St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1910-11-12


be the direct representative of the
captain on all occasions and directly
responsible to him alone. He attends
to the roll CALL looks after the disci-
pl1ne of the men, sees that company
reports are properly made out. 0. KS
the pay roll, and does or gets done all
the details of company management.
The pay of first sergeants is $45
month,
All non-commissioned officers are
required to attend school for an hour
every day for instructions in their par
ticular duties, which include guard
duty, minor tactics, and elementary
Spanish and to listen to lectures by
company officers.
The government permits those who
have served for two years and are still
under 80, to take the examination
for second lieutenant, even though
they are still privates. 1t is by no
means unusual for privates to reach
this post within two or three years
from their enlistment; but in most
of such cases the men have had good
educatons before enlisting. The exam
ination is not particularly arduous,
except in the physical, the require
ments being about equal to a regular
high school education, which the am
bilious soldier can acquire by study at
night and when off regular duty; but
as a second lieutenant he will be re-
quire to take a three years course In
a school which is maintained at every
garrison.
The course is quite elaborate, in
Guiding full instruction in tactics, mill
tary hygiene and military law, COM
pany organization, international law,
(such as might be useful in border
warfare), army regulations, field en-
gineering and regulations, hippology,
etc. After it has been mastered, OPP
portunity is given for post graduate
work under the post commander.
Under the system of seniority In
vogue in the army, a second lieutenant
has to wait about six years before be-
ing promoted to first lieutenancy, and
for, say, nine years before becoming
captain. The latter has to wait in time
of peace for an average OF 10 years
before being made major; then four
years more for his lieutenant colo
nelcy, and after three more years,
when he is 81 or 60 years old, he will
be a colonel, the last highest office that
comes by regular promotion. Brigadier
and major generals are appointed oy
the president, who generally selects
them from among the colonies, but oc-
casionally breaks the rule for special
reasons.
All of these promotions come only
after frequent and rigid examinations
have been passed; for the requirements
are absolute, and the man who goes up
through the ranks must possess the
same capability as the West Pointer.
| Schools are maintained at all posts,
and after one has become captain
he takes a year at the military school
at Fort Leavenworth, and Is permitted
to supplement this with another year
of special study at the army stan col
lege. :,
So much for the boy whose ambi-
ton and talents place him among the
commissioned officers. But suppose
YOUR boy never attains higher rank
than that of first sergeant-in other
words. remains an enlisted man, all
soldiers below commissioned officers
being known technically as enlisted
men? Well, in that event, when he Is
no more than forty years old, probably,
he can retire from the army with a
salary for life of at least S67.50 q
month.
It is one Of the rules of the army
that on re-enlistment mans pay Is
increased In the case Of a sergeant
this increase is four dollars month
, for each re-enlistment. Thus, first
sergeant getting $45 a month, In his
} Asecond enlistment will get $40, In the
third s53, and so on up to and IN
Guiding the seventh enlistment, when
he will receive $685., On retirement ne
is given for life three-fourths of this
/ sum. besides $3.50 in lieu of clothing
and substance, and s625 in lieu OF
quarters, fuel and lights. All service
, abroad" (meaning in China, Cuba,
Philippine islands, Guam, Alaska and
Panama) is computed as double time
and it is the army custom for the In
) fantry to spend two years abroad fol
every three at home.
. Therefore, your boy, If he enltsts al
eighteen years old and becomes mrs,
sergeant, can retire at thirty-eight
r with an income of s67.50 month, and
: with a life of achievement (withou
needing to consider his bread and but
4 teri ahead of him. Besides this, ht
: has had the finest kind of training IL
> handling men, and can get position
: at once as foreman or overseer witt
2 contractors or others employing larg'
: bodies of men, Thure Is a great de
$ n,and for retired soldiers.
If your boy has special aptitude Il
other directions, and does not wish u
advance in the line, he may be wa
goner of cavalry, a mechanic In fiel'
artillery, an artificer In the infantry
or farrier and blacksmith or saddle
n In the cavalry, at s21 month; a fire
L man In the coast artillery, at $780, chile
l. trumpeter, at $40; become chief mus
, clan, at SIS; master gunner, at $4O
e master electrician at $75, etc. In a.
q these nnes the same custom obtain
u with slight variations upon re-enlis
q ment and retirement as among tn
y regular enlisted soldiers. And tn
is same may be said of those who ar
e. clerically inclined. The army's need
ID are so varied that there is need fc
'e aaherents of mostly all classes.