Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-04-24
Self Helps for
the New Soldier
t'rnrticnt Home Hints on Military
Training Tint VIII Stand You
In Good stead When You
Arc Called tn the COI0rs.
ny United Stntc. Army omcer.
The SOLDIER. RESPONSIBILITIES.

" soldiers muscles must not only be
strong they mus. be elastic. Hc
must he prepared TO run. to jump. to
crawl 10 wrirSlc. Ia shoot or to handle
the bayon"t from the most unexpected
positions. That is why he is put
through ~sit,iuE-up exercises. By
bending. TRUSTING with his arms and
raising himself from the floor.
ms pohE ~ made athletic and supple
Tor every demand which may be i'm
posed upon II. Military discipline be-
gins with 'h" muscles. mus, he i'm
parted to TIA" nerves. and become inn
beddcd in the brain.
a rounded shoulder is Il slack rope.
The soldier whose body says on, Of
shape spends almost as much energy
in pulling himself together as he dons
in the specified motion itself. ON the
other hand. tho man whose muscles
arc disciplined is AZ Il balance. ready
1T once to respond to any command
from the brain. When a mans mus
cles are soft, they s~ullenly rcscn, all
orders from tn" brain. They have
not learned to obey.
Tho nerves must bc even more strict
~ disciplined. For even If n soldiers
muscles arc trained to execute any
order Inc receives. If MIS- nerves run
away with him. good legs only carry
him faster. And discipline Of the mind
is most important Of all. for tho mind
administrators through the nerves.
y disciplined mind will think pre-
cisely. That is willy military training
requires that Il soldier speak precisely.
that he follow correct forms III recciv-
ing and transmitting orders. in max
ing out reports, in addressing a letter.
The crispncss of military intercourse
docs not stunt mental d~evelopment.
But war is the most exact Of modern
sciences. and a soldier must strive 10
become exact. In other words. he is
simply taught how TO think-not what
to think.
As soon as a soldier begins 20 think
he Will understand his place in "A group
formation. He viii learn that thu.
handling OF large bodies Of men pivots
upon the handling Of a squad. He Will
familiariZe himself with his work i'm
"A squad. and i'll that way discover his
Importance TO the a. a whole.
The squad consists OF eight men. in
two rows OF four. 1t is under the
command of a corporal Two squads
form a section, under the command of
a sergeant. Three sections cat peace
strength form Il platoon and two pla-
toonS a Four companies
make "a battalion, three battalions.
plus a headquarters COMPANY. a ma
chine gun company and a supply COM
pany, a regiment.
The young soldier learns that. as
th- squad moves. so the OF
tn" regiment moves. He learns that If
he Individually eXeCutcs the orders he
receives IN the appointed space and at
the appointed moment. a Who'll. rer.-
nient may wheel from squad TO COM
pany front and back again. for exam
pie, without the loss OF It step. Each
part OF tn" machine Will ft perfectly
INTO place. On the other hand. if he
as an individual falls down in his part.
the squad evolution is spoiled. tn.
symmetry OF the company is broken
and the who'll regiment suffers in con
sequence. The responsibility rests
upon each man-thiS the Young sol
di"r must learn. And he must also
learn that discipline is the quickest
means Yet devised 20 give any hodv OF
soldiers that perfect team WORK. that
~tutonaiic. unconscious coordination
without which battles and c%ampaisns
cannot be successfully planned and
fought.