The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1917-08-23
REORGANiZE ARMY UNITS.

Complete reorganization of all the
branches of the American army to
conform with European standards, as
recommended by Major General
Pershing, is provided for in army or
ders revealing hat the recently an
nounced divisional reorganization
plan is 10 be carried down into the
regiments and companies.
The administrative unit of the in
fantry arm hereafter will be a com-
pany with $50 enlisted men and six
commissioned officers in place of
something over 100 men and three of
ficers. The company will be divided
into four %platoons. each in command
of a lieutenant. There will be two
captains as first and second in com
mand, one first lieutenant and three
second %lieutenants. Reports of the
review of American troops in France
Wednesday show that this plan al
ready has been carried out in Gener-
al %Pershing's forces.
The object of assigning two cap
tains to each company, it is under
stood, is to provide against disorgan-
ization of the unit through the loss of
its commander. The second captain,
under the European system, does not
go into the battle line with the com
pany if his senior is present. He is
held as a reserve to ~reorganize the
company if necessary.
$500 Men to a Regiment.
Under the new plan. each regiment
viii have three battalions of four
companies each making a total Of B.,
900 men. Supplemented by the regi
mental headquarters, supply and ma
chine gun organizations, the strength
of the new regiments VIII be brought
up to approximately 1900 men against
a little more than 1000 in existing
war strength regiments.
The unit organization Of the field
artillery and other arms Of the ser
vice have not been CHANGED. As a re
sult Of reducing the number Of rogi
ments in a division, the division in
stead Of 28,0o0 men viii total hercat-
ter about 10000 men, $4,000 of them
infantry.
The advantages Of the system, in
addition to the better adaptation Of
the divisional unit to trench warfare,
lie chiefly in the reduction in yer
head expense. one colonel and his
regimental staff, including his three
battalion commanders, viii now han
die $500 men instead of little more
than 1000.
Numbering Of Regiments.
Yesterdays orders show that pro
vision has been made for organization
Of thirty-two infantry new divisions,
in addition TO the regular divisions
out of troops already called TO the
colors, including the first increment
of 687, 900 drafted men. A system OF
numerical designations has been
worked III under which any division
numbered below 26 will be regulars,
between 26 and rs national guard and
rs and above national army. Regu
lar infantry brigades will be mum.
bered from one to fifty inclusive;
national guard from 81 to $50 and ma
tional army from Isl up. Regular
regiments will be numbered from one
to 100, national guard from 101 to 900
and national army to 301 up.
Assignment of brigade, regimental
or other numerical designation, viii
be in accordance with the numerical
order of divisions, with the resul'
that any person familiar with the sys
TEN will know that the. 335th infan
try. for instance. is attacked to the
167th brigade of the saith infantry di
vision and that it is composed OF ma
tional army troops, while the 3ootn IN
fantry regiment, by the same process
would be in the 150th brigade and the
18th division, composed of nationa
guard troops.
The department approved collar
insignia to designate the three ele
ments OF the army. Regulars VII