The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-07-20

NM WHAT 1T is.
Inc squad Is the integral unit mon |
when all collective movements arc
oased. Soldiers are grouped into
squads OF eight for the purpose If IL.
sliucuon and discipline; for control
as component factors in platoon Or
company; and for convenience ii IN
ecutlng orders which may call for i
small number OF men.
AT the command fall in" the eirht
men line up in two ranks of four. The
man who stands at tile left of the front
rank IS the base Of the squad, and it
usually forms up the position which he
mas taken. He Is the squad leader
corporal-while the other seven men
~ the squad are privates.
me corporal gives the commands hv
which the squad, when an individual
unit, executes Ills movements. If the
squad is formed with the company, the
captain will give the commands con
trolling example, but the corporal win
repeat TO his men the preparatory
command.
When q squad falls in, all the mem
bers Except the corporal) assemble
IN the order of height from right 10
left The rank falls in 40 inches be-
mind the front rank. This is called
distance. At the command fright
dress !! each man places his left hand
hat upon his hip, hand straight down
ward, fingers and thumb extended and
touching. Each man, except the trout
and rear rank man on the right Of the
line, turns his head and ewes To the
right and takes steps of two or three
inches so that his right arm, hanging
in the position of attention. Will
lightly touch the elbow of the raised
left arm of the man on his right: ard
each man must also take position IN
the line so thar his eyes and shoulders
are in line with those of the man Or
the first two or three men) on his right
The two men in the right file keep
their head and eyes to the front.
The rear rank men cover in file
that is each man places himself direct
ly behind the man in front of him, a.
well as on line with those to the righ'
of him. At the command "Front!' ev
cry man drops his left hand to his side
turns his head straight to the front
and takes the position of Attention.
If the command is left =.
DRESS!" the squad dresses on the eS
IRENE left man, who keeps his hea
straight to the front; but in bot
right .DRESS!" and 'lei
DRESSl' only the left arm is raised
BY means of the raised elbow, the me
get the proper space Cor intervaD b.
tween them, and the command ais
gains the proper alignment for squa'
company, or a larger body of so
diers.
! In marching, unless otherwise con
manded, the alignment described aboy
is preserved. A guide is designatei
either ''guide right" or guide left,
and the men maintain their alignmer
by yielding to pressure from the sid
of the guide Fright or left, as the cas-
may be-, and resisting pressure fror
the opposite side.
In order that each man may knoN
his place in the squad-for, as will lat
er be explained, the details of his owt
movements will vary according to hi
position in the unit-the squad lea
or instructor will give the command
.count off" At this, each man, ex
cept the right file, turns his head an
eyes to the right. The right file
| (namely. the man at the extreme RICH
Of the front rank and the man at tn
extreme right of the rear rank, 4
inches behind him) keep their head
and eyes to the front. Simultaneous
~. these two count "one!" the two
men in the next file, front and rea
rank. simultaneously count Two !!
and as they count two" they swing
their heads in unison back TO the Pc
sition of attention. The same VIII
"three" and -four" When the coun
is finished, the whole squad has re
turned to the position Of attention. am
each man knows thereafter exactl'
what he himself is to do when certain
commands to the squad are given.