The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-10-06
SIXTEEN WEEKS
OF TRAINING OF
WAR ARMY HERE
War Department Schedules
Practice For the Next
-Four Months.

washington. Oct 6-Training work
mapped out by the war department Tor
National Guard and national army di-s
visions before they will be regarded, as
ready for duty abroad is based onsa 16
weeks course of the most intensive
kind of work in the open, varied with
lectures by American and allied Off
GERS who are experts in modern war
fare. To insure uniformity of train
ing throughout the entire army divi-
sion commanders have been urged to
see that the schedules announced to-
day are followed closely.
Great stress is laid upon the neces-
sity for night training. Trench raid
ing. scouting. trench building, and bp-
erations of all kinds which may be
called for an actual combat will be du-
pIicated at the camps through the
night hours. To give the men some
respite their Wednesday and Saturday
afternoons will be kept free, except in
the case of backward individuals or
units. Target practice runs through
the entire course. and tho schedules
call for 40 hours training each week.
A striking feature of the program
is the fact that practically the entire 16
weeks will be devoted to training in
0Api0hc~AS,s PAcAoOAlS, dIlAs accompanies.
Brigade, divisional. and even regimen
tai, exercises are reserved for a later
period with some minor exception dur
ling the last weeks Since the platoon,
commanded by a lieutenant, is the act
ual fighting unit. in trench battles. the
new regulations AK upon the Iieuten-
ants of each company the Response
bility for training of less than com
pany units. so that they may get in
close touch with their men and set up
an understanding of each other that
VIII be invaluable when they finally
go after the Germans.
Rigid requirement Is made that Of
ffcers be present with their COM
mands at all drills and clocklike reg
ularity in CARRYING out training sched-
ules is insisted upon. The whole sys-
tenn is to be co-ordinated and prenar-
ed In advance so that each officer
and man will know just the work to
be done during the day and night be-
fore him.
New elements will be injected into
the training each week so that eyery
phase of modern trench warfare will
be dealt with. The lecture program
is calculated to show the soldier, not
only just what he is to expect at the
/ lIoHt, DuI dlSO what VIII De his du-
ties in all circumstances of war Lee
lures with graphic illustrations will
show all that three years of war have
brought of gas attacks, bombing, and
of bayonet work. First aid instruc-
ton holds, a high place, for wounded
soldiers today INST depend largely up
Oh themselves and their immediate
neighbors in shell-torn trench fol
first treatment
The instruction starts with that OF
Individual soldiers, changes gradu,
ally until the squad of eight mer
spend most of their time in joint drill
which merges into platoon operations
and finally into the school of the
company. As the men harden to theil
work, the hours Of vigorous physica
exercises Increase and the marching
maneuvers are extended At regular
Intervals review courses will be given
and a program of test courses to de-
termine the proficiency of each MAJ
in each phase of his work has beer
devised, which will give a perfec
1 line upon every soldiers ability ant
be the stepping stone to promotion.