measured from elbow to elbow. Between companies, squads, etc., it is measured from the left elbow of the left man or guide of the group on the right, to the right elbow of the right man or guide of the group on the left. (See Fig. 3.)

41. Left: The left extremity or element of a body of troops.

42. Line: A formation in which the different elements are abreast of each other. (See Figs. 2 and 3.)

43. Order, close: The formation in which the units, in double rank, are arranged in line or in column with normal intervals and distances.

44. Order, extended: The formation in which the units are separated by intervals greater than in close order.

45. Pace: Thirty inches; the length of the full step in quick time.

46. Point of rest: The point at which a formation begins. Specifically, the point toward which units are aligned in successive movements.

47. Rank: A line of men placed side by side.

48. Right: The right extremity or element of a body of troops.

49. Note. In view of the fact that the word "Echelon" is a term of such common usage, the following definition is given: By echelon we mean a formation in which the subdivisions are placed one behind another, extending beyond and unmasking one another either wholly or in part.—Author.

BATTALION IN ECHELON COMPANIES UNMASKING WHOLLY COMPANIES UNMASKING WHOLLY COMPANIES UNMASKING IN PART COMPANIES UNMASKING IN PART INTRODUCTION

50. Object of military training. Success in battle is the ultimate object of all military training; success may be looked for only when the training is intelligent and thorough. (1)

51. Commanding officers accountable for proper training of organizations; field efficiency; team-work. Commanding officers are accountable for the proper training of their respective organizations within the limits prescribed by regulations and orders. (2)

The excellence of an organization is judged by its field efficiency. The field efficiency of an organization depends primarily upon its effectiveness as a whole. Thoroughness and uniformity in the training of the units of an organization are indispensable to the efficiency of the whole; it is by such means alone that the requisite team-work may be developed.

52. Simple movements

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