Tensas gazette., 1910-11-11

| lmSXS iu6 ScIlOuS 10 WHAT
~ his life's work will be, still
- clings stubornly to his boy
hoods dream of being a soldier. Per-
haps you have pointed out to him that
he hasn't sufficient education to get
him into West Point. Perhaps he has
the education and you admit it, and
then try to discourage him by telling
him of the many difficulties that lie
before the young man who dreams of
gaining shoulder straps through the
Point. In either event. the boy, with
the dream in his mind, replies that
he'll join the army as private, and
then. perhaps, you ''go up into the air"
at once at the mere thought of your
son being high private in the rear
ranks of Uncle Sans land fighting
force.
But why? Among all vocations
there is none that offers such certain
advancement and reward for honest
energy, and there is none that has
such slight requirements or prepara-
ton in the beginning. All that the
boy is that he must be between the
ages of IS and 35 years, OF good char
acter and temperate habits, able bod
led, free from disease, and must be
able to speak, read and write the Eng
lish language" That is all; for the re-
quirements as to height, weight, etc.,
are sufficiently elastic to admit any
young man that is not abnormal in
these physical respects.
If there is no recruiting Office in
your vicinity, letter, addressed to the
war department at Washington, D. c.,
will bring information about the near
est place at which your boy can apply
for entrance into the army. 1t is re-
quirement that applicants must pay
their own expenses to the recruiting
Office; but after being enlisted every
necessary expense in the life of the
soldier, including food, clothing, bed
ding, medicine and medical attendance
Is borne by the government.
1t will be necessary for the candi-
date to choose the branch of the serv-
Ice he desires to enter, whether In
the infantry, cavalry, artillery, signal
corps, hospital corps, etc., but as the
infantry is the most numerous, and
| conditions in all branches are general
| ~ the same, for the purposes OF this
article 1t will be assumed that your
boy takes to the infantry, with the in
tention to work up straight in that
line.
Passing his physical and mental ex-
aminations before the recruiting Off
Ger, your boy, beginning his career as
private, will first receive SIS month
| in addition to his keep as outlined
His duties will be to police and clean
and take care of the barracks, squad
room, and grounds, keep his clothing
and equipment in order, and stand
guard duty. He must rise at $3.50 to
6 in the morning, according to season,
and in Is minutes respond to roll call,
then clean up his bunk before break
fast. The forenoon is devoted large
ly to calisthenics and other drills Then
comes dinner at noon, with more drill
in the afternoon, and parade for hall
an hour just before supper at six. He
Is generally free in the evenings
though he must report for check roll
call at II o'clock. unless he has
bass to be absent later. The barracks
are fitted with library. pool and card
tables, etc., for the use of the men
Before he has been doing all these
things very long he will discover. o.
course, that his company commander
conducts regularly school for in
struction in the rudiments Of ordinar!
and military education. and. though
attendance at this school Is compul
sorry only for noncommissioned oficers
your boy, with his eye on advance
ment, will attend every meeting Of th'
school. BY so improving his oppor
tunities, and studying at night on hi
own hook, an ordinarily bright privat'
may be promoted to corporal within
year from his enlistment. and thi
first of promotions will gain him al
increase in salary of six dollars
month.
AS a corporal your boy will hold a
important place In the army organizs
ton, as he is the direct ofiicer in con
mand of seven privates, the eight bt
ing known as "the squad" which Is tn
basis Of our entire military system. H
will be relieved Of the manual labor q
taking care Of the barracks an
grounds, and in parades and compan
drills will always take his place q
leader of his squad. He posts and n
Meves the sentries on guard duty, an
sees that his particular followers al
, instructed in their duties.
The next promotion will be to sc
geant, at $50 month. The duties hel
are largely an ampliflcation Of thos
, that fall to a corporal. only the sc
. geant is the direct commanding ofics
Of two or three squads, known as
section"
. Finally, and within the three-ye,
period of his first enlistment, your be
may reach the important post of fir
, sergeant. the highest non-commissio
ed ofncer in the company. Here he vi