Tensas gazette., 1910-11-11

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| 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-
pline of the men, sees that company
reports are properly made out. o. KS
the pay roll, and does or gets done all
the details of company management.
The pay of first sergeants is $45 a
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 30, 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
educations 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 three years course in
school which Is maintained at every
garrison.
The course is quite elaborate, in
cluding 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 1t has been mastered, op-
portunity is given for post graduate
work under the post commander.
Under the system of seniority In
vogue In the army. 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 Is years
before being made a 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 by
the president, who generally selects
them from among the colonels, 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 staff 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 $3.50 q
month.
It is one of the rules of the army
that on re-enlistment a mans pay is
increased. In the case of a sergeant
this increase is four dollars a month
for each re-enlistment Thus, first
sergeant getting $45 a month, in his
second enlistment will get $49. in the
third $53, and so on up to and In
cluding the seventh enlistment, wher
he will receive 500. On retirement he
is given for life three-fourths of this
sum, besides $3.50 in lieu of clothing
and substance, and $6.25 in lieu o.
quarters, fuel and lights. All servics
abroad" (meaning in China, Cuba
Philippine islands, Guam. Alaska and
Panama) is computed as double time
and 1t is the army custom for the in
fantry to spend two years abroad 70
every three at home.
Therefore. your boy. II he enlists a
eighteen years old and becomes mrs
sergeant, can retire at thirty-eigh
with an income Of $67.50 q month, an,
with a life of achievement (withou
needing to consider his bread and but
teri ahead of him. Besides this. b
has had the finest kind of training 4
; handling men, and can get position
at once as foreman or overseer wit
contractors or others employing larg
bodies of men. There Is a great d.
mand for retired soldiers.
II your boy has q special aptitude 4
other directions. and does not wish I
advance in the line. he may be q WI
goner of cavalry. a mechanic In flel
} artillery, an artificer in the infantr!
or a farrier and blacksmith or saddle
in the cavalry. at $21 a month; fir'
: man in the coast artillery, at $50; chic
r trumpeter, at $40; become chief mus
; clan, at $75: master gunner. at $40
master electrician at SIS. etc. In q
D these lines the same custom obtain
with slight variations upon re-enlis