The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1898-12-03
BACKBONE OF THE ARMY
DUTIES AND POSITION OF THE NON
COMMISSIONED OFFICER.

COMMISSIONED OFFICER.
His Best Chance IL to Shoot HIS way
into thu Corridors Of Oblivion-Glory
seldom Comes to the "NOn-Com"-
The Go-Between for Onlcers and Men.
The backbone of the army is the non
commissioned man.-Rudyard KIP
ling.
Lowest down is the lance corporal
highest up are the regimental quarter
master sergeants, sergeant majors,
ordinance sergeants, and most plctur-
esque is the first sergeant. The back
bone" referred to by Mr.. Kipling con-
sists of the company ''non-coms," be-
ginning with the corporal and ending
in the first sergeant. They are the
unglorifed sinews of war, the Drawn
and muscle; the officer is the much
heralded brainy director.
The recruit to the army no sooner
swears that he "will obey the COM
mands of all officers placed above him"
than he falls into the hands OF q cor
poral. This soldier, with the two
clean white chevrons on his sleeves,
looks him over, guides him to bath
ing place, and begins to lick him into
shape. He begins by teaching him
how to stand, how to turn around,
where to keep his eyes, and all tine
small details of the soldier business.
He impresses on him the necessity OF
quick doing, and cautions that the
officers are there to think. Then the
recruit is shuffied on to o sergeant,
who places him in set of tours and
teaches him how to find his place, and
what to do when he finds it. He
finally falls into the hands OF the first
sergeant in company drill. He may
get an occasional sight Of his captain.
but he learns to know md emulate his
| sergeant.
The s'non com. is the teacher. His
unlimited ability to work and his un-
dying patience straighten up round
shoulders, liven up the shutting steps
and make sturdy soldier of the raw
recruit. He works always and for
ever, and executes the orders OF his
superiors quickly and accurately. He
serves as q model to be copied after
by the private-he is the backbone OF
the army.
Glory seldom comes to the "non-
CON-" A long time ago certain Ser
geant Jasper won permanent place
in history, and more recently Sergeant
Hamilton Fish died bravely at the
front. The '.non-com. works un'
noticed, like the line player in the
football team, because he doesn't run
with the ball, but he is the backbone
that holds the ribs together. When
the battle is hot and sweat mingles
with blood on the sodden field, when
bullets whizz and shells stream, when
comrades sink to the ground and turn
on their faces, the officer lifts his
sword on high and steps forward into
glory. The "non-com. speaks the
quiet Steady, boysP' and walks into
the jaws of death shooting his way
into the corridors of oblivion. Thu
captain knows he will be famous if h
. / survives-famous if he dies. TIT
sergeant or the corporal knows
!. his wife and children will weep ovel
their Joss, his comrades that survive
him will bury him in soldiers grave
wrapped in his blanket. He is to-
numerous for the historian to mention
he was simply doing his duty. Yet j
the victory is won it is because he il
in his place and doing this same duty
Under the new tactics in use by tn
: United States army, companies NJ
longer fight with men shoulder t.
= shoulder under the direct command
of the captain. Much stress is lait
on the skirmish drill, in which sets 0
fours under corporals and squad
, under sergeants fight in open order
firing at will after the captain ha
ordered commence firing" TIL
corporal is responsible for his set o
, fours and the sergeant for his squad
The first sergeant is in manner re
sponsible for the entire company an,
is ready to assume command when hi
officers are shot down. The new
arrangement gives opportunity to thu
"non-com." to show himself. l
remains to be seen whether or not b
will break into fame.
It is not in battle, however, that tn
g non-commissioned officer earns tn
4 title of "back bone," for in the fgh
( the sweating private is a necessar
e person. In the camp the white-chev
p roned soldier makes his presenc
' known and felt. The first sergeant
< gruff, stern, severe, kind, man of al
e work and all intelligence, father OF hi
: company and mother, too, in camp,
S in charge of his men. He looks ate
= the company quarters, tents, bedding
e clothing, knows all about the kitche
f aud sees to the equipments. He call
t the roll, details the guard, knows tn
:, ability and willingness of every soldie
t of his command and is the discipline
h rian and mouthpiece of his company
+ He is the go-between for privates an
S officers, adjusts quarreis and dissemir
v ates advice. The company books
( though not intricate, are tedious, an
' are kept by him, and he reports til
t dead to his captain. He seems to b
il in every place at the same time. d
V is the model soldier.
4 The literature of the present war
; vet unwritten. Glorious victorit
4 have been won and admirals and ger
4 erals have been launched into eve
!. lasting fame. tits to be hoped, whe
4 the war correspondents get back