Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1917-10-13
TO TEACH TROOPS
MODERN WARE ARE
INTENSIVE TRAINING FOR UNITS
OF NATIONAL ARMY BEFORE
THEY LEAVE U. S.

WASHINGTON, Oct. IU.-iBefore
the members of the National Guard
and the National Army are sent
abroad to fight they will be subject
ed to sixteen weeks of intensiy,
training in modern warfare. To in
sure uniformity of training through
out the entire army divisional com
manders have been Urged to see that
the schedules, prepared by the War
Department, are followed closely.
Night Training Essential.
Great stress is laid upon the neces-
sity for night training Trench raid
ing, scouting, trench building and OPP
erations of all kinds which may be
called for in actual combat will be
duplicated at the camps through the
night hours. To give the men some
respite. their Wednesday and Satur.
day afternoons will be kept free, ex-
ceDt in the case of backward individ-
uals or units. Target practice runs
/ through the entire course and the
schedules call for forty hours of
training each week.
/ A striking feature of the program
/ is the fact that practically the entire
sixteen weeks will be devoted to train
ing individuals, platoons and compa-
mics. Brigade, divisional ami even
Iregimental exercises are reserved for
later period with some minor ex-
ceptions during the last weeks. Since
the platoon. commanded by a lieuten-
ant, is the actual fighting unit in
trench blttles. the new regulations
fix upon the lieutenants of each com
pany the responsibility for training
OF less than company units, so that
! they may get In close touch with
their men and to set up an under
standing Of each other that will be
invaluable when they finally "go over
the top
Officers at All Drills.
Rigid requirement is made that Of
dcers be present with their com
mands at al drills, and clocklike reg
ularity in carrying out training SEIZED
ules is insisted upon. The whole sys-
tenn is to be co-ordinated md prepar-
ed in advance, so that each officer
and man will know just the work to
be done during the day AMI night be-
fore him.
New elements will be injected into
the training each week, so that every
phase of medern trench warfare Will
be dealt with. The lecture program
is calculated to show the so der not
only just what he is to expect at
the front, but also what will be his
duties under all circumstances of war.
Lectures with graphic illustrations
will show all that three years of war
have brought of gas attack, of bomb
ing and of bayonet work. First aid
instruction, which holds high place
for wounded soldiers today, must de
pend largely upon themselves and
their immediate nieghbors, in she'll
torn trench for first treatment
Method of instruction.
The instruction starts with that of
the individual soldier, changes grad
Tally until t'e squad of eight men
spend most of their time in joint drill
which merges into platoon operations
and finlly into the school of the
company. AS the men harden to their
work the hours Of vigorous physical
exercises increase and the marching
maneuvers are extended At regular
intervals review courses will be Civ
en-, and program OF test courses to
determine the proficiency OF each
man in each phase OF his work has
been devised which will give a per-
feet line upon every soldiers ability
and be the stepping stone OF promo
/ ton.